Democracy or “Aristocratic Plutocracy”?

Governance is defined by “Who controls Political Power”

Characteristics of a Plutocracy and Kleptocracy: “Rule by the wealthiest interests” and “Corrupt self-interested officials”

  • 1

    Massive concentrations of wealth exploiting Two-Party aristocracy.

    • $3.4 billion spent by the two presidential campaigns 2016. Plus $1.2 billion “dark money,” $1.4 billion “independent” money…
    • $9.8 billion spent including congressional campaigns.
    • $3.7 billion spent by Two-Party “Committees.”
    • $10.2 billion spent on 2016-cycle political advertising.

  • 2

    Corporations, banks, hybrid finance, private equity, partisan oligarchs.

  • 3

    Metastasized impenetrable web of donors, LLCs, off-shore fronts.

    Hidden, layered & laundered ownership and control.

  • 4

    Caligula redux : Decadent, ostentatious displays,cf. Roman bacchanalia.

    • $7 million Florida birthday party, live acrobats, camels, elites.
    • Yachts, jetliners, mansions,resorts, gold faucets.

  • 5

    $353,400. for two at dinner with D-presidential candidate & spouse.

    • Called ”obscene” by Hollywood sponsor Clooney.
    • 13 times the $52,000. annual income of average American household.
    • Two private dinners raise $15 million.

  • 6

    Public university spends $275,000. for speech by R-surrogate DJT Jr.

    • Presidential politician’s son pockets $100,000.
    • Hotel bill $1,980. — for one night.
    • Students, press not allowed in — No recordings allowed.

  • 7

    Perpetual political money chase:

    • 2020 R-presidential campaign launched — day after inauguration.
    • 2020 D-presidential hopefuls hit Hamptons, financiers — 2017.

  • 8

    Elected officials spend more time fundraising than legislating.

    • Run campaign committees – to pay each other’s campaign committees.
    • Year-round 24/7 fundraising schedules.

  • 9

    Bazaar to buy, sell and barter access, influence and favors, insider deals.

  • 10

    $3.36 billion spent by 11,502 lobbyists 2017. (Center for Responsive Politics)

  • 11

    Thousands more don’t register.

    Loopholes, law firm cloaks, willful impunity, no enforcement.

  • 12

    “Layered Lobbyist Laundering”

    Pass-throughs, fronts, shells, hidden clients.

  • 13

    Over 1.2 million “charities,” partisan "think tanks" can also lobby.

    Invisible below allowed $$ thresholds.

  • 14

    Bi-partisan hand-offs conceal clients, foreign interests using U.S. subsidiaries.

  • 15

    Treacherous incursion of foreign influence through deals and Party donor, lobbyist money conduits.

    • D-Party lobbying firm fails to disclose foreign agent status; works for same Russian-backed clients as R-Party lobbyist, convicted — and former R-Party congressman, being pursued.
    • R-Party White House official pleads pleads guilty, hidden lobbying for Russia, Turkey.
    • D-Party presidential campaign manager & White House staff chief takes Russian-backed cash & stocks;
    • R-Party campaign manager paid tens of millions by Russian front.
    • R-Party Cabinet officer: Ownership of Cyprus bank, directors with international oligarchs, former CIA officials, president of #1 German Son tied to Russian business, bank loans to R-Party presidential candidate family politicos.
    • Mid-East nation says it helped finance D-Party presidential race; foreign government press statement immediately retracted, buried.
    • D-Party VP’s son: Director of Cyprus-based Ukrainian energy firm with
    • R-Party Cabinet officer’s son, in secret island meeting with Russian cut-out, his mercenary private army later hired by Mid-East nation.