Are my politics Democrat or Republican? I think both are
Are my politics Democrat or Republican? I think both are horrific. And it doesn't matter anyway. Money runs America; money runs everywhere.
Hear, O seekers of truth, the piercing words of Shane Smith: “Are my politics Democrat or Republican? I think both are horrific. And it doesn't matter anyway. Money runs America; money runs everywhere.” In these words is no gentle counsel, but a thunderous lament against the false banners of partisanship. For Smith unmasks what many fear to admit—that beyond the quarrels of parties, beyond the clash of Democrat and Republican, there stands a greater master: money, the hidden sovereign that bends the will of nations.
For what is politics, if not the art of governing? And yet, when wealth becomes the true scepter, politics turns from service to servitude. Leaders may wear the colors of opposing parties, but both may kneel to the same golden idol. Thus Smith’s cry is not merely against parties, but against the corruption of a system where money runs everywhere, and where the people, believing themselves free, are bound in invisible chains.
History bears witness to this truth. In the waning days of the Roman Republic, the Senate was consumed by bribery and gold. Ambitious men like Crassus bought influence as others bought bread, until the Republic itself withered, unable to resist the power of wealth. The fall of Rome’s freedom was not wrought solely by armies, but by the coin that hollowed its institutions. So too does Smith warn that when money governs above justice, the pillars of democracy tremble.
Even in more recent times, the Gilded Age of America revealed this reality. Railroads and industrial titans bent politics to their will, ensuring laws favored their wealth while the cries of the poor went unheard. Parties quarreled in name, yet both often bowed to the same corporate powers. The people learned bitterly that their voice could be drowned out by the clinking of coin.
Therefore, O children of tomorrow, take heed of this wisdom: do not be deceived by the banners of red or blue, nor by the cries of partisanship alone. Look deeper, to see who truly holds the reins of power, and ask whether it is principle or wealth that commands. For if money runs everywhere, then the task of the just is to break its tyranny, lest liberty itself become but an ornament purchased by the powerful.
VCPham Van Chinh
I see truth in Shane Smith’s statement, but it raises some complex questions. While it’s clear that money plays a huge role in politics, does that mean we should just give up on choosing between the political parties? Could a system that allows money to control politics ever really represent the people, or is it too broken to fix? Are there any practical ways we can reduce the influence of money and still have a functional democracy?
MNminh nghia
Shane Smith’s quote resonates with the view that American politics is more about money and power than genuine political differences. If both the Democrats and Republicans are influenced by money, does it even matter who is in charge? Can we ever truly have meaningful change in a system where wealth dictates policy? Or is the only way to fix the system through a fundamental overhaul of how money influences politics?
NTMy Nguyen Thao
This quote feels both disillusioned and truthful. The idea that neither party represents the people because both are swayed by money reflects a growing frustration many people have with the system. How much of our political reality is shaped by money rather than ideology or public service? Is it fair to say that the true battle in America is not between political ideologies, but between the wealthy elite and everyone else?
HDHong Doan
Shane Smith's quote highlights a deep cynicism toward the American political system, which many might share. It suggests that the system is more about money than ideology, which feels true in many ways. Is it possible that both major parties are so tied to corporate interests that the average citizen’s concerns don’t matter? Does money really have so much control over politics that it makes the choice between Democrat and Republican irrelevant?