The Real Power in Washington Isn’t Elected—And Never Has Been: And Why We Better Get Off Our Asses and Vote Anyway

The Jack Hopkins Now Newsletter #355

Dirty Money, Clean Lies: What 'Laundrymen' Reveals About Our Government Today

I read…a lot. I’ve averaged a book a week for over 30 years. It borders on obsessive. I’ve always said, “It’s better than drugs and gambling,” and that’s made it hard for anyone to argue with me.

Some of those books stand out, or…at the very least…pop into your mind when some life event comes along and reminds you of something in that book…or the book as a whole.

Laundrymen, by Jeffrey Robinson…published in 1995…is one such book. (Yes, my keyboard is dusty ;)

In his book Laundrymen, Jeffrey Robinson pulls back the curtain on one of the most shadowy industries in the world: money laundering.

Through meticulous reporting and unflinching detail…he exposes how drug cartels… corrupt officials…arms dealers…and multinational banks create intricate pipelines to turn dirty money into usable capital.

But reading Laundrymen today isn't just a lesson in financial crime—it's a mirror reflecting the increasingly murky ethics of our own government.

The parallels between Robinson's depiction of criminal laundering and what we're seeing in today’s politics are both disturbing and undeniable.

In the criminal world…money laundering is about covering tracks…avoiding scrutiny… and legitimizing illegitimate power. Sound familiar?

From billion-dollar military contracts with minimal oversight to campaign funds flowing from opaque sources…today’s leaders and institutions too often operate with the same lack of transparency…the same evasion of accountability…and the same goal: protect the power structure.

The Language of Legitimacy

One of the most chilling lessons from Laundrymen is how easily criminal enterprises adopt the language of legitimacy.

They don't look like crooks; they look like CEOs, lawyers, and "consultants."

That very sleight of hand is echoed in our political culture…where elected officials defend ethically indefensible decisions with talking points polished by PR firms and spin doctors.

Policies that harm the vulnerable are rebranded as "budget balancing." Military escalations are cast as "peacekeeping." Mass surveillance is justified as "national security."

In both cases, language becomes a laundering device in itself—used to sanitize actions that would otherwise trigger outrage.

Just like laundered money appears clean while retaining its dirty origin…laundered language makes corruption palatable while shielding those responsible from consequence.

Systems Built to Be Exploited

Robinson demonstrates how global financial systems weren't hijacked by money launderers—they were built in ways that practically invite them in.

Loopholes…offshore accounts…shell corporations…and a lack of enforcement weren't bugs; they were features.

Our political and institutional systems reflect a similar design. From gerrymandering to lobbying…from classified black budgets to revolving doors between regulatory agencies and corporations…the structure often serves the power-hungry better than the public.

The modern American political system isn’t broken. It’s functioning exactly as it was redesigned to—to benefit insiders…donors…and those who know how to navigate the labyrinth of influence without triggering alarms.

Transparency as Threat

In Laundrymen, the people who pose the biggest threat to the system aren't the criminals themselves—it's the whistleblowers…auditors…and journalists who try to expose them.

And just like in that world…today’s truth-tellers face smear campaigns…digital surveillance…legal threats…and outright censorship.

Think of how quickly politicians cry "witch hunt" when their conduct is investigated.

Or how swiftly media narratives shift to discredit legitimate critique by labeling it as partisan…conspiratorial…or even unpatriotic.

Secrecy is power. And the more entrenched that secrecy becomes…the more dangerous transparency appears to those who depend on it staying buried.

Public Apathy as Laundering Fuel

Robinson underscores how money laundering thrives not only because of corrupt actors…but also because of public indifference.

When people stop paying attention… stop asking questions…or convince themselves that "everyone's corrupt," the system gets stronger.

Similarly, political rot in the U.S. thrives on voter fatigue…cynicism…and disengagement.

By convincing the public that nothing can change…that all sides are equally bad…those in power ensure that no one is ever held accountable.

In this sense, apathy is the final rinse cycle. It washes away the last trace of outrage and replaces it with hopeless resignation.

The Cost of Staying Clean

To stay clean—whether as a banker…a public servant…or a citizen—often comes at a price. In Laundrymen, those who refuse to play along with laundering networks risk careers…reputations…or worse.

The same goes for politicians or bureaucrats today who resist corruption or blow the whistle on misuse of power. They are isolated…discredited…or forced out. Even voters who demand better are mocked as naive or idealistic.

I’ve learned about that on social media, where I get “jumped on” for having the audacity to call out Democratic leaders I don’t feel are doing their job at the level this moment calls for.

It’s our duty as U.S. citizens to call out anyone in government we feel is slacking, not just those in the opposite party.

I consider it doing my part to help keep our leadership “clean.” Yes…it comes at a price, and…no, my efforts haven’t produced noteworthy results. Still…I continue. I must.

Staying clean is the only way to reclaim systems built to exploit.

It begins with calling out hypocrisy wherever it appears: in a president who slashes food aid while funding vanity parades…in lawmakers who preach family values while laundering lobbyist cash…in a media culture more concerned with horse races than truth.

We Are the Detergent

The brilliance of Laundrymen is not just that it maps a global crime network…but that it offers a metaphor for how corruption thrives anywhere systems allow it.

Today’s government may not be laundering drug money (although I might be wrong) but it launders influence…power…and deception just as skillfully.

We can’t reform what we refuse to acknowledge. And we can’t clean what we’re too afraid to touch.

The lesson of Laundrymen isn’t just about crime. It’s about complacency.

Corruption doesn't need your permission—it just needs your silence.

If we want better…we have to demand it. Loudly. Relentlessly. Together.

Especially when we reach a point of what we are convinced is total exhaustion…and feel like nothing we are doing matters. Especially then.

Because in the end…we are the detergent. Let’s get sudsy…and stay that way.

The Real Power in Washington Isn’t Elected—And Never Has Been: And Why We Better Get Off Our Asses and Vote Anyway

“The Real Power in Washington Isn’t Elected—And Never Has Been”

You might say, “Then why in the hell should we even bother voting, Jack?!” That’s a great question.

It’s true; the real power in Washington isn’t elected…and never has been. And yet, that doesn’t mean elections are meaningless. In fact…it makes them even more critical.

The levers of influence behind closed doors—corporate interests…intelligence networks…lobbying machines…entrenched bureaucracies…are deeply embedded in our system.

They don’t change when presidents do.

But what can shift…is who’s allowed to challenge them…expose them…regulate them…or at the very least…refuse to be controlled by them. That’s where our vote still matters.

We don’t elect revolutionaries to overthrow hidden power…we elect fighters who can withstand it. Who can navigate it. Who can call it out when it’s convenient to stay quiet.

(Yes, Trump is in the White House…again. Yet, I doubt whether many people reading this voted for him in 2024. Thus, we didn’t elect a revolutionary…or a dictator. We voted for something else.)

Electing someone with a spine…a conscience…and a clear sense of history isn’t about hero worship…it’s about survival.

In a system where real power is often unaccountable…the people we do put in office are often our last line of defense against erosion of rights…corruption of truth…and collapse of democratic norms.

We can’t afford to sit out the fight just because it’s rigged in places we can’t see.

That’s exactly what the riggers are hoping for.

Voting. For. The. Right. People. Still. Matters. Damnit. Now…More Than Ever!

Why Voting Still Matters

Even if the real power in Washington isn’t elected…our votes remain a critical tool for shaping the direction of our nation.

Elections determine who holds office…and while these individuals may not control all levers of power…they influence policy decisions…judicial appointments…and the national discourse.

By voting, we can choose leaders who prioritize transparency…accountability…and the public interest.

Voting is a means of holding officials accountable. When elected representatives fail to serve their constituents…the ballot box offers a peaceful method for change.

It's a way to express approval or disapproval of policies and actions…ensuring that public servants remain answerable to the people.

In essence, while unelected entities may exert considerable influence…the act of voting empowers citizens to guide the nation's course…advocate for their values…and uphold the principles of democracy.

Wheewww. Okay…I think that’s almost a wrap.

Before I finish, I want to ask you a question

Since launching JHN in August 2023, I’ve always poured everything I have into this project—but lately…that’s gone to another level.

The volume of material I’m publishing each week has nearly doubled compared to the first year and a half. Not because I have to…but because I genuinely believe this moment in history demands it.

This isn’t work that drains me…it fuels me. The urgency of what we’re facing…the stakes of what’s unfolding…it lights a fire under my ass every single day.

And more than ever, I feel a responsibility to make sure that what I write doesn’t just inform…but equips…challenges…and adds real value to your understanding of the world.

If that’s coming through in the writing…and if you feel that intensity…that drive…I’d love to hear it.

Can you feel that?

And if not, I want to know that too. Either way…your presence here matters deeply to me. Thank you for reading…engaging…and thinking alongside me.

We’re in this together…and I don’t take that for granted.

Warmly,

Jack