“Follow the money,” we often hear investigators say in finding culprits behind crime and corruption. One most willing receiver of such shady money, Donald J. Trump, sought to retain unaccountability for his crimes as well as dominion over an almost limitless supply of booty tied to his presidency by stealing the 2020 presidential election by force.

Who paid for and promoted the scenario leading to his incitement of an insurrection? Polarization, impoverishment of millions of Americans, a maldistribution of wealth, a fascist-minded Republican Party, an obstruction of progress, and the toxic ascendency of Trump didn’t happen overnight. In effect this scenario was built over generations by those having the potential for control and the deepest pockets in our country, corporate America.

Corporate America built this plutocracy and formulated a culture that pardons corruption, whether economic or political. Pushing a corporate agenda, Fortune-500 money has financed conditions leading to economic looting and corrupt political actions.

Lawlessness among politicians didn’t begin with Donald J. Trump. Nixon’s Watergate scandal brought about his resignation only because the Republican Party put country above partisanship.

Increasingly, Republican loyalty shifted to self-interest, party and the corporate agenda, all taking precedence over country.

About the time of Nixon, the most powerful corporate leaders ramped up their plan for increasing power and control. Their agenda unabashedly included Republican candidates to do their bidding, a most eager first being Ronald Reagan.

Reagan’s personal popularity and the power and influence of business support most likely left Reagan himself relatively unscathed by his administration’s many scandals. They ranged from Iran-Contra, to rigging of HUD funds, illegal lobbying, EPA corrupt practices, to fostering the requirement for nefarious Savings & Loan bailouts.

All led to a record conviction of over 138 administration officials. The most serious was the Iran-Contra affair when Reagan approved the illegal sell of arms to the Islamic Republic of Iran, this to secure the release of six hostages and give aid to right-wing Contras to overthrow the Nicaraguan government.

The Reagan administration was succeeded by his vice president, George H. W. Bush, who was a relatively decent man with principles, whose endeavors were not exclusively restricted to corporate goals.

But the business agenda has left its mark on Democratic presidents as well. Clinton and Obama during their administrations were left timid, for example, about following pro-labor policies when corporate power challenged unions. Both were intimidated by Republican legislatures.

Pro-corporate ruthlessness were exclusive practices on the Republican side. Newt Gingrich as Republican Speaker of the House demagogued and mercilessly attacked Clinton, and Mitch McConnell was chief obstructionist during a deep recession caused by Wall Street practices.

The George W. Bush administration went full bore corporate puppet in attempting to privatize everything public and starting a needless war in Iraq. Private industry was stellar; government was bad. Demonize government when it came to domestic policy like health care and social security programs, But use government for defense spending, deregulation, corporate welfare, and tax cuts for the rich.

Bush too was unaccountable for his incompetence, political use of government funds, and corrupt practices: the Iraqi war, Katrina debacle, Blackwater scandals, mishandling of Iraqi war funds, and hundreds of thousands of innocent lives lost in Iraq.

The Obama administration inherited Bush wars, the Wall Street-induced near-economic collapse, and a recalcitrant opposition party. Obstructionism of Republicans and near-economic collapse left Obama too dependent on corporate leaders, who had a large role in the collapse.

His bailout of offending corporations seemed necessary, while the hardships of common Americans were somewhat forgotten. Consequently, neither the sins of the Bush administration or of Wall Street were given much accountability.

In government, lack of real accountability for corruption was set with the pardon of Nixon by Gerald Ford, then Reagan’s role in Iran-Contra was excused, followed by George W. Bush’s horrendous war and a botched Katrina rescue were forgotten.

For businesses, it was the same. Business executives never paid any price, only minor corporate fines. There was the Savings and Loan debacle during Reagan and the Wall Street-caused housing crisis during the George W. Bush administration and their continued capture of government.

The Trump administration proved that it could get much worse with its very existence being cast in crime. His enablement by the Republican Party helped things evolve into absolutely no accountability for lawlessness, leading to the most heinous crime of permitting an attempt to overthrow our democracy.

Even now, the Republican minority leader, Kevin McCarthy is conferring with insurrectionist, Donald J. Trump, at his retreat at Mara Lago. In Trump’s second impeachment trial, it seems apparent there is Republican tolerance for even a vicious insurrection that killed 5 people, sacked the Capitol, and wounded many hundreds of others. Trump will most likely escape a second attempt to remove him from the political scene in the future.

Civil and state criminal charges await Trump, but his culpability remains to be seen.

Whatever the outcomes of the charges against Trump, Republicans have shown a preference for even more authoritarian leadership in the future. Filled with Trump and right-wing lies, many Republican voters still think Trump won the 2020 election.

Even without Trump or Republican majorities, Republicans seem utterly capable of supporting another round of insurrection.

Right now, Republicans are willing to sacrifice innocent lives, promote insurrection and deny our country’s unified effort in fighting a deadly virus and saving American lives.

House minority leader, Kevin McCarthy, still confers with insurrectionist Donald Trump and is not willing to dismiss a House member who promoted the insurrection, Marjorie Taylor Greene, and publicly called for the assassination of House majority leader, Nancy Pelosi.

As a major advocate of vile conspiracy theories – denying the murder of children at Sandy Hook School and pushing the QaNon child-molestation by Democrats claim, Greene should not be accepted in the People’s House and certainly not a member of the education committee.

So, who supports the election of Republicans who rebuke a democratic government? Republicans have reason to believe major corporations.

Even beyond support of our democracy is the survival of humans on this planet. Many signs show us that working for the national common good, let alone the global common good, is not something that corporate chieftains are willing to focus on with their financial support. Accordingly, their agent and promoter, the Republican Party, still a fervent denier of climate change, has no long-term human survival focus, only maintaining a hold on power.

If Republicans continue to have financial corporate backers who support their anti-democracy views, Republicans will stay their course toward the dismantlement of democracy.

Where do you stand now corporate chieftains? Will your support of Republican election and re-election stop, or will you in effect support insurrection and the ultimate demise of our democracy? That is where Republicans are right now.

We have reason to suspect the latter.