Thomas Ewig’s Dec. 14 letter to the editor (“Capitalism will save us in the end”) would have us believe that capitalism lifts all boats. History teaches a different story.

Over the past 50 years, what Lincoln called “the government of the people, by the people, and for the people” has been hijacked by the wealthy and corporations and now serves their ends, not those of the vast majority of the citizens of this country.

Just one example of how things work for the wealthy and corporations, not for most of us: All of the developed countries of the world have some form of universal health care, save one: the United States. How can this be?

The answer: money. Money spent by the health care industry to influence Congress. The vast majority of the citizens of this country do not have lobbyists, PACs, or great personal wealth with which to influence Congress; the wealthy do, and the results are obvious.

Jonathan Mitschele
New Gloucester