These Trump lackeys are facing years in prison for echoing his crazy scheme

Systemic Error Podcast · Sep 23, 2026 · 6m

U.S Vice President J.D. Vance and other cabinet members watch as U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Midterm Convention in Dallas, Texas, U.S., September 9, 2026. REUTERS/Eric Lee/Pool

The Presidency as a Protection Racket

The Offer

Donald Trump is telling voters that Republican victories could put $5,000 in their pockets. He has paired that promise with another message: North Carolina could lose federal disaster aid unless it elects a Republican senator. The first is an inducement, the second a threat. Together they reduce government to a partisan…