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TokenBoomer@lemmy.world

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Bezos return of investment for sucking up to Trump (media.piefed.social)

submitted 13 hours ago by adhd_traco@piefed.social to c/progressivepolitics@lemmy.world

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[–] FlashMobOfOne@lemmy.world 1 points 2 hours ago* (last edited 2 hours ago)

Pay for play isn't just a Trump thing, and it's been around at least the last 40 years. The presidents from Reagan to Obama paved the way for this grift. For example, when body scanners became a thing at airports, it was reported that one of the major contractors in the effort was a personal friend of Barack Obama.

But there are plenty of examples: Halliburton and the Clinton Foundation, the Trump Organization, taking $500,000 for a "speaking fee". (When really, it's a payment for a future favor.)

Presidents making money for themselves and their friends has been a tradition since Reagan. As much as I despise Jimmy Carter, I'll give him a modicum of credit for not monetizing the presidency.