1. One difficult task for corrupt regimes is figuring out who will truly be loyal and who will not be

2. You can ask, but the answers aren’t always honest. You need a better selection process.

3. One way to get non-loyalists to self-select out is to make examples of current members who fall out of favor.

4. Make it clear that the costs of becoming an internal enemy or disappointment are very, very high. National humiliation, say.

5. The Session/Priebus treatment is a powerful signal to anyone who works for Trump, or is considering working for Trump

6. If you’re even slightly independent, or think you may for any reason end up anger or disappointing Trump, this is not the WH for you

7. Slowly, the process leads to a White House filled with slavish loyalists and complete hacks, as no one decent dares to serve

8. Priebus was a Republican, not a Trumpist. Spicer was a Priebus guy. Sessions recused himself, angering Trump.

9. The treatment of all three is insane by normal standards, but typical for corrupt regimes