Letters: Bain Capital at the beginning

Re “Bain started quietly with foreign capital,” July 19

As the article points out, obtaining initial funding from foreign sources is neither illegal nor abnormal. Yet the fact that Bain Capital did so under Mitt Romney was worthy of a front-page article.

The article notes that some of these investments were through offshore shell companies. Again, it is pointed out that these made sense for inheritance-tax and privacy reasons. The article looks at several of the investors, being sure to point out that any criminal activities were totally independent of their investments in Bain.

Where is the story?

Hal Bookbinder

Oak Park

Romney said last week: “The course we’re on right now is foreign to us. It changes America.”

How is Romney’s success American? He started Bain with investments by a Panamanian shell corporation directed by a Swiss money manager to hide the identity of a British investor. Top that off with money from Central American oligarchs whose peasants were revolting.

What Romney showed was allegiance to corrupt economic elites rather than to America.

Stephen Siemens

Monterey Park

Your article implies there is something suspect with foreign investors in Bain. However, our country, including the present administration, relies heavily on the Chinese to finance its government. What’s the difference?

Wayne Snavely

La Quinta

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