Pinkerton on Socialism

Re “Macro or Micro, Socialism Is a Bad Idea,” Column Right, Jan. 15: James Pinkerton seems to be plagued with all-or-nothing mentality that only sees issues in extremes, when he describes moderate public policy proposals as “micro” socialism and says it is just as bad as the failed “macro” socialism.

Extremism on the left is the ultimate Big Government--ownership and operation of productive resources, which was such a failure in impoverished Communist states of Russia, East Europe, Cuba and China.

Extremism on the right is the ultimate economic anarchy--unregulated laissez faire capitalism, with huge gaps between poor masses and a few wealthy elite.

The moderate middle route is one of a basic entrepreneurial free market, with the incentives of free enterprise and a broad range of economic choices and freedoms, but which operates within a framework of reasonable regulations to protect workers, consumers and the environment so that those choices do not infringe the equal economic rights of others.

DOUGLAS DUNN

Oceanside

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It’s odd that the volume of anti-communist baiting remains high no matter to what degree communism declines. Apparently unable to argue against President Clinton’s proposals for expanding Medicare and child care on their merits, Pinkerton has to brand them as socialism, equate socialism with communism, and then spend the bulk of his column bravely denouncing Stalinism.

Possibly next time you print a column concerning expanding Medicare and child care, the column could have some connection to the issues?

TOM TRAUB

Pasadena