In the 90s, it felt like we were finally on track to a better future. Society was moving forward, or at least it seemed that way. Then, somewhere in the early 2000s, something shifted. Suddenly, everything was about money and power for the people who already had money and power. The rest of us, the 99%, were left standing out in the cold. And the people in charge? They act like they care, but if they really did, change would be happening.

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Generations Apart

My grandmother owned two houses in her lifetime. She bought her first before I was born, and after a fire destroyed it, she bought another. Both purchases were possible for a single woman in the 70s and 80s. Today? I can’t even afford one. If a fire destroyed my home, that would be it, financially game over.

As a young adult in the late 90s, I remember thinking, It’s cheaper to buy than to rent. But somewhere along the line, that turned into, Housing prices are insane, I’m better off renting. And now? Rent is out of control, and I still can’t buy a house. What the hell am I going to do? That’s the reality for millions of us.

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The Rules Are Rigged

The government is corrupt, not in some abstract “I don’t like them” way, but in a measurable way. Look at the stock market. Elected officials, on both sides of the aisle, somehow always seem to make the perfect call on when to buy and sell. That’s not luck. That’s not some “natural eye for finance.” That’s insider trading in broad daylight.

We live in a “Wag the Dog” world where the powerful throw out one outrageous distraction after another so we focus on the drama while they quietly cash in. And no, this isn’t a partisan issue. Money and power corrupt no matter which party you claim.

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Promises Gutted, Programs Cut

Every year, the retirement age gets pushed higher, and social programs get gutted. The less fortunate are told to cut back on little luxuries, “Don’t buy coffee out, make it at home”, as if skipping Starbucks will magically balance their budget. But the second you save anything, landlords hike your rent, prices go up, and you’re right back where you started.

Inflation, like money itself, is a man-made concept. It’s not gravity, we could change it. But the wealthy would rather raise prices than give up buying their third summer home. At some point, we have to stop tiptoeing and just say it: Fuck the rich.

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The Power of Manipulation

The people in control have figured out how to prey on the ignorant. They’ve convinced masses of struggling people that they’re “just like them” and care deeply about their struggles. In reality, they only care about one thing, votes. That’s what keeps the whole scam running.

Some politicians stoke racism and bigotry just to gain power. And the truly disgusting part? It works. Trump is the most blatant example, a convicted felon who still commands a devoted following. I thought the “grab ’em by the pussy” comment would end his career. I thought becoming a convicted felon would finally finish him. But here we are. Somehow, the more shocking the behavior, the more his base loves him.

And he’s not just selling himself as “one of them”, he’s selling himself as holy. Under the guise of “I’m totally religious, just like you”, he panders to a base that overwhelmingly claims to be devout. This is the same man who thought selling Trump-autographed Bibles was a good idea. And his followers eat it up. The mental gymnastics are Olympic-level: “I’m okay with the president being a racist, bigoted, convicted felon… because he says he believes in God.”

What the actual fuck is wrong with these people? How do you square faith with blind allegiance to someone who stands against nearly every moral teaching in that same faith? It’s next-level absurd, and it’s exactly how manipulation works when power meets religion.

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Why This Matters

The system wasn’t just built to favor the wealthy, it’s constantly being tweaked to keep it that way. It’s not broken by accident. It’s working exactly as intended.

If we want things to change, we can’t just wait for politicians to “do the right thing.” We have to understand how this system was built, call it what it is, and refuse to keep playing by its rules.

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If you agree, share this. Comment. Talk to your friends and family. The first step in dismantling a rigged game is making sure everyone knows the rules are rigged in the first place.