寡头的危险

不久前，我写了关于寡头的危险，这是由富人经营的政府。

Not long ago I wrote about the dangers of an oligarchy, which is a government run by and for the wealthy. The dangers are found in various forms of corruption. Corruption is the great temptation of people with power.

不久前，我写了关于寡头的危险，这是由富人经营的政府。危险以各种形式的腐败发现。腐败是有权力的人的巨大诱惑。

The Founding Fathers gave us a democracy, which is especially equipped to prevent corruption through free speech, free press, and free assembly followed by election of those found to be non-corrupt and able leaders.

开国元勋们给了我们一个民主国家，特别有能力通过言论自由，自由新闻和自由集会来防止腐败，然后选举被认为是非腐败和有能力的领导人的人。

Blatant and crass corruption began appearing very soon in Trump’s current presidency and it is important to make it known. Trump is offering a White House tour and private dinner to the top 220 investors in his personal $TRUMP meme coin. He launched the coin on Jan. 17, three days before his inauguration. The price of the coin initially spiked to $74, but dropped to only $8 the beginning of April. However, the value went back up upon news that the biggest $TRUMP holders get a dinner with the president of the United States.

特朗普现任总统职位很快就开始出现公然和粗鲁的腐败，这一点很重要。特朗普在他的个人$特朗普犯罪硬币中向前220名投资者提供白宫游览和私人晚餐。他于1月17日开始就职典礼前三天发射了硬币。硬币的价格最初飙升至74美元，但4月初仅下降至8美元。但是，这个价值重新获得了新闻，即最大的$特朗普持有人与美国总统共进晚餐。

This mind-boggling corruption tells the world that access to the president is available to anyone who wants to line his pockets. During his campaign for the presidency, Trump offered oil and gas executives to cut government regulations in exchange for $1 billion. These are examples of how power, especially the power of the head of the government, can be a means of making money.

这种令人难以置信的腐败告诉世界，任何想在自己的口袋里排队的人都可以使用总统。在担任总统的竞选期间，特朗普向石油和天然气管理人员提供了削减政府法规，以换取10亿美元。这些是权力，尤其是政府负责人的力量如何成为赚钱的手段的例子。

Corruption has its effect on those least able to help themselves. In order to save money so that he can cut costly regulations on the wealthy, Trump has removed all support for USAID, which prevents poor children from starving and helps numerous people with serious health problems. Trump funding cuts are even threatening Meals on Wheels, a lifeline for many seniors.

腐败对那些能够自我帮助的人有影响。为了节省金钱，以便他可以削减有关富人的昂贵法规，特朗普取消了对美国国际开发署的所有支持，这阻止了贫穷的孩子饿死，并帮助许多患有严重健康问题的人。削减特朗普的资金甚至威胁着车轮上的餐点，这是许多老年人的生命线。

The planned cuts to Medicaid will take away health care from millions of low-income people. About 60% of nursing home residents are covered by Medicaid, and the GOP’s planned cuts will shut down many rural hospitals and clinics. Trump wants to eliminate FEMA, which was very important in aiding the recovery from Tropical Storm Helene here in Western North Carolina and will be important in aiding future areas bound to be hit by hurricanes.

计划中的医疗补助将从数百万低收入人士那里获得医疗保健。大约60％的养老院居民被医疗补助覆盖，共和党的计划削减将关闭许多农村医院和诊所。特朗普想消除FEMA，这对于帮助北卡罗来纳州西部热带风暴海伦的恢复非常重要，对于帮助未来的地区必然会受到飓风的打击，这将非常重要。

Trump has recently shut down Head Start programs, which provide early education assistance and food for many children of low-income families, along with school lunches. All that has been said shows that corruption in the government that gives special favors and access and privileges to the rich has practical effects. These include reducing aid to those in society who need special help so they can make use of opportunities to maintain their health and obtain the integration that will enable them to rise from poverty.

特朗普最近关闭了Head Start计划，该计划为许多低收入家庭的儿童以及学校午餐提供了早期的教育援助和食物。所说的所有内容都表明，政府腐败给予富人的特殊优惠，获得和特权具有实际影响。这些包括减少需要特殊帮助的社会的人的援助，以便他们可以利用机会来维持自己的健康，并获得使他们能够从贫困中崛起的融合。

Because power and wealth so often bring corruption and corruption brings suffering to many, especially those least able to help themselves, our democracy is heavily dependent on the freedom of individuals and organizations to investigate and publicize the corruption they uncover.

由于权力和财富经常带来腐败和腐败给许多人带来痛苦，尤其是那些最不能力的人，我们的民主在很大程度上取决于个人和组织的自由，以调查和宣传他们发现的腐败。

The press and academic institutions must have freedom to find and publicize the corruption that those committing acts of corruption inevitably seek to hide. We already see the attempts of Trump to control the press and academia in their important work to publicize the truth. A major expression of opposition has already appeared in the numerous large protests to both Trump and his “first buddy” Elon Musk that are seen across America. However, individuals must also be brave to stand against both corruption and the attempts to silence exposure of corruption that people may not see.

媒体和学术机构必须自由地寻找并宣传那些犯下腐败行为的腐败不可避免地会寻求隐藏的腐败。我们已经看到了特朗普在宣传真相的重要工作中控制新闻和学术界的尝试。反对派的主要表达已经出现在特朗普和他在美国各地看到的“第一个伙伴”埃隆·马斯克的众多大型抗议活动中。但是，个人还必须勇敢地反对腐败和沉默人们可能看不到的腐败的企图。

The rise of authoritarianism in Trump’s presidency and its followers in the Republican Party is felt in the various attempts to extend control over others. It can even be felt in the supposed machoism and “tough man” expressions against those they call “radical left liberals.” The “party of fiscal responsibility” and “national security” has lost the empathy for suffering people that is necessary in a good government. Cruelty became a political strategy. The necessary strategy for Americans is elevation of the truth through the freedoms of speech, press, assembly, and in academia. In addition to making money, the corrupt seek control of the truth that exposes them.

特朗普总统任期及其在共和党的追随者中的威权主义的兴起是为了扩展对他人的控制的各种尝试。甚至可以在所谓的男子主义和“强硬的人”表达中对他们称为“激进的左自由主义者”的表达。 “财政责任党”和“国家安全党”因遭受良好政府必要的人而失去了同情心。残酷成为一项政治战略。美国人的必要策略是通过言论，新闻，集会和学术界的自由来提升真理。除了赚钱之外，腐败还寻求控制暴露它们的真理。

The Rev. Robert L. Montgomery, Ph.D., lives in Black Mountain.

罗伯特·L·蒙哥马利牧师（Robert L. Montgomery）博士居住在黑山。