Americans need to know how much big money is influencing our government. Elected officials should consider the needs of all American citizens, not just cater to the demands of wealthy, special interests. Big money is buying elections.
Of Trump’s 2024 campaign funds 44% came from only 10 big donors. One of Trump’s righthand men Elon Musk alone poured in over $25 million, and currently, Musk has threatened to not financially support the election or re-election of any Republican who does not vote party lines.
Men from the middle class with true service to the middle and lower class such as Sherrod Brown and Tim Ryan were defeated primarily due to the infusion of funding from outside Ohio. Peter Thiel, another of the largest donors to Republican candidates in the 2022 election campaign, contributed more than a total of $20.4 million.
In Ohio, Peter Thiel’s money, at least $14 million, along with other outside state donations of $115 million, defeated Sherrod Brown to elect Bernie Moreno. Also, a crypto-funded Super PAC spent over $40 million to boost Moreno’s campaign. Big money helped to “stack” the Senate Republican majority.
How did JD Vance get elected? Thiel’s money, once again, supported his campaign. Thiel, living in California and Florida, gave $10 million to the pro-Vance PAC Protect Ohio Values in the spring of 2021. (Super-PACs aligned with Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell ended up spending more than $30 million to prop up Vance.)
An online Nasdaq.com article of February 13, 2025 notes: “The new [Trump] administration boasts a combined net worth of at least $11.8 billion.” In 2025, the middle class income range in the U.S. generally falls between $49,715 and $149,160.
It is not surprising then that Trump is obliged to, and caters to the richest Americans — at the expense of the needs of middle and lower populations.
An oligarchy is a system of government in which “a small group exercises control especially for corrupt or selfish purposes.” It also means a government controlled by the few.
Some commentators have noted that the U.S. is now being ruled by an oligarchy based upon the great amount of money spent on elections — and held in the top leadership of government.
Voters need to become aware of the impact of big money on elections and how big money is controlling the government.
Mary Williams
rural Cecil
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