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Friday, October 21st, 2022

Peter Thiel’s midterm bet: the billionaire seeking to disrupt America’s democracy

Author:     Andrew Gumbel
Source:     The Guardian (U.K.)
Publication Date:     Sat 15 Oct 2022 | 06.00 EDT
 Link: Peter Thiel’s midterm bet: the billionaire seeking to disrupt America’s democracy
Stephan:   A few years back conservatives on the Supreme Court legalized bribery with the Citizens United decision -- of course, they didn't call it that -- and made it possible for the uber-rich and corporations to buy election outcomes they wanted. The Koch brothers and Peter Thiel are leading examples of how that Supreme Court decision has played out. I find this corruption disgusting and the best argument one could make. for why all elections should be publicly funded, and private money in elections should be illegal.
Peter Thiel has poured close to $30m into this year’s midterm elections. Credit: Marco Bello/Getty

Peter Thiel is far from the first billionaire who has wielded his fortune to try to influence the course of American politics. But in an election year when democracy itself is said to be on the ballot, he stands out for assailing a longstanding governing system that he has described as “deranged” and in urgent need of “course correction”.

The German-born investor and tech entrepreneur, a Silicon Valley “disrupter” who helped found PayPal alongside Elon Musk and made his fortune as one of the earliest investors in Facebook, has catapulted himself into the top ranks of the mega-donor class by pouring close to $30m into this year’s midterm elections.

He’s not merely favoring one party over another, but is supporting candidates who deny the legitimacy of Joe Biden’s election as president and have, in their different ways, called for the pillars of the American establishment to be toppled entirely.

Thiel’s priorities this midterm cycle have partly aligned with those of Donald Trump, with whom he […]

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1 Comment

  1. Rev. Dean on Friday, October 21, 2022 at 11:03 am

    I totally agree with you, Stephan, and would add that we should get rid of the “Middle-Man”: the “Electoral in-betweens”. It should be just counting each ballot and adding them up. I do not give anyone the right to be in any “Electoral College”, breaking up everything into districts.