The phenomenon of Trump is so disturbing that it requires our entire mental attention. He creates so much noise that, for many, the only strategy is to turn off the news. His election, despite his obvious pathological narcissism,1 requires a profound explanation that may even draw on the concept of evolutionary maladaptation. This is certainly my state of mind.
But, another view is that Trump is simply the next phase in the fifty-year social movement by the rich and corporations to control our society. We tend to think of social movements as bottom-up mass movements. Here, we have class warfare in action. The rich and corporations have won. Wealth Supremacy in action.
Here is a summary of the basic strategies of this movement:
- Mobilize divisive American issues in the political sphere – race, religion, nativism, individualism
- Energetic, well-funded participation in educational, institutional, and media processes – popular press, think tanks, universities, etc.
- Rich & corporations control the government – buy politicians in both major parties – dark money – army of lobbyists in Washington and rotating seats between Congress and lobbying firms – regulatory capture of government agencies
- Target: low/no tax rates – tax subsidies – reduced tax enforcement – reduce anti-trust actions & finance regulations – little enforcement of labor laws – hostility to unions – reduce enforcement of environmental laws
- Use secret, anonymous corporations, banks, & individuals to hide activities
- Shrink government – deregulation & privatization of government functions
- Free markets – ending in much greater market concentration, monopolization
- Globalization – free trade and free movement of money
- Financialization – extract money instead of creating new products & services – speculation and rent-seeking
- Intensification of insecurities for the bottom 90% – low pay, poor benefits, high housing costs, student loans, poor healthcare, and more. Invoke “personal responsibility”
The rich and corporations dominate the election process by funding both parties and extending their control through a system of lobbyists in Washington. This has now been made visible and present with the herd of billionaires in Trump’s government. Lobbyists ensure that the interests of the rich and corporations are carefully cared for through legislation and regulations. There are 435 members of Congress and 100 Senators. In 2021, there were 12,136 registered lobbyists in Washington, supported by over $3.73 billion to influence legislation and regulations. That amounts to $6,972,000 and 23 lobbyists per legislator. The situation in state and local governments is not dissimilar. This year, 2024, the lobbying industry in Washington will receive over $4.2 billion from the rich and corporations.
So, the real task at hand, beyond blocking the coronation of Trump as the fascist President, is to defeat this social movement.
What to Do?
A starting point:
- End all political donations by corporations to candidates, parties, and interest groups. Money does not equal speech. Corporations are not human beings with the rights of human beings. They are creatures invented for limited economic purposes.
- Limit political contributions by individuals to $1,000 per year. This would force political parties to raise funds from the broad mass of Americans, not just the top 1%.
Earlier, I made a lengthy suggestion for reforms of our political system, economy, social policies, foreign policy, and planning for the future. See “What to do about the past 50 years of American life – policy suggestions“.
