I noticed that, too–certainly can’t blame it all on Berlusconi.

Twenty years of Italy as a joke on the international stage starts there.

Well, no. Italy was already a joke on the international stage. Nothing changed with Berlusconi.

I doubt that anyone’s too interested, but here’s what I wrote:

“The Italian economist Luigi Zingales, who for many years has worked at the University of Chicago, recently compared Trump to Silvio Berlusconi, who was Italy’s Prime Minister four times between 1994 and 2011.
(This was in an interview of Zingales by the economist Tyler Cowen. YouTube link is http://tinyurl.com/zv3r9e7)

Berlusconi is a media tycoon; Trump a real estate, gambling, and media tycoon. Both like to proclaim the virtues of free enterprise, but neither practice it. Both epitomize crony capitalism and the importance of having government connections. Berlusconi integrated personal, business, and government corruption. As president, Trump would do the same, but on a much larger scale.

We already know about Hillary Clinton’s propensity for corruption, so it seems inevitable that we’ll be entering an era of extraordinary – possibly unprecedented – corruption.

The question is how long will it last, and how will the reaction take shape.”

I suspect that quoting oneself from an old blog comment is a sure sign of senility, but setting that aside, I’ll stand by my concluding remark that we’re headed for a presidential administration plagued by corruption so extraordinary that even a compliant mainstream media won’t be able to cover it up. I expect to feel like a rubber-necker driving by a wreck, unable to look away. How will all the other rubber-neckers react? Will voters demand a purge? Or will this be the start of an era of great corruption and great voter cynicism?

I could see that one coming from a mile away. Japan does not have any positive defense of Islam so he resorts to the only alternative left – ad hominem attacks.

If “buy off” is an acceptable definition of “sway”, then yes, definitely.

A long time ago, I saw an analysis that over 70% of the delegates to the 1972 Democrat convention got most or all of their income from government: government employees/retirees/contractors/suppliers, teachers, grant/subsidies recipients, professors, et al. It has to be a lot worse now.

“Sway” many more tens of millions of beneficiaries of taxpayer income transfers, LIV or not: the myriad hydra-headed forms of welfare, refundable tax credits, Medicaid, Social Security, SSI, business subsidies, grants, the recipients of the 100 billion in annual fraud from all the above, et al, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, and toss in the career criminals. Soon you have a majority that knows at least one gem of knowledge – you can vote yourself benefits from the public treasury.

Did you know that in the 12 months prior to the 2012 election, in the key swing state of Ohio, over one million Obamaphones were distributed, usually without an application or income requirements, just stick out your hand?

Our side says the way to freedom and prosperity for all is for everyone to work hard, delay gratification, and keep your pants zipped or your knees pressed together until you’re ready to accept responsibility. The other guys say screw that hard work crap, if it feels good do it in the road, and we’ll mitigate all the bad consequences of your own stupidity and shortsightedness

How are you supposed to compete against that, especially when they control the entire socialization and indoctrination process for each succeeding new generation?

All this means is that, if it plays out as you fear, we’re doubly hosed.

But what the hey. Comrade Hussein just told the South Americans that Communism/capitalism, it’s all the same, dude! just do what you feel! but yeah, Communist Cuba is da bomb, baby.

He’ll end up staffing out the vast bulk of his ‘ideas.’

I don’t see that, blert. What I see is a vain, insecure man whose ego won’t be able to take being upstaged…just like Obama. Sure, his business instincts would like to override that, but they’ll fail.

IMO, this surrounding himself with yes-men can already be seen.