Federal Trade Commission Received Documents Nov. 14, 1995 P894219 B18354900001 Robert C. Whittaker 3109 Gold Mine Road Brookeville, NM 20833 (301)924 -3455 Federal Trade Commission 6th and Penn. Ave. NW room 159 Washington, DC MADE IN THE US A. LABELS Made in the USA label to me means just that. The entire product should be made in this country. not partially made or just assembled, but totally manufactured in this country. In the garment industry in particular you find very few items with made in the USA labels in the retail stores today. Most bear the names of Asian countries. The salaries and other cost are far less than that of the US, but the retail cost is still ridiculously high adding insult to injury to the American consumer. What has happened to American manufactures? What can we do to restore the manufacturing in this country? Please see enclosed article that I recently sent out, "America Is Being Sold Out." Sincerely, Robert C. Whittaker LETTER TO EDITOR FOR PUBLICATION ROBERT C. WHITTAKER Federal Trade Commission: 3109 Gold Mine Road Brookeville, Md. 20833 (301) 924 - 3455 AMERICA IS BEING SOLD OUT The success of any country and that of it's citizens are based on many things. But among the most important is business, industry, manufacturing and good salaried employment. The economy of a nation. Can anyone deny that we have lost these things at every level imaginable? President Clinton said, "many Americans seem to be in a Funk." There is little doubt as to why. Employers have been down sizing their businesses. Cutting back the size, production and in particular laying off employees. Usually the employees who have the most years with the business, the highest salaries, the most employment benefits and of course they are the oldest in the work force. Job security and loyalty is gone. The bottom line on the balance sheet supersedes all else. Businesses that do rehire, now look to the federal immigration law, H-1B visa work program. This law permits up to 65,000 or more foreign high-tech workers into this country per year. They replace our workers at a fraction of their salaries. It has been reported that since 1992 over 700,000 defense related jobs have been lost in the US to H-1B immigration work visas. They are filling computer related employment, BioTech, Communication Specialist positions. Most are from India, China and other countries who's salaries are only a few hundred or a couple thousand dollars a year. The minimum US wages of a little over $10,000 a year is a fortune to them. These people sap off the high paying jobs. But than to add insult to injury we have a flood of Central American immigrants, legal and illegal. They usually are less skilled, but hard working. They too find the minimum wages or less better than what they had at home. Here this group is taking the jobs our teenage children use to fill or the retired who try to supplement their retirement pensions and of course the less skilled American workers. When ever this cry is heard we are told we are being mean spirited, that this country was founded by immigrants. It is nothing but discrimination. American workers are never-the-less in a serious competition for their jobs with foreign and none citizens in this country. The American work force is now being hired as part time employees or through Temp Agencies. The benefits that unions got and government legislated for employees is all but gone as they do not apply in these categories of employment. Our government supported the North American Free Trade Agreement and others. What has it done for jobs in this country? Nothing my fellow citizens. Businesses of every imaginable description have made investments south of the border and beyond. They have moved out or established new businesses elsewhere for low wages, no employee benefits, no taxes, or tax exemptions, duty free imports. They are exempt from employee safety and environmental regulations. The great benefits and minimum wages that were suppose to raise our standard of employment and our standard of living has only encouraged and enhanced the changes we now experience. We wanted it all or nothing. It appears that nothing is what we are getting. Buy American, buy the union label we are told, it is a joke. Even if you buy a product with an American named business you will find a label instead that reads, made in a "foreign country" under the specifications of the said American named company. Is American down sizing really based on foreign investments and relocation? Think about it my fellow citizens. The character of these United States is being diluted by the influx of third world citizens. Our businesses are migrating over the borders to foreign lands. The quality of life is plummeting from our daily lives. We ask whether our children will have the quality of life and the opportunity that we have enjoyed. But! I ask you do you think we will keep the quality of life and maintain the opportunities that we had in the last 10 years ? I think not, I believe we are already losing the American dream. Our Western, Christian, English speaking, free heritage is being stolen. Yes, sold out. What is left of the American people most definitely is in a Funk Mr. President You may not be totally to blame for it all. But you are definitely are part of the conspiracy. Yes, I can not believe that all this could have happened by coincident. Only a conspiracy of sorts could accomplish so much damage is such a short time. How can any politician expect that the citizens are going to have any faith in them when they can not, or will not protect our borders and our economy. WAKE UP AMERICA, WE ARE BEING SOLD OUT. What do you suggest that American people do to turn around this problem? What will you the F.T.C. do? Robert C. Whittaker