William Arnone, National Academy of Social Insurance
To the Editor:
“The Unmet Promise of Equality,” by Fred Harris and Alan Curtis (Op-Ed, March 1), depicts the utter lack of progress our country has made over the last 50 years when it comes to reducing enormous disparities in income and wealth.
Having worked for Senator Robert F. Kennedy when the Kerner Commission report on racial unrest was issued in 1968, I vividly recall his fierce determination to forge a multifaceted public and private plan to address the systemic causes of inequality and the pain, suffering and violence that it breeds.
As he once said: “As long as there is plenty, poverty is evil. Government belongs wherever evil needs an adversary and there are people in distress.”
We desperately need a new national effort to make some measurable progress in reducing poverty and inequality.
WILLIAM J. ARNONE, WASHINGTON
The writer is chief executive of the National Academy of Social Insurance.
——————-
Click here to view Bill Arnone’s letter as it appears on the New York Times website.
Peruse the Academy’s Report to the New Leadership and the American People on Social Insurance and Inequality.
Browse the Academy’s work on Inequality.
Just gave this talk: “The
Just gave this talk: “The Poor Will Always Be with Us. Will
the Middle Class?: America’s Inequality and What To do about It.”
http://inequalityink.org/resources/Inequality%20talk%20-%20February%202018%20-%20shortened%20(003).pdf
Slides 30 and 31 lay out suggestions to moderate economic inequality and include all workers as owners of working capital. Earlier in the presentation, I also suggest improved access to education that is relevant to job opportunities.
The presentation and related information are posted at http://www.inequalityink.org – Center on Capital & Social Equity.