Ben Rhodes captures the gravity of the situation in all its horror
February 28, 2025 at 7:49 PM
Ben Rhodes captures the gravity of the situation in all its horror
This is the grift of the tech-oligarchy.
Make education transactional; minimize the perceived usefulness of higher education; convince students that "quick answers = learning" and then paywall the entire human intellectual archive.
Buy physical books, friends. "Book of Eli" that shit.
Make education transactional; minimize the perceived usefulness of higher education; convince students that "quick answers = learning" and then paywall the entire human intellectual archive.
Buy physical books, friends. "Book of Eli" that shit.
‘59% of teenagers told Pew that students use AI to cheat, while 34% said it happens extremely or very often.’
God help this generation.
We have allowed Big Tech to convince us that ‘AI is revolutionizing the world’ and we’re sacrificing the development and well being of children to their Mammon.
God help this generation.
We have allowed Big Tech to convince us that ‘AI is revolutionizing the world’ and we’re sacrificing the development and well being of children to their Mammon.
March 19, 2026 at 11:15 AM
This is the grift of the tech-oligarchy.
Make education transactional; minimize the perceived usefulness of higher education; convince students that "quick answers = learning" and then paywall the entire human intellectual archive.
Buy physical books, friends. "Book of Eli" that shit.
Make education transactional; minimize the perceived usefulness of higher education; convince students that "quick answers = learning" and then paywall the entire human intellectual archive.
Buy physical books, friends. "Book of Eli" that shit.
Broke the oligarchy… after they spent millions in lobbyist. It’s all transactional.
January 19, 2025 at 3:25 PM
Broke the oligarchy… after they spent millions in lobbyist. It’s all transactional.
Trump entered the White House in 2017 expecting a monarchy. Eight years later, critics feared his return would bring an autocracy. But early signs point to a transactional autocracy. @michaelscherer.bsky.social and my latest, on the emerging technoligarchy.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
The Tech Oligarchy Arrives
Donald Trump’s inauguration signaled a new alliance—for now—with some of the world’s wealthiest men.
www.theatlantic.com
January 21, 2025 at 2:08 PM
Trump entered the White House in 2017 expecting a monarchy. Eight years later, critics feared his return would bring an autocracy. But early signs point to a transactional autocracy. @michaelscherer.bsky.social and my latest, on the emerging technoligarchy.
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
www.theatlantic.com/politics/arc...
A lot of university administrators and billionaire newspaper owners think their institutions are too liberal, find their workers and audiences/students annoying, want to maximize profits with no regard for ethics. Billionaire tech guys want a transactional oligarchy. No one’s twisting their arms.
December 14, 2024 at 2:19 PM
A lot of university administrators and billionaire newspaper owners think their institutions are too liberal, find their workers and audiences/students annoying, want to maximize profits with no regard for ethics. Billionaire tech guys want a transactional oligarchy. No one’s twisting their arms.
Regardless, we know that everything Trump does is transactional, and always only for he and/or his Mar a Lardo cronies. Someone will make a ton of money, and we know it won't "trickle down" to us caffeinated workers; it's just another way to raise taxes on the working class for the oligarchy profit.
January 27, 2025 at 9:57 AM
Regardless, we know that everything Trump does is transactional, and always only for he and/or his Mar a Lardo cronies. Someone will make a ton of money, and we know it won't "trickle down" to us caffeinated workers; it's just another way to raise taxes on the working class for the oligarchy profit.
The oligarchy likes Trump because he’s transactional and the oligarchy has something they can trade for what he wants.
Why does the oligarchy love Trump?
Yes, the tax cuts — but that’s not all.
Watch.
Yes, the tax cuts — but that’s not all.
Watch.
October 19, 2025 at 11:16 PM
The oligarchy likes Trump because he’s transactional and the oligarchy has something they can trade for what he wants.
But ultimately he did. Reagan and Thatcher set the terms for the Russia comeback. There was no oligarchy class in Russia back then, like always with Republican foreign policy it's always transactional. They did a deal and moved on. The deal went badly and they took their eye off the ball.
March 5, 2025 at 2:09 PM
But ultimately he did. Reagan and Thatcher set the terms for the Russia comeback. There was no oligarchy class in Russia back then, like always with Republican foreign policy it's always transactional. They did a deal and moved on. The deal went badly and they took their eye off the ball.
Transactional oligarchy.
May 23, 2026 at 4:43 PM
Transactional oligarchy.
"Europeans need to recognise the advent of a more transactional world."
A sad world view and a symptom of the rise of oligarchy.
A sad world view and a symptom of the rise of oligarchy.
January 14, 2025 at 11:56 PM
"Europeans need to recognise the advent of a more transactional world."
A sad world view and a symptom of the rise of oligarchy.
A sad world view and a symptom of the rise of oligarchy.
www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-... Putin has his and now Trump has his America is doomed
Billionaires courting Trump paint picture of oligarchy to come
Senator Chris Murphy talks with Alex Wagner about expectations for the coming Trump administration in light of the attention Trump is receiving from billionaires who sense transactional opportunity, a...
www.msnbc.com
December 13, 2024 at 10:06 AM
www.msnbc.com/alex-wagner-... Putin has his and now Trump has his America is doomed
22 More Days❗️
The circus is coming with transactional billionaires juggling National treasures, patting each other on the back & grinning over the spoils.
Opening Day you’ll witness the Big Show! It’s the Big Top for an era where resources displace citizenry in the Oligarchy to come.
The circus is coming with transactional billionaires juggling National treasures, patting each other on the back & grinning over the spoils.
Opening Day you’ll witness the Big Show! It’s the Big Top for an era where resources displace citizenry in the Oligarchy to come.
December 29, 2024 at 8:41 PM
22 More Days❗️
The circus is coming with transactional billionaires juggling National treasures, patting each other on the back & grinning over the spoils.
Opening Day you’ll witness the Big Show! It’s the Big Top for an era where resources displace citizenry in the Oligarchy to come.
The circus is coming with transactional billionaires juggling National treasures, patting each other on the back & grinning over the spoils.
Opening Day you’ll witness the Big Show! It’s the Big Top for an era where resources displace citizenry in the Oligarchy to come.
Totally believable unfortunately.
That's what happens when you end up with oligarchy. With a country run exclusively by and FOR multi-millionaires/billionaires and corporations.
Absolutely everything becomes transactional.
That's what happens when you end up with oligarchy. With a country run exclusively by and FOR multi-millionaires/billionaires and corporations.
Absolutely everything becomes transactional.
January 14, 2025 at 12:26 AM
Totally believable unfortunately.
That's what happens when you end up with oligarchy. With a country run exclusively by and FOR multi-millionaires/billionaires and corporations.
Absolutely everything becomes transactional.
That's what happens when you end up with oligarchy. With a country run exclusively by and FOR multi-millionaires/billionaires and corporations.
Absolutely everything becomes transactional.
They can't govern because their attitude is one of "what's in it for me?" Every relationship is transactional, so they cannot cooperate with each other to govern the country. Thus, oligarchy naturally falls down eventually, though Russia seems to be continually repeating that.
January 25, 2025 at 4:07 PM
They can't govern because their attitude is one of "what's in it for me?" Every relationship is transactional, so they cannot cooperate with each other to govern the country. Thus, oligarchy naturally falls down eventually, though Russia seems to be continually repeating that.
Ben Rhodes: "These are not political news cycle issues. Trump is transforming what the United States is as a country in the world into a far right, authoritarian, transactional, valueless oligarchy aligned with world's autocracies."
February 28, 2025 at 9:48 PM
Ben Rhodes: "These are not political news cycle issues. Trump is transforming what the United States is as a country in the world into a far right, authoritarian, transactional, valueless oligarchy aligned with world's autocracies."
The people who voted for the transactional convicted felon were repeatedly warned that they were voting for the installation of an oligarchy. No surprises here.
November 29, 2024 at 2:39 PM
The people who voted for the transactional convicted felon were repeatedly warned that they were voting for the installation of an oligarchy. No surprises here.
I'm closing on Seventy and revolted by the center right transactional racists running MSNBC and their handpicked sockpuppet apologists for American Oligarchy.
February 24, 2025 at 5:30 PM
I'm closing on Seventy and revolted by the center right transactional racists running MSNBC and their handpicked sockpuppet apologists for American Oligarchy.
These are not political news cycle issues. Trump is transforming what the United States is as a country in the world into a far right, authoritarian, transactional, valueless oligarchy aligned with the world's autocracies.
—Ben Rhodes 2/28/25
Factually & tragically true. I’m heartbroken.
—Ben Rhodes 2/28/25
Factually & tragically true. I’m heartbroken.
March 1, 2025 at 3:24 PM
These are not political news cycle issues. Trump is transforming what the United States is as a country in the world into a far right, authoritarian, transactional, valueless oligarchy aligned with the world's autocracies.
—Ben Rhodes 2/28/25
Factually & tragically true. I’m heartbroken.
—Ben Rhodes 2/28/25
Factually & tragically true. I’m heartbroken.
Oh for sure he does, everything is transactional in these spheres. The oligarchy must fall, its a worldwide parasite.
April 15, 2025 at 10:55 PM
Oh for sure he does, everything is transactional in these spheres. The oligarchy must fall, its a worldwide parasite.
Being supported by billionaires, per se, doesn't make it an oligarchy.
Having a nakedly transactional relationship with the billionaires who support you makes it an oligarchy.
For example, imagine if Biden had given Soros the same role Trump gave Musk. How would Fox News have reacted?
Having a nakedly transactional relationship with the billionaires who support you makes it an oligarchy.
For example, imagine if Biden had given Soros the same role Trump gave Musk. How would Fox News have reacted?
February 28, 2025 at 12:53 PM
Being supported by billionaires, per se, doesn't make it an oligarchy.
Having a nakedly transactional relationship with the billionaires who support you makes it an oligarchy.
For example, imagine if Biden had given Soros the same role Trump gave Musk. How would Fox News have reacted?
Having a nakedly transactional relationship with the billionaires who support you makes it an oligarchy.
For example, imagine if Biden had given Soros the same role Trump gave Musk. How would Fox News have reacted?
It's truly tragic that this civilization-changing technology is being conceived and will be owned by the tech oligarchy who has repeatedly demonstrated a completely transactional view of human beings and are completely unconcerned with the ramifications of AI implementation and the birth of AGI
March 20, 2026 at 10:34 PM
It's truly tragic that this civilization-changing technology is being conceived and will be owned by the tech oligarchy who has repeatedly demonstrated a completely transactional view of human beings and are completely unconcerned with the ramifications of AI implementation and the birth of AGI
The silver lining to billionaires openly and shamelessly flattering Trump is that we’re all seeing the degree to which America has become an oligarchy.
America has been run by billionaires for some time, but now it’s out in the open for all to see.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
America has been run by billionaires for some time, but now it’s out in the open for all to see.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Will flattery get you everywhere with Donald Trump? Billionaires are determined to find out | Arwa Mahdawi
The US has been for sale to the highest bidder for some time, while democracy dies in plain sight. The difference now? How shamelessly transactional the incoming president is, writes Arwa Mahdawi
www.theguardian.com
January 8, 2025 at 5:04 PM
The silver lining to billionaires openly and shamelessly flattering Trump is that we’re all seeing the degree to which America has become an oligarchy.
America has been run by billionaires for some time, but now it’s out in the open for all to see.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
America has been run by billionaires for some time, but now it’s out in the open for all to see.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...
Trump's trade policy can be understood by looking at other authoritarian states & their economies dominated by oligarchs (Russia, China).
It's about the oligarchy picking economic winners & losers based on a transactional diplomacy that enriches the oligarchs.
It's about the oligarchy picking economic winners & losers based on a transactional diplomacy that enriches the oligarchs.
March 20, 2025 at 2:06 PM
Trump's trade policy can be understood by looking at other authoritarian states & their economies dominated by oligarchs (Russia, China).
It's about the oligarchy picking economic winners & losers based on a transactional diplomacy that enriches the oligarchs.
It's about the oligarchy picking economic winners & losers based on a transactional diplomacy that enriches the oligarchs.
He is corrupt and transactional to the core. People buy pardons from him, access to him, and countries give him planes for items yet unknown. And he is doing the same with voters: $ per baby for the natalists, tax breaks for the oligarchy, etc….certain plumbs for certain folks…and YOU pay it all.
May 28, 2025 at 1:52 PM
He is corrupt and transactional to the core. People buy pardons from him, access to him, and countries give him planes for items yet unknown. And he is doing the same with voters: $ per baby for the natalists, tax breaks for the oligarchy, etc….certain plumbs for certain folks…and YOU pay it all.