Letter to the editor: Finance system business of government

Dwayne Andreas, chairman of Archer Daniels Midland, told Mother Jones: “There isn’t one grain of anything in the world that is sold in a free market. Not one! The only place you see a free market is in the speeches of politicians.”

The government in our country is deeply involved in shaping the market in every area. Big bad government? No! The power that money wields in our society determines the agenda and outcome that we get from “their” government.

Democrat, Republican, libertarian ... it makes no difference. The deciding factor is what the money wants.

The benefactors of the status quo are going to fight tooth and nail to defeat any changes.

Free market in health care?

This cry is put out by the health care and pharmaceutical industry to protect the status quo. That same industry got the government to protect them from the free market in drug prices.

The insurance industry stopped competition from a government insurance plan, but loved it that everyone was going to have to buy insurance.

Judge Richard Posner, of the U.S. Court of Appeals in Chicago, said banks “do not have regard for consequences for the economy as a whole — that is not the business of business. That is the business of government.”

The Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission concluded that “unchecked competition can place the entire financial system at risk.”

That is why we are here.