[aakilfernandes]

In politics, there's a huge incentive for insiders to appear to be a kingmaker. Names like Shadow and ACRONYM play into that stereotype of a behind the scenes puppet master, that politicians will pay big dollars to get them / keep them in power.

At a larger level, it makes understanding whats happening really difficult. Its hard to tell who is actually corrupt and who is "peacocking" corruption.

[thfuran]

I'm not a politician but I'd have thought that if I were, I'd rather pay to avoid publicly being associated with Shadow Inc.

[SlowRobotAhead]

So you think it’s coincidence these orgs are made of former high level Clinton campaign staffers?

[dariusj18]

Not a coincidence, an inevitability. Bill and Hillary Clinton have been in politics for many years, Bill Clinton was President for 8 years and Hillary ran for President twice. Anyone who is anyone in the Democratic party would want to work for them at some point.

[SlowRobotAhead]

That’s a fair point. Although... when you think about the idea of peacocking that you are a kingmaker, it just flat out reminds me of the hubris that lost Clinton 2016 and that her staffers had to bear some of the blame.

Now here we are years later and there are “app voting irregularities” from the people that swore up and down Russia was hacking our elections, you think those people would be more cautious if they actually believed those claims themselves.

Thinking about it some more, I guess this is probably a “attribute to incompetence, not malice” situation, but as amusing as I found it, really was just made for the conspiracy theorist!

[dariusj18]

Go to any political environment, everyone tries to swagger like they are the best connected in the room. Hell, go to any convention anywhere and see the same thing.

State Democratic parties are cheap and obstinate. Most of the money is siphoned off by salaries and contractors. They don't work together nor work with the national party. When the deign to do so it is because their offered a lot of funding or favors.