A Virtual Church

American Oligarchs

October 24, 2024

Elon Musk, the wealthiest man in the world, is dancing, prancing, and fawning over Donald Trump. It is quite a spectacle - even for Elon. Even though he voted Democratic before, he is in the hip pocket of Trump in this election, becoming Trump’s cheerleader and greatest sugar daddy.

Peter Thiel, founder of PayPal is another tech billionaire. Thiel has funded JD Vance’s campaigns through his America PAC. Other billionaire sugar daddies exist in the political sphere. Soros, Bezos, Zuckerburg. Big money. Dark money. Money way beyond what is allowable in private contributions is being funneled through PACs. Much of it is going to Donald Trump. Why?

For Musk, in particular, the answer is easy. It is access to power, easily manipulated power. There is a fluidity and symbiosis between wealth and power. One begets the other. Musk scratches Trump’s back, and a hypothetical newly-elected Trump, scratches and purrs back.

Frank Foer, writing in The Atlantic, says that Musk’s intent is “redesigning the world.” He says Musk has a “grandiose sense of his own place in human history.” Trump has already offered Musk the title of Master Engineer in America. Sounds pretty ominous to me. Foer suggests that what we are seeing is an Ayn Rand novel springing to life in America.

Peter Thiel has written a book with fellow billionaire, David Sachs, on the problem with diversity. Thiel is a tech genius, like Musk, seeking power and domination. “Competition is for losers,” he says, also saying, he “no longer believes that freedom and democracy are compatible.” Herein lies the cry for freedom from those on the right.

Freedom means no constrictions, no regulations, no taxes, no oversight, even no law. They are unshackled to run the world however they choose. They are free to be bigots and racists, misogynists in hiring, firing and condemning. In some ways, they see themselves above the law; they are law unto themselves. Freedom equates license and impunity.

Among these high wealth oligarchs, there is pursuit for monopoly, concentrating power and influence in the hands of the few. That’s what an oligarchy is, rule by a small minority of wealthy elite. The rest of us be damned. Musk’s giving a million dollars a week to the lucky Trump supporter in a kind of lottery, becomes a hero. A few crumbs thrown to the masses keeps them in their place.

Frank Loer says at the end of his article, “of all the risks posed by Trump, this (relationship with Musk) might be one of the most terrifying.”

We are adding words to the American vernacular in what we are seeing in our politics. We see increasing Autocracy. Presidential immunity gives ultimate power to the Autocrat, who seeks to be all powerful. Control of the Justice Department, the courts, or the FBI by an unhinged and unfit President does not bode well for Americans who express any consternation or dissent.

We already see Kleptocracy. Very close to the klepto-maniac, the kleptocrat is notoriously corrupt. He uses political power to confiscate the wealth and land of the people for his own benefit. Kickbacks, bribes, special favors are the order of the day. We see the bilking and grift in a former President and a present Supreme Court. When people operate in ways that only benefit themselves, the rest of us suffer. This is the highway to dystopia. Have you seen The Hunger Games?

Donald Trump and Jared Kushner are poster children of the new class of oligarchs, kleptocrats, and plutocrats. No staged French fry handout will change this. These are not people interested in the least among us. The problem of the American oligarchs is there seems to be little moral center, no low is too low to go.

Here is a little window into Elon Musk. He has 12 children with multiple wives. His oldest children are twins. One of the twins was a very effeminate little boy who was criticized in childhood for not being more masculine. Vivian Jenna Wilson transitioned to the girl she was when she was 16. He father has been cruel and distant to say the least. Vivian is speaking out now to inform the world of Musk’s volatile nature and his cruelty. This seems to be a characteristic of certain oligarchs. This is the man who could be the “master engineer” of America.

In 2023 there were 735 Billionaires in the United States. Elon Musk is the wealthiest. They are quickly becoming a ruling class. The USA leads the world in the number of high wealth individuals who live among us. I have always thought that those to whom much is given, much is required. Being cruel is the wrong response to wealth.

Seismic decisions are being made that could rock and change our country. God save us from ourselves.

Lib Campbell is a retired Methodist pastor, retreat leader, columnist and host of the blogsite www.avirtualchurch.com. She can be contacted at libcam05@gmail.com 

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