Capitalism

* It is hard to imagine a mere concise capsule of the glories of “free-market” capitalism, as practiced in these United States, than Gary Trudeau’s strip of June 20.

Therein a CEO points out Doonesbury, who has been hired as a “temp,” to make use of his skills on a specific project, and says, “His salary is low, he gets no training, no health benefits, no vacations and no sick days. In short, he’s the perfect employee.” The head man goes on to say that he’s decided to fire everyone and rehire the “core players” on a consultant basis, thereby cutting operating expenses by a third to 40%.

The “free” in free market could be translated as corporate libertinism in which anything goes and all sense of responsibility is jettisoned along with employees who have given their energy, talent and years in exchange for being set adrift on the high seas. ALAN KLEIN

Santa Barbara