In case we-and more importantly, the Obama Administration-needed another reminder, a number of developments on Tuesday underscore why jobs is the number one problem facing most people in this country.

Not financial reform, not the oil spill (although this is a huge disaster that must be contained), not Afghanistan (another huge disaster that must be addressed).

Are consumers about to go on a shopping spree or do they prefer to squirrel away their money until the economy improves?

This is a critical question, since consumers account for about 70 percent of the overall economy.