How to explain modern American politics in one chart

[keithwm@mastodon.social]

@jalefkowit I suspect this charts says more about the number of billionaires than about how much rich folk are donating.

[jalefkowit@vmst.io]

@KeithWM The percentage is of the total volume of dollars contributed, not the number of contributors.

Billionaires Buying Elections: They’ve Come to Collect - Americans For Tax Fairness

KEY FINDINGS Just 100 billionaire families poured a record-breaking $2.6 billion into federal elections in 2024, one of every six dollars spent altogether by all candidates, parties and committees.  That’s two-and-a-half times the roughly $1 billion spent by individual billionaire donors in 2020.  Billionaire political spending is up 160-fold since the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens …

Americans For Tax Fairness (americansfortaxfairness.org)

[rvlara23@mastodon.social]

@jalefkowit

The worst law of all the worst laws. And we knew what would happen. And it did.

[netraven@hear-me.social]

@jalefkowit Ah, see. The world really did end in 2012.

[7sleepersmusic@mastodon.social]

@jalefkowit Also this. https://www.npr.org/2008/06/19/91703936/obama-rejects-public-financing

[sage7225@mas.to]

@jalefkowit The Epstein ruling class wanted this.

[letsbekind2@transfeminine.art]

@jalefkowit

The law, in its majestic equality, permits the rich and poor alike to bribe politicians.

[npars01@mstdn.social]

@jalefkowit @KeithWM

The wealthy are also laying fields of landmines to torpedo democracy for decades to come.

Dead billionaires can buy elections long after they pass away, thanks to their think tanks, tax havens, & trust funds.

Corporate personhood violates one person, one vote democracy.

Bradley passed away in 1965. His money is close to buying the overturn of the Voting Rights Act and disenfranchising women.

2010 is when a corrupt Supreme Court turned on democracy.

1/

[npars01@mstdn.social]

2/

Former staff show how Trump acted to upend EPA's mission and "make America sicker"

Their new report details relaxed restrictions on dangerous chemicals in food, consumer products, water and air.

Mother Jones (www.motherjones.com)

nytimes.com

(www.nytimes.com)

How Charles Koch Purchased the Supreme Court’s EPA Decision

Decades of contributions aimed at influencing the judiciary bought fossil fuel billionaire Charles Koch the EPA ruling he’s always wanted.

The Intercept (theintercept.com)

The entire planet is at risk of ecocide just from a tiny number of billionaires buying Supreme Court Justices.

Citizens United v. FEC - Wikipedia

(en.wikipedia.org)

Citizens United, Explained

The 2010 Supreme Court decision further tilted political influence toward wealthy donors and corporations.

Brennan Center for Justice (www.brennancenter.org)

[quinn@social.circl.lu]

@jalefkowit yeeeeeeeep. Every billionaire anywhere is a crime against humanity.

[jtonline@mastodon.me.uk]

@jalefkowit "they know that [Trump's] vindictive, unlawful tactics will never touch their lives"

That sounds a tad optimistic. How long before the US oligarchy starts getting nervous around open windows?

[megmuttonhead@mas.to]

@jalefkowit it’s the Epstein Class…

[megmuttonhead@mas.to]

@Sage7225 @jalefkowit precisely.

[pineywoozle@masto.ai]

@jtonline Not soon enough.

[bishopjoey@writing.exchange]

@Npars01 @jalefkowit @KeithWM Gonna argue that it happened in 2000 when Sandra Day decided Shrub should be president so a democrat wouldn't pick her replacement.

But yeah...

[energisch_@troet.cafe]

@Npars01 Toxic patriarchy with loads of toxic money. They always come together. @jalefkowit @KeithWM

[orionkidder@mas.to]

@jalefkowit Take away that court ruling, and despite the propaganda and the pre-existing misogyny and racism, and today's fascist America probably doesn't exist.