6 ms·

Bullshit. $5,000 for everyone if they vote to keep the GOP in power is clearly illegal. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 https://www.law.cornell.

Bullshit. $5,000 for everyone if they vote to keep the GOP in power is clearly illegal. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/18/597 > Whoever makes or offers to make an expenditure to any person, either to vote or withhold his vote, or to vote for or against any candidate; and > Whoever solicits, accepts, or receives any such expenditure in consideration of his vote or the withholding of his vote— > Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than one year, or both; and if the violation was willful, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.

FeteCommuniste 5d ago
It's no more illegal than promising a tax cut for everyone if you're elected. What you can't do is promise money exclusively to the people who vote for you. That's bribery.
- ceejayoz 4d ago
  https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disaster-aid-for-democratic-led-states-00831199 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disast... > The president has approved just 23 percent of blue state requests for disaster aid, compared to 89 percent for red states. He seems to do exactly that.
  - emodendroket 4d ago
    Yes, the President enjoys great latitude to do things that are ill advised, immoral, or harmful without breaking any laws.
    - ceejayoz 4d ago
      The Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause would seem to disagree in this scenario.
      - emodendroket 4d ago
        Then I guess the states' attorneys general are suckers for not bothering to bring a case.
        ceejayoz 4d ago
        Or you've just not been paying attention. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/states-sue-trump-administration-fema-disaster-funding https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/states-sue-t...
what 5d ago
Okay, so Biden promising stimulus checks in 2020 was also a bribe to vote for him?
- ceejayoz 4d ago
  Biden was a) on the ballot, and b) didn't condition it on his buddies also getting elected. You'll note that the Senate was controlled by Mitch McConnell when the American Rescue Plan Act was voted on. See also: Disaster aid depends on whether your state is a blue or red state in this administration. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disaster-aid-for-democratic-led-states-00831199 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disast... > The president has approved just 23 percent of blue state requests for disaster aid, compared to 89 percent for red states.
  - emodendroket 4d ago
    If “his buddies” are not elected the President cannot realistically enact legislation.
    - ceejayoz 4d ago
      > You'll note that the Senate was controlled by Mitch McConnell when the American Rescue Plan Act was voted on. Please, read the posts you're replying to. I gave a clear example proving that they can indeed do so. Biden's stimulus payments were not conditional on Democratic control of Congress.
emodendroket 5d ago
What he did was promise to enact a massive stimulus if elected. If that is illegal you might as well ban any kind of campaigning, because any campaign promise could be construed as a "bribe" to deliver concrete benefits to voters.
- deleted 4d ago
  [deleted]
- ceejayoz 4d ago
  > What he did was promise to enact a massive stimulus if elected. In an election he's not on the ballot for, and it's contingent on his buddies getting picked. He could push for $5,000 checks now - he's not because it's a bribe, and he hasn't gotten what he wants out of it yet. He already has Republicans in control of the House and Senate to do things.
  - emodendroket 4d ago
    None of that makes it, legally, an illegal bribe.

FeteCommuniste 5d ago

It's no more illegal than promising a tax cut for everyone if you're elected. What you can't do is promise money exclusively to the people who vote for you. That's bribery.

ceejayoz 4d ago
https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disaster-aid-for-democratic-led-states-00831199 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disast... > The president has approved just 23 percent of blue state requests for disaster aid, compared to 89 percent for red states. He seems to do exactly that.
- emodendroket 4d ago
  Yes, the President enjoys great latitude to do things that are ill advised, immoral, or harmful without breaking any laws.
  - ceejayoz 4d ago
    The Fourteenth Amendment’s equal protection clause would seem to disagree in this scenario.
    - emodendroket 4d ago
      Then I guess the states' attorneys general are suckers for not bothering to bring a case.
      - ceejayoz 4d ago
        Or you've just not been paying attention. https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/states-sue-trump-administration-fema-disaster-funding https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/jul/24/states-sue-t...

what 5d ago

Okay, so Biden promising stimulus checks in 2020 was also a bribe to vote for him?

ceejayoz 4d ago
Biden was a) on the ballot, and b) didn't condition it on his buddies also getting elected. You'll note that the Senate was controlled by Mitch McConnell when the American Rescue Plan Act was voted on. See also: Disaster aid depends on whether your state is a blue or red state in this administration. https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disaster-aid-for-democratic-led-states-00831199 https://www.politico.com/news/2026/03/23/trump-denies-disast... > The president has approved just 23 percent of blue state requests for disaster aid, compared to 89 percent for red states.
- emodendroket 4d ago
  If “his buddies” are not elected the President cannot realistically enact legislation.
  - ceejayoz 4d ago
    > You'll note that the Senate was controlled by Mitch McConnell when the American Rescue Plan Act was voted on. Please, read the posts you're replying to. I gave a clear example proving that they can indeed do so. Biden's stimulus payments were not conditional on Democratic control of Congress.

emodendroket 5d ago

What he did was promise to enact a massive stimulus if elected. If that is illegal you might as well ban any kind of campaigning, because any campaign promise could be construed as a "bribe" to deliver concrete benefits to voters.

deleted 4d ago
[deleted]
ceejayoz 4d ago
> What he did was promise to enact a massive stimulus if elected. In an election he's not on the ballot for, and it's contingent on his buddies getting picked. He could push for $5,000 checks now - he's not because it's a bribe, and he hasn't gotten what he wants out of it yet. He already has Republicans in control of the House and Senate to do things.
- emodendroket 4d ago
  None of that makes it, legally, an illegal bribe.