Look at the EU
I disagree with The Times’ recommendation of Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Reichert over Democratic congressional candidate Darcy Burner, in particular because of the issue of trade [“Dave Reichert, Jay Inslee, Rick Larsen in the 8th, 1st and 2nd congressional districts,” editorial, Oct. 12].
The choices are not only “free trade” or “no trade,” as this piece seems to indicate. Questions of how to include labor and environmental standards in trade agreements are valuable, perhaps essential, for fair and equitable trade agreements.
Many other countries and regions — notably, the European Union — include many more restrictions on commerce to protect workers, consumers and the environment, and their trade balance is better than ours.
Call it fair trade or call it managed trade. I will support anything but a blanket endorsement for all trade agreements that come down the pipeline. That is what Burner, for one, is doing. We need more of such perspectives in Congress.
— Stephanie Celt, Seattle