Having passed the four score and 10 mark, and being of sound mind (I think) if not of body and a little cynical, I enjoy reading “Letters to the Editors” in several papers. It is amusing or maybe disheartening to read those which resort to name calling, passé aphorisms, political slogans, etc., without detailing any sensible solutions to our many national, state or city problems. Obviously, many of the writers do not have degree work in history, economics or finance, or maybe they need a refresher course. The lady who complained, “give us back our country” should have realized she was out of line unless she was a native Indian.
The hypocritical Christians who pick and choose their interpretation of their Bible, fail to consider the abomination of Christ in the parable of the good Samaritan and “love thy neighbor as thyself” in relation to health care.
Those who continue to praise the piety, intelligence and foresight of our forefathers overlook that it took almost 90 years and over a million dead and wounded of our own citizens to abolish slavery and many more years to partially alleviate segregation and “all men are created equal”?
To those who cry “give us back our jobs” and “eliminate free trade,” I would suggest they read the financial news. Warren Buffet, who we must agree has plenty of “smarts” in the investment circle, has invested 34 billion dollars to purchase the Burlington Northern Santa Fe railroad, which hauls freight from the west coast to the east of the country and vice versa. As seen on TV, a large amount of the east bound traffic is in huge containers such as used in ocean traffic. Much of these contain goods from China, Japan, India and other ports in Asia, and some of it is manufactured by American companies in those areas. Anti free trade laws or tariffs would lower the number of such cargos, both in imports and exports. Do you think Buffet would “bet” 34 billion dollars if he wasn’t certain that no such legislation was in the offing, and that a few thousand dollars here and there wouldn’t influence our honorable legislators? Of course it is cynical, but all the orations, pep talks and tea parties aren’t going to change the facts. We can educate our children, make them computer wise and skilled but they will be competing against millions of Chinese and other Asians who work for pennies an hour rather than the dollars necessary to make a decent living in the USA. We will continue to import cheaper manufactured goods and American companies will continue moving “their” jobs overseas. In addition, we are sending millions of dollars to China (interest on their investments in our bonds) and these dollars are increasing their ability to produce more cheaper goods and selling them to us and are our former customers.
The Great Depression slogan was “a chicken in every pot.” We will be fortunate to have a “baloney” sandwich. Do I have any answers? Like the little red hen, I say” Not I.”
Fred Schiefelbein lives in Pittsburg.
