The other night, I attended NYLC’s 25th anniversary celebration. Jake and I arrived late (having to drive directly from my class…which technically ended 40 minutes after the reception had started), but made it just in time for the program, staring former Senator Durenberger.

Durenberger made a comment that has really stuck with me: he said we would be the first generation that does not make as much money as our parents. I became panicked. My first thought was that I was going to have to live like an Americorps member for the rest of my life. My second thought was…but I thought the economy was only temporarily broken. I thought by the time my “real life” had started, it would be back up and working again. Apparently the Senator does not agree.

So, I have an idea. It came about from reading about about pitcher CC Sabathia’s $160 million dollar deal with the Yankees. How come everybody else is hurting during this time except for professional athletes, who continue to make completely ridiculous sums of money for playing games? Why are these institutions wasting their dollars when they could be providing a noble service to their country: start by offering donations and while our economy recovers, make games cheaper so that all of us who are sad about not making any money can go watch them and feel better? I think maybe professional sports teams should help bail out our failing car industry, and then we’d all feel better.