Doesn’t Matter Who Wins the K Race; We’re All the Same

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Putin can damage Trump, just the same way a well heeled or corporate donor can any politician it wishes to. Putin’s actions are those of a power broker. The “conspiracy” our media has concocted (because common media consumers and many low information reporters like conspiracy stories) is identical to the relationship between powerful lobbyists and politicians. I’d say all Putin needs is an office on K Street. But he’s already probably got a dozen, through countless untraceable intermediaries.

I'm sorry, I know that you're trying to make a point about how corrupt business as usual is, but this is nuts. Putin is categorically different from someone with a lot of money. There are a lot of people with a lot of money, and the President is often making some of them unhappy, but usually because he is making other Americans happy. Putin is not an American. If Putin were to reveal that Trump had done something covert for him, it would have a stench of betrayal that is different. Putin also is different because he has the resources of a whole 'nother country.

Corporate donors get play partly because the political parties don't have to betray their principles much to do it. They can find a way to give a favor by doing something they were elected to do (tax cuts!). But Trump's weird relationship with Russia seems like a personal thing with Putin. It's not like he has some special affinity for the Russian culture or people. It's very personal.

[sebastian_dangerfield]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

I'm sorry, I know that you're trying to make a point about how corrupt business as usual is, but this is nuts. Putin is categorically different from someone with a lot of money. There are a lot of people with a lot of money, and the President is often making some of them unhappy, but usually because he is making other Americans happy. Putin is not an American. If Putin were to reveal that Trump had done something covert for him, it would have a stench of betrayal that is different. Putin also is different because he has the resources of a whole 'nother country.

Corporate donors get play partly because the political parties don't have to betray their principles much to do it. They can find a way to give a favor by doing something they were elected to do (tax cuts!). But Trump's weird relationship with Russia seems like a personal thing with Putin. It's not like he has some special affinity for the Russian culture or people. It's very personal.

Putin is an extreme example, true. But not terribly much more powerful than Rupert Murdoch. I’d surmise Rupert can manipulate Trump almost as much as Putin. Putin’s distinction is he can do it more easily. He just threatens to call loans and drop dirt on Trump. Murdoch has to cause public opinion shifts to indirectly move Trump where he needs him to go.

Look at how Murdoch pushed Trump to kill the Sinclair deal that would’ve created a competitor against Fox. That was the mother of all arm twists.

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Putin is an extreme example, true. But not terribly much more powerful than Rupert Murdoch. I’d surmise Rupert can manipulate Trump almost as much as Putin. Putin’s distinction is he can do it more easily. He just threatens to call loans and drop dirt on Trump. Murdoch has to cause public opinion shifts to indirectly move Trump where he needs him to go.

Look at how Murdoch pushed Trump to kill the Sinclair deal that would’ve created a competitor against Fox. That was the mother of all arm twists.

"Putin is an extreme example" if you are really talking about rich businessmen and their sway over politicians, which is what you are talking about (again). But you just hijacked an exchange about something else, which is Trump and Russia, and changed the subject.

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Tyrone Slothrop

"Putin is an extreme example" if you are really talking about rich businessmen and their sway over politicians, which is what you are talking about (again). But you just hijacked an exchange about something else, which is Trump and Russia, and changed the subject.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rAdUuGsi30g

[Pretty Little Flower]

Originally Posted by Hank Chinaski

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=rAdUuGsi30g

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6BSH2uIe4

[Tyrone Slothrop]

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6BSH2uIe4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQw4w9WgXcQ

[Hank Chinaski]

Originally Posted by Pretty Little Flower

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yc6BSH2uIe4

Touché

Sometimes when I finally see the video for a MB old favorite I think I might have been interpreting the meaning of the lyrics wrong all along, TBH{confused face}

[Adder]

Originally Posted by sebastian_dangerfield

Putin is an extreme example, true. But not terribly much more powerful than Rupert Murdoch. I’d surmise Rupert can manipulate Trump almost as much as Putin. Putin’s distinction is he can do it more easily. He just threatens to call loans and drop dirt on Trump. Murdoch has to cause public opinion shifts to indirectly move Trump where he needs him to go.

These are categorically different things.

With that said, in my more tinfoil-hatted moments it does seem as though there is a global cabal of oligarchs (Murdoch, Kochs, Putin and his cronies) backing the worldwide white nationalist movement, so, ya know.

The Kochs both don't really fit in there, because they seem to be genuinely be motivated by (highly profitable for them) libertarianism and less interested in stoking ethnonationalism, and do because much of this is about propping up dying extraction industries (i.e., Russia's entire economy).