In remarks to the Associated Press yesterday, Senator McCain said we could most likely be in a recession. Wow. There is no pulling the wool over his eyes. Can't fool this wealthy Arizona Republican. He knows a recession when he sees one!

The Republican presidential nominee continues to show that not only is he totally wrong with his Iraq policy but most likely he has no idea whatsoever how Americans are suffering. He needs to come to Turkey Hollow and meet the people here who are struggling to make ends meet while shipping sons and daughters off to a needless foreign war. The Senator needs to hear these desperate voices.

In my neck of the woods, it is almost impossible to go anywhere without seeing a pictures of a young man or woman in uniform posted to the bulletin board at the market, in Johnny's barber shop or as an obituary in the local paper. The people here are true patriots. Even though they disagree with the mission, they keep sending their children to serve their country. For some, it is not only old fashion patriotism that drives them to enlist. By joining the military, it is the only place that government gives them a chance for a skill or an education. You see more and more programs that enable young people to better themselves being shut down and there are few scholarships for those that do just average in high school.

The war in Iraq has caused the money to run out. There are no more funds. We are deep, deep in debt. We keep pouring dollar after dollar into this endless war and proportionally we are cutting programs of hope. Even the young ones who return alive and in one piece find little to reward them for their service to the country.

The other day, I was filling my car with gas at the local station. There was a young man with a baby face that I thought should have been still in high school. Turns out he was in his twenties and already a veteran. Being one of the first Spring days, we started to chat at the pumps. People are friendly that way up here in the Hollow. He considers himself lucky to be working in construction but wonders if it is even worth trying. Because of the freeze in housing, he travels all the way to New Jersey to work and it is a two hour commute there and two hours back. It takes almost a full tank of gas each day. This young man who has served his country is spending almost $40 a day on gas just to work. That comes to $200 a week and $800 a month!

Just so you put it in context, he spends over $8,000 a year for gas and he only makes $24,000 a year.

We continued our conversation in Johnny's Barber Shop where you can still get a bargin $9 haircut! The young man works hard but gets just minimum wage. He barely makes enough to survive with two kids. His family struggled to heat their home this winter. The honored vet spends painful minutes determining what they can afford to eat as he or she goes through the rising prices in the super market. Forget any learning tools or games for the kids. They are left with the grandparents as both parents work to survive in these hills. They hardly have time to see their kids.

John McCain needs to stop waving his warrior saber in the air, step away from his wife's beer millions, and come back to America. Come back to an America that is suffering.

The Senator just needs to spend a day pumping gas into his "Straight-Talk Express" bus in Turkey Hollow without a circus of media and visit with the good citizens of this country. His views will be changed forever.