Trump Unclear On First Amendment
President Donald Trump is unclear on the basic concept of the First Amendment's "free speech" clause. This isn't all that surprising, since he's obviously never made it all the way through a reading of the United States Constitution. After all, the Founding Fathers didn't see fit to provide colorful graphics instead of boring blocks of text, and the whole thing just goes on for pages and pages and pages -- both of which absolutely guarantee Trump has never read it.
Let's start this twisted journey into Trump's thinking (if it could even be called that) with a review of the basics. Here is the relevant text from the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution: "Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech." Congress -- meaning "the entire federal government," really -- shall never restrict the freedom of its citizens to speak out about anything they choose to, because if they had that power it would surely be abused to stifle political dissent. The government couldn't shut down newspapers printing things counter to the government's agenda, and couldn't throw someone in jail for espousing a different agenda on a soap box (or anywhere else, by any medium at all). This assures that contrasting political viewpoints will always be allowed to be heard.
In a related note, the First Amendment also contains the only mention of any private company or industry within the entire Constitution, because immediately after the free speech clause comes: "or of the press." But the restriction flows only one way -- the government can't censor the press. To state this more baldly: nowhere in the Constitution is the subject of the press censoring anything it pleases addressed, because that is part and parcel of the freedom of the press.
Now we come to the ongoing fracas between Trump and Twitter. I wrote about this yesterday, and just before I began writing, Twitter took the unprecedented step of appending a warning to two of Trump's baseless tweets about how mail-in voting somehow equates to Democrats stealing elections. Twitter added at the bottom of each of these tweets a link with the following words: "Get the facts about mail-in ballots." The link took you to stories which debunked Trump's baseless conspiracy theory.
Please note what Twitter did not do: they did not remove Trump's tweets, they did not warn Trump, they did not change or edit or remove any of the text in Trump's original tweets.
Trump, being Trump, reacted by flying off the handle:
President Donald Trump threatened Wednesday to wield the powers of the federal government to shut down major social media platforms ahead of November's general election -- comparing what he claimed is their malign influence over the 2020 campaign to his baseless allegations of large-scale mail-in voter fraud.
"Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices. We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen," Trump wrote on Twitter.
"We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We can't let a more sophisticated version of that happen again. Just like we can't let large scale Mail-In Ballots take root in our Country," he continued. "It would be a free for all on cheating, forgery and the theft of Ballots. Whoever cheated the most would win. Likewise, Social Media. Clean up your act, NOW!!!!"
In another tweet later Wednesday morning, Trump wrote that Twitter "has now shown that everything we have been saying about them (and their other compatriots) is correct," previewing: "Big action to follow!"
The president's threat, which represented an escalation of his previous rhetoric targeting the tech giants for purported bias against conservative expression, came after Twitter flagged two of his posts on Tuesday with fact-check warnings. Those tweets falsely asserted absentee ballots are likely to be "substantially fraudulent."
Trump later in the day lashed out against the company for the first-of-its-kind intervention on his social media feed, declaring online that Twitter "is now interfering in the 2020 Presidential Election" and "completely stifling FREE SPEECH."
Quite obviously, Trump wouldn't know FREE SPEECH if it came up and bit him on his more-than-ample posterior.
In the first case, no company or corporation can ever censor free speech, because they are not the government. Governments are the only ones with censorship powers, period. A company like Twitter is a privately-owned forum open to the public. Think of it as Disney World (or any other corporate example you wish). Disney has a theme park where the public is admitted (for a fee) and they have public spaces and event halls on their property. In the event halls, Disney and Disney alone decides who gets to speak on their stage. No political group can just walk in and give a speech using their stage and their microphones. It isn't allowed. Likewise, although most of the park is an area where the public wanders around, if you entered with a soapbox and stood on it in the midst of a walkway and started giving a political speech, The Mouse's security guards would almost immediately hustle you out and shut down your ability to speak to the public who happens to be roaming around their park. Because it's Disney's land, and therefore they get to say what is allowed and what isn't. Once ejected from the park, however, anyone is free to set up a protest on the public land surrounding the park (on the public sidewalk outside, in other words) and say anything about Disney they choose to. Being ejected from the park does not silence anyone. And no jail time or fine is involved at all -- an important distinction, because only governments can impose such punishments.
Now let's apply the same reasoning to Twitter. Twitter (and any other social media company) provides a private forum that is open to the public. But anyone who uses it is subject to their rules and terms of use. If you break them, you can have your tweets forcibly removed and you can even be banned entirely from the platform. And there simply is no "free speech" involved. Just like in the Disney example, you have actually paid (through the mining of your personal information) to use Twitter, therefore they can shut you down if they don't like what you are saying to their other paid guests in their online space. No censorship is involved, because (once again) neither Twitter nor Disney is the government.
Trump's complaints, when seen properly through this lens, make no sense at all. His threats, however, are disturbing for the very reason Trump cites to make them (irony, thy name is Trump... as usual). Trump, supposedly a regulation-hating conservative, threatens: "We will strongly regulate, or close them [social media companies] down, before we can ever allow this to happen." He later expresses more urgency, promising: "Big action to follow!"
Just pause for one moment and think about what he's threatening. Trump is saying that a private company who doesn't allow one particular political viewpoint should not be allowed to operate, and that in response the government might just "close them down." In fact, this is exactly what the First Amendment was created to forever ban. Trump is threatening one facet of the modern-day "press" because he doesn't agree with their political views, and is threatening to have the federal government shut them down as a direct result. That, my friends, is the very definition of censorship.
A federal three-judge appellate panel just reinforced this, in no uncertain terms. And two of these three judges were appointed by Republican presidents (both Bushes):
A ruling that emerged from a powerful federal appeals court in Washington on Wednesday morning is strong evidence that the courts are unlikely to be receptive to President Donald Trump's claims that he and his political supporters are being silenced by social media platforms like Twitter.
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit resoundingly rejected a lawsuit the conservative legal organization Freedom Watch and right-wing provocateur Laura Loomer filed in 2018 against four major technology companies: Google, Facebook, Twitter and Apple.
Facebook, Twitter and other platforms have banned Loomer, citing anti-Muslim statements.
The unanimous court decision from a three-judge panel runs to only four pages, but is dismissive of a wide range of legal claims some conservatives and liberals have leveled at social media firms in recent months.
The appeals court judges said that, despite the companies' power, they cannot violate the First Amendment because it regulates only governments, not the private sector.
Because of the relevance of this ruling to the Trump/Twitter feud, it is worth quoting the ruling's key paragraph in full (with only legal citation info removed -- you can read the full PDF if you'd like) (also note: "the Platforms" are the four corporate defendants):
Freedom Watch's First Amendment claim fails because it does not adequately allege that the Platforms can violate the First Amendment. In general, the First Amendment "prohibits only governmental abridgment of speech." Manhattan Cmty. Access Corp. v. Halleck. Freedom Watch contends that, because the Platforms provide an important forum for speech, they are engaged in state action. But, under Halleck, "a private entity who provides a forum for speech is not transformed by that fact alone into a state actor." Freedom Watch fails to point to additional facts indicating that these Platforms are engaged in state action and thus fails to state a viable First Amendment claim.
In other words, read the First Amendment, Mister President.
-- Chris Weigant
Follow Chris on Twitter: @ChrisWeigant
Are you somehow claiming that the first amendment doesn't protect my right to have you bake me free pie? Further evidence of cake-based corruption in these pages!
The president is ignorantly repeating the standard American misunderstanding of the First Amendment, which is that no one can tell me to shut up. I have "Freedom of Speech"!
Your analysis, likewise that of the Federal courts that you cite, is 100% correct. But try telling that to a large percentage of Americans who weren't paying attention in H.S. civics class (which I teach).
The same shoddy and/or stupid reasoning is behind a lot of other casual or angry rhetoric about our 'rights' and our 'freedoms', etc. Most often this comes from the right wing, but I've seen some zany nonsense coming from the left as well, which sees 'rights' from a different but equally flawed constitutional angle.
Senator Biden used to say - in the context of some foreign relations committee hearing or other, as I recall - "I'm not on the right, I'm not on the left. I'm in the middle with Joe Biden, come join me."
If Twitter doesn't do everything Trump wants and refrain from everything Trump doesn't want, what action is he threatening them with? Is he threatening to shut down Twitter? Umm, if so, has he thought that through? Does he think that if he shut them down, he could force them to still carry his tweets but no others?
[2]
Most often this comes from the right wing, but I've seen some zany nonsense coming from the left as well, which sees 'rights' from a different but equally flawed constitutional angle.
Yep, speaking for the Lefties ("... comrade, once we have the Presidency and both houses of Congress due to Trump's insanity, we can make Moscow Mitch and Smallhands Donnie and ALL the televangelists undergo mandatory sex change operations...") you are correct.
It's a well known fact that us humanoids are capable of great extremeness.
And shame on the Country Club millionaires and billionaires who went along with Trump's madness for yet another tax cut. And shame on the Christofacists who just wanna shove their version of God down everybody's throats for going along. And just fuck the deplorables, on general principle.
Michaaale...
Come out to plaaay...
I would wager Trump will churn out an Executive Order that is unconstitutional on its face in violation of the First Amendment, and it'll have the same effect as Trump ordering that churches must be opened by the governors. None!
Fat Bastard obviously has no respect for the United States Constitution and is quite content to continue abusing the power of the office of the presidency in violation thereof. He's already been impeached for abuse of power, and we have his cowering and spineless GOP enablers for allowing it.
Remember in November and vote the GOP out for allowing this shit.
John M from Ct.
2
The president is ignorantly repeating the standard American misunderstanding of the First Amendment, which is that no one can tell me to shut up. I have "Freedom of Speech"!
I know right!? Have you seen these ignorant rubes complaining in front of/inside stores all across America claiming their rights have been violated by not allowing them inside without a mask? Example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L2TJ_oRJGSM
"I'm not doing it because I woke up in a free country."
Moron doesn't understand that he woke up in a free country but is now standing inside someone else's private property. While the moron most likely drove his registered and inspected car down the street with a speed limit and then parked his vehicle between the painted lines at Costco and probably does understand the concept of "no shirt, no shoes, no service," he appears to not quite have enough IQ points to grasp the fact that there is no privately owned venture that has to serve him if he violates their policy of wearing a mask... unless, of course, they're serving other shoppers without masks while singling him out and refusing service.
So to recap: How many of these ignorant rubes have screamed 'til the cows come home that a bakery doesn't have to sell a wedding cake to anyone they don't want to yet are now insisting they "woke up in a free country" where a store must serve them without a mask!?
Trump whining that conservatives are being discriminated against is rich considering these right-wing dipshits crow endlessly that a baker doesn't have to bake a wedding cake for a gay couple while they merrily serve wedding cakes to everyone else. I got no sympathy for these morons. Quick, somebody at Twitter whip out the "it's against my religion" to serve liars, adulterers, and divorced people. It's all right there in the Bible. *shakes head*
FPC,
MtnCaddy,
Don't hate 'Murica but I hate the Derangement of Trumptards like you. You'll be gone off this site 11/5
You want to make a wager on that???
Do you want to put your status here where your mouth is???
If President Trump wins the election, you post here once a week for 6 months..
Michale Was Completely Factually Accurate About President Trump Winning Reelection And I, MTNCADDY, Was a FOOL and a MORON and an IDIOT For Saying He Was Wrong.."
Are you so sure of your facts and predictions that you are willing to make that bet??
Because I am... :D
Put up or shut up, dickweed... :D
CW,
OK, so if Twitter made the rule that NO DEMOCRATS can post their twits to Twitter, you people here would not scream hysterically about censorship and the 1st Amendment???
Sheeyea right... :eyeroll:
Ya'all only scream CENSORSHIP and FIRST AMENDMENT when it suits yer political agenda..
Michaaale...
Come out to plaaay...
Here I am douche-bag...
Why are you hiding???
BBBWWAAAKKKKK.... BBWWWAAAAAAKKKKKKK..... BBBWWWWAAAAAKKKKKK
Still waiting MC...
Why are you afraid to come out and play???
:D
Well, apparently, MC got no scrot.... :D
Since I am all alone here, let's talk about the subject in Minneapolis that got hisself killed because he resisted a lawful arrest..
Some of ya'all might think the protests are sincere somber occasions to mark the passing of a great man..
RAW VIDEO: Looters Raid Target Store Near Mpls. Protest
https://minnesota.cbslocal.com/video/4567848-video/?fbclid=IwAR0e9p5QB4B16uqEs_oKjR_sqiwB8hPFbPSdLlmm25rIWuUtbpxinIochWI
Naaaaawwww... Just an excuse for MORE scumbags to steal and loot and destroy other people's lives..
Apparently, the facts clearly show that black lives DON'T matter to these looting scumbags...
Deadly shooting, arson, looting and armed vigilantes grip city after George Floyd’s death
Protests in Minneapolis over the death of George Floyd took a dramatic turn for the worse Wednesday night as city police responded to stores in the city being looted and burned as well as a deadly shooting at a protest location.
Multiple reports indicated that Mayor Jacob Frey reached out to Gov. Tim Walz to deploy the National Guard to the city. The mayor’s office did not immediately respond to Fox News seeking comment.
Social media users posted videos on Twitter that showed burning businesses and looters entering a local Target store and making their way out with bags full of items.
At least one group of armed men was seen outside a strip mall in Minneapolis on Wednesday night amid the looting.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/armed-citizens-guard-stores-amid-looting-in-minneapolis-report
Scumbag protesters and looters (I know, I know.. redundant) be like "Floyd!!??? Who the frak is Floyd!!?? I just want to burn and destroy and get some free shit!!!"
Apparently, black lives DON'T matter all that much, eh?? :eyeroll:
‘Star Wars’ actor John Boyega slams ‘racist white people’ in reaction to George Floyd death
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/star-wars-actor-john-boyega-slams-racist-white-people-in-reaction-to-george-floyd-death
One has to wonder if Boyega appreciates the irony of him condemning an entire race as "racist"...
My guess is the irony would be lost on the moron...
[16] Michale wrote:
"Since I am all alone here, let's talk about the subject in Minneapolis that got hisself killed because he resisted a lawful arrest.."
TOTAL LIE. He did not resist. Multiple videos show him being peacefully handcuffed without resistance. Then, while he was on the ground handcuffed, the officer kneeled on his throat until he suffocated and died.
YOU should be ASHAMED Michale.
ALL the officers involved should be charged either with murder or manslaughter.
The arrest was for the nonviolent alleged crime of fraud. Since when is death a suitable punishment for that? When do you stop applying deadly force to an already subdued suspect who is in custody???
Even the store OWNER said he saw no sign of resistance!
The officer involved also had 2 previous complaints against him.
[11] Michale wrote:
"Michale Was Completely Factually Accurate About President Trump Winning Reelection And I, MTNCADDY, Was a FOOL and a MORON and an IDIOT For Saying He Was Wrong.."
Don't forget OUR bet Michale. Trump will lose, Biden will win, Democrats will keep the House, Democrats will take the Senate. YOU said I only had to get 2 out of 3 correct!
First relevant video clip link
https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/05/27/george-floyd-arrest-surveillance-video-restaurant-sidner-lkl-lead-vpx.cnn/video/playlists/top-news-videos/
Ice Cube reacts to death of George Floyd: ‘How long ... before we strike back?'
https://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/ice-cube-reacts-death-george-floyd
Cop hating morons like Cube DID "strike back"..
Five Dallas Officers Were Killed as Payback, Police Chief Says
Baton Rouge shooting: 3 officers dead; shooter was Missouri man, sources say
Why don't you step up, Cube... Yer all talk about "striking back" but are afraid to get your hands dirty..
Fucking scumbag....
Second relevant video clip link
https://www.cnn.com/videos/us/2020/05/28/george-floyd-store-owner-staff-call-police-ctn-sot-vpx.cnn
JM,
Don't forget OUR bet Michale. Trump will lose, Biden will win, Democrats will keep the House, Democrats will take the Senate. YOU said I only had to get 2 out of 3 correct!
I haven't forgotten.. With the exception of JL, yer the only one to date who has the ballz to put your actions where your mouth is..
Remind me of the stakes again??
OTAL LIE. He did not resist.
Total bullshit.. The video PROVES that Floyd was resisting.. Why do you think a second officer joined in to cuff the scumbag???
The arrest was for the nonviolent alleged crime of fraud. Since when is death a suitable punishment for that? When do you stop applying deadly force to an already subdued suspect who is in custody???
The subject died because me made a conscious decision to resist a lawful arrest.. That is the beginning and end of the facts.. The subject was a big guy and the officer determined that keeping him under control necessitated having his (the officer's knew) on the subject's neck...
As with Eric Gardner, as with Michael Brown and as with Trayvon Martin, Floyd choose violence to address their criminal actions..
They fought the law... The law won...
It's that simple...
Remind me of the stakes again??
I am always in the mood to impose abject humiliation..
"Now, where was I?? Oh yes.. ABJECT HUMILIATION"
-Jafar, ALADDIN
:D
How about the same stakes I offered MC??
YOU post once a week for 6 months..
"Michale Was Completely Factually Accurate About President Trump Winning Reelection And I, John M, was a FOOL and a MORON and an IDIOT For Saying He Was Wrong.."
I'll post something similar once a week for six months if President Trump loses re-election..
Of course, everyone here with more than 2 brain cells to rub together has already conceded that President Trump WILL win re-election... :D
So, I am not going to have to worry about saying anything you want me to say.. :D
Twitter wants to pick a "fact" fight with President Trump and patriotic Americans??
Trump crafts executive order on social media, weighs commission to probe bias amid Twitter fight
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-crafts-executive-order-on-social-media-weighs-commission-to-probe-bias-amid-twitter-fight
Fine... Bring it on.... :D
Because it's factually accurate that Left Wingers are full of bullshit in every anti-Trump agenda they have..
The Russia Collusion delusion...
The faux impeachment coup...
The list is endless on Trump/America's hatred and bigotry...
Twitter is going to lose because the President Of the United States has more power.. :D
I disagree that no censorship is involved with Facebook, Twitter or media outlets.
There is censorship, but it is not prohibited and is protected by the Constitution.
Dead on ballz factually accurate...
as non-government entities can censor anything they want.
Yep...
Take Weigantia for example.. Weigantia is within it's rights to claim that it's a "reality based" forum..
But the facts clearly show that the ONLY "reality" here is the "reality" of Trump/America haters world-wide...
Weigantia is as far from real FACTS as can possibly be and has been so since Jun of 2015...
That is why Weigantians are all about "truth" and totally ignorant of facts...
The "truth" is THEIR "truth".... Period.. Full stop...
JM,
Wassamatter?? You don't have the strength of your convictions??
You don't actually believe that Trump will lose in Nov???
Com'on now... Don't pull a MtnCaddy and run away...
President Trump is crafting an executive order on social media that could seek to curb legal protections for the industry, a broadside that comes amid his escalating fight this week with Twitter over the company's decision to fact-check his claims for the first time.
Fox News is told that, separately, the administration is working on a commission to look at alleged anti-conservative bias among big social media platforms.
The president teased an announcement Thursday morning, saying: “This will be a Big Day for Social Media and FAIRNESS!”
The twits opened a whole box of hurt!!!
President Trump is going to make Dorsey and Roth and all the other twits really feel the pain.. :D
Gonna be awesome!!! :D
The president is not alone in his criticism of Section 230. Former Vice President Biden, in a January interview with The New York Times, said that Section 230 “should be revoked, immediately should be revoked” because Facebook “is propagating falsehoods they know to be false, and we should be setting standards not unlike the Europeans are doing relative to privacy.”
Meanwhile, Fox News has learned that the Trump administration has begun to develop a formal government commission to investigate anti-conservative bias among big social media platforms.
Sources told Fox News that appointees on the commission will come from within the federal government only, and would likely include representatives from the White House, Justice Department and Federal Communications Commission, and could also include representatives from the private sector.
Those officials from within the government, according to sources, could investigate alleged abuses, while private sector representatives could help to identify regulatory solutions to problems of political bias.
The executive order and the development of the commission come amid a fight between the president and Twitter, after the social media giant fact-checked one of his tweets for the first time this week.
The president, on Wednesday, warned social media companies that the federal government could “strongly regulate” or “close them down” if they continue to "silence conservative voices.”
“Republicans feel that Social Media Platforms totally silence conservatives voices,” Trump tweeted. “We will strongly regulate, or close them down, before we can ever allow this to happen. We saw what they attempted to do, and failed, in 2016. We can’t let a more sophisticated version of that happen again.”
Twitter gonna get it's ass kicked.. Dorsey thinks that Trump/America hating scum will protect him and his cesspool of LeftWing hate and bigotry?? :D
Think again, sunshine... Gonna put you out of business, biatch!! :D
Twitter is going to be fine. Constitution hating scum will get shot down by the courts like they have been Trumps entire term.
101,894 Americans dead from Coronavirus and counting...
Once again.....
Dems abandon vote on bipartisan FISA bill after Trump tweets veto threat
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/dems-abandon-vote-on-bipartisan-fisa-bill-after-trump-tweets-veto-threat
President Trump and patriotic Americans win and Dumbocrats have their asses handed to them.. :D
Is this a great country or what!?? :D
Twitter is going to be fine.
Yea... You were the moron who said Hillary was going to win and that President Trump would be thrown out of office by the Russia Collusion delusion and the faux impeachment coup..
Yer credibility is in the toilet, Blathy... :D
Constitution hating scum will get shot down by the courts like they have been Trumps entire term.
Except for the fact that President Trump has one every court case that went to the SCOTUS..
So much for your bullshit claims.. :D
You and your fellow Trump/America hating morons perpetually lose..
And lose and lose and lose and lose and lose... :D
But hay... I'm a fair guy..
You want to make a bet on who wins in Nov??
No???
BBBWWWAKKKKK BBBWWWAAKKKKK
Got no scrot???
BBBWWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHHAHAHAHA
And again....
Senate Dems raise alarm on 'captured' federal courts as Trump, Republicans keep judicial confirmations coming
https://www.foxnews.com/politics/senate-dems-raise-alarm-on-captured-federal-courts-as-trump-republicans-keep-judicial-confirmations-coming
President Trump and patriotic Americans win..
And Dumbocrats have their asses handed to them!! :D
It's a great day to be an American!!! :D
I have a question...
If "Black Lives Matter", why is it that black protesters and looters are destroying black businesses and black homes and black lives and black lively-hoods???
From all the facts gathered, the scumbag protesters and looters don't believe that black lives matter at all...
Another perfect example of Weigantians ignoring reality in favor of a delusional fantasy....
Yea... You were the moron who said Hillary was going to win and that President Trump would be thrown out of office by the Russia Collusion delusion and the faux impeachment coup..
Yer credibility is in the toilet, Blathy...
What are you blabbing about and who is this "Blathy"?
Except for the fact that President Trump has one every court case that went to the SCOTUS..
Trump has only had one case before SCOTUS?
Man, you are incoherent this morning. Forget to take your meds?
102,137 Americans dead from Coronavirus and counting...
Once again, Blathy...
I have the FACTS on my side and you have nothing but a grammar lame...
What a pathetic attempt at a dodge...
102,137 Americans dead from Coronavirus and counting...
Look how happy you are about dead Americans..
#SickFuck
Once again, Blathy...
Is this The Imbecile speaking?
The big question is what is "a grammar lame"?
Yup, you definitely forgot your meds this morning...
102,391 Americans dead from Coronavirus and counting...
The executive order and the development of the commission come amid a fight between the president and Twitter, after the social media giant fact-checked one of his tweets for the first time this week.
The president, on Wednesday, warned social media companies that the federal government could “strongly regulate” or “close them down” if they continue to "silence conservative voices.”
Everybody is always hurting President Man-Baby’s feelings! Such a fragile, delicate, little child wrapped up in the body of a bloated baboon’s ass!
First, Trump wasn’t silenced...his tweets weren’t deleted or altered. Twitter simply posted a message pointing out that what Trump had tweeted was not the truth. Now, Trump is seeking to silence Twitter from exercising its right to free speech!
ListenWhenYouHear-
Ya, I'm waiting for him to tweet about it later...
Such childish behavior from people who mostly should know better than that ...
@liz,
speak for yourself. i want PIE!
JL
i'll give ya some PIE, right in your face … preferences?
nondairy please. if you get shimmer, it could also be used as a floor wax.
Russ
43
Everybody is always hurting President Man-Baby’s feelings! Such a fragile, delicate, little child wrapped up in the body of a bloated baboon’s ass!
And the face and flailing gestures of an orangutan.
First, Trump wasn’t silenced...his tweets weren’t deleted or altered. Twitter simply posted a message pointing out that what Trump had tweeted was not the truth. Now, Trump is seeking to silence Twitter from exercising its right to free speech!
I know, right?! Yes, sir... exactly right! Less than 24 hours after Twitter simply put a fact check on a tweet of President Poopy Pants, he's already signed an Executive Order attempting to silence Twitter's voice, clearly in violation of the First Amendment.
Just imagine how many lives of the 100,000+ of our fellow Americans could have been saved if President Fat Bastard had cared enough about the citizens of America as much as he cares about himself.
The Executive Order Trump signed seems destined to bite him in his own ample fat ass since Section 230 already encourages social media to police their platforms, and Comrade Trump is one of the biggest bullies, liars, and conspiracy theory defamers in existence on social media, and every right-wing useful idiot that sits back and allows Trump to carry out the unconstitutional shit are complicit in whatever he does and should be voted out of office forthwith!
Here it comes, Joshua … look out! … DUCK AND COVER -ER-ER
Here it comes, Joshua … look out! … duck AND COVER-ER-ER
double fair warning
JL
48
Chevy Chase: Perks up anything from an ice cream sundae to a pumpkin pie!
Gilda Radner: Made from an exclusive non-yellowing formula.
;)
Kick,
Just imagine how many lives of the 100,000+ of our fellow Americans could have been saved if President Fat Bastard had cared enough about the citizens of America as much as he cares about himself.
I know, right? There is that one report that estimates that we’d have had something like 36,000 fewer deaths if Trump would have declared the emergency just one week earlier... and 52,000 if declared two weeks earlier. That is just if Trump would have been willing to put our well-being before possibly causing the Dow to drop and hurting his re-election bid...it is a single factor that could have cut our death toll numbers in half.
Now imagine if Trump would not have gutted the office whose sole responsibility was to prepare us for when the next pandemic struck. If we had a guide for communities to use in order to respond when the alert goes out....all we would need to do is follow the steps laid out for us to start the process of dealing with this emergency. If our country had been even remotely prepared for this outbreak...just how many fewer deaths would there have been.
And if you take those multiple factors together...we could have cut the death count by like 90%! Maybe even more. It is truly heartbreaking to think about.
Russ
54
Very well said, sir.
It never ceases to amaze me how the same people who whined incessantly and held fundraisers for multiple years off Benghazi and the "four dead Americans" (their words) aren't fazed in the least by the 25,000+ Benghazis caused by the decisions and inaction of Donald Trump.
And it's hypocrisy at its finest when the poor uneducated fat bald gullible white lumps of Trump trash who've eaten their way into heart surgery serve up their explanations of how little somebody else appears to value their own life and then chases that with a presumption of what black people believe.
Self-awareness isn't exactly their strong suit.
double fair warning
is that like double secret probation?
https://i.ytimg.com/vi/b0hUwKTujVI/hqdefault.jpg
Awwww, c'mon Michale. You haven't demonstrated that I'm living in your head for, like, hours now. I'm beginning to think the love is gone.
In the first case, no company or corporation can ever censor free speech, because they are not the government.
WRONG. WRONG WRONG WRONG. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!
ONLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN VIOLATE THE FIRST AMENDMENT. BUT ANY ENTITY WITH EFFECTIVE POWER TO INFLICT PUNISHMENT, OR TO REMOVE THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, CAN CENSOR. THE FIRST AMENDMENT RECOGNIZES AN INHERENT RIGHT, AND FORBIDS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM VIOLATING IT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE RIGHT DOESN'T EXIST IN OTHER CONTEXTS. IT MEANS THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS ABOUT THE STRUCTURE AND POWERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
dsws
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WRONG. WRONG WRONG WRONG. WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG WRONG!!
ONLY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CAN VIOLATE THE FIRST AMENDMENT. BUT ANY ENTITY WITH EFFECTIVE POWER TO INFLICT PUNISHMENT, OR TO REMOVE THE MEANS OF COMMUNICATION, CAN CENSOR.
I hear you, of course... but try reading it again in context with the operative words there being "censor free speech" and not just "censor."
THE FIRST AMENDMENT RECOGNIZES AN INHERENT RIGHT, AND FORBIDS THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT FROM VIOLATING IT. THAT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THE RIGHT DOESN'T EXIST IN OTHER CONTEXTS. IT MEANS THAT THE CONSTITUTION IS ABOUT THE STRUCTURE AND POWERS OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
Contexts -- you yelled it right up there -- so obviously a "company or corporation" has a right to "censor" you because you enjoy no "free speech" on their "turf." A "company or corporation" that enjoys the right to "censor" you doesn't exactly "censor free speech" since your speech ain't free.
Try not to overthink it. I can scream it if you need me to.