Sen. Bernie Sanders’ presidential announcement is scaring President Donald Trump. Why? Because he could win the election in 2020. Bernie Sanders wants to have a fair tax so that corporate giants and wealthy Americans will be paying their fair share. Two years before his death, Martin Luther King Jr. declared, “We are saying that something is wrong with capitalism … there must be a better distribution of wealth in this country for all of God’s children and maybe America must move toward democratic socialism.” Government that ignores the interests of the poor is an unjust government in need of correction.

Why is democratic socialism demonized? It threatens the power of those who wield America’s economic rein. To be sure there are some benevolent capitalists. Yet, capitalism has caused immeasurable suffering, systematic oppression and debilitating social alienations. It exploits millions of workers who aren’t paid a living wage, and leaves many who get sick and die because they cannot afford health care. It values profit over people.

If we took democracy seriously, and active politicians like Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Bernie Sanders, America would not have to endure the disastrous depredations of Trump’s presidency.