Key Takeaways:
- The U.S. is facing a constitutional crisis due to actions by five Republican Supreme Court justices.
- Trump is defying court orders and threatening judges, even prompting Chief Justice John Roberts to speak out.
- America has a history of progress followed by backlash from wealthy elites and corporations.
- Historic reforms like the 13th Amendment and Social Security were rolled back by conservative courts and politicians.
- The Citizens United decision allowed billionaires like Elon Musk to influence politics, threatening democracy.
- Progressives are fighting back, but the future of democracy depends on public action.
U.S. Democracy At Risk: How Corporate Power and Billionaires Are Hijacking America
The United States is in the middle of a constitutional crisis. Five Republican justices on the Supreme Court have made decisions that hurt the country, leading to fears of an oligarchic takeover. Oligarchy means a small group of wealthy and powerful people control the government.
Donald Trump, the former president, is making things worse. He is ignoring court orders and even threatening judges, which is extremely dangerous. Chief Justice John Roberts, who is usually quiet, has spoken out about this.
This isn’t the first time America has faced such a crisis. The country’s history is filled with periods of progress followed by pushback from wealthy elites and corporations.
A History of Progress and Backlash
The first 80 years of America were marked by the fight against an absolute monarch and corporations. But Southern oligarchs, who relied on slavery, rejected the Founders’ ideals. They turned the South into a brutal place and even started a war that Abraham Lincoln won.
Lincoln introduced progressive reforms like the 13th Amendment, which ended slavery, and the Homestead Act, which gave land to settlers. He also supported unions and created colleges with free education. However, his efforts were rolled back after his death, especially during the corrupt 1876 election.
In the late 1800s, corporations grew so powerful that presidents like Teddy Roosevelt had to step in. He broke up monopolies like Standard Oil. Laws like the Sherman Anti-Trust Act and the Tillman Act tried to stop corporations from controlling politics.
But in 2010, the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision changed everything. It allowed corporations and billionaires to spend unlimited money on elections, treating money as free speech. This decision has led to the current crisis, where billionaires like Elon Musk can influence politics like never before.
The Current Crisis
The third 80-year cycle started after World War II and is now ending. Presidents like Eisenhower, Kennedy, and Johnson expanded Social Security, passed civil rights laws, and created Medicare. But the 1970s brought a new backlash with the Powell Memo, which encouraged corporations to take over politics.
Today, Trump and Musk are leading this push. They are breaking institutions, stopping the IRS from taxing the rich, and rewriting history to exclude women, Black, and queer people.
The 2010 Citizens United decision opened the door for billionaires to buy politicians. Elon Musk is now using his money to threaten Republican politicians and defeat Democrats.
Can Democracy Be Saved?
In 2022, Democrats tried to pass laws like the For the People Act and the John Lewis Voting Rights Act. These laws would have limited corporate money in politics, stopped gerrymandering, and protected voting rights.
Both bills passed the House but failed in the Senate because two Democratic senators, Sinema and Manchin, sided with Republicans.
However, there is hope. Bernie Sanders and AOC recently drew 86,000 people to rallies. Voters are waking up, and there’s a chance Democrats could win in 2026 and 2028.
But to save democracy, laws like the For the People Act must be passed. Money in politics has always been a problem, and billionaires like Musk are making it worse.
The Power of Public Sentiment
Abraham Lincoln once said, “In this age, in this country, public sentiment is everything. With it, nothing can fail; against it, nothing can succeed.”
This means Americans have the power to change things. By supporting progressive politicians and joining protests, people can push back against billionaires and corrupt politicians.
Judges, lawyers, and politicians who know what’s wrong need the public’s support to stand up to Trump and Musk. Together, we can save democracy and bring back progressive values.
The fight isn’t over yet. Will America return to its progressive roots, or will billionaires and corporations take over? The answer lies in what we do next.