Not the way things should work

To the editor:

How can a landlord want to evict tenants in 255 apartments in nine buildings just to make more money?

That’s what the partners, led by Myles Horn — who owns real estate investment firm Glacier Equities — are trying to do. If they are not stopped, they will sell the apartments to new tenants for what Horn calls “inexpensive” — $250,000 to $500,000 an apartment. As if working class people have that type of money on hand.

Does it matter that one of these tenants is New York Fire Department EMT hero Joseph Conzo Jr., who’s fighting cancers he developed from working at the 9/11 Ground Zero site? Does it matter that his fellow tenants at 3245 Perry Ave., are like family? That having such tenants in one building is good for the neighborhood?

No! That’s the problem with capitalism. All that matters is making as much money as possible, regardless of who you hurt.

Despite what some will tell you, unregulated and unrestrained capitalism does not work for most people.

Some will tell you socialism does not work, but it works fine in Scandinavian countries. The socialism we do have here — Medicare, Social Security, and regulations that have helped create labor unions — have allowed for a better quality of life and more longevity for most people.

During one presidential primary debate about a year ago, U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders called out Michael Bloomberg when he straight-out lied by equating Sanders’ socialism with the failed policies of the Soviet Union. But nobody in the news media did. In fact, one journalist supported Bloomberg’s lie.

I’m glad the news media called out Donald Trump on most of his lies. But I want them to show the same vigilance toward other politicians — such as Bloomberg — when they lie as outrageously as Trump.

Also, I’m glad there are legal prohibitions against organized crime figures making money by victimizing innocent people. But I want to see laws passed and enforced that stop allegedly legitimate businesspeople from doing the same thing.

Richard Warren

Have an opinion? Share your thoughts as a letter to the editor. Make your submission to letters@riverdalepress.com. Please include your full name, phone number (for verification purposes only), and home address (which will not be published). The Riverdale Press maintains an open submission policy, and stated opinions do not necessarily represent the publication.