To the editor:

There’s a reason why this past election came down to the price of eggs. It was about money. Who has it, who wants it, who controls it.

This much we know. Ten percent of Americans have 70% of U.S. wealth and 90% of Americans want more of the remaining 30% of wealth. Ultra-rich billionaires control wealth by funding the “party of business” that ensures favorable legislation will help them become even richer.

You can’t blame people who voted for Trump in poverty-stricken America (the 54.9% making less than $50,000). Trump promised them his economy would be “better.” He said he’d get the intrusive government off their backs, get rid of immigrants “stealing their jobs” and not let brown and black people “ruin this country.” Electing him was the answer — the proclaimed Savior in heavily evangelical counties across America.

Trump voters don’t seem aware that Republican Party legislation has contributed to financial stress for low and middle-class Americans. Nor that the GOP is responsible for 10 of the last 11 recessions. Nor that past Republican administrations granting tax cuts to the rich increased national debt (Reagan by 186.36%, George W. Bush by 105.08%, Trump by 40.43%) Nor that the GOP has resisted raising the federal minimum wage above $7.25 — still being used in 15 Red states. Nor that the GOP used the courts to lift limitations on campaign donations; thus widening the wealth gap by allowing rich Americans to garner GOP political favor.

Why don’t Trump voters know? Because ultra-rich right-wing/libertarian individuals not only control Wall Street, banking, corporate America, real estate, the Supreme Court and members of Congress, they control the messaging. Today, right-wing billionaires such as Rupert Murdoch and Jeff Bezos own 90% of media conglomerates because they fought antitrust laws to create these monopolies.

Since Reagan, GOP anti-government, anti-democratic messaging has been ingrained into the thinking of every right-wing voter. They recite it by rote: “Government-imposed taxes steal my hard-earned money. Regulation harms our country. Men should be in charge. Democrats are evil liberals who waste money on social entitlements. Democrats don’t understand ‘real’ Americans or how to run the economy.” These resentment-fueled attitudes have been cultivated by right-wing rhetoric.

To voters literally worrying about the price of eggs, they believe Trump will solve everything and make America “great.” (Talk about the “FOX” in the hen house.) But to the nine out of 10 richest individuals in this country donating to the GOP, personal wealth is more important than a government paying attention to the other 90%.

Money was what this election was about. Ultra-rich, right-wing billionaires not only have all the money and want more, but they control all the money. That was what the GOP intended all along.

Martha Hodges

Massena

Reference:

Thom Hartmann, “The Hidden History of the American Dream: The Demise of the Middle Class and How to Rescue Our Future” (Berrett-Koehler Publishers, Inc., 2024)