https://www.salon.com/2025/06/04/people-saw-the-money-being-spent-jasmine-crockett-says-wealthy-elites-bought-the-presidency/
"People saw the money being spent": Jasmine Crockett says wealthy elites bought the Trump presidency
At a forum on money in politics, Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Trump's presidency was itself a product of corruption
By Tatyana Tandanpolie
Staff Reporter
Published June 4, 2025 2:04PM (EDT)
When asked to describe how government corruption impacts everyday Americans, Rep. Jasmine Crockett, D-Texas, had one answer: look no further than the re-election of President Donald Trump.
The congresswoman pointed to tech billionaire and former Department of Government Efficiency head Elon Musk pouring over $250 million into the president’s 2024 campaign and reaping the benefits — in power and new government contracts — when Trump took office. Meanwhile, she argued, Trump and the nation’s Republican-controlled Congress intend to cut billions of dollars from social services like Medicaid, Social Security and SNAP with no regard for the Americans it will hurt.
“People saw the money being spent on the election, but I don't think that they connected the dots until now,” Crockett said. “And I don't think that there's ever been a clearer picture.”
Crockett described the harmful connection between big money and politics alongside former Sen. Jon Tester, the three-term Montana Democrat unseated in the November election, during a virtual town hall hosted Tuesday by Democratic political action committee End Citizens United. The organization, which held the event to celebrate its 10th anniversary, supports candidates who champion campaign finance reform; it strives to overturn Citizens United, a 2010 Supreme Court decision that loosened restrictions on the amount of independent expenditure groups could contribute to candidates during elections.
Throughout the event, Crockett and Tester drew connections between what they described as their Republican colleagues’ self-dealing, the political contributions that put them in office and the toll those actions ultimately have on Americans. Tester focused particularly on the House’s passage last month of the “One Big Beautiful Bill,” which would slash hundreds of billions of dollars in funding for Medicaid, SNAP and other social programs if enacted.
“Are they taking up issues that really help regular folks, like making health care more affordable, or housing more affordable, or education more affordable?” Tester said. “No, they're taking up issues that really grease the pockets of the uber-rich in this country at the expense of the folks who need these programs the most.”
The former senator also criticized Musk, who has since blasted the spending bill, over his role in leading Trump’s effort to curtail federal bureaucracy and eliminate excess government spending.
“As Elon Musk was running around trashing the government — cutting this, cutting that, cutting this — did he cut the $38 billion that he received from the federal government? Hell no, he didn't,” Tester added. “And the truth … is that’s the kind of stuff that's going on right now. You rip apart programs that have been around for generations. Why? To give the folks who paid for these campaigns big tax breaks.”
Crockett rejected the notion that all politicians are corrupt regardless of party, arguing that Democrats' actions “have not come anywhere near” the “blatant lawlessness coming directly” from their Republican colleagues. But, she said, the distrust in politicians comes down to the amount of information the public takes in about the candidates they elect.
“A lot of times we can't break through the noise if you have so much money that is pouring in, and it's literally sending out misinformation and disinformation,” Crockett said, pointing to Musk and other megadonors’ money going to ads spreading false claims about former Vice President Kamala Harris' proposed policy during her brief presidential bid.
That political noise is also why the Citizens United decision matters, she added.
The 5-4 ruling along ideological lines reversed century-old campaign finance restrictions, permitting corporations and other groups to spend money on elections without limits. The decision resulted in the emergence of wealthy megadonors and special interest groups increasingly exerting more influence over election outcomes — and the politicians they back — than before, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
“It is about breaking through the noise,” Crockett said, calling on her Democratic colleagues to scream the criticisms they have of Republicans from the rooftops. “It is very difficult to break through the noise if the noise is singularly focused on, say, making sure that Elon Musk can still make $8 million a day while that hungry child or that hungry mother can't access $6 a day to eat. That is the difference. That is the stark difference in who it is that we are fighting for.”
Crockett also left attendees with a call to action, asking that they remain “tuned in” to local elections every year in the face of voter suppression bills and special-interest spending at the federal level. She also urged viewers to “harness their influence” within their communities to engage everyone politically. The power belongs to the people, she said.
“They want you to feel helpless, they want you to feel hopeless, and if you feel that way, then you literally are playing into their hand,” Crockett said. “The scariest thing about the people is literally your power."
https://www.salon.com/2025/06/04/people-saw-the-money-being-spent-jasmine-crockett-says-wealthy-elites-bought-the-presidency/
@Suzianne
There is a very simple solution to this. Do what the Swiss do: govt. in Switzerland has no authority or power to enact any tax legislation, neither up nor down nor on nor off, without a plebiscite. If the govt. wants a tax, or any change to existing tax law, they must put it to a vote--this is not optional--, and if the voters say 'nay', then the nays have it. Taxation is too important to be left up to representatives. Those who ultimately have to pay for it should say whether they agree to it or not. This is a recipe for fiscal responsibility, and I fully support it.
@moonbus saidI think California did this, Proposition 13 etc., but CA found that "We The People" were not good financial stewards (probably the average Swiss is; Americans, though, are irresponsible spendthrifts and go wildly into debt for questionable reasons.)
@Suzianne
There is a very simple solution to this. Do what the Swiss do: govt. in Switzerland has no authority or power to enact any tax legislation, neither up nor down nor on nor off, without a plebiscite. If the govt. wants a tax, or any change to existing tax law, they must put it to a vote--this is not optional--, and if the voters say 'nay', then the nays have it. Ta ...[text shortened]... whether they agree to it or not. This is a recipe for fiscal responsibility, and I fully support it.
With NO idea about funding priorities or trade-offs, "The People" would tend to support any fiscal initiative as long as it was well and passionately advertised, and the legislature could do nothing to fix it.
Instead, every state government except Vermont (who I guess are like the Swiss - must be the mountain air) has rules that force the legislature to propose/pass balanced budgets. So most US states are in remarkably good shape financially compared to FedGov which has no such restriction.
We need a federal balanced budget amendment desperately. 😆
@EA-TM-E saidIt does, of course, depend on a well- and -truthfully- informed public, which, in the current climate in America, is not the case.
@moonbus
"The Masses" are usually dumb.
Or not at a level to decide certain things.
Smaller countries that are successful will usually have a smarter population than a large country with millions of people who are relatively dumb.
A vote is fine but it shouldn't hold that much power.
If it did, poor people would be voting in all kinds of chaos.
It's ultimately about voting for services, not taxes; taxes are merely a means of financing services. It is not true that, if given the vote, people would vote for no taxes. People are not that dumb (only AvJoe would say so, but he's a troll). People recognize they want and need social services, and that taxation is the sensible way to finance this. Pay-on-subscription, like food in a restaurant, does not work for services such as garbage collection, sewerage, fire departments, or policing.
The post that was quoted here has been removedNo, the things to be voted on are put up by the politicians, and the people vote.
The people have no initiative to put things up for vote.
If everyone voted, the process would be MORE fair, not chaos.
But people who are not poor, they benefit from status quo.
@moonbus saidSERVICES!!!!!! A code word. Service me! For free of course! A code word for free stuff, gimme it, don't you know? Look at Moonbus showing us his real self. Creepy.
It does, of course, depend on a well- and -truthfully- informed public, which, in the current climate in America, is not the case.
It's ultimately about voting for services, not taxes; taxes are merely a means of financing services. It is not true that, if given the vote, people would vote for no taxes. People are not that dumb (only AvJoe would say so, but he's a troll). ...[text shortened]... ant, does not work for services such as garbage collection, sewerage, fire departments, or policing.
No limits to service for you dependents. Next you will want us (the real taxpayers) to pay off your car loan.
Tell us some services that you think would be cool, govt cost notwithstanding. We need an interesting post.
@Suzianne saidHello - Just thought I'd drop in after a few months away and relay an ugly little truth:
https://www.salon.com/2025/06/04/people-saw-the-money-being-spent-jasmine-crockett-says-wealthy-elites-bought-the-presidency/
"People saw the money being spent": Jasmine Crockett says wealthy elites bought the Trump presidency
At a forum on money in politics, Rep. Jasmine Crockett said Trump's presidency was itself a product of corruption
By Tatyana Tandanpolie ...[text shortened]... 5/06/04/people-saw-the-money-being-spent-jasmine-crockett-says-wealthy-elites-bought-the-presidency/
-Wealthy elites bought the White House-
Yes, this is 100% correct - - buy why is this happening? It's happening because 7 months ago we had a general election, and in that election:
1. Millions of minorities had serious misgivings about Trump - but voted for him anyway.
2. Millions of women were appalled at Trumps attitude and comments about women - but voted for him anyway.
3. Millions of immigrants had serious misgivings about Trump - but voted for him anyway.
4. Millions of Independent and swing voters had serious misgivings about Trump - but voted for him anyway.
Do you see a pattern here? That's why this is happening, and it's going to keep happening, because millions of people who are now complaining about Trump and his policies - Voted for him anyway.
"In a Democracy, people get the leaders they deserve" Joseph de Maistre (1753 - 1821)
@mchill saidI agree, Trump hasn't changed but the conned sure did.
Hello - Just thought I'd drop in after a few months away and relay an ugly little truth:
-Wealthy elites bought the White House-
Yes, this is 100% correct - - buy why is this happening? It's happening because 7 months ago we had a general election, and in that election:
1. Millions of minorities had serious misgivings about Trump - but voted for him anyway.
2. Mill ...[text shortened]... m anyway.
"In a Democracy, people get the leaders they deserve" Joseph de Maistre (1753 - 1821)
They all fell right in line, just like Hitler fans in the thirties.
All the corps and the rich lined up to buy the White House AFTER the election. Oh, they supported him before, but they all wanted a piece of the pie, especially after he broadcast that he could be bought. All grifters can be bought, just throw money at them, that is WHY they are grifters. Easy money.
@AverageJoe1 saidThe main functions of government are laid out in the preamble to the Constitution.
SERVICES!!!!!! A code word. Service me! For free of course! A code word for free stuff, gimme it, don't you know? Look at Moonbus showing us his real self. Creepy.
No limits to service for you dependents. Next you will want us (the real taxpayers) to pay off your car loan.
Tell us some services that you think would be cool, govt cost notwithstanding. We need an interesting post.
"We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America."
These six principles defined the role of government as never before.
Lincoln summed it up succinctly, "fourscore and seven years" later, as a "government of the people, by the people, for the people".
If you don't like it, I would suggest you move to Russia.
@Cliff-Mashburn saidYou could move to Russia, and see exactly how wrong Donald Trump is.
I stopped reading at "Jasmine Crockett".....nothing she says should be listened to.