Tax Me If You Can
The article discusses the growing influence of oligarchs in American democracy and their increasing willingness to flaunt their wealth. It highlights the significant political spending by a small number of individuals, which has raised concerns about the integrity of the democratic process. The piece also touches on the challenges of taxation and accountability for the super-rich, suggesting a shift in public perception regarding oligarchy in the U.S.
- ▪Oligarchs have historically maintained a quiet influence over American democracy, but this is changing as their wealth and political spending grow.
- ▪In the 2024 election cycle, 100 individuals contributed $2.4 billion, nearly half of the total presidential campaign costs.
- ▪The article emphasizes the bipartisan nature of oligarchic spending, affecting both Democratic and Republican candidates.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on BlueskyEmailComments Get your news from a source that’s not owned and controlled by oligarchs. Sign up for the free Mother Jones Daily. Democracy, for most of its existence, has managed to coexist with oligarchy, but only on the condition that oligarchs exert their influence quietly. Citizens, including ordinary Americans, are generally willing to tolerate the super-rich, but the arrangement breaks down when a small group of exceedingly wealthy people are perceived to be distorting and impairing democracy for their own gain, disrupting the fragile illusion that they are not, in fact, running the show. America’s oligarchs, at least historically, have kept their end of the bargain.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at Mother Jones.
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