Letters to the Bee

These are two letters that I wrote to the Modesto Bee that were published in the last year.

Posted on Sun, Mar. 09, 2008

Tell it to laid-off Hershey workers

March 09, 2008

I can't remember being more incensed after reading an article then I was after reading Fareed Zakaria's column, "Democrats demonstrate two weaknesses" (March 4, Page B-7), in which he pillories Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton for wanting to renegotiate trade agreements.

Zakaria writes, "There are no serious economists or experts who believe that low wages in Mexico or China or India is the fundamental reason that American factories close down." He should tell that to the former workers at the Hershey plant who saw their jobs outsourced because of the low wages and lack of environmental standards available in Mexico.

Zakaria quotes a New Delhi television station as saying that hearing the Democrats talk about trade "is enough to send jitters down the spine of most in India." I say that we should be more concerned about the shiver that is sent down the spine of the American workers who have just learned that their good-paying jobs are being shipped overseas.

Free trade is not fair trade, and I look forward to electing a president who will negotiate trade deals that will benefit American workers, not hurt them.

STEPHEN TALBOTT

Waterford

Posted on Wed, Sep. 19, 2007

Worker help measure is underfunded

September 19, 2007

Regarding "Feds deny funds for Hershey workers" (Sept. 13, Page A-1): It is extremely disturbing, but not surprising, that the workers at the Hershey plant are not getting the help they need from the Bush administration's Department of Labor.

The Trade Adjustment Act, which was designed to help workers whose jobs are being lost to trade and offshoring, is underfunded and constantly subject to budget cuts. I am also concerned that county work force officials are asking for help from the 19th Congressional District's George Radanovich who, according to the AFL-CIO Web site, has one of the worst voting records in Congress when it comes to pro-worker and pro-union bills. I noted that Radanovich did not comment himself on the Hershey worker's plight, but had a spokesman speak for him. Perhaps the county officials would have better luck contacting the 18th Congressional District's Dennis Cardoza, who has a great record of voting on pro-working families issues.

STEPHEN TALBOTT

Waterford