DARK Money: In Our Politics the Root of Evil is this Sustained Greed for Power

The caption says it in the most-simple terms

I selected a key part from this rather long but informative article from SALON.com with this headline … a must read in my opinion.

“Trump’s dark money gets darker: How campaign finance loopholes help his criminal cases”

The Supreme Court’s reactionary rulings have allowed for Trump’s unprecedented assault on U.S. democracy

The key parts I picked from the article:

Last but not least of all, the reactionary nature of the Supreme Court majority buttressed by Trump’s three appointments who have been busy reverting backward and stripping individual rights from the American people should be underscored.

As in both the 2023 striking down of the 2003 affirmative race-conscious college admissions programs and the overturning of women’s right to an abortion and reproductive freedom after nearly 50 years.

Should the insurrectionist Trump be returned to the Oval Office in 2025, while the plutocrats are – and the CEOs from the Business Roundtable are probably not – all in with Trump’s desire to establish an “imperial presidency” as well as his commitment to do many things that would be costly to our economy and destructive to our democratic foundation. 

From the “Project 2025” Plan for Trump to govern:

 These 10 key points were summarized from Trump’s spring interviews with Time magazine entitled: “If He Wins, published April 30 in a Raw Story commentary by the editor of The Editorial Board, John Stoehr:”

1. “…build migrant detention camps and deploy the military at both at the border and inland.”

2. “…let red states monitor women’s pregnancies and prosecute those who violate abortion bans.”

3. “…withhold funds appropriated by Congress.”

4. “…fire U.S Attorneys who don’t carry out his prosecution orders.”

5. “…give pardons for every one of his supporters accused of attacking the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021 (more than 800 of whom have pleaded guilty or been convicted by a jury that he calls hostages and patriots)."

6. “…might not come to the aid of an attacked ally in Europe or Asia if he felt that country wasn’t paying enough for its own defense."

7. “…gut the U.S civil service system (in effect since Teddy Roosevelt days).”

    8. “…deploy the National Guard to American cities as he sees fit.”

    9. “…close the White House pandemic-preparedness office.”

  10. “…staff his administration with acolytes who back his false sustained assertion that the 2020 election was stolen (I note: And, that he has never conceded losing, which is the first time for any presidential candidate).

Unfortunately, overcoming the identity crises of Trump’s supporters rooted in their economic anxiety as well as in the racial and gender resentment of his voters who are primarily white, not college educated, evangelical, and middle-class is exceedingly difficult. 

The MAGA base subscribes to the false belief that the 2020 election was stolen… and that he is a persecuted victim rather than a convicted felon, and all the blame heaped on President Biden and his DEM administration top to bottom. 

In a twisted way, it is like Trump represents the “red badge of courage” to his followers. Or as Salon’s Amanda Marcotte writes: “This is not really about convincing anyone that Trump or his villainous allies are innocent, rather it’s about celebrating their criminality  for being righteous outlaws or patriotic revolutionaries.” 

We’re talking about this GOP – now owned and operated by Trump justifying any and all criminal means for obtaining political ends by using and abusing governmental power and by exploiting those allegedly forsaken “real Americans” from January 6.

As a consequence, the Trumpian mindset makes it even harder to persuade Trumpists with factual realities as contrasted with fictional realities or distorted varieties of truth-telling. 

Nothing exemplifies this more than the mythical battle between “the fictional Biden crime family” versus “the Trump non-fictional criminal organization.” 

To be more explicit, we are actually talking about a criminal enterprise and gangster politicians using as little violence and as much intimidation as necessary to accomplish their objectives.

My 2 Cents: This NBC report is added to show the ugly impact and outcome of “Dark Money” from two men: one GOP / One DEM, together they gave Trump $70 million (e.g., $50 million from billionaire Timothy Mellon to Trump super PAC the day after his guilty verdict, and $20 million to the DEMS from Michael Bloomberg). 

Money in my view is NOT free speech otherwise billionaires can talk more and louder and more often than Mr. or Mrs. Main Street. 

The average man on street for example can only afford to donate $100 or less but certainly no more than whatever the official amount happens to be (officially now seen in this FEC chart) for 2024. 

“Dark Money” should be banned and outlawed and with strict rules in place and enforced and not for one candidate or one party and their greed for power. 

Thanks for stopping by.