Back in the days when I still thought “artists’ books” were cool, I entitled one Politics Smells like Meat.  Still a good, and accurate, title, since politics decides who will eat steak and whose ass will be served as that steak.  The smell of grilling meat is often delicious and easily overcomes any hesitation to eat what was, until recently, a living, sentient creature.

From the excellent Jane Mayer, investigative journalist and author of the definitive story of our secret torture program, this paragraph, in a profile of reclusive billionaire libertarian Robert Mercer, friend and sponsor of Steve Bannon:

Private money has long played a big role in American elections. When there were limits on how much a single donor could give, however, it was much harder for an individual to have a decisive impact. Now, Potter said, “a single billionaire can write an eight-figure check and put not just their thumb but their whole hand on the scale—and we often have no idea who they are.” He continued, “Suddenly, a random billionaire can change politics and public policy—to sweep everything else off the table—even if they don’t speak publicly, and even if there’s almost no public awareness of his or her views.”

The rest of the New Yorker article is here.