If it's made in China, let the Chinese buy it

If it's made in China, let the Chinese buy it
EDITOR:
People make shopping lists, I want to make a list of things lost. Radios, TVs, VCRs, cameras, bicycles, bicycle tires and inner tubes, cookware, dinnerware, flatware, locks, clocks, nails, hand power tools, automobile tires, many automobile parts, auto batteries, toilets, bathroom tubs and sinks, floor tile, ceramic tile, flashlights, flashlight batteries, watches, toasters, irons, kitchen appliances, shoes, clothing, upholstered and wood furniture, tools, etc, etc.
The list goes on and on. Everyone keeps saying that you can't buy anything that is not made in China or somewhere else overseas. I say, leave it. Don't buy it.
Locally, things that are not around any more are numerous stores selling any variety of goods; that were locally owned. The giant corporation big box stores have those businesses.
We used to have Westinghouse, GATX, National Castings, Greenville Steel Car, Damascus Tube, Sharon Steel, Sawhill Tube, Mesta Machine, Youngstown Sheet and Tube, Copperweld, New Castle Battery, Ethan Alan Furniture in Union City, Pa., paper mills in Erie, Pa. The list goes on and on, with large and small industries closing daily.
We no longer make many things that we need, because our government's trade policies and regulations make it too costly to produce anything in the U.S.A. We have many companies that are now foreign owned and many foreign companies are reaping the harvest of American dollars. Many American companies are betraying the workers who made money for them.
Things we do have are more courtrooms and jails and attorneys dealing with crooked politicians, thieves, drug users and dealers. We have undereducated kids coming out of schools unable to do basic math, read, speak coherently, write plainly, to understand history, geography, how our government works, etc. We make young people that have no interest in our government, allowing it to run rampant and out of control. Many times the only dealings young people and old have with the government is for hand outs.
We have athletes grossly overpaid, stadiums paid for by taxpayers while owners and players get rich. Attorneys suing everything that moves and class action lawsuits for everything imaginable, burdening companies to the brink of bankruptcy. Long term, actions such as these affect everyone.
We have credit cards; which most people are overextended on and can't seem to have any savings; we have record numbers of mortgage foreclosures.
Our borders are wide open with illegals burdening the finances of many state governments with services they are not entitled to, nor earned.
We do have a president who wants to re-do Social Security and allow some of the money to be invested in the stock market; how would you like to have had your retirement invested in Delphi or Enron? We have numerous pension plans dumped on the PBGC; which will soon go broke. Truly, Social Security will be OK if more people would have jobs, a problem our government won't face.
Americans have to wake up soon to save our country's from a downslide. In reality the rich are getting richer, the poor are increasing in numbers taken from the middle class, which is evaporating before our very eyes.
We can begin by leaving all items made in China on the shelves and hope it ends up in the ocean or an incinerator. We can live without items not proudly made in the U.S.A. Our very existence depends on just doing a simple thing, buy American made products only. One person who told the truth about everything going on is locked in jail, Jim Traficant.
JOSEPH P. HILKO
Hermitage, Pa.
Open your door to all the trick or treaters who come
EDITOR:
This is in response to the Nov. 7 letter regarding trick or treat hours. The writer must not realize that the people in Austintown also had tons of kids from Youngstown and the surrounding areas trick or treating in our neighborhoods on Sunday night. This was due to Youngstown having there trick or treat on Monday.
We realized that the cars parked along our streets were not from our neighborhoods and it didn't matter a bit. I think the writer should worry more about who is running for Mayor in her fine city or the murder rate and let the kids be kids.
If you don't want to pass out candy just turn your light out and don't answer the door. Good neighbors don't squabble over Halloween treats ... We share them with our friends from Youngstown. Let's worry about the bigger issues not Halloween candy.
SCOTT KIDD
Austitntown
If you ride a scooter, you better have a license
EDITOR:
Your front page article on scooters in the Sunday, Nov. 6, edition of the Business section failed to mention that this form of two-wheeled transportation requires a motorcycle license plate and also a motorcycle endorsement on your driver's license.
Out on the road, the issues presented by a scooter are the same as for motorcycles. One needs to take the proper steps to get endorsed and should consider training. If you are involved in a crash without an endorsement, even if you did not cause it, don't expect to be compensated.
KIM R. KOTHEIMER
Boardman