​A Boston-born lesson in power, money, and how not to get played by billionaires.

While seeing Elon Musk announce that he's starting his own political party is a bit more believable than, say, seeing Sox iconic old school manager Don Zimmer flailing around on the Fenway infield grass in a Yankee uniform, it still makes you wonder: "How the F can this possibly happen?"

This isn't satire. It’s reality. A hyper-wealthy, ultra-visible tech mogul can now decide to bypass both political parties, fund his own version of the future, and stack the media with paid influencers to make it sound like revolution.

And guess what? It’s completely legal.
Forget storming the castle. The new American revolution comes with a Super PAC and a livestream.

How Is This Legal? Because our campaign finance system is softer than the middle of a Dunk's Boston Creme donut.

Here’s how it works:

• Start a political party. Easy—just some paperwork and branding.
• Fund it with your billions. Legal under Citizens United.
• Use Super PACs and 501(c)(4)s to launder influence without technically breaking any rules.
• Buy ad space, media channels, podcast hosts, and whatever else you need to flood the public with your message.

It’s not illegal. It’s just rigged. And it's been heading this way for years.

What’s Supposed to Stop This? In theory?

• The Federal Election Commission (FEC) regulates campaign finance. But it’s underfunded, understaffed, and deadlocked.
• Super PACs are supposed to be "independent." But “independent” these days means “they didn't email each other.”
• Voting rights protections? Rolled back.
• Media fairness laws? Gone.
• Transparency? Optional.

It’s not even that the fox is guarding the henhouse. It’s that the fox bought the henhouse, fired the farmer, and renamed the property “Liberty Acres.”

So What Can We Do?
Well, we can’t outspend Elon. But we can out-learn him. Because the most powerful thing in a democracy isn’t money—it’s an educated public. And the best place to start building that? The dinner table and the classroom. Because let’s be honest—if we’re old enough to remember the shock of seeing Don Zimmer go down in pinstripes, we should be wise enough to teach the next generation how not to get blindsided by billionaires doing backflips through legal loopholes.

Enter the LERN teaching module designed to help students, teachers, and even skeptical adults understand just how deep this rabbit hole goes—and what we can do about it.

LERN Teaching Module:

Power, Money, and Democracy: Who’s Actually in Charge Around Here?

OVERVIEW
Here's a creative and interactive teaching module designed to help young adults understand campaign finance, media influence, and the role of wealth in U.S. politics. Ideal for middle school, high school, or early college students. Emphasis on current events, critical thinking, and student-led discovery. Adaptable for civics, history, media studies, or social justice curricula.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES

• Understand how political parties are formed and financed in the U.S.
• Analyze how money influences political messaging and policy.
• Evaluate the impact of Supreme Court decisions like Citizens United.
• Recognize and decode modern propaganda, campaign advertising, and political branding.
• Inspire student civic engagement through creativity, research, and debate.

LESSON STRUCTURE (3 CLASS SESSIONS)

Session 1: The Price of Power
Topic: How political parties and campaigns get funded.
Activity: "Follow the Money" Treasure Hunt

• Students break into groups and pick a public figure or political issue.
• Use sites like OpenSecrets.org or BallotPedia to track money trails.
• Present findings: Who’s donating, who’s benefiting?
• Group discussion: “Is this democracy, or an auction?”

Homework: Read a brief on Citizens United and write a one-paragraph reaction: Agree or disagree?


Session 2: Ads, Influence, and Algorithms
Topic: How media and money shape public opinion.
Activity: TikTok & YouTube Ad Analysis

• Teacher provides 3–4 real political/social issue ads from various sources.
• Students analyze each using a guided worksheet: Who paid for it? What emotion is it triggering? What’s the bias?
• Discussion: What makes an ad persuasive? Is that good or bad?

Bonus Option: Create a 15-second mock ad using Canva, CapCut, or poster board. Theme: "Buy Your Own Democracy."
Homework: Write a short reflection: Have you ever been influenced by an ad without realizing it? Be honest.


Session 3: Let’s Rewrite the Rules
Topic: What can we do about it?
Activity: Simulation Game — “So You Want to Be a Billionaire”

• Students role-play as billionaires, grassroots organizers, PACs, media moguls, and voters.
• Teacher provides game cards with budgets, goals, and secret motivations.
• Objective: Win influence without getting caught or hated. (Also learn something.)
• Debrief: What surprised you? Who had power, and who didn’t?

Final Project Prompt (Optional): Choose one:

• Propose a new rule or law to level the political playing field.
• Remix a historical protest with a modern spin ("If Paul Revere Had a TikTok").
• Write or record a message to future voters: What should they watch out for?

MATERIALS NEEDED:

• Internet access
• Projector or screen for ad playback
• Printed worksheets
• Role-play game cards (provided separately)
• Creative tools (Canva, CapCut, poster board, etc.)

NOTES TO EDUCATORS:

• Keep it light but meaningful. Students respond to humor and relevance.
• Sports-based and local analogies work well, such as Boston's Tea Party, Paul Revere, Fenway folklore.
• Invite debate but guide it with facts. Don't prompt partisan debate.
• Encourage students to think beyond left vs. right. This is about power literacy, not partisanship.
• See model for Assessment Rubric below

To learn more about the kind of betrayal Boston fans never forget—and the man who went from Sox legend to Yankees brawler—read our blog:
​
→ Don Zimmer and the Ghost of Fenway

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A Boston sports tragedy with political undertones.

Let’s go back to one of the most bizarre, painful, and unforgettable moments in Red Sox history: Don Zimmer, once the old-school heartbeat of Boston baseball, tumbling face-first into the Fenway grass--in a Yankees uniform.

It wasn’t just the fall. It was who he was falling for. And who he’d become.
This wasn’t just a baseball moment. It was a full-blown Greek tragedy in a polyester uniform. A Boston guy going Bronx, charging Pedro Martinez like a runaway T train, only to be gently—and embarrassingly—redirected into the turf by a guy half his age.

You could hear it echo across New England: "Zim… what the hell are you doing?"

The Man Before the Mess
Don Zimmer wasn’t just a coach. He was a grinder. A lifer. A baseball rat with deep roots and deep love for the game—and for Boston.

He played for the Sox. He coached the Sox. He wore his heart on his sleeve and that sleeve often had Red Sox dirt on it. He was old-school tough, the kind of guy you wanted in your dugout when things got hairy. He knew the Green Monster like it was his own backyard fence.

But Boston didn’t treat Zim like royalty. After his managerial stint ended without a ring, the front office gave him the boot. No farewell parade. Just a ticket out.

So what did he do? He went full traitor (we say it lovingly) and put on pinstripes.

Why Did Zimmer Join the Yankees? Two reasons:

1. Love of the game. The Yankees gave him a spot when nobody else would.
2. A little chip on his shoulder. You don’t have to be from Southie to understand revenge hiring.

Zim had value. He still loved baseball. And Boston hadn’t exactly sent him out with a gift basket.
So when Joe Torre called, Zim answered. And just like that, the ghost of Fenway joined the Empire.

The Brawl Heard Round the World
It all came to a head during the 2003 ALCS. Pedro was throwing heat and chin music. To add to the Greek tragedy, so was former Red Sox legendary pitcher Roger Clemens—now, also in pinstripes. The benches cleared. Zimmer--then 72 years old—charged the mound like he was auditioning for a role in Gladiator. Pedro, in a moment that will live in Boston highlight reels forever, sidestepped and placed the old man face down on the Fenway infield grass.

No punches. No real harm. But all the emotional damage you could ever need.
It was the ultimate Boston soap opera, immortalized in memes, replays, and the hushed horror of fans everywhere. And let’s be honest: Zimmer probably regretted the whole thing the moment gravity took over.

The Legacy?
Today, Zimmer’s story is a warning.

• About loyalty.
• About pride.
• About what happens when your old team turns its back on you—and you end up wearing enemy colors in front of the people who used to cheer your name.

Zimmer didn’t just leave Boston. Boston left him. And that choice—to chase relevance in enemy colors—turned into a cautionary tale that still haunts the Fenway faithful.

So what’s the connection to modern politics?
It’s simple: If we let loyalty be bought, we end up with icons in enemy uniforms, flailing in confusion.
Just like Zimmer.

Want to understand how power, influence, and betrayal play out off the field?
Read: Elon’s Buying a Political Party. Paul Revere’s Spinning in His Grave.
You’ll see the same themes—just with fewer helmets and more Super PACs.