This, but unironically. This is why the amount it takes to corrupt a politician seems so small. It’s not that $10k can buy a Senator, it’s the ability to end a 10k/year revenue stream that does it. This is the importance of campaign finance reform. Companies aren’t people, and even if they were, it wouldn’t matter because money isn’t speech.
I think the wording needs to be less specific than just “money isn’t speech”. Because what you’ll end up with is “uhmmm actually, I didn’t give him money… I gifted him and RV”.
There’s something called “the spirit of the law”, and contrarians and fascists love to wrap themselves up with “the letter of the law”. So when you explictly say “money” in the wording, facsists will do “ummm technically” all day. Obviously, “no money in politics” is great, in spirit, but you can’t be that explicit, OR, you have to be extra extra explicit and name all the things not allowed in politics. And at that point you will be playing whack-a-mole as they try to find loopholes and technicalities not barred by the letter of the law.
Senior politicians get a higher price because they can influence their junior colleagues. They’re also seen as a longer term investment. The ones you’re thinking of are the juniors that might not be around the next election cycle or have much influence over their colleagues.
RetroFed
PugJesus
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This, but unironically. This is why the amount it takes to corrupt a politician seems so small. It’s not that $10k can buy a Senator, it’s the ability to end a 10k/year revenue stream that does it. This is the importance of campaign finance reform. Companies aren’t people, and even if they were, it wouldn’t matter because money isn’t speech.
I think the wording needs to be less specific than just “money isn’t speech”. Because what you’ll end up with is “uhmmm actually, I didn’t give him money… I gifted him and RV”.
There’s something called “the spirit of the law”, and contrarians and fascists love to wrap themselves up with “the letter of the law”. So when you explictly say “money” in the wording, facsists will do “ummm technically” all day. Obviously, “no money in politics” is great, in spirit, but you can’t be that explicit, OR, you have to be extra extra explicit and name all the things not allowed in politics. And at that point you will be playing whack-a-mole as they try to find loopholes and technicalities not barred by the letter of the law.
The user was referring to Campaign Finances. Which generally don’t include RVs but if it did then it gets itemized in the form of Money Value.
Senior politicians get a higher price because they can influence their junior colleagues. They’re also seen as a longer term investment. The ones you’re thinking of are the juniors that might not be around the next election cycle or have much influence over their colleagues.
Qatar should ask for it back and then just dump it in the ocean.
@PugJesus did not got it … could you share the source ? 🙏
https://www.cnbc.com/2025/05/20/qatari-pm-denies-jumbo-jet-gift-to-trump-is-bribery.html
@PugJesus thanks for sharing. 🙂