Unfair trade policies hurting U.S. workers

This past summer, a friend and I did a lot of traveling throughout the Midwest and eastern United States. The gist of this travel was along the same lines and subject matter of the recent town hall meeting in Rock Hill in which John Ratzenberger was the spokesman for the Alliance for American Manufacturing. Without going into great detail, these visits were meant to bring attention to the massive loss of manufacturing jobs in the United States. During our travels, we talked to some good, hard-working, down-home, blue-collar folks in Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland and several other states, and for the most part they were as upset as we were about the unchecked and unbalanced free trade and outsourcing that all Americans have to contend with. The response we got the most was, we need to stop this and how can we do it?

To stop it, we need to have the leadership from top to bottom that will see the destruction this has caused, and that leadership must take steps to change course. This is why I think that town-hall meetings such as this are so important, because the focus was on educating and empowering voters to demand the answers that we deserve. We need to demand positions from our political candidates on the important issues of fair trade and manufacturing that are favorable to the U.S. as a whole and not just business interests.

The concern of unfair trade is not only about jobs but also about national security, worldwide environmental concerns and our health. In the past year, we have endured tainted products from overseas. In one case, the FDA warned us to avoid using tubes of toothpaste made in China because of concerns that the toothpaste might contain the poisonous chemical diethylene glycol (DEG), also known as "diglycol," which is used in antifreeze and as a solvent. Then, in March of 2007, the FDA found contaminants in vegetable proteins imported into the United States from China and used as ingredients in pet food. Also, there was the slew of recalled made-in-China toys tainted with lead paint.

Tainted toys

Come on, we have to deal with tainted toys with lead paint that can kill our children; ingredients in pet food that kill our pets; antifreeze in toothpaste; the American worker suffering with devastating manufacturing job losses and, of course, the trade deficit with China that covers products from steel, tires, clothes, you name it. Oh yeah, what about the great technical and customer service support that some of these guys provide us with? I don't want to be on the phone with someone from India who speaks broken English.

But we are provided with inexpensive products because of the cheap labor, we are told. Not so. It's getting to the point that we can't afford those products because the jobs that are left don't provide us enough disposable income, plus the taxes that were once paid by manufacturers are now paid by us along with the government-sponsored programs to retrain us outsourced workers.

Laws ignored

I have to admit, a lot of the problem is that some of these nations we trade with don't follow the trade agreements, but a lot of it is that some American corporations use laws, lack of laws and non-enforcement of laws to take advantage of us. They don't have to use foreign labor; it's their choice.

I am old enough to remember going through the drills of getting under your school desk and hiding if we are attacked by the communists. What amazes me is that we didn't like those disgusting red communists back then, but we very seldom hear China refereed to as Communist China when it comes to corporate America making a quick, easy buck. That is the height of arrogance and hypocrisy. Is the communist attack coming from within and is it supported and sponsored by some of our own American corporations? Are they not only fraternizing with the perceived enemy, but are they also in bed with them? In some circles, this would be treason.

With all that has happened to us as American workers and consumers, it's no wonder that we feel we are being forsaken by anti-American acts from manufacturers that dump on us in the name of cheap labor. We have an election coming up in less than a year, and I can guarantee you that I will be voting for the candidate I believe will bring about the change that will create a level playing field for the average American worker and consumer.

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This story was originally published December 15, 2007 at 12:44 AM with the headline "Unfair trade policies hurting U.S. workers."