Fairness and competition

Re “Go global,” editorial, Feb. 1

Apparently the ivory-tower editors of The Times don’t understand the idea of competition. They castigate the “narrower interests” that can’t handle competition. Outside of the oil companies and the Big Three automakers, I don’t know of many people who don’t want competition. But what they want is fair competition. How can a worker in Ohio compete with labor in China or India? What company wouldn’t want to pay 25 cents an hour for labor over there instead of $12.50 plus benefits in this country? About this compromise that offers “assistance” -- American workers don’t want assistance, they want jobs. And jobs are what fast-track authority send out of the country. RITCH BARRON

Long Beach

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The steps you advocate to achieve free trade are unnecessary. True free trade does not require the president’s authority to strike deals. Just like we do not need the governor of California to create a pact with Nevada to establish free trade, Americans do not need the president to cut deals with the Chinese government over the terms of trade. When the discussion includes terms such as “trade pact,” we can safely assume that we have left the realm of actual free trade. Free trade requires no pacts or deals; fairness is a matter to be decided on by the trading parties and, ultimately, consumers. Repeal any and all existing laws that hamper free trade and allow individuals and businesses to make their own trade deals. Free trade concerns individuals, and all that is required from the government is to get out of the way.

ERIC SPIESS

Los Angeles

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The reason I am no longer a Democrat but a Green is that Bill Clinton ran for president on messages such as keeping jobs in the U.S. and then flip-flopped as soon as he got in office to a position in favor of the North American Free Trade Agreement. Free trade is not the same thing as fair trade.

As for giving President Bush any more authority on anything, fast-track negotiations or not, his handling of the Iraq war should give you a clue as to his way of doing things. He makes mistakes and stubbornly hangs on and makes them worse.

JULIANNE SPILLMAN

Glendale