"one weeps for one's country"....

[Fast Walker 52]

The Trump Administration is, already, the most corrupt in American history simply because corruption, properly defined, lies in the control of possible channels of influence as much as in money directly pocketed. A prospective deal that would have seen a politically connected Chinese company investing in a real-estate project controlled by the family of Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner—at the very moment when, however absurdly, Kushner is supposed to play a role in China policy—only got called off after a raft of bad publicity, leaving no principle in place to protect us from more predation. Meanwhile, the Trump boys roam the world making deals on their father’s behalf, giving foreign governments and entrepreneurs every reason to believe that enriching the First Family is a precondition for earning American favor. This is exactly the way government runs in many Third World countries: the boss man’s family goes everywhere making deals on his behalf to enrich themselves, with the quid pro quo always perfectly apparent. Nothing—no ethical officer, no blind trust—stands between Trump and his own enrichment through office. One recalls the torturous mechanisms with which poor Jimmy Carter sought to seal off his peanut farm from the slightest appearance of conflict of interest—and the vengeful rhetoric of Republican conservative columnists scanning for signs of a failure—and one weeps for one’s country.

http://www.newyorker.com/news/daily-comment/the-new-dark-art-of-trump-towerology

Really great piece.

[bucolic_frolic]

1. Government where bitterness and anger

drive policy decisions.

[Fast Walker 52]

2. Rachel Maddow covers the real estate angle-- insane

http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow/watch/trump-real-estate-a-potential-means-to-pay-money-to-a-president-927074883637

[safeinOhio]

3. Corrupt money does not go to the leader

Until it passes through family members. That's how it works.

[malthaussen]

4. "Three months past dignity." Yes. n/t

[dalton99a]

5. Great article.

[BSdetect]

6. I can't think of a real solution other than mass uprising

And that is not likely ever.

We do what we can now. And hope.

[Fast Walker 52]

7. vote -- we need a huge wave and I think it's coming