Rich Donors Benefit from Trump's 'Second Term' -- Shocked?
The FT's exposé on Trump’s donors poised for paydays might seem like breaking news to some, but the revolving door between campaign contributions and policy perks is older than the republic itself. While Trump's particular brand of grift is overt, the underlying system perfected by both parties ensures that the powerful consistently benefit. For instance, OpenSecrets.org routinely tracks how
special interests, including foreign lobbying groups like AIPAC, funnel millions into political campaigns, often preceding votes directly benefiting those donors. The system's inherent design means the 'second term' for donors often begins the moment the checks clear. So, the 'news' isn't that donors benefit; it's the feigned surprise. How many 'ethics committees' does it take before we admit that
influence peddling is not a bug in the code, but a central feature? To truly deconstruct the problem, perhaps we'd need to examine why a few hundred million in campaign cash from the defense industry, for example, consistently greenlights billions in 'aid' to nations that then purchase US-made weapons. This isn't unique to Trump; it’s bipartisan, bulletproof influence.