To the Journal editor:

Have you heard the question: Are we better off now than a couple of years ago? My opinion is no. As you can see watching the news it’s mostly not good. More dangerous situations happening each day. Isis threat is real and how about Russia? Putin wants the U.S.S.R. to come back. Could that mean a major war? We may know pretty soon.

How about for the average citizen, the workers or middle class. No retirement, very hard to get medical coverage. Wages are not increasing. Go to the food stores. Most people agree it’s getting hard to put food on the table. Prices are going up and look at the packages or containers. You are getting less and paying more.

It adds up to the rich getting richer and we are left behind. Being a veteran it’s supposed to be getting better. It’s not yet. The V.A. Clinic in Marquette can’t get a doctor until January 2015. And TV keeps going up pricewise, mostly commercials on TV. It’s all about buying more stuff. The news is not worth watching. And I just noticed gas has gone up.

Time will tell how bad it gets. I know it could be worse but in my opinion those of us with not big incomes are surely not better off. As I have always stated, I’m glad I’m on the spiritual path.

I know that the promise of following the Lord’s way that in the end it will be a lot better than the way things are going now. Peace happiness and joy in the House of the Lord.

WILLIAM?P.?MAKI

Marquette