Long’s signature innovation in American power politics was bringing the whole state of Louisiana under the control of his political machine. He took total control of all elections in the state. Also all appointed offices. He stacked every level of state government and even local government with people who answered only to him. He used bribes and threats to simply take anything he wanted, including from the state legislature. And he reaped the rewards—not just the policy outcomes he dictated as if handed down by a king, but tribute, sent up to said king by every penny-ante official in the state
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