P.G. Smith Author

The money spent on political campaigns this year was obscene. According to Open Secrets.org (an independent tracker of political donations) more than $16 billion (yes, that’s with a B) was spent by the two presidential candidates alone. It’s a record, but maybe we shouldn’t be surprised. Most of us were bombarded for months by pleading, wheedling, or threatening emails, calls, and texts predicting imminent doom which could be averted but only if we rush our $5 or ‘whatever we can afford’ by pressing the blinking button conveniently located at our trembling fingertips.

Yet, these ‘grassroots’ efforts were a drop in an ocean compared to the big money players who have controlled our government for at least 50 years. And since the Supreme Court in Citizens United v FEC declared that corporations are persons and spending money is constitutionally protected free speech, the gloves are off. The gate is open. There are no more limits.

Here’s a recent example. Venture capitalist David Sacks held a $300,000 a plate dinner (and no, I did not mistakenly add any zeros) which raised $12 million for Mr. Trump. Gee, I wonder what they expect to get back. (See Venture-Backed Trumpism by Ben Tarnoff (NYRB, 9/19/24)) It’s a great article, well worth reading.

Lots of good books and articles have been written about money in politics. Revolt of the Rich by David B. Gibbs provides a good historical account. The Racket by Matt Kennard gives a chilling picture of the breadth of the problem of global economic corruption and power. Two other authors: John Perkins (Confessions of an Economic Hit Man) and Greg Palast (The Best Democracy Money Can Buy) I will review separately soon.

Today I want to talk about a book I wish every American would read: Dark Money by award winning investigative journalist, Jane Mayer. Mayer follows the money trail that explains the rise of ‘alternative facts’ believed by masses of voters to their own detriment. She traces the history that explains how we the American people are being manipulated for the benefit of the wealthy.

From the 1970s to the present day a few families: the Koch brothers, the Olin family, the Bradley brothers, and Richard Mellon Scaife (among others) have waged a war of ideas to convince the American public that regulating corporations eliminates jobs, that government programs equal socialism (and socialism equals communism), that unfettered capitalism will create prosperity for all, and that global warming is a hoax. In order to do this, they have created think tanks, university programs, and distinguished professorships; they have acquired news outlets, networks, supported radio and TV programs. And contributed heavily to political campaigns.

They have also created Political Action Committees (501c-4s) with neutral sounding names like Americans for Prosperity, or Donor’s Trust through which money can be funneled without being easily traceable. That way it looks like that distinguished professor is an objective scientist whose research is telling him that global warming is nothing to worry about. It looks like the Tea Party was a grass roots mobilization instead of a shill for big money interests. It looks like that health expert who previously defended the use of Round Up on food products really is well qualified to run the FDA.

Anyone who is concerned about American democracy should read this fascinating book. It is well written and well documented; and it tells a frightening story of an oligarchy that is perilously close to total control of a government that is supposed to be serving all the people, not just a few at the top, and convincing a majority that it is what is best for us.