The Rot Runs Deeper Than Trump: A Nation at a Crossroads
The Rot Runs Deeper Than Trump: A
Nation at a Crossroads
The world can’t stop talking
about Donald Trump, his missteps, his disregard for norms, his obsession with
power. He’s the kind of man who reportedly hired someone just to praise him
every day. That alone tells us what kind of person he is. But here’s the bigger
truth: Trump isn’t the problem. He’s a symptom. The real disease is the system
that allowed him to rise and continues to shield him at every turn.
When a member of Congress
reportedly warned the Speaker of the House about Trump’s rhetoric toward the
military, the Speaker refused to acknowledge it. That’s not just a failure of
leadership, it’s complicity. And while Republicans are often blamed for
enabling Trump, Democrats don’t walk away clean either. Why didn’t the Biden
administration prosecute Trump when it had the chance? Why have the courts bent
over backward to give him more time to delay justice? And why does someone like
James Comey, who played a pivotal role in the 2016 election outcome, now expect
public sympathy after facing his own indictment?
This isn’t just about
individuals. This is about a system that rewards corruption, protects power,
and punishes transparency. It’s about a political machine on both sides that
operates in the shadows, fueled by money, distraction, and silence.
The Citizens United ruling in
2010 supercharged that machine. Passed under a Democratic administration, the
decision declared that corporations could spend unlimited money in politics
under the guise of free speech. Since then, neither party has made a serious
effort to challenge it. Why would they? It benefits them both. In 2020 alone,
over $14.4 billion was spent on federal elections, more than double the amount
in 2016. Super PACs, corporate donors, and billionaire-backed organizations now
shape the outcome of nearly every major race in America. It’s nearly impossible
for an honest citizen to run for office without corporate backing. Statistics
show that in congressional races, the candidate who spends the most money wins
91% of the time. That’s not democracy, that’s a buy-in system with the illusion
of choice.
Every major industry has learned
how to exploit this. Healthcare companies rake in record profits while tens of
millions of Americans remain uninsured or buried in debt. The U.S. spends $4.5
trillion a year on healthcare, more than any other nation on Earth, yet gets
worse outcomes. Energy companies block climate legislation and keep the country
hooked on fossil fuels while wildfires rage and coastal cities flood. Big Tech
giants like Amazon and Google spend tens of millions a year on lobbying to
avoid regulation and crush competition. Amazon alone spent $19 million on
lobbying in 2022. Defense contractors push for endless wars and ballooning
military budgets $880 billion for 2024, while veterans struggle to get care.
Housing developers and private equity firms lobby against rent control and
tenant protections, while over half of U.S. renters spend more than 30% of
their income just to keep a roof over their heads.
And while all this unfolds, the
Supreme Court stacked with right-wing ideologues continues to entrench
corporate power and voter suppression. It’s not just Citizens United. The Court
also gutted the Voting Rights Act and weakened labor unions. It no longer
functions as a neutral guardian of the Constitution. It acts as a shield for the
wealthy and powerful.
Meanwhile, the public is kept
distracted. Politicians push cultural battles, and the media amplifies the
noise. Americans are told to fight each other while nearly $40 trillion in
national debt piles up. And what have ordinary people gotten for that debt? Not
free college. Not universal healthcare. Not affordable housing. What they’ve
gotten is stagnant wages, a broken safety net, and skyrocketing costs of
living. Today, over 60% of Americans live paycheck to paycheck. During the
pandemic, U.S. billionaires increased their wealth by $1.5 trillion. The gap
between rich and poor isn’t just growing, it’s accelerating.
The painful question is: do we
even live in a democracy anymore, or just a dream of one? A Princeton study
showed that average citizens have almost no influence on federal policy. When
the preferences of the rich and the rest of us conflict, the rich win every
time. The truth is, the system isn’t just broken. It’s rigged.
Some Americans believed Trump
would break that system. That he was different. That he would bring real
change. What he delivered instead was distraction, division, and damage. He
made a mockery of global diplomacy, pushed conspiracy theories, and enabled the
looting of public trust for private gain. He turned national politics into a
circus where the loudest voice drowns out the most important issues. He made
headlines while his inner circle made deals. He didn’t fix the rot. He climbed
through it.
This is the part where some might
laugh it off. But these aren’t laughable times. Media personalities and
comedians who once called out injustice now help normalize absurdity. If you
really want to educate the public, stop turning dysfunction into punchlines.
The stakes are too high.
What this country needs isn’t
another cult of personality. It needs citizens who see clearly, think
critically, and reject corruption on all sides. It needs people who won’t
accept the status quo, who demand campaign finance reform, court reform, and
policies driven by public interest, not private profit. It needs a population
willing to call out rot, not just when it comes from the other side, but when
it’s woven deep into the structure we all live under.
Trump didn’t cause this mess.
He’s just the flashing warning light. And if we don’t act now not just vote,
but organize, speak out, and demand change, then the decline will continue,
fast and hard.
This isn’t about parties anymore.
It’s about survival. We don’t need another strongman. We need a strong
citizenry. And we need it now.
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