this post was submitted on 05 Apr 2024
35 points (90.7% liked)

Showerthoughts

29707 readers
1319 users here now

A "Showerthought" is a simple term used to describe the thoughts that pop into your head while you're doing everyday things like taking a shower, driving, or just daydreaming. A showerthought should offer a unique perspective on an ordinary part of life.

Rules

  1. All posts must be showerthoughts
  2. The entire showerthought must be in the title
  3. Avoid politics
    1. NEW RULE as of 5 Nov 2024, trying it out
    2. Political posts often end up being circle jerks (not offering unique perspective) or enflaming (too much work for mods).
    3. Try c/politicaldiscussion, volunteer as a mod here, or start your own community.
  4. Posts must be original/unique
  5. Adhere to Lemmy's Code of Conduct-----

founded 1 year ago
MODERATORS
 

Everything is for the good of the enterprise, even if you have to bomb your own camp

top 2 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

The part that stuck with me was how Minderbinder was a patriot. He didn't see any conflict between profiteering and being a loyal American. Even when that meant plain treason.

Contrast this with Harry Truman. A lawmaker who made his name investigating "war profiteering". Truman became a Senator because he had the backing of the notoriously corrupt Missouri political machine headed by the boss Pendergast. Truman was nicknamed "the Senator from Pendergast".

Truman himself wasn't corrupt. But he was a poor businessman, and maybe that makes him the least American of all.

[โ€“] [email protected] 1 points 7 months ago

I'd add the fact he was let off the hook due to his enormous profits. He beat the treason charges by having an objective measure of how very American he was. This was, of course, a fiction as usually these guys have to pay a fine, some small fraction of whatever was gained. They sometimes even get fingers wagged at them, I hear