After fighting a bloody war for independence from King George over the unbridled power of the East India Trading Company, the states passed hundreds of laws restricting and restraining corporations. The war was not about tea; the colonists had an aversion to ginormous corporations that (rather than who) put local businesses and small trades people at a disadvantage.
Once upon a time in America, it was a criminal act, punishable by prison time and a painful financial penalty, for a politician to collude with corporate sponsors regarding anything political, legal or having to do with elections.
The we want our county back folks might want to revisit these parts of our glorious past.
Hartman, Thom, Screwed: the undeclared war against the middle class-and what we can do about it, 100 -101