DEMOCRACY UNDER SIEGE
HOW BILLIONAIRES ARE RUNNING/RUINING THE SHOW
In the thunderdome of politics, money isn't just talkative – it's practically singing a rock opera. The 2022 US midterm elections saw a mind-boggling $881 million in donations, with a hefty slice springing from the cavernous vaults of the top 20 donors. And who are these munificent distributors of democracy, you wonder? Look no further than the exclusive American billionaires boys club.
It's an open secret that American billionaires have an inclination for politicking, and they do so with such gusto. The lion's share of their contributions went capering towards Republican candidates, painting a rather lopsided portrayal of political prowess. However, there's always an exception to any pattern, and in this case, it's the notorious George Soros who bucked the trend by putting his coins squarely behind the Democrats.
Before conjuring images of Scrooge McDucks bellyflopping into mounds of gold bullions, let's mull over the ramifications of this plutocratic bounty on democracy. The influence of their fortunes on politics has sparked worries about oligarchy and the merging paths of personal and corporate interests. It's akin to a real-life round of Monopoly, except the stakes are sky-high.
But why should us mere mortals bother with what these billionaires do with their billions? Well, for starters, their spending poses a significant menace to democracy. The financial sector, in particular, has been splurging unprecedented sums into political campaigns, crafting a system where the fidelity of your purse determines the resonance of your voice. It's like the zesty maxim of politics: he who wields the gold, dictates the mold.
So, what propels these billionaires into wading through the murky realm of politics? It's not merely about buffing their egos or adding another laurel to their caps (or should we say another digit to their bank balance). Nay, these high rollers are typically propelled by a heady blend of personal convictions, economic stakes, and an insatiable thirst for clout.
Let's dissect, shall we? First off, we have fiscal policies. Billionaires vigilantly eye anything that might tickle their bottom line – think tax policies, industry regulations, trade agreements, and anything else that could potentially tango with their mazuma.
Then there's charitable giving and philanthropic causes. A multitude of billionaires are all about giving back (or at least making it look like they do). They harness their political sway to champion policies affiliated with healthcare, education, poverty alleviation, environmental preservation, and other cheer-inducing concerns that serve as prime public relations fodder.
Of course, we mustn't lose sight of the regulatory environment. Billionaires in specific sectors – we've got our eyes on you, tech, finance, energy, and healthcare – perpetually keep an eagle eye on regulatory judgments. They'd gladly throw their weight behind any candidate or party that vows to craft a snug haven for their enterprises.
And we mustn’t trivialize globalization and trade. If one is vested in steering an international business empire, one will be fervently involved in policies related to globalization, trade pacts, tariffs, and diplomatic ties between nations. It all boils down to ensuring those global markets remain cordially disposed.
And then there's everyone's favorite topic: tax rates and wealth allotment. You can wager your last cent that billionaires keep a vigilant vigil on tax policies – income tax, capital gains levies, estate duties, corporate tax brackets – you name it. They're all about hanging onto as much of their earned (or inherited) moolah as conceivable.
But wait, there's more! Technological breakthroughs hold substantial weight for the Silicon Valley elite. They have a penchant for policies entwined with innovation, intellectual property rights, data privacy, cybersecurity – anything that keeps the tech chariot thundering along the tracks at full speed.
And let's not brush aside global headlines. Some billionaires have their sights set on saving the world – addressing climate change, fortifying global security, endorsing human rights, and generally trying to sprinkle more goodness in the world (or at least polishing their facade of doing so).
However, before presuming that all billionaires hail from the same mold, let's rein in that assumption. Not all of them dance to the same jive when it comes to these matters. Their incentives can diverge dramatically based on their personal convictions, trade interests, and whatever societal impact targets they happen to have stewing away on the back burner.
How can we quash these billionaires' gallop through our political enclave? Well, we could take a stab at bottlenecking their splurging with some vintage campaign finance stipulations. Setting up strict laws could chain down the extent of moolah they can fling at political campaigns and hem their sway.
Transparency and divulgence also hold the trump cards in this game.
American billionaires’ political spending overwhelmingly leans Republican A record-breaking $881 million were donated by the country’s 465 richest people https://qz.com/american-billionaires-political-spending-overwhelmingl-1849751449
How Billionaire Spending in US Elections Threatens Democracy – Take On Wall Street https://takeonwallst.com/2023/10/how-billionaire-spending-in-us-elections-threatens-democracy/
Billionaires Bet Big to Influence 2022 Elections - EXPOSEDbyCMD https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2022/02/22/billionaires-bet-big-to-influence-2022-elections/
Why Bill Gates’s Philanthropy Is a Problem If you learn to look past Gates’s PR halo, you will see his greed, hubris, and superiority complex. https://www.thenation.com/article/society/bill-gates-philanthropy-misanthropy/
