Many might have seen how the stock market has declined since the election. Have you seen any reports of massive layoffs that have begun? Many of those who voted to re-elect President Barack Obama very well might have voted themselves out of a job.
I bookmarked in my computer the daily job cuts page - www.dailyjobcuts.com - to follow the job losses.
Obamacare has the potential to be the death to the prosperity of America. If you thought we have lost jobs in the past, there will be many more to come as we get closer to 2014.
Some restaurants currently employ workers full time but do not provide health care. This works for many Americans because their spouses already receive benefits covering the family. Those restaurant jobs are being cut to part time, and people will now struggle to find multiple part-time jobs to make ends meet.
You will also see many companies that employ 50 to 75 striving to cut the number of employees to under 50. Obamacare won't require companies with fewer than 50 employees to offer health insurance starting in 2014.
These layoffs are just the first wave as many other companies wrestle with how to keep their businesses cost-effective under the so-called Affordable Care Act.
Job losses are inevitably coming to our area, especially with additional Environmental Protection Agency regulations to hit the power and coal industry. Norfolk Southern Railway announced a layoff of 200 workers due to the coal decline in October, and more are on the horizon seeing that about 40 percent of its car loadings derive from the coal industry.
McLanahan Corp. manufactures equipment for the coal industry, and this will put a strain on its business. Keystone Bolt manufacturers mine bolts used for shoring mine roofs. Its plants in Australia, China and Canada will survive but what about the nine plants in the U.S. including the three in Cresson?
The power plants are now susceptible to closure, and they hire the services of many contractors and trucking companies. These are just a few businesses to name in our area that will be placed in shackles due to this regime's war on coal.
I wonder how the next unemployment figures will be manipulated and spun to hide the real unemployment numbers. I would not be surprised if the unemployment numbers will be lower because there will be more people working part time instead of full time.
Why can't I get the song "American Pie" out of my head?
Joe Mercer
Duncansville
