U.S. economy needs drastic changes

America is saddled with an economy that has simultaneously increased the number of billionaires and the number of paupers. Joe Nocera, a Bloomberg Opinion columnist, writes that we need to correct this unequal distribution of wealth (Feb. 7 op-ed, “Biden Has a Once-in-a-Century Chance to Fix Capitalism”). My only reservation in regard to his message is that he does not go far enough.

Our present economy is based on producing goods and services and selling them to a constantly increasing population. To do this, we have had to pillage, pollute and overpopulate our planet. This has resulted in drastic changes in our climate and drastic damage to Planet Earth. This has, in turn, lowered our quality of life, shortened our life span, increased infant mortality, wiped out numerous animal and plant species, and brought us pandemics, starvation and the assurance that Planet Earth will soon become uninhabitable. We need drastic changes in our economy, far beyond those stipulated by Mr. Nocera: Our survival depends on it.

Change will not come easily. Big Business and right-wing politicians worship the economy as if it were one of those false gods the Bible warns us about. Their belief is so fervent that they willingly offer up human sacrifice to protect it (For example, they demand that we kill off a few million Americans in order to achieve “herd immunity”). They will block even the slightest change. But for the rest of us, the need is clear.

PAUL A. ALTER

Wilkinsburg