People suffer while politicians profit

Donald Trump is focused on establishing a world-wide financial empire to line his own pockets. 

After personally investing in cryptocurrency, Trump decided that the United States will be the new “Crypto Superpower”.

He has established: 

1. A Trump “crypto meme” currency generating $86-$100 million in fees for himself. 

2. Governmental ties to the crypto industry, which contributed millions to back Trump and other politicians who spoke favorably about crypto.  

3. An executive order circumventing Congress to create a U.S. Bitcoin stockpile and establish a U.S. Crypto Reserve, and selecting Paul Atkins (a crypto zealot), to head the Securities and Exchange Commission. 

Government officials are not legally allowed to use their office to increase their personal wealth.  Sadly, Trump doesn’t care about what the law allows, he only cares about what benefits him and his wealthy enablers. 

Trump campaigned on supporting the working-class, then selected 13 billionaires (like Elon Musk) to fill his administration.    

Musk, whose connection to Trump came after donating $300 million to his presidential campaign, leads the administration’s dysfunctional and destructive effort to recklessly eliminate essential government agencies and employees. 

Musk’s businesses receive $38 billion in government contracts. One of those businesses, Starlink, is in line for a new $42 billion contract. Another of his businesses, Tesla, was the beneficiary of a recent White House infomercial in which Americans were urged to buy Tesla cars and invest in Tesla stock. In 2024, Tesla paid zero federal tax.

Congressional Republicans are currently scheming to pass a “budget reconciliation” bill that would include renewing their grossly unfair tax cuts, which mostly benefit the wealthiest individuals.

To pay for these tax cuts, Republicans are targeting major reductions in essential services for average Americans, including Medicaid and food aid, and eliminating federal agencies and employees who provide those essential services.   

Our government leaders should be focused on the best interests of average Americans, not on how to further enrich millionaires and billionaires like themselves.

Please call your US Congressperson and Senators, attend their town halls demanding they stop lining their own pockets, remove their connection to “elite” billionaires and refocus on helping the average citizen.  

Kenneth Peterson