Quote of the Day

It’s grotesque, though unsurprising given the source, to hear the language of inclusion and belonging leveraged [by presidential candidate Pete Buttigieg] in defense of America’s billionaires and their right to flood the democratic process with campaign contributions. No one who isn’t willfully deluding themselves can seriously believe the nation’s richest people – particularly those who help manage and run profitable industries – give so much money to politicians out of civic nobility. And no one should struggle to imagine a majority electoral coalition that excludes or alienates America’s billionaires, who are only a few hundred in number.

But in the midst of an important debate that often skirts around or muddies the issue of big money in politics, it was paradoxically refreshing to hear Buttigieg mount such a spirited and unapologetic defense of the indefensible.

With any luck, voters in the upcoming primaries and caucuses will treat it with the contempt it deserves.

– Luke Savage
Excerpted from “Pete Buttigieg's Defense of
His Billionaire Funding Is Orwellian”
Jacobin
February 8, 2020

Related Off-site Links:
More About Pete – Nathan J. Robinson (Current Affairs, February 7, 2020).
Is It Fair of Sanders to Call Buttigieg a Buddy to Billionaires? – Paul Waldman (The Washington Post, February 7, 2020).
Former Heads of Lobbying Firms, Military Contractors and Fossil Fuel Interests Host Buttigieg Campaign Fundraiser – Scott Bixby (The Daily Beast via Reader Supported News, February 6, 2020).
Here Are The Billionaires Backing Pete Buttigieg’s Presidential Campaign – Michela Tindera (Forbes, December 21, 2019).
How National Security Mandarins Groomed Pete Buttigieg and Managed His Future – Max Blumenthal (The Gray Zone, December 17, 2019).
Pete for Corporate America – Sarah Jomes (New York Magazine, October 29, 2019).
Is Pete Buttigieg Just a Shill for Corporations and the Donor Class? – Miles Mogulescu (People's Action Blog via Common Dreams, November 22, 2019).
Meet the Billionaires Manipulating the U.S. Presidential Election – Marlow Stern (The Daily Beast, July 12, 2017).

UPDATES: Buttigieg Confirms Status as “Austerity Candidate” With Call for Democrats to Prioritize Reducing Deficit – Julia Conley (Common Dreams, February 9, 2020).
Mayor Pete’s Health Care Plan Is a Joke – Matt Bruenig (Jacobin, February 10, 2020).
Pete Buttigieg Is the Embodiment of White Privilege – and Black Voters Know It – Benjamin Dixon (The Guardian, February 11, 2020).
Marine Veterans Criticise Buttigieg for Overstating His Military Experience – Graig Graziosi (Yahoo! News, February 11, 2020).
Union President Accuses Pete Buttigieg of “Perpetuating This Gross Fallacy” About Union Health Care: “This Is Offensive” – Jason Lemon (Newsweek, February 12, 2020).
South Bend Politician: I Worked with Pete Buttigieg. He Did Not Respect Black Residents’ Struggles – Democracy Now! (February 12, 2020).
Buttigieg Is a Wall Street Democrat Beholden to Corporate Interests – Kenneth Peres (Common Dreams, February 17, 2020).
As a Corporate Tool, Buttigieg Is Now a Hammer to Bash Sanders – Norman Solomon (Common Dreams, February 24, 2020).
“Loyal Soldier”? Ahead of Super Tuesday, Pete Buttigieg to End Presidential Bid – Jon Queally (Common Dreams, March 1, 2020).
Buttigieg Drops Out of Presidential Race – Elena Schneider (Politico, March 1, 2020).
Pete Buttigieg Ends Historic Presidential Bid – Barbara Sprunt, Benjamin Swasey and Sam Gringlas (NPR News, March 1, 2020).
The End of Buttigieg’s Campaign Was a Warning Against Fake Progressivism – Michael Corcoran (TruthOut, March 6, 2020).
“Political Consolation Prize”? President-Elect Biden Picks Buttigieg as Transportation Secretary Despite His Lack of Relevant Experience – Jake Johnson (Common Dreams, December 15, 2020).

See also the previous Wild Reed posts:
• Quote of the Day – October 30, 2019
• Pete Buttigieg, White Privilege, and Identity Politics
• Beto, Biden and Buttigieg: “Empty Suits and Poll-Tested Brands”
• Pete Buttigieg: Quote of the Day – April 17, 2019
• Pete Buttigieg: Quote of the Day – June 27, 2019