Rex Rhoades has made sure that facts don’t get in the way of a column (Nov. 28). Apparently, history and economics were not Rhoades’ majors. He chides the Reagan administration for economic disaster. I guess he forgot that inflation was double-digit during the Carter administration. I bought my first house during Carter’s tenure and the interest rates were 18 percent. After Reagan took office, the rates dropped to 10 percent one year later.

When Reagan took office, the military had been left in shambles. BIW had less than 4,000 workers. After huge defense budget increases, programs expanded and so did businesses. BIW had 12,600 workers in 1989. These workers bought cars and built homes with their wages, circulating money into the economy.

While some fields of work were fading fast (textiles and the shoe industry), others, such as computers and electronics, were skyrocketing. If a worker was willing to be retrained and to move, there was plenty of work available at excellent wages for the labor force.

Reagan’s business tax cuts allowed companies to reinvest in equipment and be more profitable, making the product cheaper. This in turn triggered a higher demand for the product and opened up more jobs.

For those poor and unskilled folks who were left behind, there were retraining and college programs to help. I have numerous relatives who took advantage of these programs and got college degrees and much better jobs.

Mr. Rhoades should check his facts, not relate leftist demagoguery.

Donald Mercier, Lewiston

Copy the Story Link