In Don Brunell’s April 23 column, “Are we creating more poor people?” he has good points but misses the mark. Nearly all agree that teaching people how to fish is much better than giving them one. We don’t want to perpetuate a welfare society where people are dependent on the state for livelihood.
But to lay those problems on government is part of the tactic of diverting attention from true issues by blaming others. I don’t see any mention that private-sector corporations are sitting on trillions — without creating more jobs. I don’t see any mention of the growing gap in the distribution of wealth in this nation, caused not by bigger government but policies encouraging the wealthy to ship jobs overseas, hide their money in off-shore bank accounts, and squeeze ever-increasing concessions from a workforce that is desperate for work.
Forty-seven million people on food stamps is indeed shameful, but to blame it on government is equally so. Where is the reasoned public policy debate on tax laws that make sense, and an environment that truly stimulates employment rather than sheltering those who already have wealth?
Check out books “Aftershock,” “The Retirement Heist,” and “Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism,” for details.
