Regarding Rep. Thomas Shields’ letter, printed Sept. 21, wanting to elect more Republicans, I say he is totally wrong. Republicans cannot be trusted.

Borrow-and-spend Republicans have taken control of America’s economy out of the hands of the American people and given it to China. Corporations have stumbled all over themselves to get the chance to build their factories there so they can take advantage of the lack of labor protection and environmental laws, and especially the near slave wages of the Chinese workers with the Republicans wildly cheering them on. Republican CEOs give themselves tens of millions of dollars in bonuses and stock options with the money they save.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger put California’s huge debt on the taxpayers’ credit card. This is no solution. Since President Bush has been sitting in the White House, the size of our government has increased 33 percent. Our deficit has exploded, while programs for the poor and middle-class are being cut.

In Iraq, favored Republican corporations have been awarded no-bid contracts and have fraudulently abused them. The White House has twisted the English language so that the Clean Air and Water acts now actually make the environment more polluted.

Republicans say they want less government. They really mean they want no regulations on business practices, but they fervently strive to legislate their fundamentalist moral code into the American people’s private lives. Republicans stand for control of everything to their advantage, while Democrats stand for choice and compassion.

Thomas McDonald-Sawyer,

Auburn