We're paying the price for 'free trade'

Free trade as it is called is supposed to be countries exchanging products equally, or as close to it as possible. That means if done fairly no huge deficit would exist between the trading countries.

History shows that our trade deals have done the opposite with the U.S. having huge deficits with our trading partners.

Some countries keep the value of their currency low to give them an unfair advantage. China does not recognize our patent laws and steals our intellectual property. China is a communist country and we have financed their military expansion and developing infrastructure from so called free trade deals.

Trade is necessary but it should be on a level playing field. There can be no restrictions on products on either side. Many now limit what we can trade, but we have no limits on them. They dump their excess products like steel, drive the price down and attempt to bankrupt our producers. They want their people to buy their products to keep their economy going, so they limit what we can import.

Some say that free trade has brought prices down, maybe a little, but if you have no job or a minimum wage job, you cannot afford to buy things like electronics.

We have financed our competition from these trade deals and we are paying the price for it, a lower standard of living.

Rich Markiewicz

Huntley