19 Comments
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Lisa's avatar

Why can't we just call them 'payoffs'? That is what they are.

You are quite correct. We need to stop with the polite euphemisms.

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Patric Martin's avatar

Agreed. A bribe is a bribe.

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Tracie Lindquist's avatar

Bribes. They are bribes. They're probably blackmail, if you want to get REALLY technical.

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pts's avatar

Yep, bribes extorted through intimidation (which includes both implicit and explicit threats). Also known as strong-arming.

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Wayne Shaw's avatar

Or bribes. That, at least, could be an accurate description of 'payoff', which in turn should replace 'settlements.'

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Shannon Starks's avatar

It's tribute money.

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Katherine Cummings's avatar

It says a lot about where we are when Rachel Maddox makes a plea for supporting pubic broadcasting from her desk at MSNBC.

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Patric Martin's avatar

My big takeaway from Rachel Maddow’s segment last night was that Trump and MAGA are now going after donors as a way to shut NPR/PBS down, not just ending Fed subsidies, which are only a small portion of their budget.

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Linnea's avatar

Trump wants NPR and PBS gone! The FCC is investigating their "news content". What is next looking for Big Bird's food source?

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Dr. Judith Schlesinger's avatar

How about "blackmail"? As you say, settlement no longer applies. And BTW, Jen, your use of "regime" to replace "administration" seems so natural and right now!

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KnockKnockGreenpeace's avatar

Nobody has our backs anymore in this democracy, and particularly the stakeholders--the free press, the free market titans ... or most of Congress. Farewell, America.

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DAL61's avatar

Is the root of all of this Citizens United? It seems that money has bought and muzzled Congress and is concurrently targeting the media. Is legislation to limit money in politics necessary to got us out of this for the long term (yes I recognize how difficult/impossible this is)

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Tracie Lindquist's avatar

Sen. John McKain knew that Citizens United was the final nail in democracy's coffin.

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David Parrish's avatar

Yes, but really at this point we have even larger problems in our hands: we have a President who is mowing down law after law with with executive fiat,

daring Congress to do anything about it (they won't) and not caring if it results in litigation--by the time the courts rule on anything the damage to our government will have been irrapairable. And that's assuming an eventual appeal to the Supreme Court will result against Trump's vast overreach, which with this bought and paid for Court isn't a given. And even if they rule against him, who will enforce it???

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DAL61's avatar

Oh agree. But isn’t the fear of money buying elections and being primaried that has enabled Trump. And if it is money, does the power reside w Trump or Musk. Again, agree w your points

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Joan Tindell's avatar

Trump sued Meta for suspending him which, as a nongovernmental entity, it had every right to do. On Monday, Musk removed an X account for naming six DOGE employees working with him, alleging that by doing so, the user had "committed a crime." In this administration, free speech only works one way. We are neither amused nor surprised.

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Arkansas Blue's avatar

By the end of the Musk/orange felon regime (if there is an end), they will both be trillionaires.

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Richard Graham's avatar

My new bumper sticker in Durango "STD" -- Stop the Donald (he is a virus)

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M Dettwiler's avatar

hello...can not find a place for "contact us" -

I am a paid subscriber - but have NOT gotten ANY posts since yesterday AM..(5/3/25 am)

how do I remedy this?

thanks!

marguerite Dettwiler

murphy9182@gmail.com

was getting all of your posts.. until yesterday-

and did check "junk" mail- no posts there

thanks!

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