I read the article "Show Us the Money" in the UTNE READER, August 1998. I am tired and disgusted with the opinion of many (like this author, Mark Dowie). Too many people feel that the rich should not have their money, and line up to get it somehow. This article does not want rich people to be able to will their money to their family. The author claims that it will just make the surviving family lazy.

This article is also very biased, it talks about how some people will their money to foundations. It then goes on to say which foundations are good and which are bad, and of course any foundation with a conservative undertone is bad for the country. It also says that the foundations should not only spend the interest, but they should have to spend the principal within 25 years.

I say shame on anyone that wants to take somebody else's money and spend it. Also, if everyone wants to take from the rich, where do we draw the line. When President Clinton ran against President Bush, he claimed that the rich are people who make more than $100,000/year. Later in the campaign, tax increases for the rich were proposed on those making $50,000/year. Again, I ask who are the rich? Maybe, the rich are anyone that makes more then me, that I am jealous of?

-- Anonymous, January 20, 1999

Answers

Hi Richard: My name is John Hansen, I am the new discussion facilitator. I am also an instructor in the Communication Department at UMD. Back to your comments, I'm going to play "Devil's Advocate" and pose this question to you: What if the author is really trying to get all of us to be more accountable for how our financial resources are used? To often we all assume that the radicals want us to remove one set of rules or another only to find out that is not the case. This writer (of the article) seems to be pushing for a higher standard of responsible behavior for all of us. What do you think? Please e-mail me. John Hansen

-- Anonymous, March 01, 1999