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The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 21, 2008

Pelosi Is Correct

Regarding "Political Games Freeze Trade Deal With Good Partner Colombia" (Our Opinion, May 13):

Your editorial was very slanted. The United States has trade with Colombia, daily - both the legal kind and illegal (cocaine).
House Speaker Pelosi is correct in not allowing more fast track trade laws to go forward without safeguards for the people of Colombia and the workers in the United States.

Your editorial correctly noted that last year 26 union members were murdered, 19 of whom were teachers. The fact you left out was that, since 1991, more than 2,200 trade unionists have been assassinated in this nation you desire our country to "partner" with, adding more bad deals for workers as in the likes of NAFTA.

Here in the United States workers get fired for union activities; in Colombia, you die. Both are outrageous.

FRANK BRAGG

Riverview

Oil Finances Terrorism

On April 15, Interpol reported that the files in three computers belonging to the number two man of the Colombian terrorist group FARC were legitimate. There exists proof the Venezuelan government - provider of 10 percent of our oil imports - finances and has close ties with the terrorists and also shows the financing by the FARC of the Ecuadoran president's election campaign. The terrorist camp where the computers were found was populated by Mexicans and Ecuadorans. In the computers there is proof of the vast reach of international support for the South American narco-terrorist organization in North America's back yard.

What is our government going to do with the fact that our oil purchases finance a government that supports terrorism? Is the Tribune going to inform its readers about the facts of the conspiracy brewing in the Americas which can exacerbate our already-critical oil supply situation? Are the demagogues in Congress going to continue to oppose the "free trade agreement" with Colombia, our best ally in the region?

ROGELIO MADRAZO

St. Petersburg

NAFTA Is To Blame

Regarding "Different Pain At The Pump: Shoe Prices Are Going Up" (Business, May 14):

What a surprise. It went on to say that this is because shoe manufacturers moved production to low-cost locales such as China and passed along some of the savings to consumers. Sorry, but this certainly is not true. Did you check out the price of sneakers for toddlers lately? The only ones who benefit are the manufacturers, not consumers.

Ross Perot was wrong about many things, but one thing that he was right about was his opposition to NAFTA. Our economy is in shambles because most of the jobs have gone overseas.

It is the same about oil prices. There are letters in the Tribune almost every day saying that we should allow drilling in the Gulf of Mexico and Alaska, etc. My question is when are our leaders going to listen? Sometimes ordinary citizens have more common sense than they do.

JOAN M. HOLSHUE

Apollo Beach

No Longer Made In USA

I have been trying very hard to support American industry as I feel we must produce something to maintain our status as one of the richest countries in the world. I needed to replace a kitchen sink faucet so I purchased an old-line American product, Delta. I had to replace my computer printer so I remembered how HP was started in a garage and, knowing that to also be American, I bought one.

Imagine my surprise to find they both were made in China. The biggest surprise of all came the other day when I saw that the Dr. Martin Luther King statue and monument was also being made in China.

GARY NOLLER

Brandon

Passing The Buck

What about the consumer? Everyone is raising prices to make up for fuel costs - airlines, truckers, manufacturers, etc., but where does the consumer go to recoup his losses? It is just second nature to pass the buck? The consumer can't strike, because they have families to think about.

I believe this is the worst I have seen in my 74 years.

CARL PUDIMOTT

New Port Richey

Checks Are A 'Gift Horse'

Regarding the Paul Combs editorial cartoon on May 18:

The cartoon shows a middle-aged couple taking their economic stimulus check from the mailbox as it goes "poof!" The wife is holding their bills. They have a disappointed look on their faces because the extra money they received from the government didn't last long!

This political cartoon is just another example of the media bias against the Bush administration and the liberals' "entitlement attitude" which is: No matter what you do, it is never enough. Instead of accepting the economic stimulus check with gratitude that the extra money will help them pay some of the bills they incurred, they complain! The extra money may not last very long, but nevertheless it is money that they probably never would have had. How they use it is their decision.

I hope everyone who receives a stimulus check uses it wisely because it will help them. By the looks of the man's belly portrayed in the cartoon, he would rather spend it on several cases of beer than pay the bills!

I was always told, "Never look a gift horse in the mouth!"

NANETTE FENTON

Odessa

Costly 'Miscalculation'

The latest news out of Tallahassee that Citizens Insurance Company needs an additional $600 million to pay claims for the 2004 and 2005 hurricanes is just another poor management job by Gov. Charlie Crist. It seems like their management team "miscalculated" the open claims. Strange, isn't it, that he is not out front and center "bashing" Citizens for a pitiful management job.

If this was State Farm, Allstate or Farm Bureau he would be doing back flips because he was so mad at them for "ripping off" the citizens of Florida. He is in charge of Citizens Insurance. I guess it shows the citizens of Florida that most of his public showmanship toward the insurance companies is just for political gain.

MATT EDWARDS

Dade City

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