Argue for the issue, not against the person

I have seen no reason to respond to the recent letters of David Meyers, as he is such a marksman at shooting himself in the foot with his fusillade of high-caliber verbiage. Should I advise him that addressing issues and facts are more persuasive to readers than argumentum ad hominem? Even absent facts, a good, well-reasoned opinion presented in a civil manner can be persuasive.

Meyers voiced his support of Rep. Issa by writing, “It doesn’t take an economist to figure out that minimum wage increasing will only hurt the economy.” The Meyers axiom seems to be: the less workers earn, the more corporations can profit. His argument leads to the absurd conclusion that depriving workers of all wages maximizes profits. Meyers’ axiom has a sort of perverse truth, as shown by the great wealth of Southern plantation owners during slavery.

A more fundamental question is whether our nation is benefited in the long run by economic exploitation of the working poor when they cannot afford basic essentials such as adequate food, healthcare and proper development of an educated workforce to compete in a global economy. Such divisive exploitation generates serious blowback on America’s economic strength.

The most fundamental question, however, is the immorality of a tiny, highly privileged class demolishing America’s middle class. The great economic strength of America was once its large, well-paid middle class, now greatly diminished after 25 years of Reaganomics.

The fact that California already had a minimum wage higher than that of the new federal law exposes the dishonesty of Issa’s opposition. Issa opposed the minimum wage increase because it decreases the fat profits of his campaign contributors.

Meyers seems to believe in an elitist society, in which leaders are above the law and the wealthy can abuse and exploit the middle class and the working poor. I adamantly disagree with these positions. Not even President Bush is above the law. A worker who contributes to the success of a corporation should earn more than a CEO who drives it into the ground. I believe in personal accountability.

Joe Howard Crews