Technology

Because when your legislators write laws (read, have them handed to them by the party with a direct interest) they do it for campaign donations because everything is money. Capitalism's end stage is corporatocracy and oligarchy. Surprise, we're there! Legislation in a healthy democracy/republic is written for the benefit of the citizens, but we stopped being a democratic republic long ago. In capitalism, legislation is written to maximize profit at all expense, including the health, welfare, and best interests of the citizens.

This isn't new, study the history of the East India Trading Company. The difference is lack a monarch to dissolve the company (and it's not just one company anymore). The founders remembered the lesson of East India Trading Company and corporate charters in the US used to be temporary, and you had to show a benefit to the citizens. It's one reason conservatives, republicans, and capitalists don't want strong education and history lessons. Corporations in the past were NOT people, and they better benefit society or they could swiftly have their charter revoked and dissolved.

This is a repeat, but even more successful than in the past. But when your populous has no education it seems brand new!

EDIT: Low effort/research further reading

https://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-echochambers-27074746

https://www.thenation.com/article/society/cbo-american-wealth-inequality/

https://www.rollingstone.com/politics/politics-news/jimmy-carter-u-s-is-an-oligarchy-with-unlimited-political-bribery-63262/