Mega-Thread: Trump Focused Discussion

[Endus]

As more artists leave Spotify, this TIME OP ED brings up an important point.

Even the idea is asinine. It's an abdication of personal responsibility for the choices made by your own company. You're not refusing to make a choice; you're making a choice to platform people like Rogan, you just don't want to take responsibility for having made that choice.

Agents like Spotify are not innocent doe-eyed bystanders caught up by accident in all this. They made a choice, to platform and permit content like Rogan's, as long as it made them money. And when people pointed out this is shitty and demonstrates that they'll pal up with extremists for cash, they get upset that we've caught them at the game, because they know it's awful, so they put on this fake facade of "neutrality" to try and disavow any responsibility.

You know, the same way Swiss banks were perfectly willing to do business with Nazis, storing stolen Jewish art and wealth, and keeping quiet about their part knowing that their by-laws allow them to personally seize the contents of those vaults after a period of time they go untouched (which is rapidly approaching if not starting to pass; I think it was 80 or 100 years?) They took Nazi money, to hide Nazi wealth, and in the aftermath they played dumb about it, so they could profit off those atrocities personally.

Same bullshit argument that Spotify's trying to make (though Rogan's not the Holocaust, so there's a matter of degree here too).

I know you get into similar points later in your post, but I find the whole line of non-argument offensive.

[Breccia]

you just don't want to take responsibility for having made that choice.

In the case of Spotify, this is correct. This isn't a pot luck dinner where everyone brings what they want and WHOOPS someone brought peanut butter. This was high-end catering and they asked for the Snickers Pie. Spotify paid Rogan $100 million May 2020 and has allowed this to continue.

[Endus]

In the case of Spotify, this is correct. This isn't a pot luck dinner where everyone brings what they want and WHOOPS someone brought peanut butter. This was high-end catering and they asked for the Snickers Pie. Spotify paid Rogan $100 million May 2020 and has allowed this to continue.

Even in the case of Twitter, which Dorsey eventually recognized and acted upon; the choice of whether or not to ban someone from the service is a choice, either way. Refusing to ban them; that's a choice. It isn't neutral inaction, it's implicit support, at least of their right to behave that way on your service if not the specific content itself. The moment you've been informed about an issue, you can not claim to not be involved. You are very much involved. You are very much making a choice about what to allow, or not.

Like, if you see a guy beating his girlfriend and you just walk on by, that's a choice. You decided not to get involved, and allow that to continue. Maybe you're afraid for your own health, sure, but you still determined that was more important to you than the beaten girlfriend's health and well-being. You aren't "minding your own business"; the moment you saw that happening, it became your business.

And with platforms, you don't even have that remove. The guy's beating his girlfriend in your house. It's absolutely your responsibility to get involved. Even if it's just to call 911, so they can handle it.

[Endus]

This is a bad analogy as it’s not illegal in the US to spread bad information. Especially when the morons believe it themselves.

Where did I say anything about legality?

[PhaelixWW]

This... what? I don't even...

The Hill: Rudy Giuliani's reveal on 'Masked Singer' prompts walk-off by judges

Two judges on FOX's "The Masked Singer" walked off the set in protest after it was revealed that former Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani was a contestant, Deadline and TMZ reported Wednesday.

Giuliani's reveal took place last week during filming of the show, during which judges try to guess which celebrity performer is being masked by a costume. After the famed attorney and former New York City mayor was unmasked following his elimination, judges Ken Jeong and Robin Thicke reportedly walked off set.

Judges Jenny McCarthy and Nicole Scherzinger reportedly remained on stage following the reveal. The two are said to have then engaged in conversation with Giuliani over his baseless claims about the 2020 election.

The tense elimination occurred during the first episode of the show's upcoming season.

[Endus]

You compared it to an active assault. It’s more akin to hosting a Nazi rally. Not illegal, but definitely something people are gonna notice.

And there's no legal obligation to involve yourself if you witness an assault.

That's not what I was drawing an analogy to.

[Dontrike]

This... what? I don't even...

The Hill: Rudy Giuliani's reveal on 'Masked Singer' prompts walk-off by judges

I'm trying to grasp the point of putting him on the show to begin with. Does he know how to sing?

[beanman12345]

I'm trying to grasp the point of putting him on the show to begin with. Does he know how to sing?

I'm more curious if he sang baby got back.

[Masark]

I'm trying to grasp the point of putting him on the show to begin with.

At a guess, the point involves someone high up at Fox wanting to give Rudy some green pieces of paper in a deniable fashion.

[Zaydin]

This... what? I don't even...

The Hill: Rudy Giuliani's reveal on 'Masked Singer' prompts walk-off by judges

You know, when I saw that I wondered if it was real or someone taking the piss.

I'm trying to grasp the point of putting him on the show to begin with. Does he know how to sing?

I was wondering if he was leaking embalming fluid again like he was during that one press conference after Trump lost.

[Edge-]

This... what? I don't even...

The Hill: Rudy Giuliani's reveal on 'Masked Singer' prompts walk-off by judges

Smart of them, it's gonna be must-see TV and they're getting millions in earned media already.

This is why I hate the gossipification of political media.

Though real, fuck Rudy and the dumbass (but smart) fucksticks that brought him on. Rudy must be fuckin desperate for money.

[Breccia]

This could be interesting. NY AG subpoena's Trump's DC hotel records.

"Hah. Good luck getting those from Trump!"

They don't have to. Trump leased the hotel from the federal government. They were like "sure, here's everything, you want Nespresso too?"

Specifically, NYState is asking if Trump lied on his application, by inflating the value of his collateral. I mean, he negotiated a loan from Deutsche Bank to pay for it, so naturally they should be involved to, but, Trump still had to apply for the lease, which includes saying how he could pay for it, and yeah lying to the feds is a dumb fucking idea.

In fact, I wonder who Trump used for this. Let's see, the lead negotiator was...huh. Ivanka. Doesn't life has its bonuses sometimes. Anyhow Trump had to file a "financial condition" and uses inflated values for it.

Oh, and I'll need @cubby for this one. Let's say you, oh I don't know, commit fraud during a negotiation for a lease purchase. Then, sell that lease to someone else. Is there any chance that the purchase, being fraudulent, is reversed, and the sale is canceled, because you can't sell what you don't own? Which means Trump loses both the lease, and also $375 million, plus whatever charges he gets for lying to the GSA, the federal government?

No wonder Trump is asking for his rabid fanbase to prepare for another violent riot. This happened about the same time. Even if he didn't think he was caught red-handed, he needed the distraction in the media. In the last 24 hours, he solicited crime and one of his DoJ members testified behind closed doors for two full hours. (Clark was threatened with contempt charges when he refused to testify, then claimed he had an illness or something) Between the House panel, Georgia, and New York, actually let's add Deutsche Bank too why not, Trump is surrounded and about to get flanked in the assets.

At this point, it's no longer about if Trump makes a mistake. He already has. The question is which investigation is going to draw first blood.

[Kaleredar]

Smart of them, it's gonna be must-see TV and they're getting millions in earned media already.

This is why I hate the gossipification of political media.

Though real, fuck Rudy and the dumbass (but smart) fucksticks that brought him on. Rudy must be fuckin desperate for money.

It's astounding that between him hosting a rally at four seasons gardening next to a crematorium and an XXX store and now this, I'm sure there are people out there that still respect this feeb for sticking up for Trump.

Like, honestly, we need you Trumpers to stop skulking around here and explain why you think this, THIS, is your example of someone on the team of a man that's going to make a strong and prosperous America. But I guess as long as they brutalize immigrants and keep the scary minorities in their place, you don't care how much of a clownshow they are, do you?

[s_bushido]

It's astounding that between him hosting a rally at four seasons gardening next to a crematorium and an XXX store and now this, I'm sure there are people out there that still respect this feeb for sticking up for Trump.

Like, honestly, we need you Trumpers to stop skulking around here and explain why you think this, THIS, is your example of someone on the team of a man that's going to make a strong and prosperous America. But I guess as long as they brutalize immigrants and keep the scary minorities in their place, you don't care how much of a clownshow they are, do you?

/shrug

I've got no issue with someone like him doing this. Had Trump's presidency been "normal" and had it not ended the way it did...with this continued "election fraud" fraud...someone from his staff going on some silly gameshow wouldn't be noteworthy at all. My problem (or just the baffling part) is why the showrunners would think it's a good idea to get him specifically, given how things did play out.

[Edge-]

It's astounding that between him hosting a rally at four seasons gardening next to a crematorium and an XXX store and now this, I'm sure there are people out there that still respect this feeb for sticking up for Trump.

I mean if nothing else it will be an interesting footnote in American history that "America's Mayor" following the worst terrorist attack on US soil to-date, may have ended his public career on a reality TV show for 'celebrities' desperate for some paychecks singing behind a mask.

Doubly so given his position on masks and covid.

[Kaleredar]

I mean if nothing else it will be an interesting footnote in American history that "America's Mayor" following the worst terrorist attack on US soil to-date, may have ended his public career on a reality TV show for 'celebrities' desperate for some paychecks singing behind a mask.

Doubly so given his position on masks and covid.

I'm surprised they still have Jenny McCarthy on the show what with her avowed anti-vaxx stance.

Well, I mean, given that it's Fox, I guess I'm not surprised, but...

[s_bushido]

I think we're just going to have to come to terms with the fact that being anti-vax is now mainstream...

Fuck this timeline.

[gondrin]

I'm more curious if he sang baby got back.

We all know he sung W.A.P.

[Breccia]

The head of the Oath Keepers had a virtual day in court. Rhodes, who claimed he and his Oath Keepers were there with armor and weapons to protect Trump from Antifa, no really he said that, testified for six hours via Zoom.

During this time, he took the Fifth repeatedly, but might have said one or two things. Let's see...

We will have several well equipped QRFs outside DC. And there are many, many others, from other groups, who will be watching and waiting on the outside in case of worst case scenarios.

No, wait, that was a text message he sent Jan 6th. He used an encrypted texting app, so I'm assuming he didn't want that information to be public and/or in the hands of law enforcement. But no, he didn't say that at trial. I'll try again.

We aren’t getting through this without civil war. Too late for that. Prepare your mind, body, sprit. It will be a bloody and desperate fight. We are going to have a fight. That can’t be avoided.

Again, an encrypted text sent, calling his people to action. Which...it sure looks like they did, huh? But no, he didn't say this on the virtual stand, either. I'll keep looking.

All I see Trump doing is complaining. I see no intent by him to do anything. So the patriots are taking it into their own hands. They've had enough

No, that's from...wow, during the murderous insurrection itself. Although it brings up an interesting point, in a willing interview back in July he claimed that his men invaded the Capitol against his orders.

Against the advice of a lawyer, Mr. Rhodes spoke freely with the agents about the Capitol assault for nearly three hours, he said in an interview on Friday. Mr. Rhodes said that he denied that he or any other Oath Keepers had intended to disrupt Congress’s certification of the Electoral College vote — the chief accusation the government has lodged against 16 members of the group who are charged with conspiracy.

He also said he told the agents that members of his militia went into the building only after they had heard that someone had been shot inside and wanted to render aid. (A New York Times visual investigation of the events of Jan. 6 did not find evidence of Mr. Rhodes’s claims.)

“I did express frustration that some of my guys went in,” Mr. Rhodes said, noting that he told the F.B.I. that those who breached the Capitol had “gone off mission.” But then he quickly added, “There were zero instructions from me or leadership to do so.”

Those text messages don't seem to back that up. Still, that's things he said before and/or during the murderous insurrection his people were part of, armed with his plans and his weapons. Is there anything about the Zoom meeting?

stock up on ammo

No...

full-on war in the streets

No...

Patriots entering their own Capitol to send a message to the traitors is NOTHING compared to what's coming

Fucking what? Wow. Well, at least he didn't call it an insurr--

We're going to defend the president, the duly elected president, and we call on him to do what needs to be done to save our country. Because if you don't guys, you're going to be in a bloody, bloody civil war and a bloody -- you can call it an insurrection, or you can call it a war or fight.

-- Rhodes, Nov 2020

Wow. Um...does this guy even need to testify? It sure looks like he's said enough to me.

[Edge-]

Well, I mean, given that it's Fox, I guess I'm not surprised, but...

Murdoch needs to make sure his washed up celebrity conservative nutters get their paydays. Apparently Sarah Palin was on this dumb shit too.

Weird how you only really Republicans on these TV shows for washed up celebrities looking for a paycheck/mid-tier celebrities taking an easy paycheck. And we know that folks like Giuliani and Palin fall with the former crowd.