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Democracy in Peril: How Billionaire Influence is Undermining American Governance

The reality in the United States presents a different picture, where the increasing influence of billionaires poses a threat to the fundamental principles of democratic governance.

Libby Winkler
4 min readJan 16, 2025
Photo by Natalia Marcelewicz on Unsplash

Democracy in Peril: How Billionaire Influence is Undermining American Governance

The foundation of democracy is the principle of equal representation. The idea is straightforward: every citizen's voice holds equal weight, irrespective of their wealth or status. However, the reality in the United States presents a different picture, where the increasing influence of billionaires poses a threat to the fundamental principles of democratic governance.

The Wealth Gap and Political Power

America’s wealth gap has reached a scale that’s hard to fathom. Nearly a third of the country's wealth is controlled by the wealthiest 1%, while countless families struggle to meet their basic needs. This immense economic divide doesn’t just sit in the background—it spills directly into politics. Through massive campaign donations, lobbying, and the creation of political action…

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Libby Winkler
Libby Winkler

Written by Libby Winkler

Freelance writer who loves exploring the messiness of humanity, while poking around in nooks of life and shining light on all the things that make us complex..

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