Weirton, West Virginia
Tuesday, March 2, 1999
Hundreds of emails, faxes, and wires reports are coming in from the front as Pat Buchanan hits the trail -- here's the latest:
Note: For background info, make sure you read Pat's Column:
WHAT WEIRTON DOES NOT KNOW
TRIBUNE REVIEW:
Buchanan hammers steel-dumping
Photo: Tribune-Review |
Pat Buchanan meets with steelworkers and their families in Weirton, West Virginia. . . . |
Steel-dumping has landed on Larry Oliver
Jr.'s doorstep.
"I have a great fear my job will be eliminated and I'll never get
called back," said Oliver, a Bloomingdale, Ohio, resident who was
furloughed Feb. 18 from the Weirton Steel Co. . . .
Oliver said he attended a town meeting Monday at City Hall in
Weirton to hear what conservative commentator Patrick Buchanan
had to say about the loss of American jobs because foreign
suppliers are selling steel here below cost. . . .
And what Buchanan had in Oliver and about 500 others was an
audience ripe for his message of protecting American industry from
unfair foreign competition. . . .
Buchanan called on the Clinton administration to enforce
anti-dumping laws enacted in the 1980s. . . .
The administration has moved cautiously, fearing
anti-dumping enforcement will further damage economies in
Pacific rim countries, Russia and Brazil, accelerating a global economic crisis. . .
The folks in Weirton, population 22,000, didn't want to hear about foreign problems. Any mention
of Clinton at the town meeting brought catcalls. . . .
Buchanan said Clinton, Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and Wall Street bankers pumped billions
in government-backed loans into troubled foreign economies. Now they're allowing those countries
to repay their debts with proceeds from dumped steel. . . .
The president's own words were used against him. Buchanan read from a speech given in Weirton
in 1992 by then-candidate Clinton. . . .
"If (foreign countries are) doing things for their steel that we're not, then they shouldn't have access
to our market," Buchanan quoted Clinton. . . .
Buchanan's message to Clinton was direct.
"Keep your word and do your duty," he said. "Put quotas across the board on foreign steel and
steel products". . . .
Shedding his navy blue suit coat in favor of shirt sleeves,
Buchanan, who is 60, recalled when America was the world's
leading manufacturer of almost all products. Free trade ended
that era and has weakened America", he said. . . .
"Only by rebuilding U.S. industry can the country be strong", he
said. . . .
Although he's a Republican and Democrats hold a 3-1 edge in voter registration in Weirton,
Buchanan's "Protect American Jobs" theme brought cheers from the blue-collar crowd. . . .
PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE:
Buchanan fires them up in West Virginia
Photo: Pittsburgh-Post Gazette |
As the hard-hatted man in the green mill jacket
walked from the shadow of the blast furnaces, he was surrounded. . . .
Television cameras, microphones and
reporters from at least three countries
clotted around Pat Buchanan,
straining to hear. . . .
|
Residents of this
layoff-battered town applauded his anti-import, America-first message on its
own terms. . . .
Diane Battista, a human resources analyst at the sprawling Weirton plant, said
she hadn't paid much attention to Buchanan in the past. But she looked on
approvingly as the soon-to-be candidate fielded questions at the main gate. . . .
Jack Cassella, 65, retired after 28 years in the
mill. But he hasn't retired from worries about
layoffs.
Texas during the steel economy's slough of the
early 1980s. . . .
She finally moved back three years ago when her husband found a job as an
electrician at Weirton. But he has been on layoff for the last three months,
another casualty of the import wave that produced red ink for the Weirton mill
in the last two quarters of 1998. . . . "They have three daughters," Cassella said, fingering the "Save Our Valley"
sign he carried into the Milsop Center. "They deserve a college education like
anyone else". . . .
Constant national reports of job growth and soaring production strike a
dissonant chord in a company town where nearly 800 steel workers have
been furloughed in recent months due to competition from low-cost imports. . . .
Photo: Pittsburgh-Post Gazette |
"The economy is great if you're willing to work for minimum wage," said Russ
Welsh, as he stood at the mill gate. . . . "The economy is booming if you're working at
McDonald's or in telemarketing". . . .
During an hour-long town meeting, Buchanan elicited a robust chorus of boos
when he noted that, "Another candidate came here in 1992. . . .
On his way to winning his first term in the White House, President Clinton
made a speech here in July 1992 in which he pledged strict enforcement of
anti-dumping laws. His words, duplicated and circulated throughout the
crowd, were quoted sarcastically by Buchanan, and in conversations
afterward by several member of his audience. Signs denouncing the
administration in general, and Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin in particular,
were on display throughout the hall. . . .
The economic travails of Asia and Russia led to a significant increase in steel
imports starting last year. Buchanan said the trend was the direct result of
decisions by the government and the Internal Monetary Fund. . . .
"The IMF said, 'Dump your steel in the U.S. and you'll have the money to pay
back our loans". . . .
Buchanan suggested that the Marshall Plan, heralded as the savior of
post-war Europe, had come at the expense of American steel workers. . . .
Photo: Pittsburgh-Post Gazette |
"[It] killed the jobs of the American boys who went to war and defeated
Germany and Japan . . . that's not going to happen to Weirton Steel". . . .
After his speech, members of the crowd, many wearing union windbreakers
and "Stand Up for Steel," T-shirts, crowded around Buchanan demanding
autographs for caps and "Go Pat Go" signs. . . .
THE WEST VIRGINIA NEWS:
Standing Pat on steel
. . . . The response from the crowd of slightly
more than 1,000 individuals was a
resounding, "Go, Pat. Go." Political party
affiliation did not seem to matter as
Democrats and Republicans cheered for the
man who vowed to make sure American
steelworkers were not forgotten . . . .
"Even my critics, opponents and
adversaries in Washington, and the place is
loaded with them, know that Pat Buchanan is
a man of his word. I give you my word that I’m
with you on this to the end and to the
victory," said Buchanan. "Why would an
economy doing so well lose over 200,000
manufacturing jobs? We’re not in a
depression; it’s because of policy. It can be
turned around" . . . .
[In] the column. . . . . the Clinton administration is blamed
for caring more about the fiscal welfare of
foreign countries than about the well-being of
struggling domestic steelmakers and their
employees . . . .
Industry leaders often point to the 1980s as
a time when the illegal dumping of steel
imports first took hold of American
companies. However, they are also quick to
stress that Reagan was bold enough to
invoke Section 201 of the 1974 Trade Act to
remedy the situation before it destroyed the
industry . . . .
"In the 1980s when foreign dumping began,
the United States suddenly lost 26 percent of
our market. They went to Ronald Reagan,
who had been a free trader, and they said,
‘Mr. President, we’re the victim of dumping
here. This is unfair," said Buchanan . . . .
"Ronald
Reagan looked at them and said, ‘America is
not going to be the steel dump of the world" . . . .
Reagan is still being commended today for
imposing temporary quotas on steel imports
to give the domestic industry a chance to
rebound from the threat of cut-rate imports . . . .
Buchanan agrees with the federal
lawmakers and steel supporters who say
Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin has a
stronghold on the administration. Rubin and
Secretary of State Madeleine Albright are
blamed for convincing the president that
taking a 201 action and imposing quotas
would cause further damage to the already
fragile global financial condition . . . .
Buchanan said the administration needs to
stand up for an industry that has invested $50
billion on modernization projects since the
1980s when the companies were faced with
unfair competition from countries that refused
to play by the existing trade rules . . . .
"We’re not here defending an inefficient
steel industry. This is the most efficient steel
industry in the world and Weirton Steel is in
the top 20 percent of all American steel
mills," he told the crowd amid a verbal
explosion of enthusiasm . . . .
"It takes Russia $400 to make a ton of
steel, but they sell it here for $200," said
Buchanan. "We have a law on the books that
Ronald Reagan invoked. It’s Section 201. We
have trade laws that say here’s what the
president should do....It seems to me that
Mr. Clinton’s duty is clear. Invoke Section
201 and put across-the-board quotas on all
steel and steel products" . . . .
Buchanan’s suggestion to Clinton received
loud cheers that turned to boos at the mere
mention of the president’s 1992 visit to
Weirton when he was campaigning for the
White House. He pointed out that a bust of
John F. Kennedy is displayed in the lobby of
the community center as a reminder that he
visited the city and made good on promises
he made . . . .
On the contrary, Clinton is remembered as
the candidate who promised to strictly
enforce trade laws to protect American
workers against illegal dumping and subsidy
practices. Today, there are about 800
Weirton Steel employees on layoff because
Clinton failed to live up to his campaign
promise . . . .
Prior to the town meeting, Buchanan toured
the mill with officials from Weirton Steel and
the ISU. Company Communications Director
Gregg Warren, ISU President Mark Glyptis
and ISU Communications Director Dave
Gossett agreed Buchanan seemed sincere in
his desire to help the industry overcome the
danger imposed by the crisis. Gossett
emphasized that Buchanan has been writing
about American workers for many years, so
he’s not jumping on the bandwagon just
because it’s election time . . . . "He and his wife aren’t phony
Washington folks. They absorbed the
surroundings of the city, asked questions
about the area and took note of where they
were. It was more than just coming here,
giving a message and leaving. They wanted to
know about the people" . . . .
Glyptis said Buchanan took time to talk to
employees in the mill and to autograph some
hard hats. Glyptis said he appreciates the
fact that the presidential hopeful vowed to
enforce trade laws and to ensure that
American workers are given priority over
foreign interests . . . .
"We need swift action by the president
taking a 201 action, but we know he has
refused to do that,’’ said Glyptis. ‘‘Nearly 50
percent of all the steel consumed in this
country in the fourth quarter of 1998 was
foreign" . . . .
The audience members expressed their
opinion of the administration by holding signs
that stated "Free Traders are Traitors" and
"Rubin and Judas - Two of a Kind" . . . .
Bill Rogowski, a 29-year Weirton Steel
employee, said he presented Buchanan with
a campaign contribution at the union hall. He
described Buchanan as the only presidential
candidate who will defend America’s working
class families . . . .
Weirton City Solicitor Joe DiBartolomeo is a
staunch Buchanan supporter, saying the man
stands by his views and does not alter his
opinion based on the latest polls . . . .
Buchanan again promised to address the
globalist, free trade policies that have created
monstrous deficits which have led to major
problems such as the import emergency. He
said Reagan used to adhere to the five ideals
of work, family, faith, community and country. . . .
"Isn’t that what Weirton is all about. This is
an issue where we all ought to stand
together. These are our workers," he said. . . . "Let’s change both political parties. We
need two ‘America First’ parties in the United
States" . . . .
REUTERS:
In W.Va., Buchanan sharpens message for campaign
Pat Buchanan, the conservative commentator who
is expected to launch on Tuesday his third presidential campaign, sharpened his blue-collar message on Monday, pledging to
rebuild the U.S. manufacturing sector by dumping President Clinton's free-trade policies.
"What we need is a reversal of current trade policies," Buchanan told about 1,300 people in the town hall of Weirton, a steel
town that has lost jobs despite the current U.S. economic boom. "From 1900 to 1970, we had a trade surplus every single
year. The globalist free-trade policies we currently have create monstrous deficits that kill our industries". . . . .
In Weirton, Buchanan returned to his familiar themes of economic protectionism and nationalism. . . .
"The economy grew at 6.6 percent in last year's fourth quarter, so why did we lose 200,000 manufacturing jobs? It's because
of (free-trade) policies. That can be turned around. I will make it the whole objective of my campaign," Buchanan said.
His speech was cheered by Weirton residents, many of whom are employed by Weirton Steel Corp. . . .
About 800 steelworkers were laid off last year at Weirton Steel, a company whose unionized workforce totals 4,300. Company and union officials blame an unprecedented flow of cheap foreign steel into the U.S. market in 1998 for the job losses. . . .
Thousands of steelworkers have lost their jobs at other U.S. companies, as well. Industry and union officials have lobbied the
Clinton administration to enforce U.S. trade laws and establish import quotas to limit cheap foreign imports. . . .
"American steelworkers who make $15 or $20 an hour cannot and ought not to be forced to compete with people who make
a dollar an hour," Buchanan said. "The idea of protecting our nation is on it's way up, and we're going to keep bringing it
uphill". . . .
Buchanan's words were greeted with resounding cheers in a town where Democrats outnumber Republicans by a three-to-one
margin and where Clinton stopped during his 1992 presidential campaign to pledge to protect American jobs. . . .
WASHINGTON POST:
Buchanan Dumps On Clinton Steel Policy - Free-Trade Critic Stirs Distressed W.Va. Town Before
Today's Campaign Curtain-Raiser
With the familiar chant of "Go, Pat, go" ringing in the air, he entered the
Thomas Milsop Community Center to a rousing reception . . .
"Free trade is the philosophy of nations on the way down," he thundered to
a crowd of about 800 in the community center, where hand-made signs
proclaimed that "Free Traders Are Traitors" and "Stand Up For America" . . .
Asserting that China is using its trade surplus with the United States to
finance an armaments program that could threaten U.S. forces in the
Pacific, he said of U.S. trade policy toward China, "You're walking very
close to the line of treason" . . .
Buchanan, who today demanded that President Clinton impose
"across-the-board quotas on all steel and steel products" shipped to the
United States . . .
"They are letting go with indifference to the heart of this country, the muscle
of this country," Buchanan said in an echo of his 1996 campaign, when he
stunned his party by winning the New Hampshire primary. "For what? So
they can trade pieces of paper on Wall Street" . . .
Buchanan's contention is that the International Monetary Fund has
encouraged the dumping of cheap steel and other products in the United
States by economically troubled countries so that they can raise the money
to repay IMF loans. He made that case in a newspaper column last year
that referred to a rally held here to protest dumping practices. That led to
the invitation to stop here on his way later today to New Hampshire . . .
For years, pictures of the visit were displayed at the community center, but
about six weeks ago they were taken down. "The pictures are facing a wall
in a closet collecting dust" . . .
Dressed casually in a plaid
shirt, white Weirton Steel hard hat and green company jacket,[Buchanan] emerged
from a plant tour this morning and spoke briefly to reporters. "When you
have a campaign, you ought to use it for a cause," he said. "The cause of
my campaign if and when I announce tomorrow will be to put American
workers and people first . . .
