Victoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 21, 2024

[thread 2/x] Existential threat of billionaires
parent: https://mastodon.social/@persagen/112810230899017402
[thread 3/x] https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113482871306325984

conservative advocacy/lobbying
political/legal state capture
deregulation: anti-union/taxation libertarianism
eradication of social programs/public education/benefits

Dark Money (2016)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Money_(book)

Democracy in Chains (2019)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_in_Chains

None Dare Call It Conspiracy (1970)
https://archive.org/details/none-dare-call-it-conspiracy_202101

Dark money: https://mastodon.social/@persagen/110953607664918460

#billionaires

Dark Money (book) - Wikipedia

Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 21, 2024

READ!

Jane Mayer, Dark Money (2016)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dark_Money_(book)

Nancy MacLean, Democracy in Chains (2019)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_in_Chains

Gary Allen, None Dare Call It Conspiracy (1970)
https://archive.org/details/none-dare-call-it-conspiracy_202101

[thread] Dark money: https://mastodon.social/@persagen/110953607664918460

#billionaires #CharlesKock #ElonMusk #RichardUihlein #NelsonPelz #TimothyMellon #BarreSeid #PaulSinger #PeterThiel #libertarianism #GOP #protofascism #plutocracy #oligarchy #meritocracy #disinformation #WealthTax

Dark Money (book) - Wikipedia

Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 21, 2024

Musk offers $1M to sign petition - legal?
https://www.ctvnews.ca/world/musk-offers-voters-us-1-million-a-day-to-sign-pac-petition-backing-the-constitution-is-that-legal-1.7080551

Officials Sound Alarm Over Musk’s Payments to Pro-Trump Voters
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/10/pennsylvania-musk-cash-lottery-trump-payments-reaction

Pennsylvania governor calls Elon Musk’s $1M sweepstakes concerning
https://www.npr.org/2024/10/20/g-s1-29118/trump-elon-musk-pennsylvania-voters

Musk Offering Cash To Identify Trump Voters
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113273482685158941

[thread] Elon Musk
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/110460614727284498

#billionaires #WealthTax #ElonMusk #GOP #Trumpism #AmericaPAC #Progress2028 #FarRight #protofascism #ElectoralFraud #plutocracy #oligarchy

Musk offers voters US$1 million a day to sign PAC petition backing the Constitution. Is that legal?

Elon Musk has already committed at least US$70 million to help Donald Trump win the 2024 U.S. election. Now he's pledging to give away US$1 million a day to voters for signing his political action committee's petition backing the U.S. Coinstitution.

CTVNews
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 21, 2024

Elon Musk’s Petition Award Amounts to “Illegal Vote Buying,” Legal Expert Warns
https://truthout.org/articles/elon-musks-petition-award-amounts-to-illegal-vote-buying-legal-expert-warns

Musk is giving $1 million to random voters who sign his “petition in favor of free speech and the right to bear arms.”

#billionaires #WealthTax #ElonMusk #GOP #Trumpism #AmericaPAC #Progress2028 #FarRight #protofascism #ElectoralFraud #plutocracy #oligarchy

Elon Musk’s Petition Award Amounts to “Illegal Vote Buying,” Legal Expert Warns

Musk is giving $1 million to random voters who sign his “petition in favor of free speech and the right to bear arms.”

Truthout
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 21, 2024

Elon Musk's Oligarchy: Trump’s richest supporter finds new ways to corrupt democracy
https://www.thenation.com/article/politics/musk-trump-plutocracy-lottery-illegal

Musk promised to give $1M/d until 2024-11-05
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_United_States_elections

COMMENT: chump change to Musk; unfathomable, inexhaustible wealth:
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113319779750794483

* $269B / ($1M/day) = 269,000 days | 736.5 years | 7.4 centuries (ca. 1290 AD - present)

#billionaires #WealthTax #ElonMusk #GOP #Trumpism #AmericaPAC #Progress2028 #FarRight #protofascism #ElectoralFraud #plutocracy #oligarchy

Elon Musk Gives Democrats a Chance to Run Against Oligarchy

Donald Trump’s richest supporter has been busy finding new ways to corrupt democracy.

The Nation
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 23, 2024

Musk Encourages People To Post About Voter Fraud, Playing Into Conspiracy Theories
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/news/musk-encourages-people-to-post-about-voter-fraud-playing-into-conspiracy-theories

#billionaires #WealthTax #ElonMusk #Musk #GOP #Trumpism #AmericaPAC #Progress2028 #FarRight #protofascism #ElectoralFraud #plutocracy #oligarchy #meritocracy #Xcorp #Twitter #disinformation #conservatism #libertarianism #ignorance #HeritageFoundation #Project2025

Musk Encourages People To Post About Voter Fraud, Playing Into Conspiracy Theories

With just two weeks to go until Election Day, billionaire Trump-backer Elon Musk is encouraging people to post about anything they suspect might be voter fraud on his social media platform X.

TPM - Talking Points Memo
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Oct 24, 2024

Trump Megadonor Tim Dunn's Plan More Extreme than Project 2025
https://www.desmog.com/2024/10/23/trump-project-2025-tim-dunn-crownquest-convention-states/

* TX billionaire/pastor
* wants to rewrite U.S. Constitution
* backs conservative Christian Nationalist plan for America
* pot. more extreme than Project 2025

Two Billionaire Preachers Built Most Powerful Political Machine in Texas
https://www.propublica.org/article/tim-dunn-farris-wilks-texas-christian-nationalism-dominionism-elections-voting

State capture: Tim Dunn, Farris Wilks pushed TX legislature far right

#billionaires #TimDunn #Wilks #GOP #StateCapture #protofascism #ChristianRight

Trump Megadonor Tim Dunn Has a Plan More Extreme Than Project 2025

The Texas fracking billionaire wants to rewrite the U.S. Constitution to advance climate denial and other far-right priorities.

DeSmog
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 1, 2024

Anti-Abortion Billionaire Sean Fieler Trying to Manipulate Election for GOP
https://truthout.org/articles/this-anti-abortion-billionaire-is-trying-to-manipulate-the-election-for-the-gop

* billionaire tied to Leonard Leo
* leads voter data companies that seek to help GOP win elections

Sean Fieler: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sean_Fieler
* American hedge fund manager and political donor
* known for backing religious & conservative causes, esp. those aligned with his Catholic faith
* chair of the American Principles Project, a conservative think tank

#SeanFieler #Catholicism #LeonardLeo #fascism

This Anti-Abortion Billionaire Is Trying to Manipulate the Election for the GOP

Sean Fieler, a billionaire tied to Leonard Leo, is leading voter data companies that seek to help the GOP win elections.

Truthout
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 1, 2024

Team Trump Panics as Hell Breaks Loose in Elon Musk’s Voting Plan
https://newrepublic.com/post/187814/donald-trump-panics-elon-musk-voting-plan

* Trump allies worried Musk’s canvassing efforts could cost the election

#billionaires #WealthTax #ElonMusk #Musk #GOP #Trumpism #AmericaPAC #Progress2028 #FarRight #protofascism #ElectoralFraud #plutocracy #oligarchy #meritocracy #Xcorp #Twitter #disinformation #conservatism #libertarianism #ignorance #HeritageFoundation #Project2025

Team Trump Panics as “Hell” Breaks Loose in Elon Musk’s Voting Plan

Donald Trump’s allies are worried that Elon Musk’s supposed canvassing efforts could cost them the election.

The New Republic
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 1, 2024

Musk Gave $1 Million to the PAC of QAnon Promoter Who Allegedly Photographed Sex in GOP Office
https://www.motherjones.com/politics/2024/11/elon-musk-scott-pressler-1-million-pennsylvania-gotv-effort

Scott Presler has proved too controversial for the RNC, but not for Musk

#billionaires #WealthTax #ElonMusk #Musk #GOP #Trumpism #AmericaPAC #Progress2028 #FarRight #protofascism #ElectoralFraud #plutocracy #oligarchy #meritocracy #Xcorp #Twitter #disinformation #conservatism #libertarianism #ignorance #HeritageFoundation #Project2025 #QAnon #ScottPresler #religions

Musk gave $1 million to the PAC of QAnon promoter who allegedly photographed sex in GOP office

Scott Presler has proved too controversial for the RNC. But not for Elon Musk.

Mother Jones
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 2, 2024

Billionaire Laurene Powell Jobs

Billionaires Aim to “Disrupt” Education Even If Trump Loses
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113414316754064930

* Emerson Collective: private LLC aimed at reshaping U.S. education

Behind Kamala Harris’s Rise: Silicon Valley’s Wealthiest Woman Laurene Powell Jobs
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113414338304307504

Laurene Powell Jobs: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laurene_Powell_Jobs
* 25th most powerful woman in world
* shadowy donor

#LaurenePowellJobs #BetsyDeVos #XQ #EmersonCollective #EducationalIndustrialComplex #CharterSchools

Laurene Powell Jobs - Wikipedia

Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 5, 2024

Trump and the money men: Billionaires are repeating the Hitler mistake
https://www.salon.com/2024/11/05/and-the-money-men-billionaires-are-making-the-hitler-mistake

*Germany's business elite thought they could control Hitler
* Steve Schwarzman, Peter Thiel ... think that now

#billionaires #SteveSchwarzmann #PeterThiel #ElonMusk #RichardUihlein #TimothyMellon
#capitalism #PrivateEquity #plutocracy #oligarchy #meritocracy #WealthTax
#GOP #Trump #Trumpism #MAGA #fascism #authoritarianism #misogyny #antiLGBT
#HeritageFoundation #Project2025 #Project2028 #AmericaPAC

Trump and the money men: Billionaires are repeating the Hitler mistake - Salon.com

Germany's business elite thought they could control the demagogue. Steve Schwarzman and Peter Thiel think that now

Salon.com
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 7, 2024

Election 2024: How Billionaires Torpedoed Democracy
https://jacobin.com/2024/11/election-2024-how-billionaires-torpedoed-democracy

* both parties’ 2024 campaigns claimed to be about saving democracy
* both parties ended up bought/paid for by billionaires

Election 2024: How Billionaires Torpedoed Democracy

Both parties’ 2024 campaigns claimed to be about “saving democracy.” Yet both parties ended up bought and paid for by billionaires.

Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️

“Billionaires and big corporations sharpening their knives”: Progressive tax groups sound alarm over Trump’s new tax cut push
https://www.nationofchange.org/2024/11/11/billionaires-and-big-corporations-sharpening-their-knives-progressive-tax-groups-sound-alarm-over-trumps-new-tax-cut-push

* Trump2 Congress poised to push for sweeping tax cuts for wealthy & corporations
* progressive organizations brace for fierce battle to prevent policies that would deepen inequality & burden working class

#Trump2 #fascism #FarRight
#capitalism #billionaires #libertarianism #plutocracy #oligarchy #meritocracy
#WealthTax #WealthForfeiture

“Billionaires and big corporations sharpening their knives”: Progressive tax groups sound alarm over Trump’s new tax cut push | NationofChange

Nov 11, 2024 at 5:51pmWeb
Show threadVictoria Stuart 🇨🇦 🏳️‍⚧️Nov 12, 2024

Witherspoon Institute
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113471085515066927

* conservative think tank in Princeton, NJ
* founded 2003 by Princeton University professor Robert P. George, others

#CharlesKoch #LeonardLeo #DarkMoney #BarryPrize #AASL #FEHE #AEI #AmericanEnterpriseInstitute #pseudointellectualism #propaganda #disinformation #antivax #ConspiracyTheorists

Show threadResistor McResistanceFaceNov 11, 2024

@persagen

"Shite in a Box" - the perfect Xmas gift for the maga in your life and all it costs is the price of a box

It is very import to not let ANYONE off the Trump hook. They own this

Show thread𝗖 𝗔 𝗧Nov 11, 2024

@persagen

Taxing the rich isn't enough.
#socialism #communism

Show threadNahmiaNov 11, 2024
@Radical_EgoCom @persagen I am in favor instead of taxing the rich, getting rid of those loopholes that they use to escape those taxes that they are supposed to pay. This will have a stronger impact upon them while seizing the production will actually harm the common person and have little to no effect upon the rich.
Show thread𝗖 𝗔 𝗧Nov 11, 2024

@Nahmia @persagen

You've provided no evidence that the working class seizing the means of production from the rich capitalist ruling class and making them common for all people to manage and benefit from them (which just reading it, would obviously benefit the common person and greatly affect the rich) will "actually harm the common person and have little to no effect upon the rich."

Show thread𝗖 𝗔 𝗧Nov 12, 2024

@Nahmia @persagen

The proletariat seizing the means of production and making them publicly owned would provide access to the necessities of life to everyone regardless of social status, which would benefit the common person, and it would take the economic power that the rich uses to exploit the working class away from them, which not only would have a tremendous affect on the rich, but would even further benefit the common person.

#socialism #communism #capitalism

Show threadSimon BrookeNov 12, 2024

@Radical_EgoCom @persagen taxing the rich into extinction would be an excellent start, though.

Better still: abolish property.

Show thread𝗖 𝗔 𝗧Nov 12, 2024

@simon_brooke @persagen

Taxing the rich would be fine, but the rich won't be driven to extinction through taxation. Abolishing private ownership of the means of production is what will.

Show threadSimon BrookeNov 12, 2024
@Radical_EgoCom @persagen they could be driven to extinction. When all the formerly-rich are no richer than anyone else, the rich will be extinct. And it isn't even necessary to kill anyone, or eat any billionaires.
Show thread𝗖 𝗔 𝗧Nov 12, 2024

@simon_brooke @persagen

The rich control everything through their money, including politicians. Do you think that the rich would just lay back and let the government tax away all of their money? The answer is no. They would use their money and power to pass legislation to lower taxes for the rich and veto laws that would raise taxes on the rich. Because of this, taxation, or any other form of reformism, can never be the primary tool for eliminating the rich.

Show threadbufalo1973Nov 12, 2024

@Radical_EgoCom

@persagen taxing the rich is not the full solution but it's a good first step.
#socialism #communism