THE RISE OF THE AMERICAN OLIGARCHY
HOW DEMOCRACY GOT A PRICE TAG (AND WE'RE ALL PAYING IT)
The Slow-Motion Coup Nobody Noticed
Imagine a heist movie, but instead of a daring 11-minute vault robbery, it takes 50 years, involves lawyers in $5,000 suits, and the getaway vehicle is a Super PAC. Welcome to the American Oligarchy—where democracy didn't die with a bang, but with a whimper and a Supreme Court gavel.
The United States has always had a complicated relationship with wealth and power. The Founding Fathers were, let's be honest, mostly rich white guys who didn't want to pay taxes. But they at least pretended to be worried about concentrated power. They wrote passionate letters about it. They used words like "tyranny" and "corruption" without irony.
Fast forward to 2026, and we've somehow arrived at a place where a handful of billionaires have more political influence than the entire population of Wyoming, Montana, and Vermont combined. And unlike the robber barons of the Gilded Age—who at least had the decency to wear top hats and twirl mustaches—today's oligarchs wear hoodies and tweet about "disruption."
The Legal Framework of Legalized Bribery
Citizens United v. FEC (2010): The Big Bang of Oligarchy
If you had to pinpoint when American democracy jumped the shark, January 21, 2010, is a solid candidate. That's when the Supreme Court, in a 5-4 decision, ruled that corporations are people (with feelings, presumably) and money is speech (the more you have, the louder you can yell).
Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission didn't just open the floodgates—it removed the dam, the riverbanks, and any concept of a watershed. Suddenly, corporations and unions could spend unlimited money on political campaigns. The result? Super PACs, dark money groups, and political spending that makes Scrooge McDuck's money vault look like a piggy bank.
The numbers are staggering:
- In 2008 (pre-Citizens United): $338 million in outside spending
- In 2020: Over $3 BILLION in outside spending
- In 2024: Estimates exceeded $4.5 billion
To put that in perspective, we could have bought everyone in America a decent burrito instead. But no—we got attack ads.
The Supporting Cast of Terrible Decisions
Citizens United didn't work alone. It had accomplices:
Buckley v. Valeo (1976): The OG bad decision that first equated money with speech. Thanks, 1970s Supreme Court! You also gave us disco, so your judgment is clearly suspect.
McCutcheon v. FEC (2014): Removed aggregate limits on individual campaign contributions. Because if you have $3.6 million lying around, why shouldn't you be able to donate to every candidate who promises to lower your taxes?
SpeechNow.org v. FEC (2010): The lesser-known sequel to Citizens United that specifically enabled Super PACs. Think of it as Jaws 2—less famous, but still eating democracy.
Trump and the Oligarchy: A Love Story (With Receipts)
Is Trump More Corrupt? Let's Consult the Scoreboard
Asking if Donald Trump is "more corrupt" than other presidents when dealing with oligarchs is like asking if a fish is "more wet" than other fish. But let's dive into the swamp he promised to drain but instead turned into a luxury resort.
The Trump Oligarchy Playbook:
Cabinet of Billionaires: Trump's first cabinet had a combined wealth of $4.3 billion—more than the bottom third of American households combined. His administration featured:
- Betsy DeVos (Education): Billionaire heiress, zero education experience
- Wilbur Ross (Commerce): "The King of Bankruptcy," net worth $700 million
- Steve Mnuchin (Treasury): Former Goldman Sachs partner (because who better to represent working Americans?)
Mar-a-Lago Diplomacy: Trump's "Winter White House" membership doubled to $200,000 after his election. Want access to the president? That'll be $200K, plus annual dues. It's like Costco, but for corruption.
The Elon Musk Factor (2024-2026): By Trump's potential return, his relationship with tech oligarchs reached new heights. Elon Musk, the world's richest man, became a shadow cabinet member, advising on everything from government efficiency to space policy—while holding billions in government contracts. It's not a conflict of interest if you just ignore the conflict, right?
Foreign Oligarch Connections: Trump's businesses received payments from foreign governments while he was in office—a direct violation of the Emoluments Clause that the Founders specifically wrote to prevent exactly this kind of corruption. But constitutional violations are apparently just suggestions now.
But Wait—Is This Really Unique?
Historical Context Check:
Warren G. Harding (1921-1923): The Teapot Dome scandal involved actual bribery. His Interior Secretary went to prison. At least there were consequences.
Ronald Reagan (1981-1989): Deregulation king who broke unions and slashed taxes for the wealthy. The blueprint for modern oligarchy, but with better hair.
Bill Clinton (1993-2001): Repealed Glass-Steagall, enabling the financial casino that crashed in 2008. Also perfected the art of being "business-friendly" while claiming to feel your pain.
George W. Bush (2001-2009): Tax cuts for the wealthy, no-bid contracts to Halliburton (where Dick Cheney was CEO), and deregulation that enabled the 2008 financial crisis.
Barack Obama (2009-2017): Bailed out Wall Street with minimal accountability, failed to prosecute bank executives, and gave us a healthcare plan written by insurance companies. But he did it eloquently.
The Verdict: Trump didn't invent oligarchic corruption—he just stopped pretending it wasn't happening. He's the logical endpoint of a 50-year trend, not an aberration. He's oligarchy without the mask, corruption without the euphemisms. Previous presidents used dog whistles; Trump used a bullhorn.
The Middle Class Murder Mystery
Who Killed the American Dream? (Spoiler: It Was the Oligarchs, in the Capitol, with a Lobbying Firm)
The effect on working and middle-class Americans isn't subtle—it's a slow-motion economic strangulation dressed up as "free market economics."
The Grim Statistics:
- In 1980: The top 1% owned 23% of wealth
- In 2026: The top 1% owns over 32% of wealth
- The bottom 50%? They own about 2%
- Since 1979, productivity is up 64%
- Worker compensation? Up only 17%
- CEO pay? Up 1,460%
Translation: We're working harder, producing more, and getting screwed.
Cost of Living vs. Wages:
- Median home price in 1980: $64,600 (3.5x median income)
- Median home price in 2026: $420,000+ (6.5x median income)
- College tuition has increased 1,200% since 1980
- Healthcare costs have tripled as a percentage of income
The Lived Reality:
Your parents bought a house on a single income, raised three kids, took vacations, and retired with a pension. You have two incomes, can't afford a house, your student loans are a second mortgage you don't have, and your "retirement plan" is hoping you die at your desk before you run out of money.
But sure, the economy is "booming"—for the 0.1%.
How Oligarchy Crushes Regular People:
1. Tax Policy: The 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act gave 83% of benefits to the top 1%. Meanwhile, working families got a few hundred bucks and a permanent tax increase starting in 2025.
2. Labor Power Destruction: Union membership has dropped from 35% (1950s) to 10% (2026). Without collective bargaining, workers have zero leverage against corporate power.
3. Healthcare Extortion: The U.S. spends twice as much on healthcare as other developed nations, with worse outcomes. Why? Because insurance and pharmaceutical oligarchs write the laws.
4. Education Debt Trap: $1.7 trillion in student debt ensures young people start their careers in financial chains, unable to take risks, buy homes, or build wealth.
5. Housing as Investment: Private equity firms buying up housing stock, turning the American Dream into a subscription service where you rent forever.
What Can We Actually Do? (Besides Rage-Tweet)
Historical Precedents: When We Actually Fought Back
The Progressive Era (1890s-1920s):
- What they faced: Robber barons, monopolies, child labor, zero worker protections
- What they did: Trust-busting, labor organizing, constitutional amendments (income tax, direct election of senators)
- What worked: Mass movements, investigative journalism ("muckrakers"), political pressure leading to actual legislation
The New Deal (1933-1938):
- What they faced: Great Depression, 25% unemployment, economic collapse
- What they did: Social Security, labor rights, financial regulation, massive public works
- What worked: A president willing to fight oligarchs ("I welcome their hatred"), strong labor unions, political coalitions
The Civil Rights Movement (1950s-1960s):
- What they faced: Systemic racism, political disenfranchisement, economic oppression
- What they did: Organized, marched, boycotted, voted, sued, and didn't give up
- What worked: Sustained pressure, moral clarity, strategic nonviolence, legislative victories
The 2026 Playbook: No Kings 3.0
March 28, 2026: Why This Matters
The "No Kings 3.0" march represents the latest iteration of American resistance to concentrated power—a direct descendant of the Revolutionary War ("No Kings 1.0") and the Constitutional Convention ("No Kings 2.0").
What's at Stake:
- Supreme Court immunity decisions that place presidents above the law
- Continued erosion of voting rights
- Oligarchic capture of all three branches of government
- The fundamental question: Is America a democracy or an oligarchy?
Practical Actions That Actually Work:
1. Vote Like Your Life Depends On It (Because It Does)
- Every election, every time, every office
- Primary elections matter—that's where oligarchy is challenged
- Local elections control schools, zoning, policing, and courts
2. Support Pro-Democracy Reforms:
- Overturn Citizens United: Constitutional amendment (requires sustained pressure)
- Public financing of elections: Get private money out
- Ranked-choice voting: Break the two-party stranglehold
- Automatic voter registration: Make voting accessible
- End gerrymandering: Independent redistricting commissions
- Join or form unions
- Support strikes and boycotts
- Push for card-check legislation
- Raise minimum wage to living wage
4. Tax the Rich (Seriously This Time):
- Wealth tax on fortunes over $50 million
- Close capital gains loopholes
- End carried interest loophole
- Restore corporate tax rates
- Tax stock buybacks
5. Break Up Monopolies:
- Enforce antitrust laws
- Break up tech giants
- Regulate private equity
- Restore Glass-Steagall banking separation
6. Show Up on March 28:
- Mass movements work when they're sustained
- Visibility creates political pressure
- Solidarity builds power
7. Support Independent Media:
- Investigative journalism exposes corruption
- Subscribe, donate, share
- Demand accountability reporting
8. Run for Office (Or Support Those Who Do):
- School board, city council, state legislature
- Change comes from the bottom up
- Small-dollar donations can compete with big money when organized
The Uncomfortable Truth
Here's the thing nobody wants to say: This is going to be hard. The oligarchs won't give up power because we asked nicely. They won't have a change of heart after reading a witty article (even this one, sadly).
Every major democratic advancement in American history—abolition, women's suffrage, labor rights, civil rights—required sustained struggle against entrenched power. People were arrested. People were beaten. People died. And they kept fighting because the alternative was unacceptable.
We're not at that level of crisis yet (though we're closer than comfortable). But we are at a decision point: Accept oligarchy as the new normal, or fight like hell for democracy.
The Choice
The American Oligarchy isn't inevitable. It's a choice—made in courtrooms, legislatures, and voting booths. It's maintained by apathy, cynicism, and the belief that nothing can change.
But history suggests otherwise. The robber barons lost. Jim Crow fell. Nixon resigned. The Berlin Wall came down. Marriage equality became law.
Change happens when enough people decide the status quo is unacceptable and commit to doing something about it.
So on March 28, 2026, when people march under the banner of "No Kings 3.0," they're not just protesting—they're choosing. Choosing to believe that democracy is worth fighting for. That oligarchy isn't destiny. That we can build something better.
The question is: What will you choose?
See you on March 28. Bring comfortable shoes, water, and your rage. We're going to need all three.
P.S. - If you're a billionaire reading this and feeling defensive: Congratulations on your literacy and your fragile ego. Consider this your invitation to be part of the solution instead of the f---ing problem. History isn't kind to oligarchs who chose greed over humanity. Just ask the French aristocracy. Oh wait, you can't—they lost their heads.
P.P.S. - For everyone else: We've got this. It won't be easy, but nothing worth doing ever is.
#NoKingsProtest #NoKingsMar28 #NoKingsInAmerica #NoKings
No Kings https://www.nokings.org/
Resource Guide & Community Response For No Kings Day — No Kings https://www.nokings.org/kyr
