When Money Replaces Guns: The Business Plot of 1933 and Today’s Corporate Influence



Back in 1933, there was this crazy plot called the Business Plot. Some rich businessmen didn’t like Roosevelt’s New Deal, so they tried to recruit a retired general, Smedley Butler, to lead a coup with World War I veterans. The goal? Overthrow the president and protect their own interests. Butler refused and went straight to Congress, exposing the whole thing. No one went to jail, but it showed just how far elites were willing to go to protect themselves.

Fast forward to today. We don’t see businessmen marching with rifles, but they’re still trying to grab power — just with money instead. Campaign spending is insane now. In the 2024 federal election cycle, Americans spent over $16 billion. Super PACs and other groups can dump unlimited money into campaigns thanks to the Supreme Court’s Citizens United decision. This isn’t charity — it’s an investment to get policies that favor the rich: tax breaks, deregulation, weaker labor laws, and less consumer protection. Normal citizens don’t stand a chance against that kind of cash.

And here’s the kicker: we actually have a businessman in the White House now. Donald Trump ran the country like one of his companies, treating citizens like customers and the presidency like a business venture. Democracy isn’t meant to be run like a boardroom. When a president thinks like a CEO, ordinary people lose, because decisions are made for profit and loyalty, not for the good of the country.

The difference between then and now is that back in 1933, the plotters were breaking the law with guns and generals. Today, it’s legal — campaign finance loopholes and lobbying networks make it okay to influence politics with money. But the effect is the same: power concentrated in the hands of a few, and regular Americans left out. The scary part? Trump’s rise shows what happens when a businessman says yes to that power — and the nation doesn’t push back. Once money controls democracy, it stops being democracy at all.

Sources

Archer, Jules. The Plot to Seize the White House. Hawthorn Books, 1973. 

McCormack-Dickstein Committee. Final Report of the Special Committee on Un-American Activities Authorized to Investigate Nazi Propaganda and Certain Other Propaganda Activities. U.S. House of Representatives, 1935. 

OpenSecrets. “Cost of Election.” OpenSecrets.org, Center for Responsive Politics, 2024. 

United States Supreme Court. Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, 558 U.S. 310 (2010). 

Kennedy, David M. Freedom from Fear: The American People in Depression and War, 1929–1945. Oxford University Press, 1999. 

Mayer, Jane. Dark Money: The Hidden History of the Billionaires Behind the Rise of the Radical Right. Doubleday, 2016. 

OpenSecrets. “Top Spenders.” OpenSecrets.org, 2024. 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

When Duty Collided with Conscience

Image
On July 1, 2026, Air Force Major Jason Watson made a decision that will likely define the rest of his military career. While wearing his Air Force service uniform, he stood on the steps of the U.S. Capitol holding a sign calling for the impeachment, conviction, and removal of President Donald Trump and Vice President JD Vance. He also publicly criticized the administration's military actions, saying he believed they were unconstitutional. By his own statements, Watson believed he had a moral duty to speak out. He knew there would probably be consequences, but he chose to protest anyway as an act of civil disobedience. One thing that has confused a lot of people is why he was arrested. Some have said he had permission to be there and then somehow lost it. That's not exactly what happened. Representative Al Green escorted Watson onto the House steps. Under Capitol rules, demonstrations are allowed there only under certain conditions, including when a member of Congres...
Read more

Trump’s Iran Strikes: Unconstitutional, Dangerous, and a Christian Call for Accountability

Donald Trump has proven to be a dangerously impulsive leader, and his recent actions reveal a pattern of narcissistic decision-making that puts the country and the world at risk. From unilateral military strikes to flouting constitutional processes, his behavior demonstrates a disregard for law, accountability, and the perspectives of allies. Leadership of this magnitude demands wisdom, restraint, and a commitment to the rule of law — qualities Trump has repeatedly shown he cannot exercise responsibly. For the safety and stability of the nation, he must be removed from the office of the President of the United States as quickly as possible, along with enablers like JD Vance and Mike Johnson, whose support empowers these reckless tendencies. Donald Trump — in the name of the United States — recently launched military strikes against Iran, escalating a conflict that already threatens global stability and regional security. These actions were taken without formal authorization from Congre...
Read more

DHS’s Subpoena Campaign Threatens First Amendment Freedoms

In a constitutional federal representative democracy like the USA, government officials are supposed to protect the rights of the people, not intimidate them. Yet the Department of Homeland Security, under the leadership of Secretary Kristi Noem, is aggressively trying to identify Americans who criticize ICE and its enforcement actions. This is not just an overreach; it is a direct attack on the First Amendment. DHS has issued hundreds of administrative subpoenas to major tech platforms, including Google, Meta, Reddit, and Discord, demanding the names, email addresses, and other identifying information of users who post critical content about ICE¹. These subpoenas do not require prior judicial approval, allowing the agency to bypass the usual legal safeguards and target critics with alarming impunity². This is an abuse of bureaucratic power, and it chills dissent. First Amendment law clearly protects both speech and the anonymity of speakers. Courts have repeatedly emphasized that anon...
Read more