Op-ed views and opinions expressed are solely those of the author.

The American people have been played. The political theater unfolding daily in Washington, D.C., is just that—performance art designed to distract, divide, and manipulate. It’s a well-rehearsed script where both sides—Republicans and Democrats—pretend to be mortal enemies on camera while shaking hands behind closed doors, ensuring their continued enrichment at the expense of the taxpayers.

For years, Americans have watched as trillions of dollars disappear into foreign aid, misallocated budgets, and shadowy bureaucracies. The very same Republican politicians who now stand on their soapboxes decrying the corruption of the Biden administration were silent when the money was funneled under their watch. Every dollar passed through bills they either voted for or allowed to slide through by refusing to fight them. They knew where the money was going. They knew how it was being funneled, laundered, and misappropriated. And they said nothing.

Now, in a desperate bid to regain favor with the American people, they posture and point fingers, acting as though they had no part in the great betrayal. But they did. They all did.

The fact is DC is The Great Money Laundering Machine. It’s no mystery why nearly every member of Congress, regardless of party, enters office as a middle-class professional and leaves as a multi-millionaire. Their official salary is approximately $180,000  per year—barely comfortable in DC  and hardly the kind of income that justifies the sprawling estates, luxury vacations, and stock portfolios worth tens of millions. So where does the money come from?

Kickbacks. Lobbying. Corporate influence. The legalized bribery system that is unique to the United States.

We dress it up with fancy words like “lobbying” to make it seem legitimate, as though it’s just a routine part of governance. But it’s not. In any other nation, handing a politician money in exchange for policy influence is called bribery. In the United States, we’ve institutionalized it, allowing corporate interests, foreign governments, and elite donors to dictate the laws and policies that govern our lives.

Lobbying firms pour billions into campaigns and private accounts, ensuring that politicians vote in favor of their benefactors. They don’t represent the people—they represent the highest bidder. This is why legislation that benefits the American people is never prioritized. This is why Congress, year after year, refuses to pass term limits, eliminate dark money in politics, or hold real investigations into the federal agencies that work against the interests of the people.

To maintain their grip on power, the ruling class has created a vast network of agencies, departments, and bureaucracies—all designed to expand government control while maintaining the illusion of public service. These institutions are given noble-sounding names, wrapped in patriotic language, and sold to the American people as necessary safeguards. In reality, they are nothing more than tools of oppression and wealth extraction.

Take foreign aid as an example. The United States sends hundreds of billions of dollars overseas, much of which never actually reaches the intended recipients. Instead, the money is funneled through layers of government contracts, think tanks, and NGOs—only to land right back in the hands of the politically connected. The American taxpayer foots the bill while corrupt officials and their corporate allies get rich.

And it’s not just foreign aid. Every war, every bailout, every economic stimulus bill is another opportunity to siphon taxpayer dollars into the hands of those at the top. The COVID-19 relief bills were a masterclass in theft. While Americans were forced into lockdowns and small businesses collapsed, Congress passed trillion-dollar packages that lined the pockets of major corporations and special interests. The biggest wealth transfer in human history happened right in front of our eyes, and both parties participated.

Despite our illusions of “democracy” and self-governance, the average American is a serf in a system designed to extract their labor, time, and wealth. We are taxed at every level, from income to sales to property. The government tells us what we can build on land we supposedly “own.” We need licenses and permits to start businesses, hunt, fish, or even remodel our homes. We are not free—we are managed.

And yet, the ruling class constantly gaslights us, insisting that we live in the freest nation on Earth. But freedom isn’t about empty slogans or symbolic gestures—it’s about autonomy, sovereignty, and the ability to govern one’s own life without constant interference from bureaucrats and corrupt politicians.

The American people are waking up to the scam, but waking up is not enough. There must be action. Politicians must be held accountable—not just the ones we oppose, but the ones on “our side” as well. We can no longer allow the Republican Party to be a controlled opposition, throwing out meaningless sound bites while continuing to feed the very system they pretend to fight.

This is not a fight between left and right. It’s a fight between the people and the ruling class.

The game is rigged. The only way to win is to stop playing by their rules.

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Maureen Steele

Maureen Steele is co-founder of the American Made Foundation is an organization that connects influential leaders and grassroots movements to drive real change.

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