Introduction:

The 2016 U.S. Presidential Election and its aftermath highlighted a disturbing reality about the intersection of money, politics, and public perception. While voters in both major political parties were led to believe that their choices would impact their daily lives, the ultimate beneficiaries of the political outcomes were not the people, but the billionaires. Both Donald Trump and Kamala Harris were supported by powerful corporate interests that ultimately aimed for the same outcome: tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations. This breakdown delves into the roles billionaires played in shaping the political landscape and how, regardless of which side won, the economic system continued to favor the ultra-wealthy while the working class remained sidelined.

1. The Billionaire Divide: Trump vs. Harris

Corrupt Behavior: Both Trump and Harris were backed by billionaires, though from different sectors of the economy. The individuals and corporate interests who supported Trump were primarily seeking tax cuts, deregulation, and policies that would protect their wealth. Similarly, billionaires who supported Harris, though often seen as more progressive, also had economic interests in securing favorable tax laws, regulations, and policies that would benefit their bottom lines.

• Analysis: Despite the public rhetoric surrounding their campaigns, both Trump and Harris served the interests of the billionaire class. Trump framed himself as a champion of the working class, promising to “drain the swamp” and fight for those left behind by the system. However, his administration’s policies, including massive tax cuts for the wealthiest Americans, showed that his true allegiance lay with those who funded his rise to power.
• Why It’s Corruption: Both political figures perpetuated a system in which the wealthiest Americans had the most influence. Whether through tax cuts, deregulation, or other policies, the beneficiaries of these decisions were not the average citizen but the ultra-wealthy. In this sense, the political system became a vehicle for enriching the few at the expense of the many.

2. The “Tax Cuts for the Rich” Paradigm

Corrupt Behavior: A central theme in the political agendas of both Trump and Harris was the promise of tax cuts. For Trump, these cuts were a primary focus, with massive tax breaks for corporations and the wealthiest individuals. While Harris, as a Democrat, may have had more progressive policy rhetoric, her support from billionaires aligned her with the same goal: tax cuts that disproportionately benefited the rich.

• Analysis: The tax policies advocated by both political figures reflected a broader systemic issue in American politics. Tax cuts for the wealthiest individuals and corporations often come at the expense of essential services, social programs, and the working class. These tax cuts were not presented as a solution to a growing deficit or the need for social equity, but as a way to maintain the wealth and power of the elite class.
• Why It’s Corruption: The focus on tax cuts for the wealthy, particularly in the face of rising income inequality and budget deficits, highlighted the corruption inherent in the system. It showed that the political elite were more concerned with preserving their wealth and power than with addressing the needs of the broader population.

3. The Political Drama: A Spectator Sport for the Public

Corrupt Behavior: The political system, as described, turned into a spectator sport for the average American. Voters were placed in a situation where they had to choose between two sides, both of which were ultimately backed by billionaires. Trump framed himself as the anti-establishment candidate, while Harris (and the Democrats) promoted themselves as the alternative to Trump’s policies. However, both candidates were backed by the same interests that sought to maintain a system that worked for the wealthy, not the people.

• Analysis: The political theater around Trump’s election and Harris’ potential candidacy played into the illusion of choice, while the true winners remained the billionaires pulling the strings behind the scenes. For the public, it became less about policy differences and more about which billionaire-backed side would claim victory. The election itself became a distraction from the true forces at play: a corporate-driven agenda designed to maintain the status quo.
• Why It’s Corruption: The very structure of the U.S. political system, with its overwhelming reliance on campaign donations and corporate influence, creates a scenario where the average voter is left with little more than the illusion of power. The real power resides with the billionaires, and the political process becomes a game in which the public plays no real role.

4. Trump’s Electoral Strategy: Distracting the Working Class

Corrupt Behavior: Trump’s electoral strategy focused on dividing the working class by blaming external factors for their struggles. He pointed to immigrants, China, and foreign trade policies as the sources of the American worker’s pain, while offering tax cuts to the wealthiest individuals and corporations. This rhetoric effectively diverted attention from the real issues: the systemic corruption in the political system that allowed billionaires to continue accumulating wealth at the expense of the working class.

• Analysis: Trump’s narrative of “America First” served as a smokescreen to distract from the true beneficiaries of his policies—the billionaires. While he promised to fight for the working class, the policies he enacted, particularly the tax cuts for the rich, betrayed those who had supported him. In the end, the real winners were the ultra-wealthy, who saw their fortunes grow even as the income gap between the rich and the rest of America widened.
• Why It’s Corruption: The use of scapegoats like immigrants and foreign countries to divert attention from the real causes of economic inequality allowed Trump to maintain the support of working-class voters, all while enacting policies that disproportionately benefited the wealthy.

5. The Deficit and Growing Inequality: The End Result

Corrupt Behavior: Despite Trump’s promises to help the working class, his administration presided over a dramatic increase in the federal deficit and continued to widen the gap between the rich and the poor. The combination of tax cuts for the wealthy, deregulation, and policies favoring corporations resulted in a growing divide between the elite and everyone else.

• Analysis: The administration’s policies, though framed as pro-worker, led to disastrous outcomes for the broader population. The increasing deficit, combined with rising income inequality and public frustration, painted a grim picture of an economy where the rich continued to get richer, and the working class was left behind.
• Why It’s Corruption: The failure to address the needs of the working class while exacerbating inequality is a hallmark of a corrupt system. When the wealthiest individuals benefit at the expense of the public, and when politicians are beholden to the interests of the ultra-wealthy, the system is fundamentally broken.

Conclusion:

In the end, the Trump presidency revealed a political system that was increasingly dominated by billionaire interests, with both major political parties serving the same agenda: protecting the wealth and power of the elite. While Trump and Harris may have represented opposing sides in the political drama, the outcome was the same—a system that continued to prioritize tax cuts for the wealthy and left the working class to fend for themselves. The true battle was never between political ideologies; it was between the billionaires who control the system and the people who are left behind. Until this dynamic changes, the cycle of corruption will continue.