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A comment on Ask HN: Why working class American vote for Trump as he and Musk favor H1B?.

Re:Ask HN: Why working class American vote for Trump as he a... by bediger4000 on Tuesday December 31, 2024 @11:23AM (#42559672)
Changes in election finance (Citizens United, failure to enforce other laws, letting PACs coordinate closely with campaigns) have made it clear there's a difference between "voters" and "constituents".

Voters put someone in office. Constituents are who the officeholder serves.

Special interests, or even single oligarchs can now finance campaigns, and become the officeholder's constituents after the voters elect someone to office.

Musk and other oligarchs are Trump's constituents, they financed his campaign, donated to his inauguration, generally provided emoluments. Voters, having put Trump in office, are no longer important. They have no current leverage. Trump now acts in his constituent's interests.

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Re:Ask HN: Why working class American vote for Trump as he a... by uberman on Tuesday December 31, 2024 @11:41AM (#42559815)
Great observation. Voters have short memories and one day of power every 2 years. In politics, money has power every day. I believe it is no coincidence that Musk has announced that he intends to fund candidates in future elections.
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