We shouldn’t tolerate corporate control

In 1938, President Roosevelt issued this warning to Congress: “The first truth is that the liberty of a democracy is not safe if the people tolerate the growth of private power to a point where it becomes stronger than their democratic state itself. That, in its essence, is fascism-ownership of government by an individual, by a group, or by any other controlling private power.”

Private power, in the form of huge transnational corporations, is growing to the point that it is becoming stronger than our democratic state.

This problem is severely exacerbated by the recent Citizens United ruling by the Supreme Court, which gives both domestic and foreign corporations almost unlimited ability to influence politics in this country, without even having to disclose their activity.

They may not know it, but this is what the Occupy movement is all about - extremely wealthy and powerful corporations taking control of our government to promote their own self-interests (i.e. fascism). We should be very concerned and, as President Roosevelt warned us, we should not tolerate it.

Richard Greer

Cedar Rapids