Proposals for Building New Bullet Train

If I read it right, an article published Jan. 25 indicated bidders on contracts to construct the aptly labeled “bullet train” from Anaheim to Las Vegas had met the deadline for submission of those bids. It’s interesting to note the contractors appear very eager to take U.S. workers’ and taxpayers’ money and pour it into overseas companies.

Orange County Supervisor Don R. Roth is apparently planning a very nice “junket” to both France and Germany to study (and probably purchase) their high-speed train products. Has he bothered to consider the fact our own country’s workers could build the vehicle he wants at a comparable price?

It seems unlikely, especially in light of the fact Bechtel International, which has made no secret of the fact they want the German product, handed him a sizable campaign contribution (according to your article) in return for his “consideration” of having the train developed and produced in Europe.

Orange County residents have always been loyal to our country and somewhat conservative in our political affiliations. We are patriotic and staunchly pro-American. Many of us have fought, bled and died to keep America strong. I believe it’s safe to write that an armed American in uniform is equal to any challenge on a field of combat.

But now, however, our great country is under a ferocious economic attack from abroad, and I don’t know if we can meet the challenge as long as Roth and other elected officials like him are (eager) to snatch up our hard-earned revenue and scuttle off to dump it into foreign markets. The notion is patently offensive to those of us who work so hard to keep and protect jobs for American workers and taxpayers.

AL YBARRA

President, United Aerospace Workers

Local 887, Anaheim