Dakota Beacon

Words matter. The 2022 elections dubiously retained Democrats in power through control of the White House and US Senate and barely losing the US House by a fraction. What better incentive for reviving an electoral lexicon portraying America’s future?

OLIGARCHY – A group or class of people controlling government. This group defines the pseudo-elite and privileged individuals and may or may not include the wealthy. Classic constituents include high ranking individuals from the President’s cabinet and their staffs; the administrative state or bureaucracy including political appointees along with the Senior Executive Service; and legislative and judiciary staffers. This collectively denotes “the swamp” and often signifies corruption. So, do we have an American oligarchy or an American…

PLUTOCRACY – Government by the wealthy. This class or group exercises power and influence by virtue of their wealth as well as the wealth of their supporters.

President Joe Biden’s net worth is conservatively estimated at $10 million. How did that happen on a senator’s salary? Lackluster FBI investigations continue into the financial influence-peddling of his son, Hunter Biden, using Ukraine and China dealings of which “The Big Guy” purportedly got a cut.

Then there are over fifty Congressmen and Senators with a net worth of over $10 million each. Focus on the Democrats because they call themselves “the party of the little guy” and always want to “soak the rich.” Of course, our American plutocracy include Republicans as well. The five wealthiest House Democrats (in millions): Don Beyer (VA), $125; Dean Phillips (MN), $124; Nancy Pelosi (CA), $115; Suzan DelBene (WA), $79; and Scott Peters (CA), $61. Then come the five wealthiest Senate Democrats (in millions): Mark Warner (VA), $295; Richard Blumenthal (CT), $100; Michael Bennet (CO), $16; Ron Wyden (OR), $13; and Chris Coons (DE), $10.

Round out our American plutocracy with multi-billionaires aligned with the Democrats. Jack Dorsey (formerly of Twitter), Mark Zuckerberg (Facebook/Meta), Jeff Bezos (Amazon), Sundar Pichai (Google), and Tim Cook (Apple) walk together with legislators in a symbiotic relationship. And do not forget Bill Gates (Microsoft). These monopolists exercise overwhelming influence in legislation and political campaigns. The US House and Senate held five hearings in 2020 into monopolistic practices by these plutocrats with ho-hum results and no consequences. One wonders, “Why?”

PANDER – To function as a go-between to gratify one’s desires. Candidates pander to “Big Tech” for money and visibility with which to sell themselves to the public for votes. Call it pimping.

BIPARTISAN – Defines close-knit unity between two factions. In a two-party system this term applies to two opposing political parties finding common ground. A one-party system negates the need for bipartisanship except to use the arrangement as a propaganda tool to fool the public.

UNITY – Continuity without deviation. A condition of harmony and of being in one accord. The plutocratic Ruling Class is forever in a state of being made one regardless of party affiliation. Unity is doublespeak for consolidation leading to one-party rule.

CENSOR – To examine, delete, or suppress anything considered objectionable.

SUPPRESS -- To keep from public knowledge. To put down by authority or force. To silence.

SILENCE – To cause to cease hostile criticism. Prohibit or prevent from speaking.

PURGE – The final phase beyond silence. To expunge a record or a person at the whim of another. To remove a person considered undesirable from social media, government administration, or from the general population.

SINGLE PARTY GOVERNMENT -- Control of the three branches of government consigned to a single political party and heralding dire consequences. Democrat leaders in the Senate propose expanding the number of justices on the Supreme Court and then filling those vacancies thereby shifting the balance of the court. Statehood for Washington, DC will ensure the Democrats perpetuate single party government into the near future. Eliminating the Senate filibuster ensures arguments by the minority party will never be heard. Abolishing the Electoral College in favor of a popular vote concentrates power in the high-density, Democrat-controlled urban centers.

TOTALITARIAN – The logical progression of an oligarchy or plutocracy controlled by a single party. A form of government in which political authority exercises absolute centralized control over all aspects of life, individuals are subordinate to the state, and opposing political and cultural expression is purged. Characterized by the rise and imposition of doublethink, doublespeak, and an effort to rewrite history.

TRILLION – The now-customary dollar denomination of the national debt -- $34 trillion and growing. It is a magical or paranormal measure of value understood and appreciated by -- no one.

Election reform cannot happen in a one-party system. Oligarchs and plutocrats will not tolerate their own removal from power. Without reform elections become meaningless.

President Ronald Reagan warned, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction... It must be fought for, protected, and handed on… to our children…or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children…what it was once like in the United States where people were free.”

Dennis M. Patrick can be contacted at (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).