To the editor: Whereas studying the Sept. 21 problem of the Los Angeles Occasions, I realized {that a} restraining order failed to keep a young mother from being murdered by her husband. Then one other sickening and prolonged article — written in nice element — reported how terrible online predators discover and abuse younger ladies. As I learn by means of these disturbing tales, I questioned why I’ve subscribed to this newspaper for greater than 40 years.
Then I discovered one of many satisfying causes on web page A9: Columnist Michael Hiltzik by no means fails. He finds a problem Occasions readers are involved about, does some analysis and all the time fleshes it out with acceptable historical past. His Sept. 21 column about labor’s share of the economic system is an ideal instance (“Why are workers feeling so stressed? Maybe because labor’s share of the economy is at a record low,” Sept. 17).
Hiltzik mentions economist John Maynard Keynes, however I want he had quoted John Kenneth Galbraith. Galbraith concludes in “The Great Crash, 1929” that there have been many issues going incorrect in 1929. However 5 particular weaknesses had been able to herald the approaching catastrophe. The primary, he wrote, is, “the unhealthy distribution of earnings. In 1929 the wealthy had been indubitably wealthy.” The 5% of the inhabitants with the very best earnings in that yr obtained roughly one-third of all private earnings.
In his enterprise columns, Hiltzik usually writes to unravel the fifth weak spot Galbraith mentions seeing in 1929: “The poor state of financial intelligence.” Thanks for publishing Hiltzik’s priceless classroom usually.
June Maguire, Mission Viejo
