The KISS principle (Keep It Simple Stupid) has been around for a long time. It was actually first coined by the Navy as a design principle around 1960. Heck, Michael Scott used it as his “go to” with Dwayne Schrute in The Office
A similar concept has been used in politics. In 1992, Bill Clinton popularized the saying, “It’s the economy stupid” to keep a laser-like focus on his main issue. As I’ve previously written, perhaps the first piece of advice I received as a green rookie candidate for U.S. House from my first campaign manager was, “Keep it at a 4th grade level”.
I’m more and more convinced that the slogan for 2026 and 2028 is “It’s the corruption, stupid”. And not just for Trump, but for every single Republican who has backed the most corrupt government in the history of the United States.
Two examples from yesterday that may have gotten lost in the daily flow of sewage that is the Trump Administration highlight the accuracy, relevance and IMHO, political astuteness of this slogan. Both of these stories are relatively small change in the scheme of our country’s budget/spending, but to me that’s the point. No grift is too small for Trump and his family to undertake, and for his Republican acolytes to defend.
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CORRUPTION ITEM #1 - The Reflecting Pool
Yesterday afternoon, this story was published by Steve Benen at MSNow.
Trump originally hired a former contractor at one of his country clubs (who’s website never listed pool work) on a no-bid contract to paint the reflecting pool blue. The rationale for the no-bid award? From the article:
“Democratic Rep. Joe Neguse of Colorado, for example, reminded Burgum that the Trump administration, to justify its no-bid contract, relied on a power designed for emergencies, under a statute that specifies that a bureaucratic delay would bring “serious injury” to the government.”
Serious injury to the government. Okey dokey.
Trump also said the original cost would be $1.7 million, but it seems as if it has ballooned to over $13 million, an increase of around 600%.
Double okey dokey.
The most predictable - and most telling - aspect of this mini-scandal, however, is Trump’s reaction as he realizes he’s in a pinch. As Benen writes, “That the president’s version of events is already evolving suggests he realizes he has a burgeoning political problem on his hands.”
So what does Trump do in a situation like this? What he ALWAYS does when he needs to get himself out of a jam. What his lizard brain tells him he must do. He lies and, without any irony or guilt or hesitation, he says the exact opposite of what he said previously. Remember, there is no way to “rationalize” this behavior; he is a prisoner of his lizard brain and does whatever he must to stay one step ahead. Benen links to Daniel Dale with the goods:
Trump pulling a patented “Trump Reversal”: Saying the exact opposite of something he said days earlier
I wonder if Kalshi or Polymarket is taking bets on whether or not the Trump family gets a financial kickback from this?
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CORRUPTION ITEM #2 - Trump Mobile
In June of last year, the Trump family - with great fanfare - announced Trump Mobile, a “Bold New Wireless Service for Americans” (hate to link to any Trump venture, but you need to read it from the source).
For $499, you could get a gold Trump phone made in America. But first, you needed to put down a $100 deposit.
Roughly 600,000 dupes did just that, putting $60 million into the Trump family’s pockets. The folks at The Bulwark have the goods:
But no phones have arrived, the “made in America” promises have vanished, the launch date keeps sliding back, and this week, Moneywise.com reported on a quiet change made last month to the company’s terms of service:
A preorder deposit provides only a conditional opportunity if Trump Mobile later elects, in its sole discretion, to offer the Device for sale. A deposit is not a purchase, does not constitute acceptance of an order, does not create a contract for sale, does not transfer ownership or title interest, does not allocate or reserve specific inventory, and does not guarantee that a Device will be produced or made available for purchase.
That’s right, MAGA Patriot! You might have thought, when you sent the president’s sons your hard-earned $100, that you were preordering a phone that they’d soon be sending you—since that’s how preorders work and what they led you to believe. But that’s just because you don’t know business. In reality, what you were ordering was just a conditional opportunity to buy a Trump phone later, should they ever get around to making them, which to be clear they are in no way promising that they’ll ever do.
Truly stunning and brilliant legal footwork from the Trump Organization! I mean, WTF does a “conditional deposit” even mean? Well, it’s generally used in real estate transactions, and it means the receiver (in this case, the Trump Org) cannot use the funds until certain conditions are met.
Will the T1 Trump phone ever ship? Reports now say some might ship as early as this week.
I wonder if Kalshi or Polymarket is taking bets on whether or not the Trump family has already used these conditional deposits AND if these phones ever get shipped AND if they do actually get shipped, will they perform and have the features as promised?
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In summary, these are two of the smallest examples of Trump corruption and grifting. There are literally innumerable other examples: HERE and HERE and HERE. Yet they are perfect examples of the lengths this family will go to in pursuit of chasing the almighty dollar. No grift is too small.
It’s the corruption stupid. And how that corruption squeezes out any room for actual policies that help the American people afford healthcare and food and gas and housing and childcare.
It’s the corruption stupid. And how that corruption has seeped into the fabric of an entire political party, where candidates and elected officials who know better - and some who don’t - are too afraid and power hungry to admit the obvious and put their constituents first.
It’s the corruption stupid. And how that corruption has aligned us with countries like North Korea and Russia.
It’s the corruption stupid!
PS - Bonus Trump quote from yesterday (bolding emphasis mine):
“When you’re negotiating with Iran, Mr. President, to what extent are Americans’ financial situations motivating you to make a deal?” a reporter asked Trump before he left for China on Tuesday, alluding to the skyrocketing inflation caused by the fallout from the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran and Lebanon.
“Not even a little bit,” Trump said. “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran is they can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation, I don’t think about anybody. I think about one thing: We cannot let Iran have a nuclear weapon. That’s all. That’s the only thing that motivates me.”
