Condemn flash mobs now – before things get violent Re: “The Rev. Jackson would condone flash mobs,” Aug. 15
I appreciate Gregory Kane’s column, in which he said he hopes that flash mobs will run into somebody who takes their Second Amendment rights seriously. What I fear — and what will be the inevitable result of the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s statements — is that this may become a self-fulfilling prophecy.
Either some white or Latino gang will go looking for trouble, or a group of vigilantes will start challenging black youth even if they are not involved in any flash mob action. Either way, unless Mr. Jackson and his friends start to act to disarm this whole situation and speak out against the flash mobs in the same way that the mayor of Philadelphia recently spoke out, they are only inviting deadly trouble.
Paul Blase
Alexandria
Buffett should challenge government, not pay it more
Warren Buffett is wrong. Does his desire to mega-tax the mega-wealthy really serve our nation’s best interest?
Our country is better off with a few billionaires and corporations who can amass the kind of wealth to have enough power to challenge and confront the government over poorly crafted laws and regulations that inhibit private-sector growth. I think of the rich’s resistance as a class-action lawsuit against government on behalf of the people.
It’s not realistic to take the position that the people can just vote their representatives out of office. First, nobody can vote on one single issue. Second, waiting for an election cycle to exercise our voting power does not offer the expediency necessary to address some issues.
That said, as a Catholic who values charity, I do believe that billionaires have a moral responsibility to help improve the lives of the less fortunate. However, giving excessive amounts of dollars to a government that pays it out to special interests and those who curry its favor while taking its cut along the way does not resemble such morality. Neither does imposing a mandate on other billionaires.
Brian Wrenn
Washington
Not all corporations are General Electric
Re: “Do liberals think corporations have pockets?” Aug. 11
As the owner of a small corporation, I appreciated Mitt Romney’s reminder that “corporations are people too.” The left has worked diligently to paint a picture of corporations as large, faceless, nameless, greedy and impersonal entities — the cause of all our economic ills.
I am a corporation. I fly coach. I do have a pool — which we blow up for the kids every summer. I mow my own lawn, do my own laundry — and also pay 50 percent of my income — and my company’s income — in taxes. My in-laws literally risked everything they had, including their home, to start our company. We decided to pay our employees more than we paid ourselves — including health insurance, cell phones and vehicles — to make our company a good place to work. We lived in a cramped apartment while they bought homes. When we finally purchased a small repossessed home, the business loan was adjusted to put a lien on that, too.
Due to tax uncertainty from Washington, on most evenings you will find me on my knees asking God to allow the company to provide enough work for our employees, who have children and parents. Companies like General Electric can move their money offshore and avoid paying any taxes. Small corporations like mine feel the brunt of policies that purport to tax only the wealthiest Americans.
Rochelle Edvalson
Meridian, Idaho
