On Dec. 22, 2025, Gonzalo Schwarz published an editorial, “Billionaires fund the American Dream” (Butler Eagle, Page 4).

It was written to support the wealthy and powerful.

In ancient Rome, Cicero remarked on the interdependence of wealth and power. Wealth gives access to power; power gives access to wealth. Those with wealth and power usually want more. In pursuit of wealth, slavery was established in the U.S. South by those with political power. Slaves did not benefit from this increase of wealth, and power derived from wealth maintained it. Fortunes were made exploiting Irish labor, child labor, Chinese labor, and acquiring native lands. In all these things, wealth and power went hand in hand.

Wealth can lead to great social benefits, but not for everybody. I lived in Melbourne, Australia, for a number of years. Everybody had health care. Everybody could go to university who merited it, and the social net could catch everybody without middlemen making fortunes. People with talent and drive could become millionaires, but there was recognition that society gave them the opportunity. Most European countries do not penalize success; this is nonsense. Economic success is viewed highly, and of great social value, as long as it is not exploitative.

No millionaires are “self-made” if you consider the natural resources, human resources (including education), a belief in fairness, equal opportunities, merit-based achievement and, of course, infrastructure. Trains are useless without the tracks. Sam Walton could not have made it without good roads.

A rising tide should lift all boats.

Frederick C. Miller, Cabot