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Johan's avatar

This isn’t just a bribe. It’s behavioral theater…and the tech titans are playing their assigned roles.

Google didn’t settle. It submitted. Paramount and Disney didn’t negotiate. They capitulated. Because in a system where legal process is just a mask for coercion, the only rational move is to pay the bully and hope he doesn’t come back tomorrow.

I unpacked this exact dynamic in my latest piece: The Collapse of Moral Authority, Part II. When cruelty becomes currency and spectacle replaces law, the “settlement” isn’t a legal outcome, it’s a loyalty test.

And the U.S. legal system? It’s not malfunctioning. It’s performing exactly as designed.

Read the piece. Then ask yourself: who’s next in line to pay tribute?

Thank you for writing this!

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Dan Leithauser's avatar

It is like a homeowner pouring gasoline on a house fire. Paying a "settlement" for current legal issues thinking that a pay-off will be enough to forestall future legal actions? All prior Trump experiences going back decades would indicate this is delusional. Let's follow that Trump money trail. Where does it end up? The US Treasury or Trump coffers?

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Donna Rogers's avatar

We knew it was coming. I don’t use google for anything as there is so many app alternatives.

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MPT's avatar

Google, x fascist porn, wastebook sick tok, and corporate media are personal data snatching, weak kneed, moneygrubbing, court jester, parasites. They could be so much but have become dumpster fires of garbage and toxic waste.

AI: Google no longer prominently uses the "Don't be evil" motto; it was officially replaced by "Do the right thing" under its parent company, Alphabet, in 2015. While the phrase "don't be evil" was largely removed from Google's corporate code of conduct in 2018, it still appears as the final line.

I expect that sooner or later, Google will simply change its motto to 'All in Evil'. That should please their trump mater. Maybe Google can release that slogan at the grand opening of the groyesque, gold plated, trump ball and chain room.

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Bob's avatar

The extortion will continue until Trump’s targets have made him rich enough to withstand any possible criminal charges for unofficial actions and he actually controls all forms of media.

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RE Garrett's avatar

We are learning a tremendous amount about the people who run many of our nation’s institutions. These are the “meritocracy” that 🐔🌮 and War God Hegseth are trying to bring back. Well:

The Congress, or at least the Republican part of it, are a bunch of worthless yellow-bellied cowards who refuse to stand up for their own rights under the Constitution, let alone the rights of the rest of us.

The Six Dwarfs on the Supreme Court, especially the Chief Dwarf, have no use for the Constitution and wouldn’t know a constitutionally-proper decision if it were to jump up and bite them on their collective ass.

The Leaders of the Nation’s Business Community have been falling all over themselves to bend the knee to 🐔🌮’s bogus lawsuits; they are the only class of people in this country who are more cowardly than Congress.

Far too many athletes, doctors, lawyers, clergy, and many others have been caught bending the rules on proper ethical behaviour, let alone responding to the needs of the American people for kindness, care, and respect. Is there any group of American meritocratic leaders that one can trust these days? Maybe not….

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David J. Sharp's avatar

The Trump Protection Racket in full flower. Of course, no need to check whether the blackmail actually reaches the government—this is a trustworthy man!

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