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Monday, December 19, 2022

Having Second Thoughts, Are We?

 



Friends, being a social media baron ain't no picnic, particularly when you use that influential platform to annoy the powers-that-be that run our (left-leaning) government, culture, and economy.  Elon Musk is finding out how many resources the ruling elite has to blacken the name of someone who offends them, and who threatens to break their monopoly on the terms of public discourse.  The establishment may ultimately succeed in destroying Twitter itself, but much more likely is a scenario in which they bully Musk into receding into the shadows at Twitter and thus into allowing Big Tech bureaucrats to once again run the show -- and, more importantly, to make decisions about content moderation.  That moderation never ceased at Twitter.  Now it just has a distinctly, and somewhat erratically, Musky aroma.  In the long term, Musk probably should play less of a role in deciding who gets to speak on Twitter, and who gets the axe.  Who replaces him, though, and what sort of rules obtain on the platform -- the answers to these questions will reveal who will ultimately prevail in this battle over free speech.  Truthfully, there's a good argument to be made that the battle is already lost, because not even Musk actually believes in free, untrammeled speech, and in any case the window for free expression is likely to narrow as time goes on, not expand.  Nonetheless, in the short term we may still find that conservatives get a marginally fairer shake under Musk.  I mean, things could hardly get worse, compared to the Jack Dorsey days, could they?  Could they?


https://www.breitbart.com/tech/2022/12/19/elon-musk-loses-poll-to-remain-boss-of-twitter/


https://www.cnn.com/2022/12/19/tech/elon-musk-twitter-ceo-poll


In other news, the January 6th committee is poised to finalize its work and to make several criminal referrals to the Justice Department regarding Donald J. Trump.  Of course, most of what the committee did was posturing and hot air, but the DOJ now has a very consequential decision to make: to prosecute or not to prosecute.  My take: Trump isn't guilty of breaking any laws relative to January 6th.  He engaged in protected, if provocative, speech about the 2020 election.  Big deal.  That's no "insurrection", and if the DOJ charges Trump for insurrection or anything related, it faces the real danger that it will fall flat on its face.  On the other hand, the goal may be to tie Trump up in legal knots so that he can't pursue a viable presidential campaign in 2024.  Of course, putting Trump on trial could do the opposite: it could make a martyr out of him and thus guarantee that he will be the GOP nominee, and, if he is, no one can guarantee that he will lose...  My view is thus that charging Trump would be unjust, unwise, and profoundly dangerous for the future of the country, since it would put us more firmly in banana republic territory than we've ever been before.  Is anyone at the DOJ listening?  I hope so.


https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/jan-6-committee-prepares-release-criminal-referrals-final-report-rcna61494

9 comments:

  1. Dr.Waddy from Jack: The leftist show trial of an "enquiry" into "Jan.6 , in fawning Soviet and Nazi establishment and process,gives a us preview and NOT to be TRIFLED CLARION WARNING of the "justice" the left fullyintends to impose on us should it achieve full power.What more do we need, with all they have blithely and disdainfuly demonstrated, to be certain that their dogma is an existential threat to all we value?!

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  2. Dr.Waddy from Jack: I meant ". . . in fawning Soviet and Nazi style. . ." These pukes we have here are still tenderfoots but they are hoping. . . and learning. . .!

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  3. Dr.Waddy from Jack: . . . how to oppress in rare old Uncle Joe manner!

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  4. Dr.Waddy from Jack: Musk is a figure.of increasing, perhaps,decisive potential. The left has rocked DJT, who, along with Gingrich,pioneered no holds barred verve in confrontation of the left by one of governmental power; but DJT is not out yet. If the inhuman assault on DJT's very person tragically succeeds, Musk may have what it takes to lead the fight against the essentially totalitarian left from a nongovernmental position. He is a successful and canny man. Can he endure the even more vicious personal onslaught from the left which is almost certainly imminent for him?That may depend on how much,first, he discredits the leftist rump which may yet obtain at Twitter. Then, it may depend on how much the real America embraces any subsequent move on his part to confront a national leftist junta which will certainly by then have stung him to the quick for his insolent apostasy. If he is an hombre he may emulate Shakespeare's character, the Bastard, in his play King John ,when he gleefully declares (and in doing so probably brought patriotic audiences surging to their feet) ". . . come the three corners of the world . . . and we shall shock 'em. . .!
    Does Musk have the "right stuff"?

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  5. Dr.Waddy from Jack: We must , of existential necessity, fully countenance the appalling truth that the left's jackalish onslaught on our President is an attack on each of us which would be prosecuted on every individual with the malice clearly confirmed by their conduct toward DJT,should they prevail.Totalitarians are total in dictating all facets of public and "private"life.Their cadre is training now in the settings they already rule for their expected role of neighborhood commissar in your neighborhood too.If DJT falters his successor must receive our thereby chastened backing!

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  6. Dr Waddy from Jack: I make haste only to commend to you a good post on the fine American Thinker site for 12/18/22."Why are communists determined to destroy the U.S.?"by Bruce Deitrick Price. It is relevant, I think, to this discussion. It offers a very plausible view of both why and how the seemingly distant ideological dreck which fueled communism's 20th century blood feast has become today's "woke" presumption. It goes well toward putting the lie to leftists who deny the connection and poo poo our subsequent conviction of their potential for evil.

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  7. Jack, what the Dems intend to do to Citizen Trump is pretty chilling, when one considers that his ONLY crime is...speech (that offends the Left). He DID NOTHING to flout the Constitution or to prolong his time in office illegally. He thought about it. He consulted his lawyers on what was allowable. He encouraged his supporters in their righteous indignation. And that's it!!! In essence, if Trump goes to prison, it will be thought crimes and intemperate speech that put him there. And, needless to say, if a former president stands condemned on that basis, then how much respect will the rights of ordinary citizens like you and me receive? Trump may not be my preferred choice as the Republican nominee, but, if he goes on trial or is convicted, I will regard him as a political prisoner and as the rightful representative of every American railroaded by the elite.

    I have my doubts that Musk can lead any rearguard action to protect our liberties. He's a techie at heart, not a philosopher or a politician. As you say, Jack, for us to win the war to preserve our rights of free expression, we will need the American people to embrace the cause -- rather than, as they have up to now, self-censoring to avoid the Left's ire. As 2022 proved, the American people are not nearly as aware of or as outraged about these issues as they need to be.

    Thanks for the recommendation, Jack! Good article. You have to give the lefties credit: there's method to their madness! Of course, when they're done destroying all that's good and true, there won't be anything left worth a damn, but that's a minor quibble, right?

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  8. Dr.Waddyfrom Jack:I recomend another article: I believe its in the latest issue of Commentary; I read it in the library and didn't write down the particulars.But it offered well supported musings about Musk's chances for success at Twitter.As is customary with Commentary the writing is excellent. The author does have doubts but also observes" he is the greatest entrepreneur in world". That's saying alot; perhaps those qualities may serve him well in pitched political combat.

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  9. I hope so, Jack! The WSJ ran a piece about the financial headwinds now afflicting Tesla. Musk is well-equipped to turn things around, of course, but to add insult to injury he'll have to do it in the midst of a (severe?) recession... We shall see.

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