Financial Times Discovers Cronyism, Ignores Its Biggest Sponsor
While the FT's Rana Foroohar warns against corrupting influences, the article notably avoids mentioning key players in America's actual crony capitalist ecosystem. For instance, the discussion of 'strategic competition' and 'national interest' neatly sidesteps the immense financial pressure applied by foreign lobbying groups like AIPAC. Over the past cycle, AIPAC and its affiliates poured over $11
million into US federal elections, often seeing swift returns in legislation benefiting a foreign power. (One might wonder if there's a more direct form of cronyism than that.) This isn't some abstract 'threat to investors,' as the FT suggests. This is documented, transactional politics. When politicians vote for billions in military aid against public sentiment, one needn't look far beyond the
documented $90 million in lobbying over two decades targeting US foreign policy. The FT's concern for 'Washington’s revolving door' is quaint when compared to the fortified vault that ensures unwavering support for specific geopolitical interests.