Rampant Myopia

I agree wholeheartedly with the points James Flanigan made in his March 9 column, “Merger Mania Could Put U.S. Far in the Dust.”

Isn’t it tragic that myopia among our business and political leaders has reached danger levels that place in question the very future of our industries? Flanigan warns succinctly: Continue trading long-term industrial might for short-term personal gratification and we all will be working eventually for some foreign entity.

To be sure, we are a nation of vast resources. But that argument stood us in good stead yesterday when we harnessed and built upon the riches of this continent.

Our high standard of living allowed us a fair amount of non-productive diversions without damage to the system. In fact, an argument could be made that they enhanced our success. No more. Today we compete in a global world. Are we as a nation informed enough to know and understand the difference? Do we possess the skills and education to not only fend off the competition, but retain our leadership position?

What cataclysm must we go through to finally arrive at a serious and probing national debate on the subject? Shouldn’t we be justified in expecting at least our political leaders, who so adroitly avoid issues, to owe us this debate?

PETER H. HESS

Glendale