Overview

• Roughly 2–5% of Americans suffer from hoarding syndrome, which in ultra-rich individuals manifests as a compulsive addiction to amassing wealth and steering policy.
• The Supreme Court’s Bellotti (1978) and Citizens United (2010) rulings redefined corporate spending as protected speech, deepening billionaire influence over elections and legislation.
• Since the Reagan era, about $51 trillion has shifted from working-class Americans into billionaire hands, coinciding with stagnant wages and weakened public programs.
• Almost 30 million Americans lack health insurance, 43% are underinsured and 44% carry student debt, illustrating how social services have eroded under concentrated wealth.
• Ongoing corruption scandals involving former President Donald Trump underscore how affluent figures exploit political connections to evade oversight and shape policy.