When Donald Trump campaigned for president in 2016, one of his most memorable and oft-repeated promises was to « drain the swamp » in Washington, D.C. This
When Donald Trump campaigned for president in 2016, one of his most memorable and oft-repeated promises was to “drain the swamp” in Washington, D.C. This catchy phrase resonated with millions of Americans who felt alienated from their government and frustrated with political favors. However, eight years later, both the Harris and Trump campaigns are making it clear that their candidate doesn’t want to drain the swamp. They’d like more of us to jump in.
The “drain the swamp” slogan originally meant clearing out the entrenched interests, self-serving practices, rent seekers and systemic corruption that have taken root in our nation’s capital. Well-connected companies scratch the backs of politicians and in return get subsidies, tax breaks, protections and other special privileges. The rest of us are left to foot the bill.
In addition, there’s the revolving door between government and lobbyists. There are career politicians who seem more interested in their own power and income-earning opportunities than in serving the people. There’s the influence of big money, whose loudest detractors often fail to mention that an ever-expanding government creates the perfect swamp habitat.
Draining the swap is all fine. As someone who’d like to see all government-granted favors to private businesses terminated either constitutionally or legislatively, I’m for it. How many Boeing-type scandals do we need before legislators are embarrassed to continue passing out subsidies (including through the Export-Import Bank, an agency many of us call “Boeing’s Bank”)? How many more reports like those showing that most Inflation Reduction Act subsidies went to projects that were already in the works?
These debacles, and others like Solyndra, are cautionary tales about how politicians waste your money to help their friends and political allies — that is, their cronies.
