from the ST. PETERSBURG TIMES: "Patriotic Retirement Plan"

"Dear Mr. President:

Please find below my suggestion for fixing America 's economy.

Instead of giving billions of dollars to companies that will squander the money on lavish parties and unearned bonuses, use the following plan.

You can call it the PATRIOTIC RETIREMENT PLAN:

There are about 40 million people over 50 in the work force.

Pay them $1 million apiece severance for early retirement with the
following stipulations:

1) They MUST retire. Forty million job openings - Unemployment fixed.

2) They MUST buy a new American CAR. Forty million cars ordered -
Auto Industry fixed.

3) They MUST either buy a house or pay off their mortgage -
Housing Crisis fixed.

It can't get any easier than that!

If more money is needed, have all members of Congress and their
constituents pay their taxes for once...

If you think this would work, please forward to everyone you know.

If not, please disregard."