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Foreign trade merely part of USA’s problem

The consideration of a foreign import market at a Cambria County airport is just a continuation of selling out the American labor market to what is perceived as free trade but is actually slave labor trade from many of the socialist and communist countries that we deal with.

As an American consumer buying these products, have you ever considered the working conditions that the people in these countries are exposed to in the name of free trade?

Based on our trade deficit, it’s apparent that many of us just don’t think about it, since we continue to purchase these imports.

You wouldn’t tolerate these conditions, and I’m sure you wouldn’t want your children to. Recently the Blair Chamber advocated a “Live Here/Buy Here” campaign to boost local businesses. A good idea, but what are you buying? I would expand that theme to: Produce Here/Live Here/Buy Here campaign.

Of course, producing in America would cost more since we pay and treat our employees in a more equitable manner due to our free market completion and government regulations at both the local, state and national level.

However, keep one thing in mind, compassion and fairness to the American worker was not always part of the equation.

Just to cite one major example: President Woodrow Wilson’s administration adopted the southern laws of indentured servitude for the country. Many Afro-Americans were trapped in southern coal mines owned by U.S. Steel and were not paid any wages. Housing and food were provided and many lived and died working in those mines. And this was occurring 40-50 years after the Civil War.

I could fill many pages with man’s mistreatment of his fellow man in the name of capitalism and profit. History reveals a characteristic of man that is not very flattering. And, as history shows, socialism, Marxism and communism are much worse.

Capitalism when implemented with integrity, honesty, compassion and wisdom has done more to elevate man’s standard of living than any other economic system.

In the final analysis, we as a country have come a long way in modifying our behavior toward our fellow man.

Do we care about how other people are treated in other countries? Despot countries who continue to exploit their people should not be granted access to our free markets at the expense of the U.S. workforce.

I would urge each of you to let your elected representative know how you feel about this issue. Also, be a compassionate shopper. Let’s put America back to work.

Frank M. Fedeli, Tyrone

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