Whether they realized it or not, a deal had been struck with the citizenry. In exchange for this blatant political corruption, the people were to receive relative safety and stability. Politicians and those with whom they were connected could not thumb their nose at either the system or the American people. Working-class citizens could tolerate only so much. You had to pay them lip service. Don’t be obvious and publicly sell clearly hideous artwork to party donors or foreign agents after taking an interest in painting a week earlier. Even the most ardent party apologists and loyalists had a
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