A Debt That Can Destroy a Nation
by Lawrence Kadish • September 13, 2022 at 3:30 pm
For as long as there have been politics there have been deals.
Of course, it is illegal to trade one's vote for cash, but those with the power to dispense patronage, projects, and promotions have a unique advantage in seeking the support of those whose endorsements can tip the balance for any given issue.
Whether it was the drafting of the Constitution, confronting the infamous slave trade, Tammany Hall's "favored sons" or directing federal funds for a bridge, this kind of give-and-get has long been woven into the cynical side of politics.
It is unprecedented, however, when the stakes have become so high that these kinds of backroom deals can disrupt an election or even plunge a nation into an unrecoverable cycle of debt and economic despair.
