The rise of America's plutocracy -- and how to stop it

By Shari Goodman

Our Founding Fathers, in their infinite wisdom, established the United States to be a representative republic. Fleeing the kingdom of England, where high taxation and religious persecution were commonplace, they sought a life of self-determination and self-governance. For many years America was a beacon of light where millions fled and continue to flee today.

Today, however, many Americans are seeing the rule of law slip away. There are states such as California and cities throughout the land where federal law is no longer obeyed. Americans have elected officials who willingly defy laws with which they do not agree, and we have activist courts (especially the 9th Circuit) that use their power not to uphold the law of the land, but instead to advance a social and political agenda, with the help of a complicit media. Is it any wonder many Americans believe that we are living in a post-constitutional republic, a country of men and no longer a country of laws?

Our elections and the smooth transition of power were the envy of the world; yet, the last few elections have been riddled with fraud and opposition tactics prevalent in Third World countries. Many are scratching their heads in disbelief. However, after a review of our political process for the last few decades, one can see that there were many decisions made along the way that have now brought us to the brink. Yes, America will continue to exist, but currently it is an entity with no identity, adrift and searching for an anchor between two polar opposites.

The movement toward a socialist, Marxist, globalist one-world government has gained momentum, with 51 percent of American youth stating they would prefer to live under socialism. On the other side of the spectrum, we have Middle America longing for a return to limited government and the founding principles envisioned by our forefathers. That 51 percent of today's youth now favor socialism is proof of how successfully the nation's plutocrats have wrestled away America's message of self-reliance and self-governance.

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A plutocracy is a society or country governed by the wealthy. With the rise of billionaires and their participation in the political process, our entire governing system and institutions created to uphold that system and equal representation have been undermined.

Beginning in the '90s, American billionaires began to take advantage of U.S. tax-exempt organizations under section 527 of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. Better known as 527 groups, these groups were created to influence elections through selection, nomination and appointments of candidates at the local, state and federal level. No limits were placed on the amount of contributions or who may contribute. Numerous foundations (Rockefeller Foundation, Carnegie, Tides and George Soros' Open Society) laundered hundreds of millions of dollars to street revolutionaries. Black Lives Matter received a total of $33 million from George Soros' Open Society. Noteworthy is Soros' own words when he stated, "The main obstacle to a stable and just world is the United States of America" – and he has been diligently using his billions to erase that obstacle.

The International Migration Institute is one of many official projects of Soros' Open Society. It provided the funding for the "Sutherland Report," which provides the blueprint for the European migration crisis. The report was authored by non-other than Goldman Sachs billionaire Sir Peter Sutherland, the U.N. secretary general's special representative on international migration. The report calls for "accepting the current crisis as the new normal." A 2007 email from John Podesta to Soros, Peter Lewis, Steve Bing and the rest of their ilk outlined Podesta's plans for parlaying the vast network they had financed into a media echo chamber that would control the political discourse. This is a subversion of our rule of law, and Soros and his cohorts get away with it by design. It has become evident our mainstream media are no longer free agents who represent the American people. Instead, the vast majority are an arm of the Democratic Party just as much as Pravda was an arm of the old Soviet Union.

Recently, Tom Steyer and Michael Bloomberg both contributed millions to ensure a House victory for the Democrats. Both have also announced a desire to run for the presidency in 2020. One can point to Sheldon Adelson and the Koch Brothers on the right, but the Koch Brothers are independents, and there is not nearly the amount of organizational influence created by the left. Instead, there is an imbalance in donations tilting heavily toward those in favor of a one-world order. Regardless, a plutocracy is not what our founders envisioned as a form of governance.

Public policy is no longer shaped by the American public through their representation, but instead it is formulated by those who control the purse strings and the many foundations set up to influence public policy and elections. All of our institutions now have bureaucrats in place beholden and answering to the puppet masters who pull their strings. There is the illusion of self-governance, but the reality is far different. It is the plutocrats who determine our political candidates, our political agendas, the printed and broadcast messages that echo their scripts and, with few exceptions, the outcome. Instead of a representative republic, we currently have a plutocracy!

If we are to remain free, we need to change the rules of engagements that will prevent billionaires from using their monetary influence to buy and dictate American policy. A loophole in the campaign-finance system has been taken advantage of, with funds flowing into existing and new 527 groups with the intended purpose of influencing elections and public policy. We cannot return to the days of feudalism where rich men of means control the lives of the common man. Congress must enact laws to ensure we have a republic by the people and for the people. It is only through the elimination of such loopholes and new regulations placed on donations that we can chart our own history and eliminate the plutocracy.

Shari Goodman is an educator, public speaker and activist. She has written for American Thinker, WND, Israel Today and other publications.