Letters to the editor: Valley’s problem is easy to see

Valley’s problem is easy to see

Anyone who still doesn’t understand why the Mahoning Valley lags far behind most of the country need only look at “The Cult of Clinton” in the Oct. 27 Vindicator.

Mr. Clinton, who many in our area mindlessly still believe was “for the people,” pushed hard to get job-giveaway trade deals like NAFTA, GATT, WTO and Most-Favored-Nation status for Red China into law while he was president. How could he be “for the people” when he was literally sending our jobs to Mexico and China? Not to mention that he enthusiastically signed the law allowing banks, insurance companies and securities brokers to dabble in each other’s business, which set the stage for the derivatives- gambling mess that nearly brought the nation under in 2008. “The people” had to rescue the favored New York banks with 700 billion of their tax dollars.

Seeing the long line of people looking to get tickets to the Clinton breakfast speech sickened me. As for the “peace and prosperity” we enjoyed while Clinton was president, the record shows that prosperity was built on the dot-com bubble, which ultimately burst in 2000.

Too many citizens in our area support the very people and policies that have done us the most harm. Only when the vast majority re-embrace the principles this nation was founded upon will this Valley, and the country for that matter, regain strength, prosperity and respect.

James A. Dunlap, Mineral Ridge