YOUR VIEWS

Workers create wealth

Re “Expect an assault on wealth to follow pandemic” (Other Views, May 16): Walter Williams overlooks the pandemic that preceded COVID-19 and will outlast it: the disappearance of America’s middle class; millions of homeless; deaths of despair by suicide, drugs and alcohol; increasing poverty; lack of health care; and the decline of decent jobs.

He wrongly explained the 32% tax rate, which is the rate on the final increment of income, not the total. He didn’t mention the final incremental tax rates on individual incomes from after World War II until the Nixon administration, America’s boom years, which were in the 60-70% range, nor that the rich didn’t lose their incentive in spite of it.

Williams also fails to mention that wealth isn’t created just by the wealthy; working people put capitalists’ money, machinery, energy and property to work creating, building, distributing and selling produced goods. If anyone has been “assaulted” over the past 50 years, it has been America’s working class, by the wealthgrabbing rich and the politicians they pay to do their bidding.

What politicians made, which resulted in the “Then what?” disaster, they can correct. But do they have the will?

Bill Harrell, Chesapeake

Equal opportunity

Re “Expect an assault on wealth to follow pandemic” (Other Views, May 16): Walter Williams asks, “Did they (billionaires) accumulate their great wealth by looting, plundering, and enslaving their fellow man … ?”

No, they accumulated much of it by lobbying politicians to pass multiple huge tax breaks for the wealthy during the past 40 years and to create a tax code, which greatly favors unearned income (capital gains) over earned income (wages resulting from direct labor).

Williams actually tries to make the case that institutions that are the most popular are the most worthy, as if government should be modeled after a high school vote for prom queen. He is repeatedly against any governmental activities, actions or laws that seek to enable greater and more equal opportunity for the vast majority of citizens or which do not benefit the already privileged and protected super wealthy. In this op-ed, he advocates for plutocracy.

Bill MacLaughlin, Virginia Beach

It’s about balance

Re “It’s about misuse” (Your Views, May 18): I appreciate the writer’s argument against gun restrictions because he does not rely on false and overused bromides that unrestricted gun ownership is protected by the Constitution or God-given.

However, I think his view, that gun possession in and of itself should be valued as we do free speech, is wrong. His logic could be used to make the argument that mere possession of any drug should be legal because misuse should not be assumed.

On the other hand, how far should laws go to reduce undesirable behavior? We all pay through the health care system for people who misuse alcohol, tobacco and regularly make poor diet choices, but few of us would argue for significantly restricting these activities for adults.

My point is that reasonable disagreement exists in the debate over balancing individual freedom with the safety and well-being of the larger group.

I am for additional firearms restrictions that would at least put a dent in the over 30,000 gun deaths (includes suicides and homicides) every year in the United States. Many other industrial democracies have such restrictions and their homicide and suicide rates compared to the United States are infinitesimal. That is hardly a coincidence.

David Meyerholz, Virginia Beach

Support businesses

There was hope surrounding the business community that Senate Bill 861 would become law. It is deep disappointment to hear the announcement of Gov. Ralph Northam’s action to veto SB861, a bill that would have provided small businesses with a vital resource to lower health costs.

At a time when businesses need extra support and resources most, it is a true shock to know that bipartisan legislation that would have had such a positive impact on our small businesses is now vetoed. Despite having significant factual information to the contrary, the governor believes that SB861 would sacrifice the affordability of some plans at the expense of others. However, the fact of the matter is that these plans would lower the cost of health care for small businesses by 15-20% and are complementary to other ongoing efforts to expand access to health care for Virginians.

Bryan K. Stephens, president and CEO, Hampton Roads Chamber of Commerce

Youths, wear masks

We live in the land of the free. I get that. As an elderly American I must ask this question: Most people are trying to practice social distancing, and it is appreciated by most. Why is it then, when entering stores, young people refuse to wear masks?

It’s not a huge inconvenience to help avoid the spread and/or prevent a resurgence of the virus. This is not a lecture, just makes one wonder, does the younger generation feel so entitled that others are not considered?

Robert L. Studebaker, Norfolk