It may seem dark with what we hear from Washington, but rest assured there are good people still fighting for a brighter day. These agencies listed below are losing good people with cutbacks and unexplained firings by the felon-in-chief and/or Elon Musk, whom we did not vote for.

If you don’t know what these agencies’ purpose or policies are, please Google them: Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Department of Health and Human Services; National Institutes of Health; Consumer Financial Protection Bureau; Treasury Department; Internal Revenue Service; Department of Defense; Federal Aviation Administration; Federal Emergency Management Agency; National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration; U.S. Agency for International Development; Department of Education; National Park Service; and Oregon Public Broadcasting/National Public Radio.

So, what is the definition of oligarchy? Advocates and activists around the world agree — the extreme concentration of wealth is leading to extreme concentration of power, allowing an ultrarich few to tighten their grip on governments, economies and media. When power belongs to just a few, democracy suffers as the extreme inequality gap widens.

A vital democracy requires an informed electorate, civil discourse and bold ideas. We are all Americans, we need to wake up and show up!

LAREE JOHNSON

Astoria