Like with any illness prevention is better than cure. But once you are sick treat the issue not the symptoms. A painkiller is not enough. Surgery may have to be. YOU all know what to do.
Great article on the messaging needed by the Dems to get through to all Americans…. Call Trump out as the most corrupt president the US has ever had. Use the GOP playbook that they used to destroy Dem careers (though they also used lies!) Thank you for sharing!
Tsarist Russia relied on patrimonialism to keep it going. The absolute monarch at the top of the Russian hierarchy was referred to as "царь-батюшка" tsar-batyushka, literally "tsar-dear father". Putin is simply continuing the tradition that Russia had for centuries, despite an 80-year break.
It's a good question: how much of T's nonsense can MAGA bear? What will be their breaking point? How much corruption, incompetence, and devastation can the 48.9% of voters who brought in 2.0 put up with? Will it be when the first US soldiers are shipped off to conquer Greenland or Gaza?
It doesn't instill confidence that the top comments to the post about the article (even on bsky) are mostly people choosing their own monosyllabic insults instead.
MJF, that's the online journalism norm now. It's frustrating.
Bury the meat deep, so people continue scrolling w/the article.
Online recipes are just as frustrating.
Just give us the recipe!
Why do I need an essay on the history of chocolate chips before the ingredients for a cookie?
I got the ReciMe app just for that reason. Now I open the post, send it to the app, get the actual recipe and not have to read 2,000 words on how this dish reminds you of summer camp and will change your life.
as a general rule of thumb, it's usually better times when we don't need to rely on early 20th century German thinkers to describe current political events.......
Thank you for sharing that great article! I knew the flurry of illegalities was a smoke screen, but missed the bigger picture. That makes such sense and now I have new lines for the protest placards!
"Patrimonialism" is a dumb word to describe a very real, happening right this minute danger. Certainly doesn't roll off the tongue, I think we need to come up with a non-German name. Corrupt works.
“…those states coordinated in something like a syndicate of crime families—“working out problems…divvying up the spoils, sometimes quarreling, but helping each other when needed. Putin in this scheme occupied the position of the capo di tutti capi, the boss of bosses.”
Best article I've read explaining Trump and now we are waiting for the Democrats to focus and take the recommend actions. They all need to call out the corruption as a united front now.
"...the history of patrimonial rule suggests that [the opposition's] most effective approach will be hammering home the message that [Trump] is corrupt. One thing is certain: He will give them plenty to work with."
(Simple action plan, buried at the end of the article. Good grief.)
This article is eye opening and I hope all Dems read it and act upon it: brand him as CORRUPT, drive home the message. Stop being distracted by daily drama and land a simple yet powerful message.
I would love to know how someone makes it 78 years on this planet and not have developed even one, single, solitary, iota of a positive characteristic. Nature or nurture? I think he was genetically predisposed to be evil and stupid!
Thank you, Mr. Sagal. This clarifies a great deal- especially how any representative with a spine can expose the failures that toadies create when they replace competent, disinterested civil servants.
Patrimonialism as an extension/ continuation of Ancient Rome's paterfamilias, of the Patron/client system, of the same "management" style as organized crime?
This article and the book it is based on is a must read for every person at every level - elected or not, who is trying to stop trump. I am in Illinois and both senators are Democrats but they are each getting links and books
Imma be real man, I'm simply not going to click on or read any link/article from The Atlantic. That rag isn't even fit for toilet paper. It's boomer brain rot
Drumpf is very much like herpes. Intimacy seems like a "not so bad" idea, until you realize that it's forever. His cult followers in the house and senate haven't gotten it yet. Their careers and private lives are already over with the MAGA threats to their families. How do you get out of the mafia?
some good stuff in here and a helpful description of what Putin taught trump
obvs matrimonial is a terrible word but i think there’s some teeth to the “run the gov like a business” crowd getting exactly what they asked for and more
incompetence is where he’s bleeding the most with doge & tariffs
he has taken the elements of project 2025 that would give him more power and merged them with putin advice on how to enrich himself and his allies with the presidency
Really good read that shines a bright light on the stink of this administration. I saved it to re read it more carefully later today. Thank you for sharing this with us.
Thanks for the gift article, it's incredibly valuable. But I have to mention the @theatlantic.com online layout; I agree with others as they hint at feeling way too exhausted by the forced extended scavenger hunt. It def needs a concise review, an assessment piece to better fit this medium?
Comments
“patrimonialism”
BURIED EIGHT PARAGRAPHS DOWN?
You're writing news, not a goddam murder mystery!
LEAD WITH THE IMPORTANT PART.
Bury the meat deep, so people continue scrolling w/the article.
Online recipes are just as frustrating.
Just give us the recipe!
Why do I need an essay on the history of chocolate chips before the ingredients for a cookie?
The messaging can't be
- Democrat vs Republican
- Urban vs Rural
- Black vs White
- Man vs Woman
It needs to be simply "What's best for us all"
And it needs to go out everywhere
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2025/02/corruption-trump-administration/681794/?gift=Yv9Uxr0lc82Qy1Co6vW4Gay-EoWscMdIZjdxao7I-zA&utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=share
The day is starting off strong. I’d better Irish my second cup of joe
(Simple action plan, buried at the end of the article. Good grief.)
What's missing is the unified message of corruption.
When you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail.
Everyone needs the same hammer - corruption.
Every act looks like a nail - drama.
Repetition. Repetition. Repetition.
I'm neither a Democrat, nor a Republican, but looking at things from the outside, the Republican messaging is always better - more effective.
Having a single unified goal helps everyone.
Do you think it's possible that they grasp it, but don't do anything with it for some reason?
- The reporters?
- The editors?
- The owners?
How are they Corrupt?
- They seek Power?
- They seek Money?
- They seek Viewers?
Just saying "Corruption" doesn't go someplace we can fix.
With details, maybe we can build a plan to fix it.
Trump turns everything into his Small Family Business.
Because that's he's ever known...
obvs matrimonial is a terrible word but i think there’s some teeth to the “run the gov like a business” crowd getting exactly what they asked for and more
incompetence is where he’s bleeding the most with doge & tariffs
certainly not gonna lead to disaster at all