Money and political power are being masqueraded as protection of free speech by the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that struck down the right of public sector unions to collect agency fees from non-members represented in collective bargaining.

America’s middle class likely will continue to shrink as a result, because the nation’s wealthy will strengthen its grip on the nation’s economy.

Let there be no doubt that the Republicans will hail the ruling as a victory for freedom. What won’t be said is that the freedom referred to is the freedom for the rich to enslave the remaining 99 percent of us who are not enjoying the largess of today’s economy.

Tweeted President Donald Trump Wednesday: “Supreme Court rules in favor of non-union workers who are now, as an example, able to support a candidate of his or her choice without having those who control the Union deciding for them. Big loss for the coffers of the Democrats!”

For those who view unions as a collection of thugs, communists or anarchists — that would include most who make up Trump’s base — that tweet would ring true. What they don’t realize, however, is that court precedent prohibits unions from forcing non-members to pay fees for political activity. Indeed, the portion of Hawaii State Teachers Association dues spent on political action is refunded for the asking. If Trump and the Republicans were honest, they would explain that the ruling was about fees charged for issues related to collective bargaining.

Perhaps that realization would not prompt that group to celebrate, particularly if they knew that in so-called “right to work” states that already legislated what the ruling does, workers earn substantially lower wages and are provided much poorer benefits. That simply speaks for itself. If unimpeded, most of corporate America would choose to keep wages and benefits down to pay out larger dividends to their shareholders.

State governments follow suit by paying public sector workers less in order to pursue pet projects to keep them in office. Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker provides a sterling example for this, ironically, where organized labor was born.

Nevertheless, Trump’s last line — “Big loss for the coffers of the Democrats!” — does ring true. Few are the sources for the money needed to counter the propaganda delivered on a daily basis to keep America an oligarchy, a nation ruled by the rich. Thanks to another Supreme Court ruling that dropped restrictions on campaign funding (Citizens United), Republican donors such as the uber-rich Koch brothers spend billions to bankroll candidates who will forever be beholden to their donors’ agendas.

The nation’s unions have provided the Democrats funding that paled in comparison to the dark money spent on Republicans, but nevertheless amounted to one of the party’s more substantial sources. The upshot to this is that if this ruling leads to the demise of public sector unions in America, there will be less money available to defend against the onslaught of the wealthy who will gladly pick the pocket of everyone less fortunate than them. If that seems a radical statement, consider that the five members of the Walton family who are the main heirs to the Walmart fortune saw their collective net worth increase by $5 billion in 2017 to $140 billion, according to Money magazine. Think much of that is donated to the Democrats? Think Walmart’s workers are paid a living wage?

So, the Supreme Court’s 5-4 ruling is really about money and power. The American public must look beyond the rhetoric, because that power ultimately will erode America’s freedoms as we know them.

Alan Isbell, a teacher in Wailuku, is Maui chapter president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association.