[thread 1/x] Existential threat of billionaires
[2/x] https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113346390093945554
[3/x] https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113482871306325984
[4/x] https://mastodon.social/@persagen/113742913269375565

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

/1

Like QAnon, to most Americans the U.S. Republican Party is now an American religion based on belief, conspiracies, dogma.

Religion: range of social-cultural systems, incl. designated behaviors & practices, morals, beliefs, worldviews, texts, sanctified places, prophecies, ethics, or organizations, that generally relate humanity to supernatural, transcendental, & spirituality
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion

Behind the scenes Christian right / libertarian billionaires pull the strings.

#GOP #QAnon

/2

The GOP As We Knew It Is Long Gone And May Never Return
https://talkingpointsmemo.com/morning-memo/the-gop-as-we-knew-it-is-long-gone-and-may-never-return

/3

America's nonreligious are a growing, diverse phenomenon. They really don't like organized religion
https://projects.apnews.com/features/2023/the-nones/the-nones-us.html

#USA #religion #demographics

/4

As a scholar, he’s charted the decline in religion. Now the church he pastors is closing its doors
https://apnews.com/article/illinois-christian-baptist-church-closure-religious-trends-c6b9e938eb228c8018fb911b02a791f0

#USA #religion #demographics

/5

Project 2025 Links a Revolving Door of Players and Far Right Political Funding
Such cross-pollination isn’t just commonplace in political circles; it’s become a regular occurrence among hate groups
https://truthout.org/articles/project-2025-links-a-revolving-door-of-players-and-far-right-political-funding

/6

Once Enemies, Trumpists and Mainstream Conservatives Are Now Chillingly United
The Heritage Foundation’s president announced in January that the foundation’s role is “institutionalizing Trumpism”
https://truthout.org/articles/once-enemies-trumpists-and-mainstream-conservatives-are-now-chillingly-united/

/7

Addendum to thread landing page:

None Dare Call It Conspiracy (1972) Gary Allen
https://archive.org/details/none-dare-call-it-conspiracy_202101
"We are going to have a dictatorship of the elite disguised as the dictatorship of the proletariat”

Discussed 2024-Jul:
J. D. Vance Is Summoning John Birch Society
Populist appeals indistinguishable f. economic vision of 1970s John Birch Society
https://jacobin.com/2024/07/vance-trump-gop-john-birch

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Allen
Senior member, John Birch Society
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Birch_Society

#libertarianism #Koch #fascism #GOP

/8 cont'd

John Birch Society
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Birch_Society

* right-wing political advocacy group
* anti-communist; social conservatism
* ultraconservative, radical right, far-right, right-wing populism/libertarianism
* founders: Harry Lynde Bradley (Bradley Foundation), Fred C. Koch (Koch Industries) ...
* Trump 2016 election: JBS core instincts finally reflected in White House
* political commentator, 2016: Trumpism" essent. Bircherism

#GaryAllen #Koch #Trump #billionaires #libertarianism #fascism

Koch network’s flagship super PAC pours big money into 2024 elections
https://www.opensecrets.org/news/2024/08/koch-network-flagship-super-pac-pours-big-money-into-2024-elections

* Koch network flagship group
* 2 decades financially influencing U.S. elections
* AFP super PAC ranks 3rd in outside spending in 2024 cycle
* Americans for Prosperity Action, hybrid PAC affiliated w. AFP, spent $257+ million since 2004
* supports conservative congressional/presidential candidates

#Koch #AmericansForProsperity #billionaires #ElectoralFraud #libertarianism #fascism #superPAC #GOP

6 Billionaire Fortunes Bankrolling Project 2025
$120+ million f. few ultra-wealthy families powering Heritage Foundation to remake American gov.
https://mastodon.social/@persagen/112962304294428041
https://www.desmog.com/2024/08/14/project-2025-billionaire-donor-heritage-foundation-donald-trump-jd-vance-charles-koch-peter-coors

Evil:
Coors Family
Charles Koch
Richard & Elizabeth Uihlein
Scaife Family
Barre Seid (also gave $1.6 BILLION to Leonard Leo)
Bradley Family

#billionaires #EnablingFascism #GOP #Trumpism #HeritageFoundation #KevinRoberts #Project2025 #FamilyResearchCouncil #TonyPerkins #fascism #libertarianism #FarRight

The Right's 50-yr plot to wreck democracy
https://www.salon.com/2024/08/16/unpacking-the-rights-50-year-plot-to-wreck-democracy--and-why-it-might-work

Antidemocratic: Inside Far Right's 50-Year Plot to Control American Elections
https://bookshop.org/p/books/minority-rule-david-daley/20370445?ean=9780063321090

* equal parts Dark Money/Democracy in Chains
* riveting/disturbing history of 50-yr Republican plot to hijack voting rights

#billionaires #Koch #capitalism #RepublicanParty #Trump #Trumpism #libertarianism #ChristianRight #conservatism #HeritageFoundation #LeonardLeo #SCOTUS #JaneMayer #NancyMcLean #ElectoralFraud #GOP

These Billionaires Are Donating Big in 2024 Election to Advance Their Interests
From Christian nationalists to fossil fuel barons, they are using their fortunes to pursue policies that impact us all
https://truthout.org/articles/these-billionaires-are-donating-big-in-2024-election-to-advance-their-interests/

Koch Inc. Invests in Massive Land Grab f. West African Herders
https://www.exposedbycmd.org/2024/08/21/koch-invests-in-massive-land-grab-from-west-african-herders

* Koch, Inc. (formerly Koch Industries): largest U.S. private company
* provides corporations w. carbon offsets while pulling local natural resources from 2.9 million hectares in 3 West African countries
* led by U.S.-based African Agriculture Holdings
* consume water in drought-prone region
* elim. land from use for subsistence farming

#Africa #neocolonialism #billionaires #Koch #capitalism #libertarianism