Where Have Our Leaders Gone?

Where have our leaders gone is a question many Americans have been asking since the 2010 interim elections.  We are at twenty-one days and counting until the Fiscal Cliff occurs.   If our leaders fail to act, the US will almost immediately go into a recession just as the 49 out of 50 states are seeing themselves surviving the last recession (except for Connecticut).  The top 8 states that are leading the US in economic growth are all energy producing states in the areas of oil and natural gas.  Texas, Alaska and North Dakota lead the pack.  Where does Maryland stand?  We are what's called an Administrative and Government Sector State. With hundreds of thousands of jobs for Marylanders compliments of the Federal Government, we are very dependent on the success of the Federal Government.  That is not good news with the impending Fiscal Cliff.  With the expiration of the Bush-era tax cuts and $1.2 trillion in automatic spending cuts, that will translate to job loss in the federal government and in sectors like defense and health care.  All three of these areas will significantly impact Maryland.  It is hoped that President Obama will bring his leadership to Capitol Hill and reach across the aisle to get to matter resolved before 12/31.  Then again, we have been hoping for constructive collaboration from our leadership for the last two years, but to no avail.