Tag: quid pro quo
Musk Paid a Quarter-Billion to Elect Trump
$250 million
“Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, spent over a quarter of a billion dollars in the final months of this year’s election to help Donald Trump win the presidency, federal filings revealed on Thursday,” the New York Times reports. “The sum is a fraction of Mr. Musk’s wealth. But it is nonetheless a staggering amount from a single donor, who poured the cash into allied groups and is now playing a role in helping shape the next administration.”
Dining for Dollars
We’ll soon be subjected to Donald Trump’s second inaugural,
And the rich guys’ cash-for-access options are deplorable.
Two million bucks gets you a chance
To dine with Melania and JD Vance,
Which sounds to us like the very definition of “horrible.”
Explainer: Why Silicon Valley Oligarchs Are Backing Trump
“When there were questions about Biden’s ability, it made perfect sense to them to switch to Trump, particularly since many believe they could influence him. Now with Kamala, I think they regret it, but they so publicly identified with Trump, they feel they have no choice but to stay with him. I’m guessing they feel that ‘worst case it’s only four years’ and best case they can influence him to do what they want.”
— Mark Cuban, quoted by the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, on why many Silicon Valley tech leaders are backing Donald Trump.
Cancel This Transaction
To Trump, all politics is transactional, we know,
But he’s reached a level that’s an all-time low.
Trump promises oligarchs tit for tat.
To businesses, he offers this for that,
For Trump, it’s always: “Give me your quid and name your pro quo.”
Timing Is Everything
Congresspersons are pooh-poohing the skeptics
Who question their questionable ethics.
They say an influx of banknotes
Is just coincident to their votes,
And not some sinister pay-for-play antics.
