LETTER: America is the land of opportunity

In his Oct. 31 letter, “Poor U.S.” Ricky Kendall argues that America is not truly wealthy because wealth is concentrated in the hands of a few. He paints a picture of a nation in which billionaires hoard profits while the rest of the population lives in misery. This is not just a mischaracterization of the United States, it’s a thinly veiled argument for socialism, cloaked in moral outrage.

Yes, inequality exists. But inequality is not the same as poverty. The United States remains the most upwardly mobile, opportunity-rich society on Earth. In 2024 alone, more than 1,000 Americans became millionaires every day, driven by investment, entrepreneurship and disciplined saving — not government redistribution.

Today, 8.8 percent of U.S. adults are millionaires — nearly one in 12. Compare that to 0.6 percent in China and 0.3 percent in Russia, where state control and centralized planning dominate. If the goal is to empower individuals to build wealth, the data speaks for itself: Capitalism works.

The idea that national wealth must be evenly distributed to be legitimate is not an economic principle, it’s an ideological one. The same system Mr. Kendall condemns has lifted more people out of poverty than any other in history. It’s capitalism, not central planning, that fuels innovation, rewards productivity and funds the very safety nets the author claims are inadequate.

If we want to improve quality of life, let’s focus on expanding opportunity, not punishing success. Let’s empower people to build, invest and grow — not convince them they’re victims in a rigged game. America’s greatness lies not in equal outcomes, but in the freedom to pursue your own.