Everyone says that the economy is bad. How bad? It's too bad. So, for the first time, I am afraid of going to the grocery stores. Milk is nearly four dollars a gallon. A dozen of eggs is two dollars or more. The price of vegetables and other necessary things went up to the sky.
Initially an immigrant from the rice-eaten country, Bangladesh , and later becoming an US citizen, my family and I mainly eat rice and fish. The 20-pound bag of rice, which I used to buy for $7.99, is $13.99 now. The hilsha fish, usually imported from our native land, was $2.50 a pound, but it went up to $30. Later it came down to $7 a pound. So, my mother, who now lives with me, my wife and I understood that in this economic condition we need to cut our grocery spending. We agreed upon having at least one less item in dinner table.
The gas price is all time high this year though President Bush went to Saudi Arabia and danced with the king a little. But, the Petroleum Exporting Countries were not convinced with his dancing style and therefore denied increasing the oil production. So, in the midst of the gas hike, I am forced to restrict my driving habit. Like many other Americans, I don't get my car out of the garage unless it is extremely necessary.
The economy is bad. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were taken over by the government. Lehman Brothers filed bankruptcy. AIG was given 85 Billion dollars to prevent a total fall out. The job market is horrible. People are worried for bread and butter. Students don't have enough money to pay college tuition. Parents don't have enough to pay the bills. In this situation, as a high school math teacher, I have to think twice to ask my students to buy a scientific calculator and allow them to finish the difficult task in class using the ones provided by the school.
Whatever the candidates say, I believe, the struggling middle class citizens, like my family and I, are looking for a way out of this economic recession. The next president would have to do a lot to fix this mess. And I have a clear understanding that Obama is the one who will be able to do that using his listing, understanding and decision making skills. I have watched all three debates and his public appearances throughout the campaign season. I found him a decent man, who is smart and intelligent. He has a clear vision for the nation and the world. So, I am voting for Obama today (Nov 4), and I urge you to do the same.
Mukto-Mona member Hassanal Abdullah is a New York City High School math teacher, poet and the author of 15 books in Bengali and one book is English. He is also the editor of a bilingual poetry journal, Shabdaguchha.
This is single post of Hassanal Abdullah who is a poet, novelist, critic and the author of 18 books including 10 collections of poetry. He lives in New York. Hassanal is the editor of a bilingual poetry journal, Shabdaguchha.