Posted at Hartmann Report on Jul. 23, 2025
Oligarchs, Outlaws & the End of Journalism: Reagan’s Real Legacy in Trump’s GOP
The CBS merger isn't a business deal — it's a pay-to-play scheme fueling America's slide into oligarchy…
The CBS merger deal illustrates everything that's wrong with post-Reagan Revolution America. It's not just another corporate merger: it's a road sign on our accelerating march toward oligarchy, propaganda, and the collapse of honest media.
We've watched one of the most important legacy broadcast platforms in America pay a $16 million bribe to our convicted felon president, reportedly offer him another $16 million worth of free air time, and try to sell its entire operation to a billionaire with a God complex. It's the worst of the Reagan revolution coming home to roost, on our screens, in our homes, and in our civic life.
Start with the $16 million payoff: Trump sued CBS and its parent company Paramount over a 60 Minutes interview with Kamala Harris, laughably arguing that CBS's editing of the interview constituted unlawful election tampering. The lawsuit was instantly and widely regarded as frivolous, but instead of fighting it, CBS quietly settled for an astonishing $16 million. No trial. No discovery. Just a big, fat check.
This isn't journalism: it's tribute. It's what oligarchs have done for centuries when they want to please the king.