Getting our people back to work is priority No. 1

Some early economic indicators show that job losses are slowing and even turning around. That's great news and it can't happen fast enough. With the exception of national security, job creation is our country's top priority.

The unemployment numbers in November dropped below 10 percent for the first time in a while. And the jobs outlook is looking the best it has in two years, according to the U.S. Labor Department.

Locally, we don't need numbers to know how bad it is. Just ask anyone working at a food pantry. They'll say their numbers are double or more than last year or any other time. Many local folks struggle to put food on the table.

Some of our friends are neighbors are facing financial ruin. Homes are being foreclosed on. Bankruptcies are on the rise. Savings are drained and retirement plans are gone. It's devastating for good people who have done nothing wrong other than get caught in a perfect storm of bad luck.

The folks who are struggling, and those who are not, need to realize that these are extraordinary times. It appears we are climbing out of this. Few of us will experience an economic downturn of this magnitude again, if history is accurate. At least we hope not.

The senior citizens who lived through The Great Depression have seen it much worse, but for those of us born after that, these have been the toughest economic times by far.

Let's hope President Barack Obama makes creating jobs his top priority. We hear he's redirecting stimulus money to that, and we need it. Until people can find jobs, this vicious circle of lost savings, foreclosure, bankruptcy and using food pantries will continue.

Bless those people who have worked hard to help the less fortunate during this time. A lot of prideful people who have never asked for anything in their lives are asking for help. We hope they are getting it. We also appreciate that the people providing assistance are making sure these folks know there is no shame in asking for help.

Let's hope this recovery speeds up. Experts are saying March will be a good month for our nation. We've been patient, and realistic, but it's time to get people back to work and give all of us some sense of normalcy.