Just as BC and AD mark a division of time, the before and after the entry of China into the World Trade Organization (WTO) also serves as a dividing line. Before China's entry into the WTO, the United States was the most prosperous nation in history. After China's entry, America became a nation in decline. History will record that the US was not brought down by a foreign power, but by greed and willful ignorance from within.

Everything that moves has a speed, even money; it's called the velocity of money. Suppose you bought a can of paint. The proprietor then used part of the sale's money to pay his employees and the manufacture of the paint.

The paint manufacturer used his receipts to pay his employees and the many suppliers of raw materials for his paint. These companies, in turn, used their income to pay their employers and suppliers.

Money circulated but the effect of just one can of paint was miniscule. But multiply this single purchase by several billion cash transactions every hour and the velocity at which money changes hands takes off like a moon shot.

The velocity of money was the US's unfailing formula for prosperity. This was the time when almost all manufactured products bore that proud stamp, Made In The U.S.A.

That's the way it was before China was accepted into the WTO.

During Clinton's years as president, no one campaigned more vigorously than he for China entry into the WTO. “This is a hundred-to-nothing deal for America when it comes to the economics consequences,” said the president.

It was indeed “a hundred-to-nothing deal” but not for America, for China. Look at this summary of imports-to-exports ratios with China. It starts with Clinton’s first year as president and ends with his last year: 1991---3:1; 1993---4:1; 1995---4:1; 1997---5:1; 1999---6:1; and 2001---5:1. The trade imbalance was devastating for the US, but Clinton blithely brushed it aside.

The total trade deficit with China for Clinton's two terms was a staggering $470 billion. Clinton disregarded this, too. His own economic advisers argued strenuously against expanded trade with China. This, like all else, was ignored. (Does anyone smell a rat? Or was this just an eight-year run of gross malfeasance?)

December 11, 2001, another “date that will live in infamy”; China joined the WTO. The forces behind this were formidable. It included the combined cash and clout of mega corporations like GE, GM, Boeing, IBM, and many more. Their influence infected both Houses of Congress including the White House. In the end, big business got what they paid for, cheap, foreign labor.

Factories relocated to China by the tens of thousands and their formerly Made-In-The-U.S.A. products were shipped to the US and relabeled, Made In China. Walmart became China-mart to the tune of $476 billion last year.

In 2014, the US's trade ratio was a disheartening 4:1. How, then, is Communist China consistently able to out compete the democratic US?

First: China manipulates its currency (the yuan) to be cheaper than the dollar. One dollar is equivalent to six yuans. Put another way, you can buy a Chinese “dollar” for 16 cents. This causes their imported products to be dramatically less expensive. In turn, our exports to China are made prohibitively expensive.

Second: China disregards its child labor laws, has no minimal wage, and no laws governing worker safety or environmental protection.

And Third: China makes extensive use of prisoners as a labor force. It is an army of 2.3 million imprisoned slaves forced to manufacture products for export.

And remember that velocity of money? Cargo ships from China crowd our ports, loaded with cheap Chinese goods. The money paid for these products will not circulate in the US; it will be sent to China. The velocity of money dropped to zero.

Consequent to this imbalance of trade, we have closed 43 thousand factories, lost 6 million manufacturing jobs, and more than one-third of our industrial base has vanished.

The real unemployment figure according to Shadow Statistics is 23 percent. Some 25 million Americans can't find a full-time job. About 50 million Americans depend on food stamps and millions more rely on a government subsidy to survive. And the median household income has been steadily eroding since 2006.

America, we have a problem.

Sincerely,

Bob Scroggins

New Milford, PA

I get regular calls and meet folks in our local businesses and they tell me their horror stories about the Gas Industry and how their water has changed for the worst and how their royalty checks are plummeting and how they can not sleep with the constant, industrial noises of compressor stations, traffic, gas development near them and are bothered being exposed to the toxic, carcinogenic emissions from the compressor stations and gas sites.

They are the quiet ones, the Silent, the Silenced. Some who have taken settlements from the Gas Industry with water replacement have had to sign non-disclosures or gag orders to keep quiet about their situation so they can continue to get "help" from the Gas Industry. Others tell me they are afraid to sue, feel helpless and hopeless, and feel scammed and used by the Gas Industry. Others are afraid to lose whatever royalties they are still getting, afraid of upsetting their neighbors who may still want this and afraid of being smeared and maligned by the industry, as some of us have been and are.

One Township in our county, Harford, has a stricter noise ordinance for industry than our County Noise Ordinance for Compressor Stations and the Township Supervisors of Harford are not willing to enforce their own noise ordinance after Williams Energy got a permit to build their Miller Compressor Station on Miller Rd., Harford.  Williams Energy indicated to the Supervisors that they could not pass their noise ordinance and instead relied on the county noise ordinance, which is more feasible for them to pass.  When Williams did their "professional, engineering noise ordinance", they only tested two of the five compressors so at full capacity. Then they project by computer projected how high sound with all five blasting away and of course, the noise survey came within the 50 Decibel allowable, county range.

How convenient! The county needs to test these noise levels with their own surveys or noise meters; complaints from residents have been coming to the County for years. The County Supervisors refuse to do this or buy a noise meter, even when requested by residents. They instead want to rely on the industry results! We need other results besides industry, since there is a conflict of interest.

Harford has complaints from one family near this new, Miller facility and they are asking Harford to enforce their noise ordinance. At the last County planning commission meeting, I and the Tuttle family revealed this situation with Harford noise ordinance not being enforced and the Industry being favored. We are asking for enforcement by the township and that the County Supervisors also play their part in enforcing this situation with noise.

Now the county and township are tossing around which ordinance, county or township will or should take precedence.

What is the law and will the law be enforced despite pressures from industry to get away with whatever they need to operate in our county and impose their constant, industrial noises and toxic emissions from their facilities? We now face forty Compressor Stations throughout our County (and counting) and are up to about 1100 gas wells.

Do we, the citizens, have rights?  Is the industry more favored over the citizens?  I believe they are. We need to stand up for our rights and not continue to allow this Gas Industry to run despite the complaints, harm, injury, toxic exposure, abuse they return to the residents. Who will stand up and expose what is going on next to them or near them? Who will stand for their civil rights and right to safety and health?

Contact me or the Tuttle family if you agree with enforcement of noise ordinances in Harford Township and/or our county.

As a group we can have more impact with these situations. Consider what a small group of dedicated, sincere, concerned citizens can do despite the seeming, over-powering presence of a large industry.

We need to take back our Communities and County. Contact me at veraduerga@yahoo.com or 607-237-9685.

Sincerely,

Vera Scroggins

Brackney, Pa. 18812