As I sat to write this last column of 2024, I wanted to write something reflective, an authentic refection, honest, revealing our vulnerabilities, and the strength of our hope.
A challenge to find optimism while standing amid the shards of morals, values and integrity.
The new America emerging from the cathartic election seems empty, harsh and vulnerable to political parasites questing for absolute power.
The common electorate were misled. In frenzies of hope, they flocked to the polls to reclaim their country. What we witness leading up to the official transfer of power offers a glimpse into the darker side of authoritarian rule.
It was never about concern for forgotten Americans. It has always been about the deep pockets of the top 1% gaining positions of control. Politics and the economy are deeply intertwined, both driven by an insatiable pursuit of wealth.
The last two federal elections reveal the parallel tracks of the economy and politics. The 2020 and 2024 campaign financing, and campaign spending reveals their connected roles.
Here is a look into the numbers.
Total spending is projected to reach $15 billion. $1.2 billion was spent on political ads in Pennsylvania. A record spending for one state.
Billionaire Elon Musk, it is reported, spent $277 million through various political action committees (PACs). He gave random awards of $1 million to individuals who registered as Republicans leading up to election day.
The various media outlets were the primary beneficiaries. The pollical advertising revenue that poured into coffers underscores the critical role media plays. These outlets were also the conduits through which messaging shaped the perceptions of the electorate.
Television networks captured nearly 72% of campaign ad spending. Fox News was a dominant source of political messaging. The network’s strong viewership attracted record political revenue.
Digital platforms also shared in the influx of advertising revenue. Google, Meta (Facebook and Instagram) exceeded $1.35 billion during the election cycle. Local and national radio stations experienced a revenue boast of $750 million. Print media $250 million.
Overall, a significant windfall of advertising revenue from this election cycle.
The narratives, the negative messaging of information, misinformation, and disinformation channeled through these various media proved effective. More than 155 million people cast ballots in 2024.
According to the University of Florida Election Lab, nearly 64% of eligible voters cast ballots. The second highest turnout in the last 100 years, only the turnout in 2020 was higher. Seventy-one percent of the electorate were white voters.
Reproduction rights and immigration were two policy issues that drew on the values of the electorate. Approximately 23 million women voted; forty-six percent of the 38 million eligible Latinos voted for candidate Trump despite his policy stance on immigration.
President-elect Trump won 49.9% of the popular vote. The below fifty percent of the popular vote falls short of an “unprecedented” and “powerful mandate.”
It’s not uncommon for presidents to over-read their election victories.
There is infighting within the MAGA camp over immigration, and the failure to adhere to their pre-inauguration ploy to dictate House policy and shut down the government. Elon Musk wanted the debt ceiling increase included in the stopgap measure.
The Republican House defied the mandate. We are not certain of how long their courage will last. The Democrats are standing their ground.
Feature Image: Rev. Norman Franklin. Photo provided