“Corruption is patrimonialism’s Achilles’ heel because the public understands it and doesn’t like it. It is not an abstraction like ‘democracy’ or ‘Constitution’ or ‘rule of law.’ It conveys that the government is being run for them, not for you.” search.app/B3oTfWts5TgJ... - ThreadSky

tribelaw.bsky.social • 54 days ago

“Corruption is patrimonialism’s Achilles’ heel because the public understands it and doesn’t like it. It is not an abstraction like ‘democracy’ or ‘Constitution’ or ‘rule of law.’ It conveys that the government is being run for them, not for you.” https://search.app/B3oTfWts5TgJasCi7

Comments

raffles8.bsky.social•52 days ago

I read this article here this morning and haven’t stopped thinking about it since, so I just read it again… well worth the time …

raffles8.bsky.social•53 days ago

Sharing in the hope that many more people will take the time to read and re-read this article.

ltribuzioedd.bsky.social•54 days ago

Putin has groomed Trump for 40 years. Putin's goal is to rule Canada as well as the US, as well as other regions.

velvetabundance.bsky.social•54 days ago

I’m doubtful that Putin wants to rule America. He hates it—not just ideologically but culturally. Americans are weak, stupid, etc. in his view. I think he’d be more than content if America just destroyed itself.

praire.bsky.social•54 days ago

Agree again Velvet!!

aroostookdemocrats.bsky.social•52 days ago

aroostookdemocrats.bsky.social•54 days ago

brettmccabe.bsky.social•54 days ago

Patriotism is bullshit. Humanism is The Way.

carljungfranz.bsky.social•54 days ago

Trump is not the main problem.
The 77 million base voters is the problem.
The dead-letter-literal-interpretation of the Bible evangelical white nationalists is the problem.
The anti-abortion anti-gay anti-immigration etc., is the problem.
Jim Crow 2.0 voting laws is the problem
Anti-science problem.

normajdl.bsky.social•54 days ago

Voter suppression is

marymarr.bsky.social•54 days ago

Exactly. They did everything they could to suppress votes, and many seem to forget the illegal redistricting in Georgia.

humanintransit.bsky.social•53 days ago

Not completely wrong- that’s how🟠got his hoot in the door.

patricia59.bsky.social•54 days ago

I don't doubt there are a lot of benighted voters out there, but FElon had his finger on the scale for sure this time around...

velvetabundance.bsky.social•54 days ago

I get where you're coming from, but leadership shouldn’t be underestimated—it plays a huge role, especially in the current climate. Media control, misinformation, and distrust in institutions have left many people conditioned, influenced, and polarised.

praire.bsky.social•54 days ago

You both make valid points!

aubs67.bsky.social•54 days ago

Yep… and those sheep need a ‘shepherd’ — even if he’s 🤡

bird53.bsky.social•54 days ago

I wish you were right. Trump's corruption has long been public knowledge and yet 77M voted for him. Trump's not so secret power is to display all his bad behavior in bright sunlight and convince voters that stopping DEI is more important.

maradolan.bsky.social•54 days ago

“Corruption” is also a word better understood by the 52% of Americans who read at or below the sixth grade level.

marymarr.bsky.social•54 days ago

Actually, they do NOT understand the word. They also believe everything they hear on tv, particularly if said person looks like them. Then there's those who think, as long as it happens to "them". There's no double-checking for/of facts, bs, or outright lies.

donellgmab.bsky.social•53 days ago

You know what might save money? A bill to cancel the Healthcare benefits of recipients in the current and past Judicial, Legislative, and Executive branches.
Hmmmmm

alexand-garin.bsky.social•54 days ago

That was the strategy of Navalny in Russia.

jhollinrake.bsky.social•54 days ago

If there's a midterm election in 2026, an anti-corruption campaign is the way to go.

What steps need to be taken to make corruption illegal again?

sunraa.bsky.social•54 days ago

He's all this and more, but trump didn't create the situation we're in. Many reason for this, the short answer is the GOP and in the 80s the Dems trying to be GOP Lite™
"Amusing Ourselves to Death: Public Discourse in the Age of Show Business" 1985

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amusing_Ourselves_to_Death

tenseven.bsky.social•54 days ago

They are NOT GOD, but are succeeding in ending our inalienable rights and Constitutional rights/protections, unless we pay them real 💰💰💰💰💰💰💰 in millions. If we don’t, we will not be treated, seen, or considered to be human beings. We are OTHER. The government they are sculpting is for them, not us.

damonkb54.bsky.social•54 days ago

Luckily, unlike in Putin's patrimonial Russia, we still have access to real news.

rsgreen30.bsky.social•54 days ago

📌

sharonlindsey.bsky.social•54 days ago

ursalette.bsky.social•53 days ago

Just a note to let everyone know that the wonderful The Atlantic magazine generously gives everyone 5 free articles monthly. First cover, November 1857:

hittielove2.bsky.social•54 days ago

There are so many words that describe Trump. I prefer "Sociopath."

chikalada.bsky.social•54 days ago

Absolutely. When you know the symptoms of this disorder, his behavior makes more "sense." And his reactions become more predictable.

azteccat.bsky.social•54 days ago

He is a evil money hungry felon.

cathyginter.bsky.social•54 days ago

No question about it ~

hortonsis.bsky.social•54 days ago

Two words: mob boss

capuchadou.bsky.social•54 days ago

Instead of calling them terrorism, we need to call it organized crime. Like Rump, the public can instinctively relate to those labels. Start using phrases like Rump's mob, crime family, henchmen, gangsters, hitmen, consiglieri, mafia, criminal, etc. It'll drive him nuts in short order.

shelterj.bsky.social•54 days ago

Professor Tribe, are you saying that the public is going to have to recognize that corruption is happening before they’re ready to move on from Trump’s style of governing?

handle.invalid•54 days ago

All the french media are asking, "Where are the democratic politicians? They lost the election, and now they are divided, lost, don't know what to do, are not a real opposition to Trump, and aren't connected with people."

I wish we could switch countries. We'd have Trump's head for you...

fightlies.bsky.social•54 days ago

Everyone understands when the rich use their power to take more than their share.

Republicans literally taking food from starving children. Show those videos. Show those pics.

frommeshed.bsky.social•54 days ago

He.s only just starting. What.s the only control left? I doubt the courts-especially the Supreme Court, it.s been knobbled like in any corrupt state. Only real control left? Wall Street and other major installations from other countries, the EU,UK etc who are now thinking, a 'bent,corrupt,dictator'

nataliapetrenko.bsky.social•52 days ago

Democracy didn't used to be an abstraction. Somehow people used to believe in it

mapleseed7.bsky.social•54 days ago

In elections, corruption, extortion, and IGNORANCE all have the same outcome.

level90.bsky.social•54 days ago

A very interesting article worth reading to understand how Trump's 'presidency' works.

bloodshotmoon.bsky.social•52 days ago

Fascism feeds on fear.
Starve the bastards!
Get loud!
Be proud!
Alone, each of us is but a drop of water.
Together, we are a flood!
#wearetheflood
✊🏻🇺🇸❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

laverneousdonkler.bsky.social•54 days ago

It's all just a heist.

chrissyl.bsky.social•54 days ago

Sadly, I have seen a few comments lately that suggest people can also be blind to blatant corruption. As long as the corruption benefits an American business, it’s deemed good for the country.

praire.bsky.social•54 days ago

And more importantly if it benefits their business

broadwayjoefyvm.bsky.social•54 days ago

The only word that defines Agent Krasnov is "TRAITOR".

ebwr1ter.bsky.social•52 days ago

"But driving a strategic, coordinated message against Trump’s corruption is exactly what the opposition has not done. Instead, it has reacted to whatever is in the day’s news. By responding to daily fire drills and running in circles, it has failed to drive any message at all."

civicsforall.bsky.social•54 days ago

I have a neighbor. A smart guy, a tradesman. Doesn't support Trump. But, he has been fed the line that all politicians are and have been corrupt and so he feels nothing is new about what is going on. Of course, he doesn't really know what is going on. It's frustrating as hell for me!!!

jimgum.bsky.social•54 days ago

Unfortunately, many people feel this way, especially about politicians they support. Cynicism does not lead to good governance

civicsforall.bsky.social•54 days ago

There is just enough truth to make the propaganda work. Most of the problems, imo, are systemic. We need major changes to: size of House, gerrymandering, campaign finance, primaries, voting [RCV], even single-member districts, etc.

futuremine.bsky.social•54 days ago

When we re-estsblish the 🇺🇸 Department of Education, let's add 2 more years to high school (make it an optional-Advanced Diploma) for focused civics, including law classes. Citizens should thoroughly understand our systems, their rights, and self advocacy, but it's still their decision.

chikalada.bsky.social•54 days ago

Agreed. I think we should also instruct students/people about malignant narcissism and sociopathy, how to recognize them, how to deal with them (not like ordinary people who have a conscience and empathy), and the danger of letting them acquire too much power.

futuremine.bsky.social•54 days ago

And you see how I desperately need editing skills.
*re-establish

damonkb54.bsky.social•54 days ago

These need to be mandatory, because they are so important. And, inserted circa 6th and 7th grade ...before the mind can be lost to social media corruption.

marymarr.bsky.social•54 days ago

Lol

minongmom.bsky.social•54 days ago

31787.bsky.social•54 days ago

Of by and for oligarchs.

susanlowry1.bsky.social•54 days ago

Navalny.

velvetabundance.bsky.social•54 days ago

Along the same lines, Professor, I think we should refer to him as a criminal—a crook, a mob boss.

We over-intellectualise him by referring to him as a fascist etc. There are certainly fascist tendencies, but he's more akin to Al Capone or the head of a Russian mafia than to Oswald Mosley.

amivida.bsky.social•54 days ago

Elliot Ness please

praire.bsky.social•54 days ago

But let's not forget he is diminished more recently and has been judged by psychologists with many pathologies
He really is a man who is not well mentally. Also is handily been used by the Federalist Society and Project 2025(Vought.

velvetabundance.bsky.social•54 days ago

For sure. Those traits make him more chaotic (and insufferable) but perhaps marginally less dangerous than his peers, like Xi—for instance, Putin would eat him for breakfast. No trouble.

And I agree—he’s a conduit/tool/useful idiot for legit fascists, white nationalists, evangelicals, etc.

praire.bsky.social•54 days ago

Absolutely! His speech at the DOJ today was unbearable to hear.Its hard to believe this is really happening and he had special invites there. But yes totally agree with your point Xi and Putin !!

egoode.bsky.social•54 days ago

NeedsToBeDeposed?

janet-40.bsky.social•54 days ago

WEAK!

w-mercer.bsky.social•52 days ago

Trump is doing roles of all 3 branches = 1 dictator

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