Do we really want to sacrifice standard of living for cheap jeans?

To The Daily Sun,

Government regulation, work rules, and taxes are at the heart of our ability to maintain our standard of living. They only drive business offshore when we allow competition with countries that care less about their workers and their environment.

Regulations, such as those related to the Clean Air Act, the Clean Water Act, and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, to name a few, keep our air breathable, our water fit to drink, and control the disposal of industrial waste so we don't poison ourselves. China, which certainly has less regulation, had to shut down its factories in Beijing so the Olympic athletes could breathe.

Where would you rather work? We have Worker's Compensation and OSHA to keep workers safe and provide income replacement should they be injured. We have unemployment insurance. We have laws controlling how many hours a worker can work so they can enjoy life. We don't allow child labor. We have paid holidays. We have programs for the ill and infirm and a better legal system.

Our taxes pay for our educational system, our roads, and our defense. They pay for our police and fire responders among many other services we count on. They fund science and medical investigations and help small businesses grow. Our taxes pay for Social Security, so workers can be assured of some income when they retire.

Do we really want to sacrifice our standard of living and that of our children so we can buy cheaper blue jeans? Every product sold here should be from factories that have verified that our minimum standards are met. If the American worker could compete on a level playing field those out-sourced jobs would come racing back home.

Dave Pollak

Laconia