Letters: Rich get richer, but so what?
Re “Income disparity is wide in L.A.,” Business, Feb. 22
I appreciate The Times shedding light on the problem of income disparity in this country, and particularly in Los Angeles.
But it’s a bit infuriating when researchers and pundits imply that this inequality is somehow acceptable when it’s the result of a booming economy.
In other words, it’s OK for the working class to be squeezed as long as the wealthy continue to prosper because somehow that benefits us all. It’s just another version of the long-disproved “trickle down” theory of economics and an insult to those of us in the “bottom” 99%.
Stephen Bulka
Los Angeles
As long as we focus on inequality of outcomes, as this article does, there is no solution other than wealth transfers, whether by way of minimum-wage hikes, the earned income tax credit, work vouchers or some other method.
If we would focus on equality of opportunity, specifically education, we could make significant, long-term progress. As long as most graduates from the Los Angeles Unified School District who go on to college require remedial math and English, we cannot achieve equality of outcomes. It is just not possible.
Kevin Minihan
Los Angeles
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