A truly historic electionDuane L. Musser
There is broad agreement the roofing industry faces more
challenges from government intrusion now than in the recent past.
Given the growing effects of government policies on businesses, the
results of the Nov. 6 elections could prove crucial to the
industry's future.
Indeed, this may be the most important election during the past
generation not only for the roofing industry but also for the
nation. The federal government's budgetary challenges are more
intractable than at any time since World War II, and one of the few
areas of agreement in otherwise gridlocked Washington, D.C., is the
need to curb the growing national debt. At nearly $16 trillion and
roughly 100 percent of the U.S. annual gross domestic product, the
debt must be addressed before it results in a serious fiscal and
economic crisis. But that's where the agreement ends.
The contrast of visions between the presidential candidates
about how to address the nation's fiscal and economic challenges is
more striking than in any election since at least 1980, when Ronald
Reagan defeated President Jimmy Carter.
President Barack Obama believes greater regulation of economic
activity, increased government spending and higher taxes as a
percentage of the U.S. economy are the answers to the malaise that
grips the economy. If the president is re-elected, we can expect to
see more legislative and regulatory initiatives, such as the
ambitious 2010 health care law, proposed...
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