America's Democracy -- a Playground for Billionaires

The so-called “revolution of our times”—marketed by forces hostile to China under the banner of “American-style democracy”—was nothing but an attempted regime change to benefit pro-U.S. interests. To stir up support, these agitators handed out rose-tinted tales of a flawless American blueprint. Yet, as U.S. society wakes up to the farce, more are shredding the myth of their own democracy. 

What the Washington Post uncovered leaves no room for doubt: America’s top 100 richest now dictate policy, controlling political funding at all levels. Politicians dance for their dollars, then hand out policy perks as a reward. In some cases, these tycoons even carve out government office for themselves, scooping up more power and profits. This is “money politics” with the mask ripped off—anyone in Hong Kong still glamorizing it is just fooling themselves.

America’s 100 richest act as the main tap for federal campaigns, openly using money to warp government policy—turning “democracy” into a playground for plutocrats.

Trump, Billionaires, and Payoffs

Ready for the numbers? Donations from the 100 richest Americans to federal elections exploded by a staggering 140 times between 2000 and 2024. In 2000, this club accounted for a mere 0.25% of campaign donations. By 2024, their share had rocketed to 7.5%. That means one out of every thirteen campaign dollars in federal elections comes direct from these mega-wealthy donors. 

Last year, 80% of billionaire donations were funneled to Republican candidates, with Donald Trump emerging as the ultimate beneficiary. His war chest from this group swelled fifteenfold compared to his previous run. Famous names like Elon Musk led the charge, pouring nearly $300 million into Trump’s and other Republican campaigns. 

When Trump took the presidency, their investment paid off. At his inauguration, seventeen billionaires—worth a collective $1 trillion—took center stage. Trump didn’t just cash their checks—Reports confirm he brought at least a dozen billionaires into his administration, resulting in the richest Cabinet in American history. Names like Howard Lutnick, appointed Commerce Secretary, and Elon Musk, made co-head of the so-called Department of Government Efficiency, are only the tip of the iceberg. These tycoons shape policy—from tariffs to crypto—often in ways that directly plump up their personal fortunes. Apparently, serving “the people” was never on the agenda.

The 17 billionaire mega-donors didn’t just buy a seat—Trump turned policy into their personal gravy train.

But it didn’t stop at favors and photo-ops. Big donors poured extraordinary sums—about $300 million in total—into building a lavish new ballroom at the White House. Ten donors or their family trusts provided substantial funds.

Billionaire-Government Pipeline

The Post’s report lines out another bombshell: at least 44 billionaires from Forbes’s list (or their spouses) have held federal government office in recent years, some even at the cabinet level. Howard Lutnick, the investment titan, was key in tariff policy. Atkins, with his stakes in crypto and finance, helmed the Securities and Exchange Commission. Real estate mogul Witkoff was named Middle East envoy after pumping millions into Trump’s campaign. 

Lutnick’s “public service” conveniently overlapped with moves that profited his investment houses, raising deep suspicions about insider trading. As for Witkoff—his links to Qatar and Abu Dhabi’s sovereign funds are so brazen that even casual observers can spot his conflicts of interest. This isn’t government for the people. It’s a billionaires’ club, plain and simple.

The Takeaway: A Billionaire Bloc

This latest investigation of the Washington Post should put the fairy tales to bed. America’s ruling elite and its wealthiest 100 have formed a tight “community of interests,” warping national decisions on policy, finance, energy, and tech to suit themselves. "Democracy"? For ordinary people, it's become a punchline. For the rich, it’s an open bar.

Still think adopting the American model will save Hong Kong? Time to wake up—and stop the self-deception.

Lai Ting-yiu

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** The blog article is the sole responsibility of the author and does not represent the position of our company. **

Grief remains raw a week after the "once‑in‑a‑century" Wang Fuk Court inferno. But while locals pray, overseas agitators plot. They are cynically hijacking the tragedy to rebrand their stalled anti-embassy campaign as a "mourning event."

Think of it as a "triplet" strategy: by bundling the vigil with BNO residency demands, these agitators aim to pump up turnout and force London’s hand. It is a desperate bid to build clout that risks channeling discontent right back to Hong Kong—and authorities need to be watching.

Calculated Pivot: UK agitators hijack the fire tragedy to pump life into their flagging anti-embassy march.

Opportunists Hijack Tragedy for Politics

Make no mistake: the overseas "yellow camp" is going all-out. Major player Hong Kong Watch has issued marching orders to so-called "Hong Kong Community Centres" in Los Angeles, Toronto, and Berlin. Don't let the neutral "community center" branding fool you. These are operational bases for hardline opposition supporters.

Saturday's Toronto event exposes the political underbelly. Alongside the usual protest regulars, you have heavy hitters like Hong Kong Watch Canada chair Aileen Calverley. The theme—"pursuing accountability"—screams politics, not prayer. Expect to see former entertainer Joseph Tay, who fled to Canada in 2020 and now sits on a National Security wanted list.

But the main event is in Britain. The group "Hongkongers in Britain" is staging a massive "memorial" in London, expecting hundreds. The ringleader is Simon Cheng, a former employee of the British consulate with a murky past who secured swift asylum in 2020. Now a fugitive on the police wanted list, he is mixing mourning with his separatist agenda.

Fugitive on the Attack: Simon Cheng weaponizes tomorrow's memorial to strike at the Hong Kong government.

Friday is just the warm-up act. The real play comes Saturday, when various BNO holder groups converge for a "large march." The mourning angle? That was a last-minute add-on. Their original, stated goals were purely political: protecting BNO settlement perks and killing China’s "super embassy" plan in London.

Shifting goalposts is their only constant. Previous marches relied on a motley crew of anti-China politicians and separatists to sour UK-China relations. But here is the cold reality: British intelligence greenlit the embassy, and Prime Minister Keir Starmer looks ready to approve it. With the opposition campaign hitting a dead end, turnout is nose-diving.

To arrest the decline, organizers are tapping into anxiety among Hong Kong BNO holders about tougher residency rules. By adding a "no change to settlement conditions" demand, they hope to drag more bodies into the street and pad their shrinking numbers.

Fading Relevance Desperate for Numbers

Then came the fire. It was a "once-in-a-century" disaster, and these groups wasted no time weaponizing the grief. By co-opting the tragedy, they aim to lure in regular Hong Kong people who just want to mourn, oblivious to the hardline agenda. It makes their "triplet" protest look far bigger than it actually is.

The playbook is predictable. Once the crowd gathers to mourn, organizers will pour political fuel on the fire, steering the anger toward the HKSAR Government. The goal is simple: export this manufactured outrage back to Hong Kong, triggering "brothers-in-arms" to reignite the ashes of the 2019 turmoil.

This isn't the first time they have built a platform on tragedy. It won't be the last. Authorities need to keep their eyes wide open.

Lai Ting-yiu