America Is a Banana Republic Now

Jonathan Last: “Yesterday the Financial Times reported that the Trump Media and Technology Group… was in talks to buy a cryptocurrency exchange. This may not seem like much, but it’s a layer cake of corruption and it’s taking place in broad daylight…”

“Let me bottom-line it all for you: Trump is looking to buy a moribund crypto exchange owned by the husband of one of his Republican sycophants/allies/donors. He’s going to pay for the acquisition with stock, the price of which is inflated to ludicrous levels by a combination of cultists, speculators, and people seeking to influence him.”

“The value proposition for this merger is that, as president, Trump can make sure the SEC doesn’t touch this exchange, while also giving actors who hope to influence him another way to shove money in his direction.”

“And all of this is so commonplace and unremarkable that no one is going to even pause for a moment to question it.”