Forget about Iowa and the first caucuses for
president in January 2016, or even the New Hampshire primary scheduled for a
few days later. The real Republican political caucus for president opened this January
in 2015 in California amongst the desert sand dunes near Palm Springs. Southern
California is particularly nice this time of year for such events. It is here—where
the truly wealthy roam—that the billionaire Koch brothers' were out to reveal
what, or in this case, who, their money could buy.
Beyond its political implications, this Palm
Springs gathering is also a real world demonstration of trickledown economics in action. Forget
about the wealthy giving their “have not” gardener a raise and watching him/her
spend the extra money on bread or shoes. Politics is where such billionaires
can really make a difference in the economy. With nearly a billion dollars to
spend on elections, this is where they can really spread the wealth . . . but
only amongst the chosen few.
Evidently, the Kochs’ have formed a separate party
of sorts within the Republican Party, and they can enforce their separate beliefs
by doling out more money to candidates than the so-called mainstream
Republicans.
But to spread their beliefs, the brothers will need
others to do their bidding. This is why the Kochs’ invited a select group of
politicians to meet in private in a California luxury resort. And behind this
closed-door get together is where the transgression starts. But it isn’t just
with the Kochs’. Transgressions against an open society happen each and every
time a politician meets with a donor. No matter the party, a Faustian play or
bargain is reenacted. Every time a Koch or some other rich donor offers money
to a candidate from any party, the politician is forced to make a pact with the
devil. How badly do you want to be president, Mr. Candidate? (Enter the Robber
Barons with their pockets full of cash.) Among these few politicians in
California—this particular band of brothers—is Wisconsin’s Scott Walker, as
well as Marco Rubio of Florida, Rand Paul of Tennessee, and Ted Cruz of Texas. These
politicians went there to personally be shepherded through an ancient rite of
passage, to pander to the Kochs’ deep pockets, and to acknowledge that the
Koch brand of Social Darwinism is still alive and well. (Yes, Virginia, the
rich truly know better than the rest of us about how best to rule our country.)
And let's remember tonight when we say our prays to give thanks where thanks is
due: thank you US Supreme Court for allowing this to happen and for reminding
us (as if we needed reminding) money equals more free speech for the wealthy
than for the rest of us. Amen.
Incredibly, the Supreme Court has taken a broken
election system and made it worse! It has helped to create this Faustian choice
politicians must ponder. Once they take the money, to whom will these
politicians owe for getting them into office? And what will these Barons want
in return for such millions? Welcome back to Gilded Age II (ladies and
gentlemen), the sequel. Remember, the Gilded Age was a time when the
wealthy (including monopolies and oligopolies) controlled the politics of the country,
and not surprisingly, it was a time before regulations, the income tax, health
insurance, workers compensation, the popular election of senators, minimum
wage, the middle class, environmental laws, and unions, to mention a few. Ah,
the good old days . . . when no one else counted, but the rich!
What do you think our brave band of brothers
discussed behind those closed doors? Who will gain economic clout, people like
the Koch brothers or the middle class? Most of all, think about money-politics
when you are voting next year, and think about who will win and who will lose
in this type of system.
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