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To the editor:
New York City Democratic Socialists of America (DSA) Co-Chair Gustavo Gordillo has received criticism for advocating taxing the rich while he lives in a $1.5 million dollar house. This is a common attack for anyone who has any wealth but who cares more for improving the lot of those struggling to survive with inadequate income. For instance, Bruce Springsteen often is criticized for writing and singing about working people while being a rich rock star.
So what are these critics saying?
If you own Amazon or Walmart and are among the richest people in the world, then paying your workers poverty wages and stifling their attempts to form unions is a good thing? That if you're rich but care more about helping the less fortunate than simply accumulating more money, that makes you bad?
The major flaw of capitalism is that it tells employers that all that matters is making money, regardless of how much harm you do to people or the environment. Also, no matter how much you make, it's never enough.
As a result, there is not much difference in the morality of many whose title is CEO and those whose title is Godfather.
Now if anyone wants to criticize the DSA for anything, it can be their position on crime.
Advocating for defunding the police and releasing all incarcerated people is insane. Criticizing Mayor Zohran Mamdani for rejecting that and continuing policies that have driven down crime makes no sense. The old-fangled policy of putting dangerous people in prison is still the most effective way to protect the public.
Richard Warren
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Valete
Central planning cannot determine how much bread people need.
It is physically impossible for a centralized bureaucracy to replicate the sheer efficiency of millions of independent consumers making daily choices.
Let's clear up a massive myth about Denmark, Sweden, and Norway:
They do not tax the rich and middle class out of existence. Instead, they rely on a highly capitalist market economy to fund their social safety net. Strong protections for private property, free enterprise, and high private wealth are the exact things that keep their tax base stable.
When workers have money in their pockets, they drive the market. Consumer demand drives the innovation of tools and machines that make work easier, skyrocketing overall productivity.
Individual responsibility is challenging—but it remains the only true blueprint for a free society.
Monday, September 7 Report this