1944 Italy:

Hi Amanda,

Very interesting about the women leaving the work-force. It’s almost like turning back the hands of time to where there was less crime and more neighborliness, not to mention either less materialism or more prosperity that allows women to be the primary caregiver for their children. There’s obviously no lack of jobs available. 

Another thing: As noted in my column, the CDC has posted a decrease in deaths by all causes this year. If the pandemic was serious enough to send vast quantities of wealth from individuals and small businesses to giant retailers, wouldn’t there be more people dying? The blame lies on the government, not the pandemic.

Much of the boom of the 50s was the result of pent-up demand from FDR’s Great Depression and his World War 2. The government didn’t need to do all these things such as recommended by Iowa’s Economy Recovery Advisory Board.

As Henry David Thoreau said:  “Government never of itself furthered any enterprise, but by the alacrity with which it got out of its way.” 

Fritz Groszkruger

Dear Editor,

Michael Mackey’s column about the dairy industry points out the problems repeatedly, but his solution is only for government and business to sit down with dairy farmers.

I’m sure Mr. Mackey has the best of intentions with the National Farmer’s Organization but in that fact lies the root of the problem. Business associations ultimately turn into begging groups and to get these groups off their backs, government officials “hand them a bone.” This results in a floor for profitability but also a ceiling.

Producers end up producing to fulfill eligibility requirements instead of a market that is driven by consumer needs. When consumers’ aggregate demand is replaced by these arbitrary standards, consumers are left with limited choices and sustainability is not a priority compared to silencing the whining of commodity groups.

It is not a surprise that Mr. Mackey doesn’t offer a solution because a real solution would not involve the National Farmer’s Organization (or government). It would involve pure capitalism where each producer and each buyer are free to find a relationship that meets their needs. Stealing the resources and limiting the choices of taxpayers in order to prop up inefficient businesses is morally wrong.

It is a sad fact that efficiency of scale is changing agriculture. There is great joy in personal care of the land and livestock. But that is not to say the same thing cannot be found in a modern system that increases wealth for everyone purely through voluntary relationships.

Fritz Groszkruger

Dear Editor,

Does anyone else find it interesting that Russia Today is marked as biased (Oct. 8 WSJ) while George Floyd’s death is called a “killing” in most American media when he had three times the lethal dose of Fentanyl in his blood and his alleged killer’s trial is pending? There is no unbiased news source.

Fritz Groszkruger