An embarrassment

I have friends who finally reached their breaking point with the Times News and cancelled their subscriptions.  I’ve never been tempted to do that--I need it for the  obituaries, the reports on local government activities, and the coverage of area happenings.  I believe newspapers are necessary for an informed citizenry; I read three a day.

Having said that, what passes for editorial analysis in the Times News is truly an embarrassment to the readers.  Just take a look at the editorial entitled “Looking for a job?” by Jim Zbick in today’s issue.  The only conclusion one can draw is that Mr. Zbick thinks American companies should compete with Chinese manufacturing by paying American workers the same or less than Chinese workers.  

He blames President Obama and his “big union buddies” for this state of affairs. He ignores the that unions only represent 9% of the American workers.  He says Wal-Mart can’t afford to buy goods made in the U.S., ignoring the fact that Wal-Mart owners have opened over 300 Wal-Mart stores in China.  He ignores the fact that the decline in American manufacturing started in the Sixties, has continued for six decades under both Republican and Democratic presidents, and will continue if Bachman or Perry or any of the other Republican candidates are elected, probably at an even faster pace.  He ignores the fact that it isn’t workers who move the factories to China, but rather management, which will go anywhere it can to secure an economic advantage.  

He says that “A manufacturing job in the U.S., including salary and benefits, may pay $50 an hour.”  (The italics are his.)  I suppose the heads of corporations and banks may also receive millions of dollars a year.  Oh yeah, they do.  (The italics are mine.)

I don’t expect to agree with every editorial I read.  I do expect a certain level of intelligence and a certain amount of rational thought.  I’m not finding that in the Times News.  That paper owes its readers more than they are getting.