“Are you better off than you were four years ago?” This is the question posed by the Mitt Romney/Paul Ryan campaign lately. The answer, of course, is an emphatic “yes!”

Four years ago, we were in the beginning of a catastrophic economic free fall in which I lost more than half of my 401(k) retirement fund. It is now at the highest point it has ever been.

But that’s just me, I’d venture to say everyone is better off, whether they know it or not. Four years ago, we were still neck deep in Iraq, Osama bin Laden was still holed up in his fortress, planning future attacks, Muammar Gaddafi still ruled Libya with an iron fist, the American auto industry teetered on the brink of bankruptcy, and we were losing 800,000 jobs a month, all while the Bush administration looked on helplessly.

Now? bin Laden and Gaddafi no longer walk the earth, the Iraq War is over, the auto industry is going great guns, the stock market has doubled, and we are gaining 150,000 jobs a month (for 30 months in a row).

Now I have a question or two for Romney: Many independent economists in the country will tell you that tax cuts on the rich and deregulation were the main factors in causing the economic crash — what makes you think that they (the cornerstones of your policy) will help the economy this time?

Oh, and how about those tax returns, Romney?

Torben Platt

Solon