Fat Cats Just Wanna Eat More Mice (We’re the Mice)

Since the U.S. is now by some measures an oligarchy, it might be important for you to know which oligarchs in your state control your government.

In simple terms, an oligarchy is a government of the rich, by the rich, and for the rich. In an oligarchy, the billionaires benefit. You don’t.

In the U.S. today, 906 billionaires (or it might be 1,000, depending on your source) hold more wealth than half of the country.

Who are these billionaires, who can control what you know (your education, your news sources), what you can do (make enough money to support your family, or not; vote, or not; drink drinkable water and breath breathable air, or not), and who you are (self-confident and successful, or not)?

Billionaires in Oregon, my state

There are only three billionaires in my state:

• Phil Knight, net worth 35.4 billion
• Travis Boersma, net worth $4 billion
• Timothy Boyle, net worth $2.3 Billion

Phil Knight co-founded Nike in 1964 and remains its largest individual shareholder. Retired since 2015, he has donated to Oregon's educational and scientific institutions, which you might think is nice of him.