We are losing democracy to greed-based plutocracy

First, thank you for such great editorial pages these days. A recent guest opinion included a discussion of Medicare. The author said, “The deeper problem is that our system treats health care as a source of profit for the wealthy. If we guaranteed health care as a public good, we could all get the care we need — with less paperwork and at lower cost than the private market.” This is a CRUCIAL OBSERVATION. And it applies throughout the country.

To arms manufacturers, whose grip on Congress and SCOTUS brings us the gun violence that happens daily. To our universities, which are no longer about learning. PBS reports that CU, in its lust for more money, has joined to support a legalized gambling concern. It applies to our criminal justice system, which in profoundly unjust to the poor. (See “The Rich get Richer and the Poor get Prison” by J Reiman.)

It applies to our response to climate change. Exxon knew about the threat posed by greenhouse gasses in the 1950s. Management took this knowledge and bought drilling rights in the Arctic, for when the ice melted.

It applies to the Republicans in congress who want to stop our ability to cap insulin cost to $35, acting on the wishes of Big Pharma.

It applies to recent SCOTUS decisions (in my opinion). Gutting the voting rights act makes it much harder for the poor to vote, which equals having a political voice. Trashing student loan forgiveness obviously is much harder on the poor and worsens their already poor life prospects.

We are losing our democracy to a greed-based plutocracy. Which is a shame, in my opinion.

— Marjorie Bross, Boulder