Bankrupt Detroit price to pay for foreign cars

Some time ago, I believe it was the 1970s, I wrote a letter standing up for American car manufacturers. Foreign-made cars were showing up on our streets and highways in increasing numbers. I believe I ended that letter with “Detroit Iron Forever.”

In the 1980s, I was in Los Angeles for some training on some newer manufacturing machines for Rockwell Collins and was amazed at all the Asian and European cars around me in my rental Oldsmobile.

Around that time, I noticed in an old Menards store on First Avenue in Cedar Rapids, sitting in the aisle, a crude wooden crate with equally crude hand tools at a very low price. I was surprised we were even trade partners with China. I recalled, as a young man serving in the Far East in the 1950s, that China didn't like us very much.

Today, our store shelves are full of products made in China, Malaysia, Bangladesh, Honduras, etc. These products aren't so cheap now, especially when you need to replace them so often.

So now Detroit is bankrupt. Gone are Plymouth, Pontiac, Saturn and so on. Plenty of new brands to choose from and choose you should. This is America and the stock market is doing very well. This is very good for a portion of our citizens. Anyway, I will not bother anyone on this subject again. Did I mention Detroit is bankrupt?

James Canavan

Marion