BorderCountess wrote:

"What the hell happened to Putin?"

Nothing, you ignorant orange fuck. This is who he's always been.

Well said.

Wall Street investors have cooked up a new term for betting against President Donald Trump ― and some have used it to score big gains at a time when the markets are behaving erratically due to the president’s on-again, off-again tariffs.

It’s called “TACO,” which is code for “Trump Always Chickens Out,” and it refers to the president’s tendency to announce massive tariffs, causing the markets to plunge, only to back off days later, causing them to rise again.


Analysts said the situation is unique to Trump.

“Under no previous presidency did we have active markets betting on the president’s resolve,” University of Michigan economist Justin Wolfers told Barron’s. “There was no BACO trade, no CACO trade, nothing. It was always taken as a given that when the president spoke on Monday, he would likely still mean it on Tuesday. That’s no longer true. But what’s really hard is that it’s not even obvious when it’ll be true, and when it won’t be. Madness.”

Armstrong, the writer who coined the term, had his own tongue-in-cheek takeaway.

“Acronyms are very powerful, especially when they remind people of foodstuffs,” he said on the “Unhedged” podcast. “That is what I’ve learned from this experience.”


You too can become a tool!

Buy the dip: the trend that keeps stocks from crashing
Retail investors now play a useful role at times of panic

I'm starting to think Trump might not be any good at this whole 'trade agreement' thing.

He must have watched the original Blues Brothers movie last night.

That's a lot of words for, "...waaah! Judges won't let me be a king!"

Also, has anyone else noticed how much he now uses the sentence, "Thank you for your attention to this matter!" That's something you copy/paste at the end of an email...

And speaking of Donald's TACO moments, we approach another one.

Putin didn’t budge in Ukraine peace talks. Now Donald Trump may be forced to act
Analysis by Matthew Chance, Chief Global Affairs Correspondent
Updated: 10:46 AM EDT, Tue June 3, 2025
Source: CNN

See Full Web Article

So, Russia and Ukraine are still as far apart as ever, with the two warring countries unable to make a significant breakthrough in direct talks in Istanbul.

While there was agreement to exchange more prisoners, Moscow and Kyiv remain deeply divided over how to bring the costly and bitter Ukraine war to an end.

Russia has shown itself to be particularly uncompromising, handing Ukrainian negotiators a memorandum re-stating its maximalist, hardline terms which would essentially amount to a Ukrainian surrender.

Expectations were always low for a Kremlin compromise. But Moscow appears to have eliminated any hint of a readiness to soften its demands.

The Russian memorandum again calls on Ukraine to withdraw from four partially occupied regions that Russia has annexed but not captured: a territorial concession that Kyiv has repeatedly rejected.

It says Ukraine must accept strict limits on its armed forces, never join a military alliance, host foreign troops or aquire nuclear weapons. It would be Ukrainian demilitarization in its most hardline form, unpalatable to Ukraine and much of Europe, which sees the country as a barrier against further Russian expansion.

Other Russian demands include the restoration of full diplomatic and economic ties, specifically that no reparations will be demanded by either side and that all Western sanctions on Russia be lifted.

It is a Kremlin wish-list that, while familiar, speaks volumes about how Moscow continues to imagine the future of Ukraine as a subjugated state in the thrall of Russia, with no significant military of its own nor real independence.

Dmitry Medvedev, Russia’s hawkish former president and prime minister who is now a top security official, said outright on Tuesday that Moscow’s goal in the peace talks is not to “compromise,” but to achieve a “speedy victory.” He said this was the “meaning” of Russia’s memorandum.

This uncompromising position comes despite two important factors which may have given the Kremlin pause.

Firstly, Ukraine has developed the technical capability to strike deep inside Russia, despite its staggering disparity of territory and resources. The stunning drone strikes recently targeting Russian strategic bombers at bases thousands of miles from Ukraine is a powerful illustration of that. Ukraine, it seems, has some cards after all, and is using them effectively.

Secondly – and arguably more dangerously for Moscow – the Kremlin’s latest hardline demands come despite US President Donald Trump’s increasing frustrations with his own Ukraine peace efforts.

Trump has already expressed annoyance with his Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, who he said had gone “absolutely MAD” after massive Russian strikes on Ukraine last week.

But now, Trump himself is under pressure as a cornerstone of his second term foreign policy – bringing a rapid end the Ukraine war – looks decidedly shaky.

There are powerful levers to pull if Trump chooses, like increasing US military aid or imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate. One of the key backers of a cross-party senate bill that aims to impose “crippling” new measures on Moscow, Senator Richard Blumenthal, accused Russia of “mocking peace efforts” at the Istanbul talks and in a carefully worded post on X accused the Kremlin of “playing Trump and America for fools.”

It is unclear at the moment how the mercurial US president will react, or what – if anything – he will do.

But the outcome of the Ukraine war, specifically the brokering of peace deal to end it, has become inextricably linked with the current administration in the White House.

The fact that Putin has once again dug in his heels and presented an uncompromising response to calls for peace, may now force Trump to act.

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/04/politics … ns-autopen

Biden really gets under his skin, eh?

"Cognitive decline".  Well, that is something the President knows a great deal about.

Baywolfe wrote:

"Cognitive decline".  Well, that is something the President knows a great deal about.

Do Republicans really want to open this can of worms? Because James "Partisan Attack Dog" Comer is now trying to subpoena Biden's physician.

So much for Trump's claim that wars don't start on his watch.

Tariff Free Tele For You!

AVAILABLE FOR PRE-ORDER NOW!
Get ready to experience the power of TrumpSM Mobile. Our MADE IN THE USA “T1SM Phone” is available for pre-order now. Reserve your phone TODAY!! The “T1SM Phone” will be available in September 2025


"This latest move raises more questions than answers. As always the devil is in the detail given that it is unclear around the actual commercial relationship with the telecom players and so forth," said Paolo Pescatore, TMT analyst at PP Foresight.

Fake women for fake politics.  They can't get the ugly out of their eyes to save their lives.

Hegseth deploys more active duty troops stateside.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/R … ve-and-lo/

MSG Tripps wrote:

Hegseth deploys more active duty troops stateside.
https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/R … ve-and-lo/

These service members, drawn from all components and operating in a Title 10 duty status, will provide logistical support, and conduct administrative and clerical functions associated with the processing of illegal aliens at ICE detention facilities. They will not directly participate in law enforcement activities.

Isn't that how Vietnam started?

Ukraine's still being invaded and Israel and Iran are shooting the shit out of each other. Trump's advisors are trying to figure out what he should be doing.

What is Trump actually doing today?

Some pole-jerking. He's standing on the lawn overseeing the only erections he can get these days.

Senator Elizabeth Warren calls it Donald's "Red Light / Green Light" tariff policy.

Trump made trade his biggest issue. Now he’s running out of time
Analysis by David Goldman and Phil Mattingly, CNN
Updated: 5:00 AM EDT, Thu June 19, 2025
Source: CNN

See Full Web Article

Despite unprecedented immigration raids, a massive domestic policy agenda and now the prospect of actual war, President Donald Trump’s first five months in office have nevertheless been dominated by his trade war. He notched some recent wins, but Trump is rapidly running out of time to seal the deal.

Or, more accurately, deals. More than 100 of them.

After pausing his “Liberation Day” tariffs that sent levies surging for dozens of countries’ exports to the United States, Trump has sought to make a number of bilateral trade deals that would open American businesses’ access to foreign markets and boost US manufacturing. The deadline is July 9. Trump has just two deals to show for his efforts over the past two months.

Trump and other world leaders had hoped to use the G7 meeting in Canada this week to hammer out more. The announcement of new deals could have solidified confidence that the US and global economies could avoid a recession this year – a major question mark that most economists believed was a distinct possibility just a few weeks ago.

The degree to which Trump – his preferences and, more importantly, his aversions – shaped the structure, logistics, schedule and deliverables planned for the summit underscored the shared view of Trump’s singular importance in this moment.

It was Trump’s time that was most coveted, and the subject of intense efforts in the weeks before to secure bilateral sit-downs or pull-aside chats on the sidelines of the official events, US and foreign officials said.

But then Trump left the G7 early on Monday to deal with the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. He left behind his economic team, but Trump’s early and unexpected departure removed the key piece from a complex trade puzzle.

Now Trump has four weeks left to score those deals, set the clock forward again or announce higher tariff rates – all while he’s increasingly occupied with a military conflict in the Middle East that could quickly become a wider war with direct US involvement.

Trade deals in limbo

Trump and his economic team have long promised deals that have been “coming soon” for weeks. So far, only the United Kingdom and China have agreed to frameworks for US trade negotiations. The UK signed its agreement at the G7 this week. And China met US trade representatives in the United Kingdom last week and agreed to the terms of a previous arrangement after tensions escalated in recent weeks.

But Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick once again promised last week that new trade deals are right around the corner.

“There are so many coming,” Lutnick told CNBC last Wednesday. “You’re going to see deal after deal, they’re going to start coming next week and the week after and the week after. We’ve got them in the hopper.”

Those predictions have been wrong. Every time.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has repeatedly said the administration is in active negotiations with 18 trading partners after reaching those tentative agreements with the UK and China.

So where are the deals? Lutnick said last week Trump is in no rush, preferring to hammer out better agreements that benefit American businesses and consumers.

“Good shape isn’t good enough for the United States of America. We want great deals that are fundamental for America,” Lutnick said. “We can get them done. We need to open these other countries’ markets. Our farmers, our ranchers, our fisherman, they are going to have just a great time. Our machinists are going to sell a lot of equipment overseas.”

The key factor, Lutnick said, is opening up foreign markets that impose tariffs and other non-tariff trade barriers such as taxes and export controls that limit American companies’ access to those countries.

Airborne diplomacy

At the G7, the US and Canada agreed to a 30-day timeline for a bilateral agreement, but a Canadian proposal privately broached with Trump that exchanged defense spending increases for a reprieve from Trump’s steel and aluminum tariffs didn’t appear to gain any traction, two officials said.

A pull aside between Trump and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba didn’t yield the agreement that Japanese officials had hoped for weeks could be finalized at the summit.

Meanwhile, Trump left behind in Canada a number of world leaders with frayed nerves but no new trade deals at the clock ticks down to zero.

“They’re either going to make a good deal or they’ll just pay whatever we say they have to pay,” Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One when asked about progress in negotiations with the European Union during the trip back to Washington.

Moments later, Trump was asked about the status of talks with Japan.

“The Japanese are tough,” Trump said a few minutes later when asked about negotiations with Japan. “But ultimately you have to understand we’re just going to send a letter saying ‘this is what you’re going to pay, otherwise you don’t have to do business with us.’”

The consequences of no action

Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell on Wednesday said tariffs have already raised prices on some goods – especially electronics – and inflation could spike in the coming months as higher import taxes make their way through the system.

“So we’re beginning to see some effects. We expect to see more,” Powell said during his post-meeting press conference. “We’ve had goods inflation just moving up a bit, and, of course, we do expect to see more of that over the course of the summer.”

Powell noted that many goods being sold at retailers today may have been imported months ago, before tariffs were imposed. So it could take time before inflation takes hold.

“Many, many companies do expect to put all or some of the effect of tariffs through to the next person in the chain, and, ultimately, to the consumer,” Powell said.

Fed members in their quarterly economic forecasts on Wednesday predicted inflation would rise higher over the next couple years than they had expected in March. They also said the economy would grow more slowly and unemployment would rise more quickly than they previously believed.

Powell noted that the reduction in tariffs on Chinese goods to 30% from 145% was a relief. But the big question for the economy remains: Will tariffs move higher in the summer after the 90-day “reciprocal” tariff pause expires for so many other countries.

“The effects of tariffs will depend on their ultimate level,” Powell said. “Expectations of the level and economic effects reached a peak in April and have since declined. Even so, increases in tariffs this year are likely to push up prices and weigh on economic activity.”

While Powell took a soothing approach on Wednesday, the urgent deadline is viewed around the world as an acute threat to domestic economies and industries if agreements aren’t reached.

For Trump, it’s leverage.

After all, Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One, “we’re making a lot of money.”

So if, "we're making money" then the budget deficit should go down, right?  Right...?

Johnny_Rotten wrote:

Trump denies approving Iran attack plan but will make decision ‘within two weeks’
President denies report in Wall Street Journal and says newspaper has ‘no idea’ of his plans for Israel and Iran

His two-week delay in a decision on Iran and his newest extension for Tik Tok are because he has no fucking idea what he's doing. He's still trying to see which way the wind is blowing before he makes the choice he thinks will benefit him the most.

Because he can't possibly care less what happens to everyone else.

Look Closely...

The Trump Phone no longer promises it’s made in America

...the Trump Mobile site appears to have been scrubbed of all language indicating the phone is to be made in the USA. (Like, for instance, the huge banner on the homepage that says the T1 is “MADE IN THE USA.” Just to name one example.)

Instead, the Trump Mobile website now includes what can only be described as vague, pro-American gestures in the direction of smartphone manufacturing. The T1’s new tagline is “Premium Performance. Proudly American.” Its website says the device is “designed with American values in mind” and there are “American hands behind every device.” Under Key Features, the first thing listed is “American-Proud Design.” None of this indicates, well, anything. It certainly doesn’t say the device is made in the USA, or even designed in the USA. There are just… some hands. In America.

Trump Media’s stock has plunged by nearly half since the election. Now it’s taking action
By Matt Egan, CNN
Updated: 5:00 AM EDT, Thu June 26, 2025
Source: CNN

See Full Web Article

In the weeks before last fall’s election, shares of Trump Media & Technology Group spiked as traders bet Donald Trump would return to the White House and make Truth Social the platform for presidential communications.

Those wagers proved prophetic – if not lucrative.

Voters did return Trump to the White House and Truth Social is now the way the commander-in-chief announces everything from major military strikes to new fronts in the trade war.

And yet, many who own shares in the company with the ticker symbol “DJT” are sitting on sizable losses.

Despite Trump’s victory, Trump Media shares have lost nearly half their value (48%) since Election Day, badly trailing the S&P 500’s 5% gain over that span. If you look at just the time since Trump took office, Trump Media shares are down even more (56%).

The struggles of Trump Media reflect the fact that much of this stock’s rise was based on hype and momentum, not the underlying health of the business.

Even though its share price is deeply in the red this year, Trump Media is still valued at about $5 billion. That’s nothing to sneeze at – nearly equaling the value of Macy’s and Wendy’s combined.

And yet Trump Media’s fundamentals remain quite modest.

The owner of Truth Social generated just $821,000 in revenue during the first three months of 2025. Trump Media lost $32 million in the first quarter.

“By conventional measures, this stock is quite expensive. It’s a money-losing company with negligible revenue,” said Steve Sosnick, chief strategist at Interactive Brokers. “However, this stock has always defied conventional valuation metrics.”

In an effort to revive the share price, Trump Media has pushed into cryptocurrencies and promised to buy back vast amounts of its own stock.

X is 300 times the size of Truth Social

Its main product, a social media platform catering to conservatives, has yet to take off in the mainstream even though it’s the go-to place to try to understand what the most powerful person on the planet is thinking and doing.

The good news for Truth Social is that daily active users for its app have more than doubled (+106%) over the past year to 359,000 in May, according to Simlarweb data shared with CNN.

The bad news is Truth Social remains tiny. Not only are its daily active users dwarfed by X’s (formerly Twitter) 131.9 million, its tally widely trails Threads (112.9 million) and Reddit (66.2 million), according to Similarweb.

Even Bluesky, which launched in 2023 as a rival to Twitter, has 10 times the daily active users as Truth Social.

Trump Media responded with a statement that accused CNN of “politically motivated drivel disparaging Trump Media, a company with $3 billion in liquid assets.”

But Truth Social still has only a small piece of the social media universe.

“Truth Social’s audience has been growing since Trump was inaugurated, but it is still a small player,” said David F. Carr, editor of insights news & research at Similarweb.

Carr noted that Truth Social app usage hit a record on Saturday, after Trump used the social media platform to announce the US military strikes on three nuclear sites in Iran.

“But even on that peak day, web traffic and app usage were less than 1% of what X attracted. Bluesky also had millions of more web visitors and app users,” Carr said.

Even some Trump Media investors are skeptical about Truth Social.

“I don’t see that as a growth area – and I don’t think they do either,” said Matthew Tuttle, CEO of Tuttle Capital Management and a shareholder in Trump Media. “That’s why they’re going whole hog into crypto.”

Betting on bitcoin as Trump boosts crypto

Indeed, Trump Media is using one of its real strengths – plenty of cash – to go headfirst into crypto.

Trump Media recently filed paperwork seeking regulatory approval to launch an exchange traded fund (ETF) that would invest in bitcoin and another cryptocurrency called Ethereum.

The move came after Trump Media amassed a $2.5 billion war chest to buy bitcoin, creating what it described as one of the biggest bitcoin treasuries of any public company.

However, existing Trump Media shareholders’ stakes were watered down because the company sold stock to raise money for that push into buying crypto.

The moves have alarmed ethics watchdogs because Trump was elected with strong support from the crypto industry after he reversed his earlier criticism of cryptocurrencies like bitcoin.

Trump has kept promises to promote crypto, including by launching a Strategic Bitcoin Reserve and tapping crypto-friendly regulators.

After winning election in November, Trump transferred his dominant stake in Trump Media to a revocable trust. Yet Trump is the sole beneficiary of the trust and it is run by one of his sons, Donald Trump Jr.

Trump Media Chairman and CEO Devin Nunes has hailed his company’s push into crypto and financial technology.

“We aim to continue rapidly transforming Trump Media into an indispensable company for the expanding customer base of the Patriot Economy,” Nunes said in a statement earlier this month.

However, investors remain skeptical.

“Does the Trump name on an ETF get people to buy it? The jury is out,” Tuttle said. “They’re getting into crypto treasury, along with 60 other companies, kind of copying MicroStrategy’s playbook.”

MicroStrategy pioneered the strategy of scooping up cryptocurrencies and storing them on corporate balance sheets. While GameStop, Trump Media and others are now following suit, Tuttle noted that MicroStrategy is the only one being rewarded by investors right now.

‘I would never bet against him’

In a bid to breathe new lift into Trump Media’s share price, the company announced plans this week to buy back up to $400 million of its own shares.
“It seems like a move to keep the stock propped up,” said Interactive’s Sosnick.

Nunes, the Trump Media CEO, said in a statement this week that the buyback amounts to a “vote of confidence” in the company, its stock and strategic plans. Nunes added that Trump Media’s $3 billion in cash gives it flexibility to take actions to “support strong shareholder returns.”

But it’s somewhat surprising to see a company that went public barely a year ago turning to stock buybacks.

Then again, much of the Trump Media story since its launch in 2021 has been unusual.

“If the whole bitcoin ETF thing doesn’t work and the market doesn’t reward crazy multiples for bitcoin treasury, there isn’t a lot of there there,” said Tuttle, the shareholder.

But Tuttle isn’t ready to give up on his bet yet, especially given that Trump’s time in the White House still has three-and-a-half years left.

“I would never bet against him,” Tuttle said. “Every time I think he’s done, he comes out stronger than before.”

BorderCountess wrote:

Does anyone want to guess what that company will be worth in February 2029?

Who cares, this ain't an oil company dependent on revenues, or even dependent on being a media company in of itself. Trump Media has been converted to an investment fund. Isn't Trumps goal with all these companies to make them into a crypto exchange? With the twist being to create a new crypto reserve currency for the US. Nothing will say winning like having your crypto backed by the full faith and credit of the United States Government.

By February 2029 the taxpayers might be guaranteeing its value. If Vance gets elected, whoo wee, way too big to fail!

https://www.cnn.com/2025/06/29/politics … edance-ban

Which is more likely?

1) He doesn't actually have a buyer, and this is his usual "two weeks" bullshit.

2) The buyer is him.

Elon Musk wants to create a new political party. Building rockets may be easier
Analysis by Hadas Gold, CNN
Updated: 7:57 AM EDT, Wed July 2, 2025
Source: CNN

See Full Web Article

Elon Musk has started multiple successful companies that have accomplished incredible technological feats. His latest ambition may be significantly more difficult to achieve: starting a new American political party for the masses.

Citing his disappointment in President Donald Trump and his massively expensive domestic policy bill, Musk said he would form the “America party” the day after the “Big, Beautiful Bill” passes, if Congress approves it. Musk has called Democrats and Republicans the “uniparty” because government deficits have risen dramatically under administrations and Congresses controlled by both parties. He says he wants to build a fiscally conservative party that reins in spending – although he’s presented few other details of what the party’s platform might be.

Experts in campaign finance and political science say there’s a reason no third party has ever truly successfully challenged America’s two-party system: It is financially and legally difficult to create a new party, and voters and candidates are hesitant to join.

“Third-party movements in the US have generally arisen out of some sort of set of deep-seated grievances,” Emory University political science professor Alan Abramowitz told CNN. “It was not just some wealthy person who’s decided they wanted to start a third party.”

It’s not clear how much if any preparation has been done to stand up the party. A spokesperson for Musk’s political action committee, America PAC, declined to comment.

A senior White House official brushed off Musk’s criticism of the bill. “No one really cares what he says anymore,” the source said.

Two Republicans close to the White House said that it was also unclear how Musk’s threats might play out in the midterm elections.

“Of course, members don’t want to be primaried,” one of the sources said. “It’s unclear if he’s actually going to get involved. A few weeks ago he apologized and called Trump.”

Musk may be the richest person on Earth, but he could also encounter some financial resistance himself. Former DOGE adviser and Trump supporter James Fishback said he is launching his own super PAC to counter Musk’s money in congressional races.

Fishback, who runs an investment firm, said he will provide $1 million in initial funding to the super PAC, which will be called FSD PAC, an abbreviation for Full Support for Donald.

He told CNN that the super PAC will work to back Trump’s agenda “and against anyone who threatens to sabotage that agenda,” including Musk.

Legal hurdles

American political parties are governed by laws and rules not just from the Federal Election Commission but also from the states, including around which parties can appear on ballots.

“The system is sort of set up to almost make it impossible for third parties to be successful,” Abramowitz said.

Funding a new party has its own hurdles. The McCain-Feingold Bipartisan Campaign Reform Act of 2022 set strict limits on donations to political parties. The current limit is just under $450,000 spread across different party purposes. Musk would need thousands of co-donors to help him fund his party, said Lee Goodman, an attorney and former chair of the FEC.

“One very wealthy individual cannot capitalize a new national political party, the way he might start a business, because of federal contribution limits,” Goodman told CNN. “The prospect of a wealthy founder seed funding a national party to participate in federal elections around the country is not feasible in the current regulatory system.”

Bradley Smith, another former FEC chair and who is now a law professor at Capital University Law School, said there are some ways around the current regulations.

“There is some case law suggesting that some of the organizational activities of a party and starting a party right can be funded with larger contributions, until it actually qualifies for party status under the election commission regulations,” Smith said, but he noted it’s complex and difficult to do.

“You can fund super PACs all you want. But you can’t fund a political party, as a strange part of American law,” he added.

Super PACs are not legally allowed to coordinate spending with parties or candidates, although previous candidates have tested these limits, as nothing prohibits coordination when the information is shared publicly. “Coordination has, in fact, become commonplace,” the nonpartisan Campaign Legal Center has said.

Then there’s getting on the actual ballots. States have different rules, such as requiring a certain number of signatures.

“It would take years and might require changes in laws around the country that currently favor two major political parties,” Goodman noted

Political hurdles

Beyond the legal and logistical hurdles, there’s convincing candidates to join and voters to cast their ballots for them.

Despite varying approval levels, party loyalties remain strong, Abramowitz said, especially among Republicans, who have coalesced around Trump.

“The biggest obstacle is just that it’s very difficult to convince people to vote for a third-party candidate because the argument is always ‘you’re wasting your vote. You’re voting for someone who has no chance of winning elections,’” Abramowitz said.

Candidates may also be wary. Democrats are unlikely to run under the America Party because “Democrats hate Elon Musk,” Abramowitz said. And Republicans “have clearly shown that they’re much more attached to Donald Trump than they are to Elon Musk.”

Republicans highly approve of Trump, according to CNN Chief Data Analyst Harry Enten’s aggregation of available polling data. Some 90 precent of Republicans approve of Trump’s performance thus far in this presidency, and he is doing better in approval ratings five months into the presidency than former Republican presidents. And in 96% of the 2024 primary races where Trump endorsed, those candidates won.

If creating a new political party proves too difficult, Musk could still hold a lot of sway through his super PAC, to which he can send unlimited funds. That PAC can then support independent candidates, who could also have an easier time getting on ballots.

“Independent spending, individually or via a super PAC, remains the most legal and practical mechanism for a wealthy individual to have a say in national politics,” Goodman said.

CNN’s Kristen Holmes and Fredreka Schouten contributed reporting.