My roommate and I were both taking the same Macro Economics class at the Univ. of Illinois Chicago Circle Campus. We were both basically sophomores and it was spring quarter, 1970.

The Sunday before the final exam we were sitting in the sunshine on campus studying. The professor had told us the final would consist of one essay question. One question that we would use what we’d learned that quarter to answer in essay form in one of those blue essay booklets. You know, those damn killer essay exams!

One question: What could that question be?

Well, in 1970 Richard Nixon was president and the economy was in bad shape (high unemployment, “stagflation”, etc.). But Tom and I had just spent 10 weeks studying the macro econ tools that governments can use to stimulate economic growth, control inflation, etc. and felt good about knowing this complex subject.

But, what the hell one question would he ask?

In a flash of intellectual brilliance I said “What if the question is: ‘You’ve just been appointed to President Nixon’s Board of Economic Advisers. What recommendations would you make to improve the economy?’”

So, the two of us talked through the 4-5 things that Nixon could do to lower both unemployment and inflation. We went back to our notes and the textbook to be sure we had the concepts right. We came up with several actions Nixon could take.

Well, the next day we went to the final and were absolutely stunned to see that was the exact question! Needless to say we both got A’s for the course.

But that’s not the moral of the story.

Here we are today in the fourth year of the worst recession since the 1930’s and there doesn’t seem to be anyone in power whose actions indicate they know a way out. The incredibly tragic fact is that right now there are thousands of sophomores taking Econ 102 classes and learning about the tools that, if applied, would get us out of this recession. We just need to look at history.

We need public works projects! People need jobs and our country needs its bridges repaired, schools rebuilt, roads re-paved, rivers dredged, power plants updated, etc. The list is so easy to compile it’s ridiculous!

Our nation’s problem is not that we don’t know how to improve the economy and relieve the sufferings of millions of idled workers and their families. Our problem is we don’t have the political will or, in the case of the current GOP controlled House of Representatives, there’s no political benefit to their party in actually ending this recession before January 2013.

So, at what point does the GOP’s obstructing the recovery of our nation’s economic health cross the line from being just politics as usual and become unpatriotic actions bordering on treason?

I truly hope every ex-Econ 102 student remembers the stimulus lessons they learned and holds our public servants accountable for their in-actions that have caused this recession to go on way too long.

(Check this source for details on Nixon’s economic police)