“Old Sparky, new Sparky ... the dude’s about as handsome as Mitch McConnell.”

As the U.S. economy emerged from a deep recession more than two years ago, Faye Taylor found herself living in Chandler without a job, riding her bike to Matthew’s Crossing Food Bank on Arizona Avenue each month to pick up two large bags of groceries.

Election issues are like an unending drum beat: Family, jobs and national security. There’s nothing’s really new in the world of politics except personalities and here we are again. I was reminded of the same ‘ole, when I reviewed my Election Day column from six years ago. It’s worth sharing, again. Take note of what folks stressed over, even then:

After three seasons on "The Walking Dead," Andrew Lincoln has finally been pushed to the edge.

“I just returned from the fortune teller. She told me that after Mitt Romney wins the presidency in November, the next day the 8 percent unemployment will become 11 percent unemployment and the Obama recovery will suddenly change to the Romney depression! Yes the so-called, mainstream media, champion of Obama, will finally come clean!”

• 23 million Americans are out of work, have stopped looking for work, or are underemployed.

WASHINGTON — The government's monthly jobs report has become Washington's most anticipated and studied economic indicator, pounced upon by politicians, economists and journalists for snap judgments as the presidential election nears. But in the real world, most everybody else just looks around and figures things out for themselves.

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Democrats open their national convention Tuesday in defense of a president who carries both the power and the burden of incumbency, offering President Barack Obama as the best choice to revive the ragged U.S. economy and asking Americans to be patient with incomplete results so far.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The ranks of America's poor are on track to climb to levels unseen in nearly half a century, erasing gains from the war on poverty in the 1960s amid a weak economy and fraying government safety net.

WASHINGTON (AP) — History repeats itself, until it doesn't.

WASHINGTON — The American job machine has jammed. Again.

There is no question that today’s college graduate’s job search is not their parent’s job search from back in the day.

When Michael Luna left for basic training with the Arizona Army National Guard in July, little did he know what his time would be occupied with when he would return home in December.

When Michael Luna left for basic training with the Arizona Army National Guard in July, little did he know what his time would be occupied with when he would return home in December.

When Michael Luna left for basic training with the Arizona Army National Guard in July, little did he know what his time would be occupied with when he would return home in December.

Young Americans received unwelcome news this week when an April 23 AP report found 53.6 percent of college graduates under the age of 25 are jobless or underemployed, and there is little hope for improvement in the near future. This news is grim for young Americans as well as an administration in reelection mode.

President Obama has done us all a great favor by putting out a detailed budget proposal. He has laid down an important marker over which the next campaign will be fought.

PHOENIX -- Gov. Jan Brewer said Monday she wants more tax cuts to lure business here even before the ones approved last year have had a chance to take effect.

Budget override is the same as raising the debt ceiling. It is time the Kyrene School District learned to live within its budget. We voted it down last time and they are back at the trough. They are counting on the taxpayers not knowing what is going on.

Every Wednesday, 62-year-old retiree Steve Schrade makes his way from his home near 67th Avenue and Happy Valley Road to a small AARP office in downtown Phoenix.

Matt Mackowiak

It's time for America's conservatives to take the blinders and rose-colored glasses off and see the reality that they are pretending not to see despite the fact it is right in front of their eyes.

For those who recall the 1961 Inaugural Ceremony, the quote "Ask not what your country can to for you. Ask what you can do for your country," still stirs the soul.