Capitalism

Although you might feel a need to duck and run for cover, it's still worth seeing Michael Moore's new documentary, "Capitalism: A Love Story." As he is wont to do, Moore takes on the big guys responsible for the country's current financial ills, at one point putting up yellow crime scene tape around Wall Street. This time, though, he's after the little guys too, as he makes his case for the ways in which our desire to join the ranks of the rich is the real problem. It's never easy to argue for more taxes, though he tries, and it does leave you wondering about Moore's own wealth, which "Capitalism" will no doubt increase.

What makes some state capitals so much more corrupt than others? New research provides a partial answer to that long-standing question: isolated capitals breed more corruption and lack of news coverage is a major reason why.   State capitals have long been known for corrupt practices. While every state has its roster of legendary local miscreants, some have a much more consistent record of corruption than others. Researchers have studied that variation for years, looking for factors that might explain the patterns.

Capitalism: A system in which the piggish life is equated with the good life. JOSEPH MANDELBERG Granada Hills

Brad Pitt has brought his new movie "Killing Them Softly" to the Cannes Film Festival, and as The Times reported Tuesday morning, he and the film's director had an anti-capitalist message (or, at least, a message aimed against capitalism as recently practiced in the U.S.) to go along with it.  And that message is coming from the mouth of the man who is the new face of Chanel No. 5 -- a job for which Pitt reportedly will receive seven figures.

Re "Overvaluing the free market," Opinion, May 8 Michael Kinsley has a wrong premise about capitalism. Its justification is not that it makes a contribution to society (though it does that) but that it respects each individual's right to his own life and the fruits of his efforts. Anyone, rich or poor, who earns his money honestly has the right to use it as he wishes. No on else has a moral claim on it. No one has a right to say how much another person should earn if the money is earned through voluntary trade.

The current debate over Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital is shaping up to be a centerpiece of the presidential campaign. The Romney campaign should have seen this coming. If Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry were willing to rip Romney for being too capitalistic in a Republican primary, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to expect that Barack Obama and Joe Biden would happily do the same in the general election. Moreover, if you are going to campaign on the idea that you were a private-sector job creator, it's certainly fair game for your opponents to investigate the claim.

It takes money to make money. Money makes the world go 'round. One thing's sure and nothing's surer: The rich get richer and the poor get . . . Life in the global marketplace is filled with such enduring truisms. That's why American industry gets the jitters when economists warn of an impending "capital crunch" as Eastern Europe seeks mega-billions to rebuild itself. And U.S. business gets the heebie-jeebies when it looks at Japan's tsunami of capital spending.

Re Alexander Cockburn's Column Left ("Disaster Will Make Reform Smell Sweeter," Aug. 15): In Sweden they say they have "socialism with a human face." Perhaps what we need here is "capitalism with a human face." RON LAWSON Oxnard

The current debate over Mitt Romney's tenure at Bain Capital is shaping up to be a centerpiece of the presidential campaign. The Romney campaign should have seen this coming. If Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry were willing to rip Romney for being too capitalistic in a Republican primary, it doesn't take a lot of imagination to expect that Barack Obama and Joe Biden would happily do the same in the general election. Moreover, if you are going to campaign on the idea that you were a private-sector job creator, it's certainly fair game for your opponents to investigate the claim.

SANA, Yemen - A suicide bomber targeted soldiers rehearsing Monday for a military parade here, killing as many as 112 people and signaling that Islamic extremists may be shifting their focus to Yemen's capital after weeks of intense battles in outlying provinces with U.S.-backed government forces. Al Qaeda affiliate Ansar al Sharia claimed responsibility for the bombing in retaliation for American-assisted government offensives against its strongholds in southern Yemen. Unnerved by increasedU.S.

Hours after accused serial killer Itzcoatl Ocampo allegedly stabbed a homeless man to death in an Anaheim parking lot, he was interviewed by a veteran detective. When Ocampo was asked what sort of consequences he deserved, the 23-year-old answered without hesitation: the death penalty - lethal injection - or "whatever is quickest," the detective, Daron Wyatt, later told a grand jury panel. On Monday, Orange County Dist. Atty. Tony Rackauckas said his office had come to the same conclusion and announced that he would seek the death penalty against the former Marine.

WASHINGTON - Eduardo Saverin fled Brazil as a boy and lived the American dream by helping found Facebook Inc. Now two U.S. senators want to make sure he never sets foot in the U.S. again unless he pays tens of millions of dollars in taxes he will owe after the company's initial public offering Friday. Saverin renounced his U.S. citizenship this year and is living in Singapore, a country with no capital gains tax. Sens. Charles E. Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) denounced him Thursday as a tax dodger and introduced legislation to punish anyone who gives up citizenship to duck big tax bills.

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - Vice President Joe Biden and unofficial Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney skirmished over the economy and their ability to improve it in swing-state appearances Wednesday that underscored each side's positioning on the key issue in November's general election. Biden and other Democrats are seeking to disqualify Romney in the minds of voters as an alternative to President Obama. Polls consistently have found that voters give Romney better marks for his potential handling of the economy than they give Obama for dealing with it. Romney and other Republicans have long criticized the president's moves on the economy.

Re "Overvaluing the free market," Opinion, May 8 Michael Kinsley has a wrong premise about capitalism. Its justification is not that it makes a contribution to society (though it does that) but that it respects each individual's right to his own life and the fruits of his efforts. Anyone, rich or poor, who earns his money honestly has the right to use it as he wishes. No on else has a moral claim on it. No one has a right to say how much another person should earn if the money is earned through voluntary trade.

Los Angeles supermarket magnate Ron Burkle went upscale with the latest addition to his portfolio: fashion retailer Barneys New York. Burkle's Yucaipa Cos. and Perry Capital took ownership of Barneys in a debt-restructuring deal, Barneys announced Monday. Perry Capital is the majority owner. The deal slashes Barneys' debt to $50 million from $590 million. "This agreement provides us with increased free cash flow that will be used to revitalize our stores, invest in Barneys.com and further enhance our customer experience at a time when our operational financial performance is very strong," Barneys Chief Executive Mark Lee said in a statement.