Former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has a message for Americans fed up with the way Washington works: you don't have to accept it. On Sunday, he took to X to argue that corporate money and political incentives have left the country with a system that doesn't actually respond to the people it's supposed to serve.
"We don't have to put up with this. Not these policies or these politicians or even this system of politics," Buttigieg wrote. "It's time for us to chase out corruption and build a politics that actually responds to the people."
In a video shared alongside the post, Buttigieg zeroed in on corporate spending in elections, arguing that when big money floods the campaign trail, powerful industries get exactly what they pay for.
"When corporate money is flooding the election, of course Big Pharma and the for-profit health insurance companies are going to get their way," he said.
He didn't stop at pharma. Buttigieg also went after Congress over policies he says favor the wealthy over everyone else.
"When Congress is bought and sold, of course, they're going to be quicker to open up a tax loophole for the wealthiest than to do anything to raise your wages or lift children out of poverty," he said.
Buttigieg Criticizes Gerrymandering
Buttigieg also blamed gerrymandering for reducing electoral competition, linking it to congressional support for a "foolish war" that has Americans "paying more at the pump."
"But we don't have to put up with this," he said. "Not with these policies, not with these politicians and not with this political system."
Democrats Target Corruption
Buttigieg isn't alone in pushing this message. Earlier this month, Sen. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) warned that alleged corruption under President Donald Trump could cost Americans through job losses, higher prices and fewer consumer choices.
"It's the American people who are paying the price," Schiff said.
In July, Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) accused the Trump administration of favoring companies that donated $1 million to his inauguration fund, calling it a "pattern of corruption that costs you money."
And House Democrats have launched the "End Corruption Caucus" to address dark money, corporate PACs, lobbying and government accountability. Reps. Jason Crow (D-Colo.) and Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) said big-money influence was undermining trust in government.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by MarketDash editors.
