One important thing I learned in the aftermath of the merger between PGA and the saudis:

[Baitball Blogger]

Today I am hearing how people feel betrayed. By people, I mean reasonable white men are standing up and saying that this merger is an affront to those who lost loved ones on 9/11 as well as the rest of us. Among them you have to include conservative white Republicans. So, it means that even the hard right admits that the Saudis, and not Iraq, were responsible for 9/11. That kind of admission hasn't happened in a wide public way. Probably because they don't want to remember how abusive they were to the rest of us, because George Bush II was wrong in every way. And if their judgment was marred back then, can it be trusted in the future? THAT's why they don't want a full public admission. It was another bad Republican counter offensive that wasted time and resources under the rule of a Republican president.

Now, here's something you should all worry about. We do have a problem in America, because we have shown how easy it is to weaponize Americans against other Americans. It usually comes down to Republicans supporting some bad idea that began with misinformation. Usually, we're labeled as the enemies because we don't blindly follow. We are called unpatriotic and our efforts to bring reason to the discussion ends up putting a target on our backs.

I didn't just see this process happen at the national level. I saw it at the local level too. Wherever they congregate, it becomes a cell that gets activated by spreading misinformation. Sometimes money and other opportunities are involved. Any of their organizations can be infiltrated. Their churches, their Rotary Clubs, the Chamber of Commerce, their master HOAs, and yes, their golf courses. They become perfect storms for mob rule.

So, my final word of caution. Knowing first hand how things can go really bad for the rest of us when wrong-minded ideas get spread in one or more of these cells, I say that this merger between the Saudis and the PGA is extremely worrisome. The Saudis are accustom to spreading their money in America in order to get what they want. And having access to organizations where they can easily reach out to the leaders in our communities...very worrisome.

[snowybirdie]

1. I was struck

how the new entity is a for profit corporation using mainly Saudi money, but remains a
501-C3 tax exempt organization. Whaaaa?

[Farmer-Rick]

6. Giving Saudi princes tax exemptions?

How special. The US is lucky someone pays their taxes.

[Baitball Blogger]

9. The Democrats are right to demand an investigation.

[Rebl2]

32. Hope they

do and hope there will be many golfers that refuse to play in pga now. Doubtful many will give up playing though.

[Baitball Blogger]

36. Just the other day I read where someone in a position of power over the writers claimed

that they could impose harsh things because it's in the writer's blood to write and create and they would do it for free. (I am paraphrasing).

Well, that's true if your salary does not depend on maintaining a family.

In the world of golfers, there are some who seriously need the money, and others who just love the sport. I think golf does get into their blood. My husband just started playing, and if he doesn't manage to sneak in a round a week, it's like he's off his medication.

[Beachnutt]

2. How about the Womens pga ?

Don't they cut womens heads off in Saudi Arabia ?

[edhopper]

14. They don't discriminate

they cut everyone's heads off.

[Srkdqltr]

3. Money talks, and bull@@@t walks. Actually it should be, everything else walks.

[Baitball Blogger]

10. This is how they win. They use the worst of a capitalist society against us.

[brewens]

4. It's what all the over-the-top flag humping has been about since 9/11. They put the half-wit

Barbara Bush crapped out in the White House. Once "W" and his pack of scum dropped the ball and let us get hit with the biggest terrorist attack on US soil, they had to become super patriots to compensate.

They taunted us a dared us to be against the war in Iraq. Like they wanted to point at the un-American hippie type protestors again.

Look at the incessant harping about Benghazi and now Kabul. They have completely forgotten what happened under "Shrubs" watch. They never really gave a shit, they just used it to loot and gain more power.

[Evolve Dammit]

45. all true. good post!

[617Blue]

5. The merger is really depressing

there were some PGA players fighting the good fight against LIV and they had their legs cut out. All of the players, even the unknown ones, are very wealthy and most don't give a shit.

[Farmer-Rick]

8. The Saudis will make sure

It's a dying sport.

Especially if a player dares say anything about the feudal system the Saudis have made themselves filthy rich with. Bone saws are not just for murdered reporters.

[Baitball Blogger]

12. Pro-Golf is one of those sports where real golfers know that following the rules is the only

way to determine who really is the best player. Anyone who cheats is disgraced. So, yes, it will be interesting to see how they're going to game the field, when everything gets televised when they play.

[gab13by13]

11. Yesterday about 100 PGA players had a meeting with the commisioner,

According to reports about 90% of the golfers were opposed to the merger and the #1 topic was that the commissioner should resign.

So most do give a shit. Tiger Woods reportedly turned down 800 million dollars to join LIV. Fuck Jack Nicklaus who said the merger will be good for golf.

[617Blue]

13. Yes Tiger and Rory have been outspoken

Not a fan of Tiger but he's been on the right side here when it's easier to just shut up and take the money. I'm pretty upset about this and even the Euro Tour is on board now.

In the end they'll just keep playing, there are no other options. I hope some speak out but not expecting that any will.

[Grins]

43. Ha!!! Got an email in 2016, Nicholas endorsing Trump....

…so eff that guy!

Sent to me by my college roommate (and serious golfer) who eats this Reich-wing shit up. HE thought I’d go, “Oh. Well, yes! If Jack says so…”

I sent him quotes from both Arnold Palmer and Tom Watson who HATED Trump.

[gab13by13]

7. I still believe, with zero proof,

that Donald Trump is behind this. The PGA fucked Trump over, it withdrew a major tournament from his golf course. The Brits/Scots fucked Trump by banning Turnberry from hosting the British Open.

It is not a far fetched conspiracy theory to assume that Trump gave the Saudis classified documents and in return the Saudis created LIV to bring down (buy out) the PGA and install a Saudi to head the new golf league, Trump's revenge.

Trump has always been cozy with the Saudis, he made SA his first foreign visit and touched the glowy orb and did the sword dance.

Ask yourself this question: WTF does SA care about golf? Saying they did this to promote their image just doesn't cut it with me, follow the money. Jack Smith is even investigating Trump and LIV golf so there is something there.

[edhopper]

15. There is some proof of this

Trump's statements, Jared's payoff, etc...

[2naSalit]

29. +1

That's a pretty good assumption, I'm even inclined to think that might be closer to what is actually going down.

[harumph]

35. I too suspect it's not about golf.

Maybe the whole LIV thing will turn out to be a big fig leaf for
some real nefarious shit.

[OMGWTF]

52. THIS! THIS! THIS!

[Johnny2X2X]

16. MAGA

What's absolutely crazy is that there's also a band of freaks who love this for one and only one reason, Trump loves him some Saudi Arabia and has been involved with LIV. Owning the Libs with bone sawing media members is more important to them than how the rest of the country feels about 9/11 and Saudi Arabia's role.

Maybe they're starting to relaize how much in common far right dictators who happen to be Islamic have with them. The MAGA movement shares a lot in common with Islamic extremist groupws, especially in their views on women's rights and their views on the absolute power of those in authority.

[farmbo]

17. This just 2 days after the Saudis announced they were raising gas prices..

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/saudi-arabia-cutting-oil-supply-gas-prices-opec/

So who will be paying these LIV/PGA golfers the $millions promised by the merger??

You guessed it... US car drivers!

[Baitball Blogger]

19. +1

Our country has its priorities mixed up. They're anti-immigration, when it's the undocumented immigrants who are working for peanuts, keeping prices at the groceries down; and meanwhile, foreign interests with money are flying in and using our dependence on gas to get special concession to skirt our laws.

We are a really screwed up nation.

[gab13by13]

24. SA partnered with Russia.

[Sneederbunk]

18. Why is it that other US entities with substantial PIF investments do not

get the scrutiny that LIV does? Boeing, Facebook, Citicorp, Disney, Bank of America, Starbucks, Costco, Amazon and Home Depot.

[Baitball Blogger]

20. Because they didn't invest in terrorists who bombed our country?

[Sneederbunk]

23. Although the terrorists invested in them.

Money received by 9/11 demonstrators from PGA suddenly dries up.

[RainCaster]

22. Don't forget the NRA

[Justice]

42. Is this common knowledge?

I'm not sure this is commonly known. Those are public companies, PIF purchased minority stakes in them. Most people don't know this.

PGA is not a public company. The investment by Saudi's in PGA will be a more material investment than PIF's purchase of shares in the public companies above -- it will have more influence.

That said, journalists were saying yesterday that many companies in the US want to have PIF invest money in the company but have been leery to do so -- many hope the PGA's merger will make PIF investments more mainstream and accepted. That does not bode well for us.

[Sneederbunk]

47. What is going unsaid is that PGA is not merging with LIV,

but is being bought by LIV(PIF).

[303squadron]

21. Well this changes everything because

Unlike Jamal Khashoggi, the LIV Tour never had a cut line!

[rubbersole]

38. Dark. But 😁 funny.

[Mr. Evil]

25. Welcome to Bonesaw Golf.

The winners get to keep their heads.

[moniss]

26. Yesterday I heard a national

sports broadcaster named Colin Cowherd defending the PGA taking the money and defending the golfers taking the money. His take was basically that everybody in the world is a little dirty from dealing with the Saudis on oil and so it is OK and besides if the price is high enough you go ahead and take the money. In plain English........F*ck him.

Part of what is wrong with our society today is that attitude and conduct. It's called selling out and it is never honorable. Raising children to feel their principles, morals and integrity are just commodities to be priced is the kind of teaching that leads to ruin both on a personal level and for a society.

[CrispyQ]

28. Cowherd, really?

Someone should tell him that people actually do change their family name. Trump used to be Drumpf.

Re, your post, I call it the lowest common denominator syndrome. I posted my thoughts here yesterday: https://democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1204&pid=91038

[Baitball Blogger]

30. Sounds like colin Cowherd took the money.

What scares me about the country club type of people, is that this kind of thinking is endemic.

[moniss]

41. Right you are

and it is the same crowd that looks down their nose at the people of far less means. I come from a background of nothing and I saw everybody around me struggle hard just to have food and a roof over their head. All of us humans with faults to be sure but on their worst day those folks were still far better people than those country club people will ever be. You could count on the ones struggling to help you even with what little they had for themselves. Meanwhile you could count on the country club folks to be thinking of how they could put a boot on your neck in order to put dollars in their pockets.

[Baitball Blogger]

48. +1

[slightlv]

54. As our parents and grandparents die,

those of the depression era, that experience and the lessons it taught both in frugality and in ethics/morality seem to be getting lost. My dad, who died about a decade ago, was only a few years younger than my grandmother and he was a child of the Depression. He lost his twin in a fire and spent his youth being shuffled from one family member to another until he was old enough to join the Army (to fight the fascists!). He'd give someone the shirt off his back, even if it was the only one he had. He never missed buying peanuts for the squirrels and I caught him more than once "paying it forward" long before it was a thing we do today. Strangest contradiction about this man I admired and respected so very much - he was a registered Republican until the day he died. But he was old school Republican. I could never understand it. His beliefs never matched what the R's stood for! (LOL) He was Union all the way. And he believed in Unemployment Insurance and blessed Medicare and Social Security. He also didn't mind the government stepping in with a helping hand to those in need. Considered our tax dollars to be useful when they were spent on things other than war - things like research in health and medicine and space exploration. Couldn't have been prouder when I, his oldest daughter, joined the Air Force. He was all for women's rights and asked that I just please try not to get arrested when I marched. (gryn)

"The Greatest Generation" is passing away and the lessons they taught us are being thrown down the toilet, I fear.

[moniss]

55. Right you are and

some of the most important moments of my life as a child were the times I spent listening to my grandparents and parents talk about their experiences during the Depression and WW2. The experiences for many became a part of them forever. I've told the story before about my great grandmother. I would visit her in the 1950's for milk and windmill cookies every afternoon and I would sit quietly watching her read the afternoon paper. Invariably she would send me to walk home, appetite for supper spoiled by too much milk and cookies, with a bag with a few fig newtons and windmill cookies. By this stage of her life she was able to afford a basic life for the most part. But her kitchen drawers told the story of where she had been in life. One drawer contained dozens of used little paper bags of various sizes bundled with rubber bands around each bundle. One of her lower cupboard doors would open to reveal the used big paper bags with the handles and some without. All neatly folded and reused countless times and waiting for when needed again.

Another drawer in her kitchen had small open top boxes that had been tea bag boxes etc. and had been cut down in height to fit in the drawer. Those contained various items like rubber bands, paper clips, thumb tacks, little stubby ends of pencils etc. and used envelopes of all kinds. Along side of that drawer was another that contained used ribbons, bows, wrapping paper and string. The last drawer was one that was very special in my eyes. That drawer had bundles of used zippers and little open boxes of buttons all sorted by size. As she and her husband and several children and grandchildren went through their lives and wore out clothing to the point it could not be patched she had cut off the buttons and zippers so they could be reused when needed. The garment they came from would be used for cleaning rags and washed and used until it could no longer hold together. That final drawer to me was special because of the memories those buttons must have brought her and the memories for me of how deep the struggle to survive can be.

[CrispyQ]

27. This: The Saudis are accustom to spreading their money in America in order to get what they want.

You remember that old saying about the capitalists selling you the rope you hang them with. I don't know who said that but damn, they fucking nailed it. Just like the media will help re-elect the fascist who will shut them down. But hey, we have big brains. As our planet burns.

On that happy note, I'm off for a second cup of coffee.

[Baitball Blogger]

31. .

[Goddessartist]

33. Yep

[rubbersole]

39. Attributed to Lenin.

Others dispute that. But true, nonetheless.

[tulipsandroses]

34. But Hunter Biden's laptop

……….

[Baitball Blogger]

37. And her emails.

[dchill]

40. They're very buttery, I'm told.

[Joinfortmill]

44. Very insightful. I do think the Saudis are pretty damn tarnished since the Trump/Jared show.

[Evolve Dammit]

46. Pariah PGA. The Bonesaw Open. And yes, this smells of Drumpf and Kushie.

[Wild blueberry]

49. Your final paragraph of caution is apt.

Especially the last line, "And having access to organizations where they can easily reach out to the leaders in our communities...very worrisome."

Thank you.

[AZizzy]

50. Money talks

1. Money talks
2. The more money you have the louder your voice
3. No one has more money than the saudis

[Sneederbunk]

51. Looking for morality in big business is a fool's errand.

[PortTack]

53. The PGA is now the evil twin sister to the NRA

This merger really has very little if anything to do with golf.

Look at what the NRA/russia has done and just plug in the PGA/saudis. They will coerce members, board members and players with money to support all gqp platforms, congress ppl and launder huge amounts of money to achieve their goal. The saudis have openly said they want more control over the American political process and if we think Russia threw money….get ready! The lying, cheating and unconstitutional laws are going to get worse. It will take time, so we need to be prepared.

[kentuck]

56. They are just getting what they have already paid for?

Ask Jared.