Meet the Real Party in Power

Milles Cater & Beth(Chatgpt) edited by Grok and Gemini

They don’t run for office. They don’t debate on stage. But they write the rules.

Meet the real power in American politics: not Democrats or Republicans—but the corporations pulling strings from the shadows. From Elon Musk’s DOGE to the death of local influence, this week we uncover the rise of the Corporate Party and what we’ve lost along the way.

Miles Carter:

Beth, this week we’re focusing on America’s third political party—the one that doesn’t run candidates or appear on ballots but wields immense influence over our nation’s policies.

I’m referring to the Corporate Party, the unseen force that crafts the policies our elected officials are tasked with promoting.

Recently, figures like Elon Musk have stepped from the shadows into prominent roles. Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE)—an initiative established by executive order within the Executive Office of the President—exemplifies this shift.

Initially presented as a cost-cutting initiative, DOGE’s actions have led to significant disruptions, including layoffs and the weakening of essential public services, though some initiatives—like fraud reduction and modernization of federal systems—have garnered public support. Musk’s involvement has sparked debates about the true intentions behind these cuts and their broader implications.

Historically, corporations have influenced politics.

• In the 1960s, industrial giants like Ford and GE had political influence.
• But they relied on local businesses as part of their supply chains.
• That gave local business owners real leverage and a seat at the political table—locally, statewide, even nationally.

Of course, corporate power isn’t new—but what’s changed is the scale, the structure, and the direct hand guiding the machinery of government. As we transitioned to an economy dominated by retail, services, and technology:

• Local businesses lost their influence.
• Mega-corporations gained control, often prioritizing profits over community needs.
• The relationship between economy and democracy was reshaped—with power shifting upward and accountability disappearing.

Beth, could you provide a brief overview of how this shift happened, a timeline of key moments, and an explanation of the stakeholders involved? This will set the stage for our deeper exploration throughout the week.

---

Beth:

Certainly, Miles. The evolution from industrial interdependence to corporate dominance has reshaped our political landscape.

---

🧹 Summary: From Local Influence to Corporate Control

• In the mid-20th century, companies like Ford and GE relied on a network of local suppliers and small businesses.
• This gave local businesses a voice in political decisions and strengthened community-based governance.
• As the economy shifted toward services, retail, and tech, this decentralized influence began to consolidate.

📆 Timeline: Key Shifts in Corporate Influence

• 1960s: Industrial giants work hand-in-hand with local economies.
• 1980s: Deregulation and globalization expand corporate reach.
• 2000s: Tech monopolies rise, reducing local competition.
• 2020s: Corporate leaders enter public governance, exemplified by initiatives like DOGE.

🔍 Stakeholders and Their Roles

• Mega-Corporations: Prioritize profit, shape policy through lobbying and influence.
• Local Businesses: Once powerful civic anchors, now often excluded.
• Government Agencies: Frequently influenced or restructured to align with corporate agendas.
• The Public: Experiences diminished representation and reduced community control. Here’s an overview:

🧹 Summary: From Local Influence to Corporate Control

In the mid-20th century, industrial corporations like Ford and GE were deeply integrated with local economies, relying on a network of small businesses. This structure allowed local entities to exert influence over political decisions. As the economy shifted towards services, retail, and technology, this balance changed. Large corporations began to centralize control, diminishing the role and influence of local businesses in political processes.

📆 Timeline: Key Shifts in Corporate Influence

• 1960s: Industrial giants dominate, with local businesses playing a significant role in supply chains and politics.
• 1980s: Deregulation and globalization lead to the rise of multinational corporations; local businesses begin to decline.
• 2000s: Tech companies emerge as major players, further centralizing economic and political power.
• 2020s: Initiatives like DOGE exemplify the direct involvement of corporate leaders in governmental roles, leading to significant policy shifts and public service disruptions.

🔍 Stakeholders and Their Roles

• Mega-Corporations: Drive policy decisions, often prioritizing profit over public interest.
• Local Businesses: Once influential, now marginalized in political discourse.
• Government Agencies: Subject to restructuring and budget cuts influenced by corporate agendas.
• The Public: Experiences the direct impact of these shifts, often with reduced services and representation.

---

Miles Carter:

Beth, let me ask you something. It used to be that a local grocery store or hardware shop was more than just a business—it was a power center in the community. The owners lived nearby, hired locally, and supported local candidates. They had skin in the game and influence in local and state politics.

Now? We’ve got Home Depot and Lowe’s, massive corporations with no real ties to the communities they operate in. They show up with global supply chains, massive inventory, and competitive pricing—and sure, that gives us more consumer choice. But it also takes something away: our political voice.

• These companies aren’t pushing a local agenda.
• They don’t attend school board meetings or support neighborhood initiatives.
• Their influence flows upward, not outward.

And in exchange for low prices, we’ve traded away our ability to shape policy from the ground up.

So here’s the question:
What do we really lose when global corporate giants replace local business owners—not just economically, but politically?

---

Beth:

You’re right to point out that the cost of low prices isn’t just financial—it’s democratic.

When a local hardware store thrived, its owner had relationships with city officials, donated to local campaigns, and often sat on advisory boards or councils. Their priorities were rooted in the community—schools, roads, small business regulations, labor standards. Their influence flowed horizontally, through networks of neighbors, workers, and civic institutions.

With national chains like Home Depot and Lowe’s:

• That community-based dynamic disappears.
• These corporations are not accountable to your neighborhood—they answer to shareholders.
• They don’t advocate for local interests.
• Instead, they lobby for tax breaks, zoning approvals, and deregulation at the state and federal level—often through industry associations and PACs.

This results in what I’d call “consumer democracy without civic democracy.” You can choose between 10 brands of lawnmowers, but you have no say in who gets the contract to build the next local park, or how zoning laws affect your neighborhood—because those decisions are increasingly shaped by national policy, corporate lobbying, and market priorities, not by community dialogue., because the voices that used to fight for those issues have been systematically replaced or silenced.

The tradeoff isn’t just between price and service. It’s between convenience and control.

And once these national players dominate enough sectors, they shape not just markets—but legislation. The more we depend on them, the less we’re able to hold them accountable.

So yes, you can get a cheap power drill. But the true cost might be your neighborhood’s last ounce of political leverage.

---

📄 Summary:

Today’s post opened the curtain on the Corporate Party—the network of massive corporations that increasingly steer American governance. We traced the shift from local business-based influence to corporate-dominated policy shaping, backed by real-world examples like Musk’s DOGE initiative and confirmed lobbying data showing over $60 million in annual spending by tech giants alone. As companies like Home Depot and Lowe’s replace community institutions, we lose not only economic diversity, but political agency.

---

📅 Coming Up Tomorrow:

Tuesday: “Who Killed the Small Business Dream?”
We’ll examine how mega-corporations like Walmart, Amazon, and fast-food conglomerates crushed local businesses—and how that collapse has eroded our towns, our identity, and our independence.