Define ‘buying American'
8/13/2010What is your definition of buying American (“Buy American,” editorial, Aug. 11)?
I bought a Honda Element built in East Liberty, Ohio. Is that buying American?
For my next car, I bought a Chevrolet built by Koreans. General Motors is an American company, right?
Many parts on Harley-Davidson motorcycles are designed and manufactured overseas. Accessories — leather jackets, trinkets, and chrome parts — are foreign made.
If you check the labels on merchandise sold at Cabela's, you will see “made in China” most of the time.
Until American corporations and unions make affordable products that low to middle-income earners can buy, buying American will grow farther out of reach for most consumers.
If you are going to stick a “Lost your job yet? Keep buying foreign” bumper sticker on your car, then you had better be able to define what buying foreign is, starting with everything in your house.
Jim Brower
Oregon
Don't let rail project languish
Your Aug. 5 article “Kasich: No to train plan; GOP hopeful calls $400M idea ‘white elephant,'" aggravates me, because I know Ohio will benefit from the proposed passenger rail project.
The Cleveland, Columbus, and Cincinnati lines will help connect 6 million people. It will be one of Ohio's greatest public transportation feats.
President Obama will give Ohio $400 million for the project through a stimulus grant. It will create thousands of jobs.
The project will be a new source of revenue and help connect thousands of people who rely solely on public transportation.
The American Public Transportation Association estimates that efforts such as this one will generate $6 for every $1 put in.
This project will also help Ohio reduce its carbon emissions, which rank fourth in the country. I hope it does not get delayed much longer.
Ben Burkholder
Columbus
House candidate has poor record
Rich Iott, the Republican candidate for Congress in the 9th District, says he plans to bring back jobs to Ohio. Is he planning on starting with the thousands of jobs that were lost at the Food Town stores he ran?
As one of the thousands of former Food Town employees, I know Mr. Iott's track record precedes him.
Sheron Clark
Oregon
Iott not to blame for store's demise
During my near 20-year tenure at Food Town, we did many innovative things. Rich Iott fought changes that were not good for the store, but he was not listened to.
Washington is broken. U.S. Rep. Marcy Kaptur has been there 28 years and she needs to go. From voting again and again against the interests and wishes of her constituents, to her scandalous earmarks and her big-money contributors, her record shows it's time for a change.
Gale D. Shaver
Maumee
Career pols care less about voters
Rich Iott will not be a career politician, and that is one of the reasons I want him to represent our district.
The longer people spend in Washington, the more important politics becomes, and the less important the people become.
Mr. Iott is a job creator who knows what it takes to run a successful business. He is the type of person we need working for us in Washington.
James I. Thurston III
Maumee
Washington needs Iott's skills
Years ago, I was working in a factory when I injured my back.
I knew I had to find a way to provide for my family, so I got in touch with Rich Iott to ask whether I could put a soda vending machine in front of one of the Food Town stores.
He told me he wanted to put my machines in front of all of the Food Town stores
It was a successful venture that helped me though a tough time.
I know that same character will serve us well in Congress.
Criss Sayre
Maumee
Voters want reps to listen to them
I have voted for Rep. Marcy Kaptur, but I am tired of her not listening to the people.
I have chosen to vote for Rich Iott because he will do what people want and not what lobbyists want.
He is right on the issues.
Molly Jordan
Sylvania Township
Who will payfor jobs plan?
Marcy Kaptur voted this week for a $26 billion bailout for teachers and police (“$26B plan for public jobs signed; Measure boosts stimulus spending past $1 trillion,” Aug. 11).
We don't have any money, so how is this being paid for?
Food stamps will be cut.
Educating children is a lot more important than making sure they have something to eat, right?
You can imagine the plight of our teachers during these tough economic times.
How much does your child's teacher make?
Look it up: it's easy to find on the Web.
Rich Iott, a real fiscal conservative, will actually represent taxpayers instead of unions.
Alice Martin
Huron, Ohio
Call auxiliary workers back too
When there is talk about layoffs at schools, why is it that only teachers are ever mentioned?
What about the behind-the-scenes employees, such as bus drivers, and secretaries? They are as important as teachers. Without them, schools would not function.
President Obama has signed a bill to bring back laid-off teachers, but why not all laid-off school employees?
Secretaries do ordering and paperwork, so employees have regular paychecks. Food-service workers prepare breakfast and lunch. Custodians keep the buildings looking nice.
Why not bring them back?
Margaret Goda
Perrysburg
Take down festival walls
The Lagrange Street neighborhood in North Toledo would like to take down fences and abolish admission fees at the Lagrange Street Polish Festival, and return the event to what it originally was: a neighborhood celebration to which everyone is invited.
Residents are very proud of our neighborhood and hope for a great future.
We have a new high school, a new junior high, a lot of new housing, and a wonderful community of neighbors.
The festival should be for all of us, and we will all be for the festival as it benefits our neighborhood.
Steven Roberts
Bronson Avenue
Amusing view on finance reform
I was amused by the Aug. 7 Readers' Forum letter “Only focusing will stop GOP.”
The writer exaggerated the U.S. Supreme Court ruling in the campaign finance reform case. He failed to mention that unions have the same rights.
Will we see more of the Black Panthers intimidating voters? The Obama White House dismissed all charges.
Will the Service Employees International Union use strong-arm tactics in the fall election? Bet on it.
The writer should watch Fox News instead of CNN. Maybe he will be enlightened, but I'm sure not amused.
Tom McGrail
Perrysburg