This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2017, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
In a letter to the editor titled "Devoid of compassion," writer Michael Norman decries all the services the state of Utah does not provide to those less fortunate.
He wants the state to force businesses to increase the minimum wage to $15/hour. He wants to extend Medicaid benefits to its poorest citizens. He wants the state to build more homeless shelters and provide more low income housing projects.
All well and good, Mr. Norman, in your socialist utopia. Except sir, history has shown social utopias don't work out very well. Just look at the chaos that is Venezuela. All those services are not free, they will cost money. Where does Mr. Norman think that money comes from? Maybe there is a money tree in his backyard, but I know my taxes are going up. The Dollar Value menu at McDonald's will turn into the Under $5 menu once they have to pay their workers $15 an hour.
There are consequences when you take money from the productive portion of the economy and give to the nonproductive portion.
I suggest Mr. Nelson read "Atlas Shrugged" by Ayn Rand to see how that scenario plays out.
David T. Lancaster
Murray