Plutocracy in the US

We should welcome Bloomberg’s candidacy. It’s proof that the term plutocracy as it applies to the US isn’t just hyperbole but now an uncontested fact.

The DNC’s willingness to bend their own rules to allow anyone into the candidate fold who can pay their way in – even an open sewer oligarch whose racism and sexism rivals Trump’s – just confirms our worst fears and vindicates the cynics: Elections are no more than rigged matches between tycoon Battle-Bots both engaged in a struggle to liberate billionaires from taxes, Wall Street from its regulators, and most urgently, the DNC from Bernie Sanders.

This most recent, history-repeating Democratic Primary fiasco is no exception, save for the fact its un-democratic agenda is no longer an embarrassing leak from a trove of emails, but an openly stated threat to the party’s frontrunner: You are not welcome here. This stage is reserved exclusively for the Very Important Plutocrat who bought the arena, and his now sidelined ‘centrist’ stooges all united to shore up delegates for him. Sanders’ modest (to a fault) incrementally implemented policies are framed as the Unabomber manifesto by his own party’s candidates because of Sweden/ISIS . . . same thing.

Expect a senior advisory role for Pete Buttigieg should Bloomberg add the presidency to his already vast portfolio, Amy Klobuchar to make latte runs, and Joe Biden to massage his new Master’s feet when they are tired after a long day of stomping on the Bill of Rights. It’s easy to sacrifice ideals you don’t have (universal healthcare) for the real interests you serve (pharmaceutical and insurance giants). And of course, Israel. After wiping the floor with Bloomberg on the Nevada debate stage, Elizabeth Warren might find use for that sharp tongue of hers. White House silver doesn’t polish itself.

Long before Bloomberg threw his top hat into the ring, he was seeding his eventual campaign trail with donations to “progressive” organizations, who would in turn remain silent during the destruction of their own stated agendas. (Principles are worth more dead than alive, so you might want to abandon your own to pay for their overhead.)

You have to wonder if Bloomberg’s entry into the Democratic primaries is not so much the spontaneous decision of a bored billionaire, but a bipartisan loyalist to the plutocratic cause, well-primed in advance to serve at Her Majesty’s request. Now that Bernie Sanders is poised to secure his party’s nomination despite the DNC’s best efforts to derail his campaign, Nancy Pelosi has resorted to Plan B and launched a Trump clone into the race.

When the party elite hires ‘muscle’ to shake down their enemies, it’s no longer some bat-wielding goon from the outer boroughs, but a golf-club swinging real estate tycoon from Manhattan.

Excerpted from: 'Tycoon Battle-Bots Battle Bernie'.

Counterpunch.org