Editor,

If you think the American auto industry is having problems now, wait until some idiot in the commerce department gives China the "green light" to start exporting their junkmobiles to our country.

The Yugo and the Pinto were very dangerous vehicles to put your family in, but if China does begin shipping their cars over here, I think deaths from traffic accidents will increase greatly. If inherent defects in Chinese cars don't kill you, the lead will surely finish you off.

Now, I'm a firm believer in foreign trade, as long as it's done fairly. Up until now, it's been too one-sided. I don't know if those geniuses in Washington are afraid of China militarily speaking or they borrowed so much money from Communist China they're afraid to speak up about the trade deficit so they won't demand all their money back. I find it hard to believe this country allowed itself to become indebted to a potential enemy. What stupidity! I guess it was borrowed to wage that ill-conceived war in Iraq.

I wonder if any of the stimulus payments that were handed out to those greedy financial institutions contained any kind of repayment schedule, like banks require you to do when you borrow money from them. I think before these banks received taxpayer money, they should have been required to fire their top executives that got them into those financial messes. I want to see them pay it back with as much interest as we had to pay to borrow it! So far, I haven't seen all that money affecting anything except those corporate executives and their bonuses. If they want real stimulus, give some of that money to the taxpayers. We'll stimulate the economy!

At a time when our federal government is borrowing billions of dollars to stimulate the economy, USAID, the United States agency that hands out everything from cars to rice to ice cream makers to countries overseas has unilaterally decided to stop buying condoms from an American company in Alabama and start buying them from China. This move will cost 300 jobs at the Alabama plant and who knows what trickle down effect it will have in that unfortunate community. USAID gave away these condoms in countries like Africa and India to slow the progression of aids, but according to statistics, their efforts seem to have little effect on the virus. Just think what results an inferior product from China will have. Case in point; look at China's population!

Before I close, I once again want to thank our state legislature for allowing all of these ATVs free access to our highways. I want to thank them for requiring us to pay for license plates, inspection stickers, insurance, and operator’s license while children under eight years old or people who have lost their right to drive a car because of DUI convictions can drive any thing they want, as reckless as they want, as fast as they want, with or without mufflers, and of course without insurance on our roads. I'm afraid it's going to be a long-hot summer with all those dirt bikes with no mufflers going wide open up and down the roads. You're not even protected from the screaming sounds in your home, much less on the porch. Once again, many people I know operate and enjoy ATVs. They do, however, ride responsibly and safely. These comments are in no way directed at you.

Thanks again for allowing me to express my opinions...

Dosvedonya!

Mike Robinson

Accoville