I’ve always admired this quote from one of history’s greatest economists.

At this point, however, I think the “modern conservative” has no interest in “moral philosophy” or “justification” whatsoever.  The rich and power, at least in the United States, have only one interest: becoming richer and more powerful.

Makin matters worse: over the years, this has become progressively easier.  In 2010, for example, with the Citizens United decision from the U.S. Supreme Court, corporations were granted the same protections that people enjoy under the First Amendment and became legally able to donate as much as they wanted to political candidates.

Yet today, Citizens United is a “baby step” compared to what’s happened under the Trump administration, which could be summarized as:  You pay me huge sums to meet with you and tell me what you want, and I make it happen for you.

Here’s an example documented in the New York Times:

President Donald Trump last night hosted a gathering with the highest-paying customers of his personal cryptocurrency business, sparking bipartisan concerns that he’s selling access to the presidency for personal profit.

Full transcript here.

Do Rich People Seek Justification?