It seems like there are so many issues confronting us, from environmental breakdown to income inequality to food insecurity to racial discrimination to criminal injustice and more, but at the bottom of all that is one essential problem: the takeover of our democracy by forces of corporate greed. Corporate greed is a plague on our society. It acts at this point almost like a single institutionalized force, able to control our government through its financial influence on Congress, the White House and SCOTUS. Its tentacles reach into every sector of our society - poisoning our food and water and air; denying Americans health care; flooding our streets with guns; desecrating our environment; denying education and economic prospects to our young; and dominating our foreign affairs. No, America, things are not okay. This is the 11th hour but it isn't midnight yet. Things can still be put right - but not by electing a status quo politician. The status quo will not disrupt itself. It's time for the people to step in. (marianne2024.com/issues/)