Wealth brings access. But for many billionaires, money alone isn't enough — they want influence, the ability to shape the rules of society, not just play by them. Politics gives them a say in taxation, regulation, labor policy, even global diplomacy.

On August 2, 2025, Trump abruptly dismissed Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), after a jobs report showing slow employment growth. He accused her of fabricating data without evidence—a claim widely condemned by economists and former officials who argue this politicization could seriously undermine faith in U.S. economic statistics and market stability. Experts warned such actions risk eroding credibility in one of the world's most respected data agencies

The new Texas map, rammed through under Trump’s influence, would give Republicans nearly 80% of the state’s congressional seats—even though they win just over half the vote. This isn’t just a tilt; it’s a landslide created by slicing up Democratic communities, particularly Black and Latino districts, and burying their votes under carefully carved boundaries. It’s called gerrymandering, and Trump’s making it an art form.

The new Texas map, rammed through under Trump’s influence, would give Republicans nearly 80% of the state’s congressional seats—even though they win just over half the vote. This isn’t just a tilt; it’s a landslide created by slicing up Democratic communities, particularly Black and Latino districts, and burying their votes under carefully carved boundaries. It’s called gerrymandering, and Trump’s making it an art form.

On August 2, 2025, Trump abruptly dismissed Erika McEntarfer, commissioner of the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), after a jobs report showing slow employment growth. He accused her of fabricating data without evidence—a claim widely condemned by economists and former officials who argue this politicization could seriously undermine faith in U.S. economic statistics and market stability. Experts warned such actions risk eroding credibility in one of the world's most respected data agencies

These proposals follow Trump’s appointment of himself as chairman of the Kennedy Center’s board in February 2025, after replacing Biden-appointed trustees with his own allies, including Richard Grenell as president.

The Kennedy Center, established in 1971 as a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy under Public Law 88-260, is a major cultural institution hosting thousands of performances.

Critics, including Kennedy’s grandson Jack Schlossberg and niece Maria Shriver, argue that renaming it violates federal law, which prohibits additional memorials or plaques within the center. Schlossberg called the move an attempt by Trump to overshadow JFK’s legacy, while Shriver labeled it “petty” and “small-minded.”

Since President Donald Trump took over as chairman of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in February 2025, at least 26 shows have been canceled or postponed, as reported by the Kennedy Center in a statement released on March 7, 2025. This list, described as a "complete account of program cancellations over the last six months," includes 15 cancellations attributed to reasons unrelated to illness, availability, sales, or finances, with several artists explicitly citing Trump’s takeover as their reason for pulling out. Notable cancellations include:

But make no mistake: if it were Marxists or Leninists destroying us, I’d be saying the exact same thing. Sometimes you have to throw the punch across the line to be heard. That doesn’t mean you switched sides — it means you're paying attention.

What I’m trying to build here is honest commentary — something that might offer insight, even if you don’t yet know the right questions to ask. Maybe this space helps you start asking, instead of shouting and hating.

Once the voice of Appalachian disillusionment, J.D. Vance built his brand as the reflective conservative who got it. He warned us about the dangers of Trumpism. He questioned the grift, the chaos, the cult. But ambition, as it often does in Washington, found its price.