Galbraith

What a delight to see that even at 91 John Kenneth Galbraith is just as lively, just as witty and just as wrong as ever (interview, Opinion, Dec. 12).

If any country, no matter how rich, said every citizen has a right to decent food, clothing, shelter and medical care, no matter what they did or didn’t do, a lot of those citizens would come to the very logical conclusion, why work? As young people say today, “Like, duh.” The fact that many people, groups and parties have tried under many conditions in many countries and not one has managed to make this work should confirm the teenagers’ common sense.

Yet here is Galbraith saying, “I have long been persuaded that a rich country such as the United States must give everybody the assurance of a basic income.” This was demonstrably wrong in the ‘40s. It is ridiculous after the experience of the last 60 years. His resistance to both common sense and experience is truly impressive.

BILL PALMER

Diamond Bar