A Serious Threat to Constitutional Governance

Oligarchy is Here–Perhaps for Keeps: A Brief Introduction

Is Oligarchy Here? This is the fundamental question of this post. Let’s take a look together.

The United States is no stranger to power struggles between the wealthy elite and everyday Americans. In recent decades, the pendulum has swung decisively toward the oligarchs. Franklin D. Roosevelt’s creation of Social Security in 1935 symbolized a commitment to protect Americans from the “hazards and vicissitudes of life.” Today, that commitment hangs by a thread, threatened by a neo-liberal political machine fueled by billionaires like Elon Musk and Donald Trump. This is not a new development. It represents the culmination of decades of Randian objectivism and unchecked neo-liberal policies.

Oligarchy is here—perhaps for keeps. The rise of concentrated wealth and power has solidified the grip of the few on global decision-making. The implications of this enduring oligarchy are far-reaching and demand a thoughtful examination of our societal structures.

The Neo-Liberal Shift and the Rise of the Oligarchy

The roots of American oligarchy run deep, beginning in earnest during Ronald Reagan’s presidency. Reagan dismantled labor unions, slashed taxes for the wealthy, and privatized public services under the guise of economic freedom. His administration embodied Ayn Rand’s objectivist ideals, celebrating individualism while decrying collective responsibility as “big government overreach.” The air traffic controllers’ strike of 1981 serves as a stark example. When Reagan fired over 11,000 striking workers, organized labor’s decline began, weakening the middle class and empowering corporations. Is Oligarchy Here? You decide.

Clinton’s administration was no better. While he claimed to champion the working class, his embracing globalization through NAFTA gutted American manufacturing. Towns across the Midwest became ghost towns, their factories shuttered, and their residents left to scrape by on dwindling service-sector jobs. Deregulation of Wall Street under Clinton set the stage for the 2008 financial crisis, during which millions lost their homes while CEOs walked away with multimillion-dollar bonuses.

This trend has continued unabated. George W. Bush, Barack Obama, Donald Trump, and Joe Biden all upheld policies that prioritize corporate profits over people. The 2008 bailout of banks under both Bush and Obama illustrates the systemic betrayal of the public trust. Executives at Goldman Sachs, AIG, and others—companies whose reckless behavior collapsed the economy—received taxpayer-funded rescues while millions of Americans lost their life savings. History seems to lead to this unfortunate fact. Is Oligarchy Here? History suggests the answer is a resounding, unfortunate YES.

Social Security and the Oligarchic Agenda

Social Security, a cornerstone of Roosevelt’s New Deal, is under siege. Politicians, particularly Republicans, frame it as a program in crisis. They conveniently ignore that this crisis could be mitigated by lifting the cap on taxable income. Currently, Social Security taxes are only levied on the first $168,600 of earnings, shielding billionaires like Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and others from paying their fair share.

Consider this: Musk, whose net worth exceeds $200 billion, contributes the same amount to Social Security as someone earning $168,600 a year. The absurdity of this disparity cannot be overstated. Despite their astronomical wealth, America’s billionaires evade responsibility for sustaining the system that allows millions of retirees, disabled workers, and survivors to live with dignity.

At the same time, privatization looms large on the oligarchic agenda. Wall Street firms salivate at the prospect of managing trillions in Social Security funds, collecting fees, and reaping profits while ordinary Americans shoulder the risks of volatile markets. The Enron scandal of the early 2000s offers a grim preview of what could happen. Thousands of employees lost their retirement savings when the company collapsed, proving that private entities prioritize profits over fiduciary responsibility. Once more, I ask Is Oligarchy Here? What more should we as Patriotic Americans take from the egregious actions of the ultra-wealthy Oligarchs aiming at total control of government and the destruction of human rights guaranteed in our Constitution?

The False Promise of Randian Objectivism

Ayn Rand’s objectivism underpins much of the neo-liberal ideology driving America’s oligarchy. Her philosophy of ruthless self-interest finds its modern expression in Silicon Valley and Wall Street, where figures like Musk and Peter Thiel extol innovation while exploiting systems built on public investment.

Musk’s rise exemplifies this. His companies—Tesla, SpaceX, and Neuralink—owe much of their success to government contracts and subsidies. Yet Musk champions a libertarian ethos, railing against regulation and taxation while using his platform to spread disinformation. For instance, SpaceX’s Starship rocket program has been fined repeatedly for environmental violations in Texas, but Musk dismisses these fines as the “cost of doing business.” His wealth insulates him from consequences that would devastate ordinary citizens.

Similarly, Thiel’s role in reshaping the tech industry underscores the dangers of oligarchic power. A co-founder of PayPal and Palantir, Thiel has poured millions into political campaigns and think tanks that push deregulation and anti-democratic policies. His investment in data-mining technologies raises chilling questions about how billionaires weaponize surveillance against the public while evading scrutiny themselves. Following the Randian objectivist formula, a formula that cherishes greed and self-interest for the wealthy and serfdom for the rest of us. Is Oligarchy Here? What will YOU do about it?

The Political Machinery of Oligarchs

Oligarchy is Here–Perhaps for Keeps. The oligarchs’ influence extends beyond economics; it has captured the political system itself. Musk’s acquisition of Twitter (rebranded as X) highlights how billionaires exploit social media to consolidate their power. By amplifying disinformation and silencing dissenting voices, Musk ensures that narratives favoring his interests dominate public discourse.

The 2020 election cycle offers a particularly egregious example. Casino magnate Sheldon Adelson funneled over $200 million into Republican campaigns, shaping policies that further enriched the wealthy. Similarly, the Koch brothers have spent decades building a political empire that undermines environmental protections, suppresses voting rights, and promotes tax cuts for corporations.

Perhaps the most telling example of oligarchic control lies in campaign finance. The Citizens United decision of 2010 removed limits on corporate political spending, effectively allowing billionaires to buy elections. In the 2022 midterms alone, the top 10 donors contributed over $1 billion to candidates and political action committees. This outsized influence drowns out the voices of ordinary voters, ensuring that lawmakers prioritize the interests of the elite.

Given the above set of facts and not the empty promises of the politicians who pretend to rule on our behalf, is there any more one needs to know to answer the focus question of this piece; Is Oligarchy Here?

The Danger of Entrenchment

The entrenchment of oligarchy threatens the very fabric of democracy. Wealth inequality has reached levels unseen since the Gilded Age, with the top 1% controlling more wealth than the bottom 90% combined. This concentration of power erodes trust in institutions, fostering cynicism and disengagement among the populace.

Historical parallels abound. In ancient Rome, the concentration of wealth among a small elite destabilized the Republic, paving the way for imperial rule. In pre-revolutionary France, the unchecked excesses of the aristocracy sparked the upheaval of 1789. These examples serve as cautionary tales, yet America hurtles down a similar path, seemingly blind to history lessons. These lessons are clear and uncontestable. They point to the breakdown of public trust and the lack of government accountability to open the door to welcome the rule of billionaires and millionaires. Is Oligarchy Here? Frightening.

Conclusion

The oligarchs have not only arrived; they have entrenched themselves in every facet of American life. Through wealth, influence, and the manipulation of political systems, they consolidate power at the expense of the public. Social Security, public trust, and democratic institutions are collateral damage in their pursuit of dominance.

If history is any guide, the unchecked power of the few comes at a profound cost to the many. What remains to be seen is how much the American people will endure before they demand accountability—or whether the oligarchy will indeed solidify itself for keeps.

DISCLAIMER: The images on this page, and across the whole blog are created using AI imaging and are intended to illustrate the argument in the post. They are NOT representing real people or events directly, rather the images enhance the argument and nothing more. We do not intend any offense, nor do we wish to single out individuals in any way by the images themselves.