Let Them Eat Tweets

1. Plutocracy and Populism: A Dangerous "Doom Loop"

In the United States, then, plutocracy and right-wing populism have not been opposing forces. Instead, they have been locked in a doom loop of escalating extremism that must be disrupted.

Plutocracy's rise. The core issue reshaping American politics is the rise of plutocracy—government of, by, and for the rich. Over the last forty years, the wealthiest Americans and major corporate interests have amassed unprecedented wealth and influence, reorienting power and policy towards their priorities. This immense shift preceded Donald Trump's rise and continues to profoundly shape the Republican Party.

GOP's transformation. This concentration of wealth has transformed the Republican Party from a mainstream conservative force into one increasingly divisive, distant from the center, and disdainful of democracy. To advance an unpopular plutocratic agenda, Republicans have escalated white backlash and, increasingly, undermined democratic processes. This dynamic creates a "doom loop" of escalating extremism.

Plutocratic populism defined. The book labels this unique American hybrid "plutocratic populism"—a bitter brew of reactionary economic priorities combined with right-wing cultural and racial appeals. This hybrid emerged as the GOP struggled to reconcile its defense of plutocracy with its reliance on less affluent white voters, leading it to embrace divisive identity politics and anti-democratic tactics.

2. The Conservative Dilemma: Wealth vs. Votes

What happens when an economic system that concentrates wealth in the hands of the few coexists with a political system that gives the ballot to the many?

Fundamental challenge. This question has preoccupied thinkers for centuries: how can a democracy survive when economic power is highly concentrated? Historically, successful transitions to democracy required elites to make concessions, reassured that their fundamental interests wouldn't be trampled. Extreme inequality, however, makes this balance precarious.

Three threats of inequality. Extreme inequality poses three major threats to democracy:

• Unequal power: Affluence buys influence, allowing the rich to wield vastly more political power and feel less urgency to make concessions.
• Diverging interests: If most gains go to the top, improvements for the majority challenge the status quo, turning "positive-sum" games into "zero-sum" conflicts.
• Elite fear: A widening chasm encourages the privileged to view democracy as a danger to their wealth and status, making them more willing to support anti-democratic alternatives.

The Conservative Dilemma. Conservative parties, aligned with economic elites, face a dilemma: how to defend elite privilege while winning mass votes. Solutions include limited economic concessions or, more often, highlighting other social divisions (racial, ethnic, religious, nationalistic, anti-immigrant). This path risks capture by outrage-generating groups and diminishing commitment to democracy, as seen in historical examples like Germany's Weimar Republic versus Britain's Tories.

3. Nixon's "Red Tory" Era vs. Today's Inequality Explosion

On racial and cultural issues, Nixon was the harbinger of a new kind of Republicanism in the White House. On economic policy, he was the last social democrat of the twentieth century.

Nixon's unique approach. In the early 1970s, Richard Nixon pursued a "Southern Strategy" to appeal to white working-class voters. He moved right on race and culture, signaling sympathy for those uneasy with civil rights. Crucially, however, he pushed his party left on economic policy, expanding Social Security, nationalizing Food Stamps, and imposing wage/price controls, largely ignoring business opposition.

A different economic landscape. Nixon's era was one of widely distributed affluence, with workers' productivity and pay rising in tandem, and strong unions. This "positive-sum" dynamic allowed the GOP to take its economic backers for granted and direct policies toward new electoral blocs without alienating its base.

Post-1980 inequality explosion. The last forty years have seen a dramatic reversal:

• The richest 1% doubled their share of national income (from 10% to 20%).
• The bottom 50% saw their share halved (from 20% to 10%).
• US wealth inequality is now higher than in Europe, approaching historical peaks.
• Private-sector unionization plummeted to 6%, a level not seen since the 1920s.
  This transformed economic reality forced the GOP to confront the Conservative Dilemma in a far more challenging context.

4. Gingrich and Bush: Solidifying the Plutocratic Alliance

By the time of George W. Bush’s election in 2000, social conservatives could claim an effective veto over GOP court appointments.

Gingrich's revolution. Newt Gingrich's 1994 House takeover marked a decisive shift. He built a coalition that waged war not just on Democrats but also on moderate Republicans, pushing an aggressive agenda of tax cuts for the rich and deregulation. His "K Street Project" explicitly demanded corporate loyalty and financial investment in the GOP.

Bush's plutocratic embrace. George W. Bush solidified this alliance, making slashing taxes the centerpiece of his agenda. He defeated John McCain, who had challenged the party's coziness with corporate lobbies and big donors. Once in office, Bush implemented tax cuts heavily skewed toward the wealthy, racking up $4 trillion in lost revenue over ten years, despite public preference for other uses of budget surpluses.

Asymmetric polarization. This period saw the GOP move sharply right on economic issues, while Democrats moved less dramatically left. The Koch Network emerged as a leading force, pouring billions into pushing the GOP further right on issues like climate change denial and opposition to Medicaid expansion. Paul Ryan, a self-styled policy wonk, epitomized this shift, consistently proposing budgets that cut taxes for the rich and slashed programs for the poor.

5. Outrage as Organization: The Rise of GOP Surrogates

By contracting out the task of persuasion, the GOP increasingly lost the capacity to shape its own agenda and fight elections on its own terms.

Mobilizing for unpopular policies. To maintain power while pursuing an unpopular plutocratic agenda, Republicans needed to mobilize mass support. They found allies in "outrage-generating" organizations that could build strong identities, instill a sense of threat, and rally voters on non-economic issues. This outsourcing, however, meant the GOP increasingly lost control over its own agenda.

The Christian Right's evolution. The Christian Right became a bedrock of the GOP coalition. Initially galvanized by IRS threats to segregated Christian schools, the movement shifted its focus to abortion and other social issues. Leaders like Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson built vast organizational resources, eventually gaining an effective veto over GOP judicial appointments. They increasingly downplayed economic concerns, aligning with the plutocratic agenda.

NRA and right-wing media. The NRA reinvented itself as a political juggernaut after 1977, using "existential threat" rhetoric and anti-government stances to mobilize gun owners. Simultaneously, right-wing media (Rush Limbaugh, Fox News, Breitbart) created an insular ecosystem that attacked mainstream media, cultivated motivated reasoning, and fueled tribalism and fear. This ecosystem became a powerful force, disciplining GOP politicians and pushing the party further right.

6. The Three Rs: Resentment, Racialization, and Rigging

Ultimately, it was because they chose plutocrats over everyone else.

GOP's base-building strategy. Republicans perfected a strategy of base-building, particularly in the South, using three key elements: resentment, racialization, and rigging. This approach allowed them to win over voters who might otherwise reject a party with a hard-right economic agenda, ultimately prioritizing plutocratic interests over broader public appeal.

Resentment as a unifier. Resentment, a deep perception of unfairness, was directed not at plutocrats but at "others" perceived as "eating their share of the pie." This fostered tribal partisan identities and strong antipathy for the opposition, especially on the right. This negative polarization enabled GOP voters, even those with economically liberal views, to stick with the party despite policies that harmed their material interests.

Racialization and rigging. Racialization involved using coded language and imagery—such as "welfare," "entitlement," "invasion," and "crime"—to inflame implicit biases, shifting from black-white divides to anti-immigrant narratives. This was complemented by rigging, including voter suppression tactics (e.g., strict ID laws, registration hurdles) and aggressive gerrymandering, designed to weaken the electoral influence of nonwhite voters and bolster white Republican power.

7. Trump's "Civil War": A Victory for Plutocrats

Yet if the past few years have witnessed a Republican civil war, it has been a very civil war, in which the side allegedly losing has made gains it could have scarcely contemplated just a few years before.

Challenging the "civil war" narrative. The idea that Donald Trump defeated the GOP establishment is misleading. While initially skeptical of Trump's electability and reliability, the establishment quickly realized he could advance their agenda. Trump reassured them by committing to conservative judicial appointments and selecting Mike Pence, a long-time Koch favorite, as his running mate.

Post-election alignment. Once Trump won, GOP leaders like Mitch McConnell and Paul Ryan swiftly aligned, seeing an unprecedented opportunity. McConnell declared it "the best year for conservatives in the thirty years that I’ve been here." This demonstrated that the establishment's core interests were not threatened but rather advanced by Trump's presidency.

Plutocratic policy triumphs. Trump's administration delivered significant policy wins for plutocrats:

• ACA Repeal Attempt: Though it failed by one vote, the effort aimed to dramatically cut Medicaid and provide tax cuts for the rich, showcasing the party's priorities.
• 2017 Tax Cuts: This legislation overwhelmingly benefited the top 1% (83% of benefits by 2027), despite being hugely unpopular with the public.
• Administrative Capture: Trump filled agencies with industry allies, leading to widespread deregulation and reduced enforcement, benefiting powerful business interests.

8. Unpopular Policies, Unwavering Commitment

Politicians just aren’t supposed to act so openly, on such big public issues, in such blatant opposition to the clearly expressed views of voters.

Unprecedented unpopularity. The GOP's flagship policies under Trump—the ACA repeal attempt and the 2017 tax cuts—were historically unpopular, receiving less than 30% public approval. This level of public opposition for major legislative initiatives is almost unheard of in modern American politics.

Donor-driven agenda. Despite this widespread disapproval, Republicans remained tenaciously committed to these policies. This unwavering commitment was driven by pressure from wealthy donors and corporate lobbies, who explicitly demanded tax cuts and deregulation. As one representative stated, "My donors are basically saying 'Get it done or don't ever call me again.'"

Trump's abandoned populism. Trump's campaign promises of protecting Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, and investing massively in infrastructure, were largely abandoned. His trade wars and neglect of the opioid crisis disproportionately harmed his own working-class voters in rural and rustbelt areas. The party's focus remained on plutocratic interests, even when it meant directly hurting their base.

9. Administrative Capture and Judicial Remaking

The new president’s team would prove to be extraordinarily responsive to the leading concerns of the Republican donor class.

A "team of billionaires" and ultra-conservatives. Trump's administration was staffed with an unprecedented number of billionaires and ultra-conservative figures, many with deep ties to the Koch Network and the Heritage Foundation. This "administrative capture" meant that agencies designed to regulate powerful interests were instead led by individuals hostile to their missions.

Sweeping deregulation and reduced enforcement. Across the administrative state, the Trump team systematically rolled back regulations, curtailed enforcement efforts, and reduced fines for violations.

• The EPA, under Scott Pruitt and Andrew Wheeler, led efforts to reverse environmental protections and climate policies.
• Enforcement actions declined sharply at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, SEC, and Department of Justice.
• IRS audits of millionaires and large corporations plummeted.
  These actions overwhelmingly benefited powerful business interests and the wealthy.

Judicial remaking: a lasting victory. The most significant and durable victory for plutocrats was the remaking of the federal judiciary. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell blocked Obama's judicial appointments, allowing Trump to swiftly appoint a record number of conservative judges, including Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court. Vetted by groups like the Federalist Society, these judges are poised to protect elite economic interests and conservative social agendas for decades, often without public accountability.

10. The Tyranny of the (Wealthy and Extreme) Minority

The specter we face is not just a strongman bending a party and our political institutions to his will; it is also a minority faction entrenching itself in power, beyond the ambitions and careers of any individual leader.

Counter-majoritarianism as democratic backsliding. Beyond the threat of authoritarianism, the US faces "counter-majoritarianism"—sustained minority rule. As GOP goals became more extreme, they exploited vulnerabilities in America's constitutional order to lock in narrow priorities, even against majority opposition. This entrenchment of a minority faction in power is a distinct form of democratic backsliding.

Framers' unintended consequences. The Constitution's framers feared "tyranny of the majority" but also "tyranny of the minority," especially when minorities held outsized economic and political power. They did not foresee strong, polarized parties or extreme wealth and territorial inequalities. These constitutional "bugs" now allow a cohesive, powerful, and extreme minority to control governance.

The conservative case against democracy. The slogan "We're a republic, not a democracy" reflects a growing conservative distrust of popular rule, particularly its potential for redistribution. This Randian view, prevalent among libertarian-leaning donors and intellectuals, justifies anti-democratic tactics—like "bunking down with racists, aggressively redistricting, inventing paper-thin pretexts for voting rules"—to prevent majorities from challenging elite wealth and power.

11. Institutional Vulnerabilities: Fueling Counter-Majoritarianism

Our system was designed to make it difficult for majorities to rule without broad agreement. It was certainly not constructed to make it easy for a cohesive, powerful, and extreme minority to control things on its own.

Systematic Republican advantage. Three features of the American political system now systematically favor Republicans and enable minority rule:

• Territorially grounded elections: The urban-rural divide increasingly aligns with the Democratic-Republican divide, giving Republicans an advantage in district-based elections.
• Senate malapportionment: The Senate disproportionately represents low-population states, which are increasingly Republican, creating a significant GOP bulwark.
• Separation of powers: This fragmentation of authority, combined with rural bias, makes constructive governance difficult and allows a determined minority to block reforms.

Senate as a GOP bulwark. The Senate is the most malapportioned legislature in any rich democracy, with states like Wyoming having 67 times more representation per person than California. This rural bias translates into a strong Republican bias, overrepresenting not just red America but white America. The expanded use of the filibuster further empowers a minority of senators (representing as little as 17% of the population) to block popular legislation.

Supreme Court's role in rigging. The Supreme Court, now firmly controlled by conservative appointees (many confirmed by senators representing a minority of the US population), has actively bolstered counter-majoritarianism. Rulings like Citizens United (unlimited dark money), Shelby County v. Holder (gutting the Voting Rights Act), and decisions allowing partisan gerrymandering have weakened unions, restricted class-action lawsuits, and enabled voter suppression, effectively defanging political majorities and entrenching Republican power.

12. The Path Forward: Defeat, Reform, and a Healthier GOP

The only lasting way out of our challenge is to make the Republican Party once again a contributor to a healthy polity, capable of helping the nation address pressing public problems.

Beyond "cheap talk." While some business leaders express concern about social issues, their political expenditures overwhelmingly support the GOP's rightward march. Relying on the "enlightened self-interest" of economic elites to correct course is naive; pressure for change must come from below, as historically seen during the New Deal and Civil Rights eras.

Decisive electoral defeat for Trumpism. The first step towards a healthier democracy is a clear and sharp electoral repudiation of plutocratic populism. This would signal to important forces within the GOP that their current approach is unsustainable, forcing a fundamental rethinking of the party's priorities and potentially opening opportunities for meaningful political reforms.

Economic and political reforms. To address the profound inequalities and institutional vulnerabilities, two broad priorities are essential:

• Aggressive economic reforms: Taxing the superrich (who currently pay historically low rates) and using the proceeds for programs that provide tangible, widespread benefits to ordinary Americans.
• Robust and inclusive democracy: Political reforms that open doors to more democratic participation, ensure fairer elections, and reduce the sway of money in politics.
  These changes would shift incentives, pressuring the GOP to become a more economically moderate and racially inclusive party, capable of addressing the nation's pressing problems.

Last updated: February 20, 2026