Protect America or leave office

American lives were put in risk with the 225,000 defective tires imported from China between 2004 and 2006. In 2007 melamine tainted pet food was imported from China killing and sickening thousands of pets. Toxic chemicals were also discovered in toothpaste and pharmaceuticals imported from China.

Fisher-Price recalled 1.5 million lead tainted toys. Jewelry; backpacks and other items imported from China also threatened our children. Most recently, thousands of homes have been vacated because of drywall contaminated with sulfur and coal ash imported from China. What products currently being imported from China will be found to be poisonous or hazardous in the next few years?

Article 1, Section. 8, of the Constitution says: "The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises, to pay the debts and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United States; but all duties, imposts and excises shall be uniform throughout the United States; To borrow money on the credit of the United States; To regulate commerce with foreign nations."

I can understand why, under a Republican administration devoted to "free" trade and corporate domination of federal policies, Congress ignored one of its basic duties. We now have a majority of Democrats in both houses of Congress and the White House. But, nothing has changed.

All of the incumbents took an oath to uphold the Constitution and to protect the American citizens. Maybe the change we really need is to remove all incumbents and elect someone who will protect our citizens instead of the multinational corporate profits.

Dan Kairis

South Elgin