“Thanks to Musk, Trump, and Bezos, I’m rethinking my stance on eating the rich!”
The early days of Trump’s billionaire-stacked administration are breathing new life into the French Revolution-era slogan “eat the rich,” making some wonder—hypothetically, of course—just how palatable oligarch meat might be.
Elon Musk, looking more appetizing by the day, seems to have effectively bought the presidency and crowned himself the federal workforce’s “Worst Boss Ever.” Employees are being fired left and right, federal contracts slashed, crucial aid to struggling nations cut off, and medical research funding tossed aside like an unwanted magazine subscription. At this point, the dictionary could simply define “cruelty” as: “see Musk, Elon.”
But Musk isn’t the only one on the menu. Donald Trump—himself wealthy, likely well-marbled, and a known fan of Hannibal Lecter—ran on populist promises of helping the little guy. Instead, he stacked his Cabinet with oligarchs and turned his administration into a billionaire boys’ club. As Axios put it, “Trump has assembled an administration of unprecedented, mind-boggling wealth.”
The results? Food prices remain high, inflation is up, and thousands of Americans are losing their jobs thanks to federal cuts. Eggs might as well be caviar at this point.
Republicans Faced Town Hall Fury—Then Ran for the Hills
The GOP just pushed through a budget resolution that slashes taxes for the wealthy, explodes the deficit, and paves the way for deep cuts to Medicaid and Medicare. But when confronted with public outrage at town hall meetings, many Republicans took the coward’s way out—dodging future meetings entirely to avoid becoming the main course.
Maybe the French Revolution Had a Point
Jean-Jacques Rousseau famously said, “When the people shall have nothing more to eat, they will eat the rich.” While I haven’t fully embraced cannibalism, Musk, Trump, and their billionaire cronies make it tempting to belt out that slogan louder than ever.
Bezos Bows to Trump, Sells Out The Washington Post
Beyond Trump’s billionaire-stuffed administration, let’s talk about the ones enabling it—like Jeff Bezos. He reportedly spiked The Washington Post’s endorsement of Kamala Harris before the 2024 election and has been cozying up to Trump ever since. Now, he’s shifting the Post’s opinion section to focus on “personal liberties and free markets” (translation: billionaire-friendly takes only). The backlash? Over 75,000 digital subscriptions canceled in days.
Is “Eat the Rich” Too Extreme? Maybe—For Now
To be clear, I’m not advocating the literal sautéing of self-serving billionaires who hoard wealth while the rest of us struggle. But let’s just say my stance is evolving. And weirdly, Amazon doesn’t sell a Bezos-sized frying pan. Read into that however you like.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Musk, Trump and Bezos have led me to reconsider my stance on eating the rich | Opinion