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Fiestynca's avatar

I have been watching the House hearings on the Weaponization of the Federal Government. While I am not under any illusions that the Republicans are in this for the “right” reasons, I am appalled by the deliberate misdirection by the Democrats. They are deliberately missing the point. Our government agencies led, if not outright directed, social media sites to censor voices that did not fit the narrative they wanted presented. This was not just done to conservatives by any means. This was done under, at least, the last two presidential terms so, again, this should not be a partisan issue but a free speech issue. This should be a chilling wake up call that our government is grossly overstepping its bounds.

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SimulationCommander's avatar

And there's really no political reason for Democrats to be defending all this crap, but they are........

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Lee's avatar

There are legal reasons for them to do so. There have been serious crimes committed in the name of "preserving democracy."

They are afraid of what they know they have done. Just look at the anger over the 1/6 tapes. Schumer was freaking out, as was McConnell.

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Patrick's avatar

So much so for the Turtle that he tripped in panic and sent himself to the hospital.

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TeeJae's avatar

They're so obviously in CYA mode. They're also so short-sighted they don't even realize the censorship apparatus they're trying so hard to implement will be used against them when a different party takes the Oval.

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Kirk Anderson's avatar

In a 24-hour news cycle, those focusing on the next quarterly report are farsighted.

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Just Plain Me's avatar

The Democrats have become the party, along with Republican neoconservatives, of the CIA, DHS, military and the FBI. I know it is old news by now...

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Bob Morris's avatar

Well, that depends on whether you think pacifying the wokeists who don't want people being mean to them on social media is political.

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Bill Jarett's avatar

"Woke" is just a manufactured and propagated corporate control mechanism to control the masses when the next 2008 happens, no more unaligned and uncontrolled "Occupy" movements, no more Bernie Sander threats. Let the plebes tilt at race and gender windmills while Rome burns.

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Susan G's avatar

The next 2008 may have started. The FDIC announced the SVB uninsured depositors will be made whole. Friday I believed that at least one regulatory agency (the FDIC) was still an honest broker. Tonight I believe we are again at moral hazard.

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Goldentine's avatar

Yep. Woke is pure social engineering.

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Bill Jarett's avatar

Most mass social movements are. Otherwise if they cannot be co-opted by the Establishment they are shut down.

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Koshmarov's avatar

That might indicate there *is* a political reason -- even if it's not an immediately evident one... n'est-ce pas?

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SimulationCommander's avatar

Maybe a sudden lack of funding next primary season......... ;)

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Kathleen McCook's avatar

All that FTX $$$

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Jala's avatar

Yes indeed Kathleen.

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The Dandy Highwayman's avatar

How do you propose we stop the richest people in all of human history from giving money to them?

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Kathleen McCook's avatar

I was a rank & file dem but once I did an event for a woman running for Senate and got 20 women to come at $50 each which I then donated as one check. My whole communication from DEMS changed. I got invited to parties from rich DEMS but to come you had to donate at least $500. The names were the richest people in town who never went to any of the rank and file stuff. I didn't go to any but I suppose it would escalate. I still get those e-mails 20 years later. It was like there was another level of dems I had no idea about. Anyone who donates their small amounts is just giving the candidate the right to brag about small money donors/ suckers.

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MG's avatar

If you give money to anyone in politics, make up an email address and then delete it. Somehow Dems think I'm Michael and I never knew there were so many ways to say "begging" and "pleading."

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SimulationCommander's avatar

I get $0/year from special interests because I can't help them.

I want government to be in the same situation.

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Indecisive decider's avatar

They're playing to their supporters and funders.

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Stxbuck's avatar

Campaign contributions aren’t a political reason?!?!

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Just Plain Me's avatar

It was somewhat of a surprise that this committee was even formed. It was obviously spurred on by J6, but I think the country is way overdue for an Intelligence and FBI overhaul. I hope the Democrats see the value in that, and I hope the Republicans are flexible enough to tackle cross-partisan issues. Those issues seem to be FISA 702 reform, complete repeal of the vestiges of The PATRIOT Act and much needed transparency and declassification of material.. Executive overreach has gone too far. I am a nonpartisan so I am especially interested in bipartisan approaches. I am deeply disappointed about security trumping freedom and I hope the pendulum swings back again.

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Lee's avatar

This is what will happen: They will replace the Terr.. ISI... Trum.. Russ... COV... Russ... Domestic Terr... Russia threat with China.

They will not repeal squat. They will arrive at a bipartisan consensus that SOMETHING MUST BE DONE. And the insanity will continue, until reality finally asserts itself in a very dramatic way.

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DarkSkyBest's avatar

Watching the hearing, I was struck by the venom in the room. I was left with the impression that the country is hopelessly riven. The Democrats have absolutely no interest in turning down the temperature, even for the 1st Amendment, and especially now that the next election is for the Presidency. Whatever it takes to win. Even lukewarm attempts at compromise will be reconfigured as attacks on "democracy."

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Just Plain Me's avatar

The irony lies in that attacks on civil liberties are attacks on democracy.

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ownybaloney's avatar

Attacks on their democracy. Not necessarily ours.

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J. Matthews's avatar

Whenever you hear them say "our Dwmocracy," you need to understand that it's for them, not you.

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Patrick's avatar

Uh, duh, you want venom, try MSNBC.

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Enticing Clay's avatar

We have to get rid of 702 period.

We use robots (computer programs) to collect all communications--everything--and then use robots (computer programs) to repeatedly search this information, and the argument is that it doesn't count as a constitutional violation because a robot can't violate the constitution--and none of it counts until a human sees it--and then it's somehow legal because a warrant now has nothing to do with the collection and search, but authorizes the robots to communicate with humans.

It's completely insane.

The precedent of logic and law unavoidably ends where George Floyd's death is fine as long as a robot does it.

[Robot Voice] "Comply or die. Comply or die. Look out he's got a gun!"

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Just Plain Me's avatar

What to do? The laws need to be updated. Who even understands all of this? Who is going to stand up for civil liberties? I fear that the lawmakers are so beholden to the intelligence community and law enforcement that Americans will indeed loose their freedoms.

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Just Plain Me's avatar

I'm just hoping against hope that we have a big surprise from the committee.

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devoalan's avatar

Honestly looking forward to it

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devoalan's avatar

Been rehearsing.

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Wyllamizer's avatar

I don't think they're deliberately missing the point. They're deliberately throwing up walls and legal blockages to avoid anyone being able to see their crimes. They know they did wrong. They know they can't win in elections, or narratives, or power unless they cheat in any way possible.

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