American politics is often painted as a battleground between the left and right, each side accusing the other of being the source of societal woes. However, in many ways, this dichotomy is really nothing short of a distraction from a more insidious alliance: the collusion between corrupt politicians, big banks, mega-corporations, and the institutions (and people) that support them. All is not as it seems. If you want to kill the weed, you must get to the root. The American people need to be aware of this because these entities operate not in the public’s interest but in the pursuit of concentrated power and wealth, with inflation acting as the hidden lifeblood that fuels their agenda.

Note: What follows is rooted in perspective, interpretation of historical events, and specific economic theories. Hence, some of it is likely debatable – especially by those who don’t fully understand it. Similarly, it’s not a blanket statement. There are exceptions to consider. Moreover, I concede that the topic is much more nuanced than what I can provide here. Take it for what it’s worth, do some research on your own, and see it as nothing other than a compelling interpretation of these issues grounded in real concerns and something meant to help you see these issues through a different lens.

The Illusion of Political Division

Mainstream narratives portray politicians on the left and right as sworn enemies, each side claiming to champion the cause of the people. However, behind closed doors, many of these politicians are not as adversarial as they appear. You’ve likely heard the stories and seen the videos. If you haven’t, I would highly encourage you to do some research on this. Nonetheless, the apparent conflict between left and right (on the government level) is often just a smokescreen that allows both sides to distract their respective bases from the true nature of the problem: the collusion between political power and financial interests. If you are aware of this, have you ever thought about what that means for you?

On the left, politicians frequently point to corporations as the root of all evil, rallying their base against the perceived excesses of capitalism. Capitalism, in general, often gets lumped into this. This narrative resonates with many who see corporate greed as a significant threat. However, this focus on corporations, while not entirely misplaced, overlooks the role that big banks and corrupt politicians play in enabling these mega-corporations to thrive at the expense of the public in the first place. This is to say that the left’s fixation on corporate scapegoats allows the true culprits—banks and global mega-corporations—to continue their exploitation unchecked.

On the right, the focus is often on unfair taxes and excessive government regulation. Again, this is not entirely misplaced, but these issues resonate with many business owners who feel stifled by the heavy hand of the government while trying to do good things in their community. However, I want you to understand that the emphasis on corporations and on taxes and regulation obscures the fact that most businesses are not mega-corporations but rather small to medium-sized enterprises trying to survive in a rigged system. However, and similar to the issues on the left, the right’s preoccupation with taxes distracts them from how financial giants manipulate the system to their advantage – allowing banks and mega-corporations to evade scrutiny.

Notice a theme? Now, some might argue that government intervention is necessary to keep all of this in check. This might be true in theory, but I would argue that these issues get worse as the government gets bigger. We must ponder why.

I would argue that those in government are enabling the problem, which has led to crony capitalism – an economic system where businesses thrive by leveraging close relationships with government officials instead of healthy competition. Question: would giving more power to those complicit in the problem help or hurt the situation? What I’m saying here is that crony capitalism, via corrupt corporations, elites, and colluding government officials, distorts ideal outcomes for the people by manipulating markets, policies, and regulations to benefit a few of their friends at the expense of many. More of the same won’t help!

The divide you’re typically shown is all an illusion, but we have to be aware of what an anocracy is to truly understand this. For clarity, anocracies are typically marked by corporations and political elites wielding disproportionate influence over governance and decision-making mechanisms. After all, have you ever noticed how the establishment seems to attack ‘outsiders’ (non-establishment left or right) who try to make any ‘real’ change regarding banks, politicians, or corporations? It’s not a coincidence.

The funny thing is that most Americans just want to live their best lives, but many find it hard to do so. Why? Well, our ability to afford that ideal life is eroding. Accordingly, people are offered ‘corporate greed’ or ‘excessive taxation’ as reasons for their woes. They are then led to fight amongst themselves, ultimately finding no resolution while the problem grows – which merely exacerbates the anger and frustration, and the cycle continues. It’s both predictable and sad, but there is something even more significant hiding under the surface, and one can note the utter lack of attention the issue usually receives.

Inflation: The Hidden Lifeblood

The collusion that I speak of is strongest with inflation. Inflation is a mechanism that erodes the value of money and disproportionately harms the average citizen – something that citizens on both the left and right should be angry about. Understand that inflation is not just an economic phenomenon or talking point; it is often a tool used by banks, corporations, and their political allies to maintain and expand their control. And that’s likely why, anytime you ever hear about it, the inflation number provided to you is so very low (psychologically reducing the threat in your mind), or it’s belittled by those who don’t fully understand its true power, or ignored by those who understand but don’t want you to. However, the threat is literally ‘compounding.’

This gets a little complex but stick with me. Inflation benefits debtors, particularly those with significant financial resources, while punishing savers and those on fixed incomes. By devaluing currency, inflation literally redistributes wealth from the many to the few, concentrating power in the hands of those who already have the means to manipulate the system. Similarly, large banks (central banks) that control monetary policy use inflation to push through policies that benefit themselves and their corporate partners, further entrenching their economic influence. This is all rooted in the Keynesian Economic Nightmare that promotes government intervention and deficit spending as tools for managing the economy – and, by extension, you.

Now, you may have been told (or learned) that the Keynesian approach, which favors inflationary policies, is a mechanism that stimulates’ growth.’ That is true. However, I would argue that this ‘growth’ is not really geared toward your growth. We can know this because inflation ultimately undermines the value of money and erodes the purchasing power of ordinary citizens. As the currency loses value, those with significant debt—often large corporations and governments—find their obligations easier to repay, while the average person’s savings and income lose their worth.

Clearly, this is not great for the average person. However, this hole gets a little deeper. Remember that this system benefits large corporations and governments with significant debt. Question: where is this debt located, and who issues it? If your answer is “the banks,” then there you go! This system creates a vicious cycle where wealth is systematically siphoned away from the public and funneled into the hands of the elite, perpetuating economic inequality and concentrating power among a small, privileged few. However, we must understand that there is a pecking order to it all.

Meanwhile, the public, largely uneducated about the intricacies of economics (thanks to government-run schools that no longer emphasize these subjects – or promote Keynesian Economics as ‘good’), is left to grapple with the consequences – consequences that most simply do not fully understand. Of course, if you give that some thought, you’ll see that it makes a lot of sense – albeit in a very twisted way. After all, what motive does the government truly have to educate people on how to avoid this power grab they are helping to facilitate?

What most people do understand is that their purchasing power is diminished. In other words, life is getting harder to afford, and they feel helpless. As a result, the people become angry and want someone to blame. Of course, this is great news for those causing the problem because since the people they educated don’t have a full understanding of the problem, these bad actors can simply offer up and blame the scapegoats and avoid being implicated as the real architects of such economic woes. Meanwhile, the people will be none-the-wiser.

The Role of Banks and Mega-Corporations

Banks and mega-corporations (not your politics) are central to this exploitation. These institutions wield immense power, not only through their financial resources but also through their ability to influence political decisions. Large banks provide the capital that fuels mega-corporate growth, while mega-corporations, in turn, support these large banks by driving consumer debt and dependency. And if something goes sideways, their government friends are always in the wings, ready to bail them out – on YOUR dime. I’ll say it this way: their green doesn’t care about your blue or red.

Meanwhile, the politicians, reliant (or beholden) on the financial backing of these entities, often craft legislation that benefits banks and mega-corporations at the expense of the public. This legislation can take many forms, from tax breaks for the wealthy to deregulation, allowing corporations to engage in anti-competitive practices. Either way, the result is a system where the wealthy and powerful become more so while the average citizen is left struggling to keep up – and ultimately uneducated about how to fix any of it. This is to say that this isn’t a left-right problem, and we will never solve the root of the problem until we can get past this false narrative and focus on the fact that it is really about the people versus the bank-corporate-politician trio.

Capitalism Is Not The Enemy

Now, some might be tempted to use what I’ve said thus far as an argument against capitalism. That is a mistake. Is capitalism perfect? No, but in many ways, healthy free-market capitalism is a superior economic system to other models because it fosters innovation, efficiency, and consumer choice. In other words, the power resides in the people themselves. In a capitalist economy, competition drives businesses to continually improve their products and services, leading to technological advancements and a higher standard of living. The incentive to innovate is rooted in the profit potential, which motivates entrepreneurs and companies to take risks and develop new solutions to meet consumer demands.

Additionally, capitalism promotes economic efficiency by allowing market forces—supply and demand—to determine the allocation of resources. This results in goods and services being produced in the right quantities and at competitive prices, reflecting the true needs and desires of consumers. Furthermore, capitalism offers a wide array of choices, empowering individuals to make decisions that best suit their preferences and needs. This freedom of choice is a hallmark of capitalism, setting it apart from other economic systems where central authorities often limit or dictate options. Overall, capitalism’s ability to drive progress, ensure efficient resource use, and empower consumers is precisely why our world is so advanced today.

So, if capitalism is so great, why do we have all these problems? The actual problem here is that healthy free-market capitalism is not the same as crony capitalism or anocracy. Crony capitalism, facilitated by corrupt politicians, distorts healthy free-market capitalism by allowing businesses to gain unfair advantages through government connections, lobbying, and corruption, leading to an uneven playing field. Understand that the government was supposed to stop this behavior, not participate in it, and definitely not facilitate it. However, that is precisely why establishment politicians can be so dangerous. On the other hand, anocracy, with its blend of authoritarianism and democratic elements, further erodes the principles of a free market by enabling elites to manipulate both economic and political systems for their gain. Again, there is a theme.

The result is a system that benefits the few at the expense of the many, undermining the fairness and efficiency that healthy capitalism is supposed to uphold. And this is also why those who support such nonsense should be considered to be either ignorant or complicit. Either way, just because corrupt people corrupted capitalism doesn’t mean that ‘true capitalism’ is somehow corrupt. It just means that bad people are bad and ignorant people are used.

Now, much of what I said thus far likely makes some sort of sense to you (left or right). However, if I’m correct in these thoughts, then we have to ask: why isn’t any of this a constant topic of conversation – minus the one-off holy cow moments found on social media? Or, better yet, why are those who try to discover and share these truths so often called ‘conspiracy theorists’ or labeled as ‘Fake News’ by the establishment? Similarly, why are we told that our neighbors are our enemies in this fight? Did our neighbors really do any of this? Of course not, and that’s why we need to turn our attention to media and education.

Media Collusion and the Erosion of Public Awareness

The media, often owned and influenced by the very same corporations and banks that control politicians, plays a critical role in maintaining this system of exploitation. By shaping the narrative you receive in your brain, and thanks to Epistemic Rigidity, the media ensures that the public remains focused on the distractions provided by special interests rather than the true underlying issues of collusion and corruption. If you want to break free – Follow the Money! You’re being manipulated and might need better sources of information. In that, you should also beware of your chosen tribes! Remember that misinformation spreads more easily in the groups we trust.

Similarly, we need to understand that REAL knowledge is power and that thinking for yourself doesn’t equate to avoiding the information you don’t like. However, at the same time, we must remember that power is transferred, not created. Frankly, this statement should bother you. Economic education, once a staple of public schooling, has been systematically eroded into talking points – if covered at all. Today, most people do not understand how inflation works or how banks and corporations manipulate the economy to their benefit. I find this highly suspect!

This lack of education leaves the public vulnerable to manipulation, as they cannot see through the smokescreen of political theater to the real issues at hand. Of course, this isn’t an accident. The curriculum was designed this way, and the attacks on education are deliberate. After all, isn’t it interesting how much state-funded education has been watered down in recent years? Isn’t it interesting that so many politicians attack education as worthless? Isn’t it interesting how quality private schools get lumped into that? Just remember: the ignorant are easily led (and manipulated).

The Warnings Were There All Along

I find it very interesting that the state-funded education system has largely ignored, belittled, or demonized our Founding Fathers. However, it sort of makes sense when you consider what they truly stood for. For example, Thomas Jefferson often expressed concerns about central banking and its potential to concentrate power and undermine democratic principles. A lot of our Founders did. It was a major topic of discussion during that time.

Flash forward a bit, and we find guys like Andrew Jackson, the father of the Democratic party, who famously opposed the Second Bank of the United States, viewing it as a corrupt institution threatening democratic governance and economic equality. Yet, he somehow finds himself on the twenty-dollar bill. Isn’t it interesting that the Federal Reserve is now such a big part of our equation despite our Founding principles and endless warnings? Isn’t it also interesting that things have continually worsened since the Federal Reserve’s creation and as the government grows? In fact, you might do some additional research on America’s long fight against the banks – and what changed – and when it changed.

Of course, it wasn’t just banks that our Founders were worried about. Regarding corporations, John Adams often expressed concerns about the influence of powerful commercial interests on government and the potential for corruption. James Madison worried about the risks of factions and economic elites undermining democratic processes and contributing to political instability. Again, that theme rears its ugly head again.

Of course, this concern is a constant. Heck, years later, even Theodore Roosevelt spoke against the undue influence of large corporations on politics and advocated for breaking up monopolies to preserve democratic principles. The list goes on, but the point is clear. Back in the day, before everything got messed up, people understood the threat of banks, corporations, and corrupt politicians.

Question: did you learn about any of this in school? If so, I would venture to say it was more of a talking point than an entire unit or class. Either way, the theme is relatively simple, but the problem persists. Large banks and large corporations with political backing and blind support are the threat. Why? Because of what you’re currently living.

Again, these threats extend to those who collude and support the banks and corporations as well – especially those who deliberately contort or omit these truths from your understanding and awareness. On that note, here’s another thought experiment. Isn’t it interesting that you are repeatedly encouraged to take out loans, live on debt, and buy a bunch of stuff that you don’t really need? Think about who is encouraging that behavior and why, and then understand that it’s a system – and that’s why they call it the system.

The Need for Awareness and Action

The collusion between corrupt politicians, big banks, and mega-corporations (and media and education) is a significant threat to the public’s well-being and our nation’s longevity. Look around; we are ripping ourselves apart based on nonsensical distractions rooted in ignorance. Yes, corrupt politicians, big banks, and mega-corporations are a big problem, but we are being divided over pieces of these elements rather than seeing them as a whole. But think about who is facilitating this divide while advocating for more of the same – state-funded teachers, the media, career politicians, and the lost ignorant souls who blindly follow any of them? If these are the groups keeping everyone distracted and indoctrinated, then who is really the root of your problem?

Let me clear this up. Big government, mega-corporations, and big banks are being propped up by state-funded teachers, the legacy media, and career politicians, who are then supported by the ignorant hoards who don’t know any better. Doesn’t that sound about right to you? Meanwhile, inflation, the hidden lifeblood of this system, is largely omitted from the conversation – despite the fact that it ensures that power remains concentrated in the hands of a few, that the rich get richer, that people remain frustrated and dependent, and all while the majority of people are left to bear the brunt of economic instability.

If you want to truly fix this, it is absolutely crucial that people become aware of the true nature of the problem and focus on that. Stop fighting over nonsensical distractions. Furthermore, it’s equally important to understand the difference between ‘establishment politicians’ and ‘political outsiders.’ Of course, this also means looking beyond the distractions and recognizing that on the higher levels of government, both sides are often complicit in the same game.

Of course, another good idea might be making better decisions regarding education. This is to say that you should definitely choose to get one, but consider choosing an institution not beholden to that system. On that note, isn’t it interesting that the establishment so harshly attacks alternatives to state-funded schools (private, magnets, etc.) despite their scores typically being so great?

Indeed, the problem is significantly bigger than most even want to appreciate. However, I believe that we must educate ourselves and our children about the warnings from our past, economics, and inflation to understand the real threat better and prevent future generations from being easily manipulated. Similarly, I’ll say that the fight against this exploitative system requires unity across political divides, with people coming together to challenge the central banks, mega-corporations, and corrupt politicians who have long wielded their power unchecked. This is to say that perhaps we need to recognize that the real divide is between the people and the system, not each other. Of course, we should always be mindful of complicit media (including social media) manipulations and really try to avoid being useful idiots via our misplaced loyalties to the uni-party and career politicians.

Now, this might seem scary, and some may wonder if we can afford to take on this fight. After all, it is a considerable issue to contend with. I understand the concern. However, I would argue that the real question is whether we can afford not to take on this fight. Just remember that many politicians on ‘your side‘ who are ‘advocating for the people‘ are often the ones most beholden to the entities we’ve discussed today. Then, you can note how that was neither a ‘left’ nor ‘right’ statement. Just check the contribution and donation lists to see what I mean.