Letter: U.S. is in an abusive relationship with China

Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2007 | 7:15 a.m.

Trudy Carlson's Sunday letter, "Who's running this nation? Us or China?" made several valid points and raised several questions.

For reasons both known and unknown, the Bushites have bent over backward in dealing with China. China enjoys favored trade status with the United States, and our government simply looks the other way when it comes to holding China responsible for doing the right thing in terms of trade. The Chinese ignore international patent laws, ship unsafe goods, including food, into the United States and consistently take the stance that they will do whatever they please when dealing with us. If this is what a "free trade" global economy is all about, then I guess that makes me an opponent of free trade globalism.

For the past 10 years I have seen American jobs outsourced to other countries, particularly China and points east, and have seen the American middle class struggle to stay afloat. I have also watched in dismay as our president and the American Congress have continued to pass legislation that gives China and other havens of dirt-cheap labor a great advantage over the American worker. I'm told that a global economy is good for America and such an economy will create many new jobs for our workers at home. Maybe I'm looking in the wrong place, but I don't see evidence of that happening.

I have to believe the attitude taken by the Bush administration in dealing with China is centered on what is best for America's very large corporations, and the fact that we, with our huge budget deficit, have allowed ourselves to end up in hock to the Chinese. Much of the money that we are borrowing to pay our monthly bills is coming from China. I raise two questions: Are we selling off this country both economically and democratically to further the economic desires of America's corporate rich? Are our current policies with China good for America in the long run?

Larry Burgess, Henderson