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Highlands Today

Reversal Of Fortunes

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Ted Huguenin

Published: February 5, 2009

On New Year's Eve I was sitting at a table with friends, waiting for the count down to the New Year. I looked at the noise maker in front of me and saw "made in the U.S.A" stamped on it. It made me start to think of my youth in the '50s and '60s. I remembered the RCA T.V. that was made in the U.S.A. I remembered the Emerson radio that was made in the U.S.A. I remembered the Chevrolet that my father drove; you guessed it, made in the U.S.A.

I remember buying savings bonds that had a real interest rate. I remember using my passbook for my savings account. The only lobby in D.C. was in a hotel. Congress did what was best for America, not the "Lobby."

The cheap toy or trashy ash tray or "noise maker" had "Made in Japan" stamped on it. We manufactured the big ticket items here in the United States, they were quality items that would last. You knew that jobs were available and you would look for the job with the best medical and retirement plan. Our government maintained tariffs that kept us Americans on the same economic playing field as the rest of the world. The standard of living was based on the United States.

As long as free trade agreements are in force, our standard of living will decline and we will degenerate into a Third World country. Our grandchildren will pay for the mistakes that our government has made. This can be corrected and we can give our grandchildren a future like our childhood, but we have to act now.

Remember that those in Congress are our employees; they work for us, so call, write or e-mail them and remind them who they work for.

Ted Huguenin
Sebring

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