Wealthy Interests vs. Public Good: How Billionaires Shaped Politics to Oppose Regulations

Wealthy industry leaders opposed EPA regulations from the start as it cut into profits, despite public support for cleaning up pollution

Lewis Powell's 1971 memo sparked billionaires and corporations to start influencing politics through lobbying, think tanks, media ownership, etc.

Billionaires funded policy think tanks and media outlets to convince people that regulations and taxes were bad, protecting their own interests

Years of propaganda made Republican voters into "useful idiots" who believe lies about climate change, Democrats, and vote against their own interests

Most politically active billionaires pursue "stealth politics," quietly advancing unpopular ultraconservative policies while staying silent publicly