Capitalism is a tool. Fundamental principle: Any tool can be abused.

Dear Editor (10-21-19)
Nicolas Loris (Washington Times “Big Idea” column titled “Breathe free: Capitalism helps protect the environment”) ignores a fundamental principle regarding Capitalism. He is right in condemning the belief that capitalism is inherently evil in asserting “That’s like saying we should eliminate teachers to improve education.”
Education is like capitalism.  Both are tools that can improve our civilization’s health and sustainability. And, like any tool, it can be abused. Graduates of American universities are polar opposites of graduates of Pakistani madrassas.
Who (or what) is benefited by it -- or destroyed by it - is determined by the hearts, minds, and intentions of the users.
Thus capitalist greed for quarterly profits instead of the intention to improve the health of people and/or the environment is nothing short of murder. Americans die for lack of access to essential medical services while greedy capitalist use offshore accounts to avoid taxes or use their massive wealth to further rig an economic system to benefits themselves instead people or the environment.
There’s over $32 trillion dollars locked in such private offshore accounts stashed there kleptocrats, oligarchs, drug cartels, terrorists, and wealthy capitalists avoiding taxes.
What’s needed is an education and capitalist system that values people’s lives, our communities, and the environment instead of selfish wealth that benefits the whims and comfort of only the greedy.