To the editor:

Leo Gerard, president of United Steelworkers Union, recently appeared on C-SPAN’s Washington Journal TV talk show. He gave several reasons why the TPP should not be fast-tracked as requested by President Obama.

The Trans Pacific Partnership is basically a Free Trade Agreement. A Fair Trade Agreement is really a better option.

The present agreement does not contain a clause opposing currency manipulations. Without this clause, rogue elements can make their goods cheaper by devaluating their own currency.

Goods involved in trading with these countries who do not reciprocate by purchasing our goods will add to the U.S. trade deficit which is already increasing too fast.

Most objectionable of all, with defective items that are imported, it takes a long time to discover the harmful flaws endangering our citizens.

Health law suits or product defect lawsuits that remedy these flaws take so very long in the court system, many American jobs are lost in the interim. This is not good for the American workers.

We the American consumer, and the U.S. government would be wise and self-supporting to adopt a “Buy American Products” policy (whenever possible) and “the job you save may be your own” attitude!

Remember American wage earners spend their salary in America creating other jobs here.

Another reason for cheap foreign products is that their countries subsidize those products to make them cheaper to purchase!

For all of the above reasons we need to oppose fast tracking this agreement. This week in Washington, the U. S. Steelworkers are wisely lobbying against this agreement.

If you also care about our American jobs and our economy, you too can contact Rep. Curt Clausen at clausen.house.gov (202) 225-2536 or Rep. Tom Rooney at rooney.house.gov (202) 225-5792 and let them know how we feel. Both congressmen represent sections of Lehigh.

Joan Patterson

Lehigh Acres