Perry Radoff RIP

Last week we lost my brother-in-law Perry Radoff at age 81. Perry was a terrific real estate lawyer, husband, father and community activist.

He was one of President Bush's thousand points of light. Perry was an impactful community leader on the issue of landlord's responsibility for crime on their properties.

He was also a veteran, serving as a Captain in the U.S. Army. He did not always agree with your Editor on public policy and politics but he was good natured, a good listener, and a respectable foil for your Editor.

Your Editor had the privilege in December of visiting Antarctica. It has been described as the closest thing on earth to visiting another planet, and it was.

Covid was a challenge on this trip, we had five (5) Covid tests over three weeks (all negative). Travel is a privilege and your Editor urges all to do so when you have the opportunity, don't wait or you may miss one of life's great adventures.

The past U.S. administrations have allowed China to join the world community starting with President Nixon opening up recognition of the Communist regime, President Clinton allowing entry into the World Trade Organization, President Bush and President Obama allowing expansion of trade with China and President Trump entering a trade agreement and then placing certain tariffs on China for the cause of Covid 19. This was done with good intentions but China's communist regime plays long ball strategy as the U.S. policy changes every four or eight years and is not consistent. Now, because of building up China's industries and its economy with its cheap slave labor, stealing our intellectual property, owning our U.S. government debt and manipulation of our currency, the U.S. And other European nations created a monster. Our business industries from high technology, green energy like solar panels manufacturing cannot compete under this unfair market system. Our labor force has fallen behind due to the cost of manufacturing goods in the U.S. because of government regulations, labor cost and shortage of skilled labor. Our biggest industries, technology companies such as Apple and financial banking companies such as JP Morgan have entered into transactions with China and in the long term will do more harm to the U.S. economy and its citizens. For example, China was not affected by the financial crisis of 2008 as they did not allow our financial institutions to do business in China as they are currently doing. Now, these financial institutions do direct financial business which will include buying China's bad debt assets and if the China economy takes a financial downturn these decisions will lead to a worldwide economic situation that would make the Great Depression look like small potatoes.

Apple and other high-tech companies have entered into agreements worth billions of dollars to use Chinese labor and slave labor to build their products. When will we learn you cannot control a tiger by pulling on its tail as it has your head in its mouth and will eat you up? We need to act now by placing massive tariffs and duties on all the products coming from China and tax these U.S. companies for doing business with them. The weak leadership we currently have needs to go as China wants to be the world's dominant power and not just military but economically and considers its systems and people to be far more intelligent than we are or the Europeans. Place our nuclear weapons in our base off the coast of Japan to show China they do not have free reign over the China Sea. Let China know that Taiwan is off limits and if they fly more flights over Taiwan and interfere with this nation, the U.S. will station Air Force fighter jets and shoot down these Chinese aircraft. Start acting as a superpower that the U.S. used to be. Do not depend on the United Nations or Europeans. Next, consider not defaulting on the U.S. debt China holds but not paying off this debt until attaching all assets China holds in the U.S. to cover the cost of damage caused by Covid, the loss of life by the Chinese releasing the Covid virus on the U.S. and worldwide and not taking any responsibility. This would amount to trillions of dollars in damages. Initiate these steps NOW or watch China's domination of the U.S. and world nations and it will be too late to stop their aggressive actions. If we are not hungry and get our will and direction to stand up for our values and way of life, then China will eat our lunch and dinner.

Gary Polland is now a regular on "What's Your Point?" hosted by Greg Groogan on Fox 26 Houston, appearing every other week. Tune in or set your recorder for 7:00 am Sundays.

Red, White, and Blue featuring TCR Editor Gary Polland on Fridays at 7:30 pm on Houston Public Media TV 8, replaying Saturday at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 8, Monday at 11:30 pm on Channel 8.2 and on the web at www.houstonpublicmedia.org.

Red, White & Blue returns in who knows?

Gary Polland is a long-time conservative and Republican spokesman, fund-raiser, and leader who completed three terms as the Harris County Republican Chairman. During his three terms, Gary was described as the most successful county Chairman in America by Human Events - The National Conservative Weekly. He is in his twenty-sixth year of editing a newsletter dealing with key conservative and Republican issues. The last twenty-one years he has edited Texas Conservative Review. As a public service for the last 18 years, Gary has published election guides for the GOP primary, general elections and city elections, all with the purpose of assisting conservative candidates. Gary is also in his 21st year of co-hosting Red, White and Blue on Houston Public Media TV 8 PBS Houston, longest running political talk show in Texas history. Gary serves on the Board of Directors of American Values, a national pro-family, pro-faith, conservative organization supporting the unity of the American people around the vision of our founding fathers and dedicated to reminding the public of the conservative principles fundamental to the survival of our nation. Gary is a practicing attorney and strategic consultant. He can be reached at (713) 621-6335.