Letter: Angry at Wall Street

I am angry at Wall Street for their greedy domination of our government. So many corporations have merged into monopoly-sized entities at many costs to the majority. We even have taxpayers’ money being used to dominate Washington, from money spent on bailouts to money spent on the most expensive military contracts.

I encourage review of the documentary "Inside Job.” It includes an incredible set of interviews from a broad spectrum of viewpoints showing how deregulation has allowed the biggest banks to combine with the insurance industry. This phenomenon has basically turned the U.S. banking system into a gambling casino that is covered for loss by our tax dollars (heads I win, tails the taxpayer loses). We also have the abomination of that 5-4 U.S. Supreme Court Citizens United decision which threw out our campaign finance laws in the name of free speech for corporations. Now the elite rich can fund ridiculous arguments in Congress and elections while having plenty of ways to hide their money funding trails. Whose free speech was that ruling about?

I love Massachusetts Democratic Senate candidate Elizabeth Warren for saying: "Let’s face it. Something’s badly broken in America right now. We’ve got a middle class that has been hammered financially for a generation, and we’ve got a Washington that works only for those that can hire an army of lobbyists and an army of lawyers.” That is why I hope the Occupy Wall Street Movement grows in numbers and non violent alliances. I hope cities across America pass initiatives by large margins to abolish corporate personhood (recent 74 percent + victories are encouraging). I will only believe corporations are people when Texas executes one.

William A. Self

Redwood Valley