Dan Rather takes off the gloves: "slush funds, the money passing through Trump properties" and more

[Miles Archer]

"No man who is corrupt, no man who condones corruption in others, can possibly do his duty by the community." - Theodore Roosevelt

As a citizen, I detest the stench of corruption. As a journalist, I know corruption makes for very fertile investigative reporting. And as a student of history, I have learned that corruption often lays waste to the powerful.

That is why I am stunned by what is taking place today. Over the course of my life I have never seen a level of corruption in the United States equal to that emanating from the Trump Administration. It is the ultimate threat to effective governance. It is morally repugnant and a repudiation of the very ideals of our democracy. It is the rot of power for sale.

Of all the current dangers to the norms of our democracy, and there are many, I worry most that we will become a nation that shrugs off corruption as business as usual. This is not to say that we haven't had corruption in the past. But one thing that has marked this country from others is that, especially at the highest levels of government, our corruption (and our tolerance for it) has been comparatively very low.

The corruption that has already been proven is staggering. But with the latest revelations around slush funds, the money passing through Trump properties, this bizarre story of a "dirty ops" campaign against Obama Administration officials, the daily Pruitt perfidy (and so, so, so much more) one has a sense that we are seeing but the tip of the corruption iceberg. I have long felt that one reason why our global competitors and adversaries like China and Russia would falter was that the corruption that pulsates through their political systems is ultimately destabilizing. And now we are following down that same dangerous path.

I hear many on air and on line invoke President Trump's promise to "drain the swamp" to mark his rank hypocrisy. But I suggest that those who care about this issue drop the "swamp" metaphor as a reference. It is too cute, too passive, and too esoteric for what is going on. This is about hardworking, law-abiding Americans being played for suckers. This is about the very idea of honest government becoming just another partisan divide. There are already many worrisome signs that this mindset is seeping into the candidacies of those seeking lower office.

In the end, however, I trust the American people will not sit idly by and allow the fleecing of their country to take place without a reckoning at the ballot box, and likely in the halls of justice.

https://www.facebook.com/theDanRather/posts/10160390039700716

[BSdetect]

1. If only indignation alone could topple drumph

[TheBlackAdder]

2. I remember those news resports that said most of Trump's Florida condos are owned by Russians.

.

Wouldn't if be interesting if those condos high-rises acted like Russian spy centers?

.

[LuckyLib]

18. And many of the condos in Trump's buildings

Have been purchased by Russians. Hopefully Mueller has been following the money on each and every one.

[Scurrilous]

3. K&R

[Initech]

4. The thugs have turned the government into a criminal money laundering operation.

Fuck!!!!!!!!

[BootinUp]

5. Still a great journalist. Nt

[MyOwnPeace]

6. The last sentence:

"In the end, however, I trust the American people will not sit idly by and allow the fleecing of their country to take place without a reckoning at the ballot box, and likely in the halls of justice."

Sounds good - but you should remember that 60 million of those "American people" voted for this nightmare....................

and I don't see any sign of those 40% abandoning IQ45 and his reign of terror.

GOTV is going to be SO important!

[BigmanPigman]

8. That is exactly what I thought when I read that last line too.

I think Dan is giving the average US citizen too much credit. I wish I shared this belief but I am a realist.

[Ligyron]

16. Chin up.

It's going to be a historic wipe-out of GOP obstruction come next Jan.


We're taking our country back - you'll see!

[Fritz Walter]

21. Indeed! Bring on the Blue Tsunami!

But I’m keeping my pitchfork handy, just in case.

In case the Russians actually do hack into our voter registration systems.

In case the Kochs, Mercers and other oligarchs — feeling empowered by the current trend toward Kleptocracy and cacocracy — decide to go “all in” with Citizens United funding of RepubliCONs’ campaign war chests.

In case Donnie Two Scoops pulls a Nixonesque Saturday Night Massacre with the DOJ Investigation, and further obstructs justice to suit his ego and financial interests (not to mention those of his Russian lord and master).

In case Cadet Bone Spurs puts our armed forces into a shooting war... gee, just about anywhere on this fragile Earth.

I’d recommend others likewise prepare. And
Get
Out
The
Vote!

[MyOwnPeace]

22. Fritz and Ligyron,

I'm with 'ya!!!!

BUT..................

We cannot let up..............

We cannot be complacent..............

We cannot let apathy/defeatism set in...............

We cannot ASSUME that we will win...........................
(yeah, we ALL know what "ASSUME" means: you make an ASS out of U and ME!&quot

We MUST GOTV!!!!!!!!!

[Fritz Walter]

24. Thanks!

In times like these, I’m inspired by the words of Mohandas Gandhi:

“When I despair, I remember that all through history, the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it — always.”

[pangaia]

7. "I worry most that we will become a nation that shrugs off corruption as business as usual."

I believe that is part of the intent coming from putin and elsewhere..

[MyOwnPeace]

9. "Putin and elsewhere?"

Hell, it's coming from McTurtle and Lyin' Ryan!!!!!!

Our OWN Congressional Leadership and majority parties are complicit in this whole fustercluck!

[DownriverDem]

11. Not my leadership or president

but my rep (Debbie Dingell) and my senators (Stabenaw & Peters) are fighting for Michigan all the way!

[MyOwnPeace]

13. And we need..

to get control of the "majority" of both houses to support those that ARE fighting for their states - and the country!

[pangaia]

23. That's sort of what I meant.

But, even beyond that TPTB of the world, mega corps, billionaires, ersatz billionaires. and on and on....

[DownriverDem]

10. Do you ever

get the feeling that repubs can do and get away with anything and everything?????

[MyOwnPeace]

12. DAILY!

[LiberalLovinLug]

15. And that they laugh about it behind closed doors

[Cosmocat]

19. We have crossed that point

If this country does not have an epic house cleaning in November, its over.

[erronis]

14. "Over the course of my life I have never seen a level of corruption in the United States"

Over the course of my life I have never seen a level of corruption in the United States equal to that emanating from the Trump Administration.

I would strongly argue that the corruption started back in the 1980/1990 time-frame when certain slime-balls took control of the repuglicon party. I don't know if Gingrich started the conversations with foreign influence/money but it seemed to grow stronger during that period.

Once most of the republicons started taking bribes from "sources", they had started down that one-way slippery slope. Hard to climb out of your cesspools, isn't it?

[world wide wally]

17. This has brought me to a moral and existential crisis.

I have always believed in things like karma, comeuppance and poetic justice and I see history proving me to be so wrong. Assholes like Cheney and Trump violate every semblance of decency in America or the world and yet they are rewarded with no consequences. They seem to get all the worlds's riches monetarily and then they are rewarded with political power.
They lie, cheat and steal and reap rewards while honest hard working people struggle and hit brick walls every time they turn around. The only possible justice would be in a "final reward" but most people in here don't believe in that.

I have barely scratched the surface, but for the sake of space and time, does anyone want to explain this to me?

[zentrum]

20. I don't trust "the...

…American people" at all. Large masses will protest but the majority will passively go along until the new normal is a complete hollowing out of all our institutions.