Trump’s deal with corporate elites is corrupt and undermines democracy. We all pay financially and with our freedom. Gerard Baker of The Wall Street Journal has written two columns that make a powerful statement about the damage America’s corporate elites and their style of capitalism have done.

Strong progressive election results are continuing. Voters are making it clear that their top issues are the unaffordability of daily life, the corruption in our politics, fairness in our economy, and strong, effective opposition to the Trump regime.

The Trump family’s relationships with Saudi Arabia and its ruler involve billions of dollars of investments and real estate deals. These conflicts of interest and apparent corruption are unprecedented. There are many accessories, and there should be many investigations and prosecutions.

Trump’s friendly relationship with Saudi Arabia and its ruler is evident in his administration’s sales to them of military equipment and artificial intelligence (AI) technology, and his visits to Saudi Arabia. Trump’s extravagant military spending and sales have been called the “Bloody New Deal.”

The Trump administration’s deal to support a Saudi Arabian nuclear energy program represents a major shift in U.S. policy and risks accelerating the nuclear arms race in the Middle East and globally. It has put a spotlight on the Trump family’s relationship with Saudi Arabia and its ruler.

Are national Democrats listening? The public is yelling and voting based on affordability and corruption. Progressive, grassroots candidates are beating incumbents and winning even in conservative districts. Many of these candidates are young, female, multicultural, and/or new to politics.

Billionaires are already spending big on 2026 election campaigns. Most of this money flows through PACs and goes to Republicans. The DNC and state Democrats should ban PAC money from their primaries because it distorts election results, perverts policies, and drowns out working people’s voices.

The affordability crisis in the U.S. has many factors pushing up prices, including premiumization of markets, profit-taking middlemen, and the failure to enforce antitrust laws. The Trump administration is doing nothing that affectively addresses the crisis, while many of its actions exacerbate it.

The US campaign finance system is corrupt. Wealthy individuals and corporations buy candidates. Public matching funds systems democratize campaign financing by amplifying the voices of everyday Americans. New York City’s system has allowed Mamdani to run a competitive race for Mayor.

Musk and Trump are corruptly lining their own pockets by ending or weakening investigations, enforcement, and regulation of Musk’s companies, as well as providing them with new government contracts. They’re also endangering workers, the public, and our national security.

Musk, DOGE, and Trump do not care about efficiency & reducing waste. They’re not targeting for-profit contractors, which is where the bulk of fraud & waste occurs. They’re focused on ending investigations & enforcement actions against Musk’s companies, letting Musk corruptly line his own pockets.

Trump’s proposal to eliminate taxes on tips sounds good but analysis shows it’s bad policy. Tariffs can be used effectively, but Trump’s tariff actions are already hurting our economy and will raise prices. They’re also ripe for political corruption.