Submitted by Emily Geyman.

The democratic process has been damaged over many years by the growing power of corporate money in the election process. Supreme Court rulings have allowed unfettered amounts of political donations to politicians under the guise of ‘free speech’ so campaign money from billionaires now plays a major role in who gets elected. Trends over the last 40 years include rising income and wealth inequities, a decline of the middle class, and growth of social media with widespread growth of disinformation.

“Corporate Power and Oligarchy: How Our Democracy Can Prevail Over Authoritarianism and Fascism” by John Geyman, M.D. offers a unique perspective on how oligarchy (power invested in a few or a dominant class) has enveloped our government; how oligarchs defend their power as it grows; how wealth influences elections in their favor; and how citizens, in addition to voting in the 2024 elections, can support steps to strengthen our democracy so we can hold together as one country for the common good. It is available in local bookstores.

Comment by Ralph Nader, activist and founder of Public Citizen.

“Dr. John Geyman is a master of explaining, with clear, graphic and documented reportage, how corporate power and greed devastate lives and livelihoods. He knows wherein lies the mechanisms of corrupt power and how “We the people” can unravel its claims and mounting perils…”

The author, John Geyman, is professor emeritus of family medicine at the University of Washington. After moving to the island, he practiced as a family physician at the Inter Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor for seven years. Since 1990 he has been involved with research and writing on health policy, reform and current threats to democracy.