text: can someone be elected president without being a member of the tri lateral commission? in 1980, ronald reagan, when he was running for the nomination, spoke out against secret societies like the commission, and set he would investigate them if president. he spoke out against george h.w. bush. however, when it came to choose his running mate, he chose bush, a man as deeply involved in secret societies as there is in politics. why the sudden change of heart. jimmy carter joined the commission in 1972 as an obscure governor from georgia. in 1976 he was elected president. could he have done this without the backing of the commission?  it is a group of people that hedges their bets. no matter which party gets elected they will have their people in power. the next thing you'll say is that there are aliens in this country & they are controlling the elections.