• zaph@sh.itjust.works
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    4 days ago

    the constitution will save us

    Says the people whose constitution didn’t stop a traitor from becoming president

  • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    I love the way people think the Constitution matters any more.

    The constitution is a piece of paper. Laws set and rights granted by the Constitution require people to actually enforce and uphold them. If there is nobody willing or able to enforce and uphold them, then it carries about as much weight and gravity as a mattress tag.

    If Trump says he wants to revoke your broadcast license, and the FCC says it’s going to revoke your broadcast license, and the Trump-friendly Supreme Court says they can revoke your broadcast license, then you don’t have a broadcast license. Full stop. Sure, you can say you have 1st amendment protections, but if the people tasked with upholding those protections are falling in line behind Trump (spoiler alert: They are), then you might as well be preaching about your 1st amendment protections to pigeons in the park for all the good that’s going to do for you.

    • PyroNeurosis@lemmy.blahaj.zone
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      5 days ago

      Going the next step, FCC licenses only have as their paper. If people want to broadcast, the only thing stopping them will be their own grit against whatever the gov’t wants to throw at them, be it a few lawyers or SWAT teams.

      • theneverfox@pawb.social
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        2 days ago

        Sure they do… The courts can take away their enforcement powers

        Say the FCC revokes your license and the courts rule they couldn’t. They can fine you all day, but if they don’t have the right, you can ignore it or get it thrown out in a lower court. If they come in and break your equipment, you can sue them. We have a right to a redress of grievances

        The problem is, the courts are in a bad state

      • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world
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        4 days ago

        Sure they do. Once revoked they can keep broadcasting. They get fined… they take that to court. If the court doesn’t uphold the fine, they don’t have to pay it.

        • BrianTheeBiscuiteer@lemmy.world
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          3 days ago

          Even when you’re totally innocent it costs money to fight a claim or indictment. I have a strong suspicion there will be a record level of government spending on lawsuits in the next 4 years.

          • Modern_medicine_isnt@lemmy.world
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            1 day ago

            Sure… but what else is a network without a license to broadcast going to do with all it’s money. Though really, all they have to do is keep broadcasting. The feds will probably have to sue them.

  • itsonlygeorge@reddthat.com
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    5 days ago

    So fascism it is. The first step is always to control the media and propagandize the whole population and cement their control over the narrative.

    • ramsorge@discuss.online
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      5 days ago

      Right. It’s harder now, because we see it coming and have other outlets… but will we just let it happen? I’m thinking probably.

      • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world
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        5 days ago

        because we see it coming and have other outlets…

        Not for long we don’t.

        • The Washington Post refused to endorse Harris during the Presidential race, fearing retribution if Trump ended up winning.

        • Joe Scarborough and Mika Brzezinski made a trip to Mar-A-Lago to bend the knee to Trump out of fear of retribution for their coverage of Trump during his political career.

        • ABC just opted to cough up $15 million and forced George Stephonopolous to apologize to Trump for simply reporting a judge’s statements that Trump had raped E. Jean Carroll, out of fear of having to battle through a rigged court system and concerns over political and legislative retribution. Let that sink in.

        • Numerous independent media sources have become significantly more Trump-friendly since Trump became President-elect, largely out of being made an example of, and fear of being caught in a legal battle they don’t have the resources to fight through even if they system wasn’t rigged in Trump’s favor.

        The “truth” is now whatever Trump says it is. He has already forced ABC into submission and has threatened investigations and criminal charges against others, which he absolutely has the power to follow through with. Emboldened by the ABC settlement, he has already filed lawsuits and threatened criminal investigations and charges against others. Do you honestly think that any other media outlet is going to report objective truth under those conditions, knowing the risks of angering Trump and knowing he has the ability to follow through on his threats?

        • futatorius@lemm.ee
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          5 days ago

          I’m not sure which independent outlets you’re referring to, so I’ll ignore that part. The rest of your comment is about the behavior of corporate media. They have always sucked off whoever’s in power. That’s what they’re there for.

      • itsonlygeorge@reddthat.com
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        5 days ago

        We already have. Those who get their news from mainstream tv networks and corporate owned newspapers are already consuming corporate propaganda. Social networks are also compromised by foreign entities, bots, and billionaires and have become echo chambers.

        What else is left?

    • Fandangalo@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Yeah, I don’t mean to be pessimistic, but given all the knee bending, I don’t have much hope for the next 4 years and beyond when it comes to freedom. I don’t think most MAGA people have respect for the constitution or law & order. That respect seems to be eroded.

        • Fandangalo@lemmy.world
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          4 days ago

          It’s 4 years until the next scheduled bullshit, whether that’s a third term, eradicating the constitution, or bringing about the end of America / the west / humanity. We could all go up sooner, but I expect Bo Burnham’s “7 more to go,” to somehow be right (came out in 2021, so 2028 seems about right).

          We lost freedoms during Bush, carried on by every president since. I guess we’ll see what happens to the machinations next…

          Thanks for the updoots & the fish. Hope it was a good ride.

      • futatorius@lemm.ee
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        5 days ago

        This is something I learned back in the early 70s, and which is even more true today. Americans don’t want the soap on the rope. They are terrified at the prospect of even a little freedom, and will do anything to find someone to tell them what to think and do.

  • HubertManne@moist.catsweat.com
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    5 days ago

    Its so funny the way he accuses everyone of going after him personally with witch hunts and all and the way republicans talk about choosing winners and losers. Projection really defines this party.

    • Nightwingdragon@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Because it works.

      Think of when you were a kid. When you and your siblings got into a fight and ran to mommy, who won? Whatever kid got to mommy first. Mommy really didn’t care about the story itself. Whoever got there first won, and the rest were told “stop annoying your brother.” And then when they do exactly what you just got in trouble for, mommy just said not to make up stories and accuse your brother of doing what you just got in trouble for. Any attempt at defending yourself was often met with “I said enough! Now go to your room before you get grounded.”

      Same thing applies here. Trump has mastered the political equivalent of running to mommy (the public) first. Trump has mastered the art of accusing everybody else of doing what he either is doing or intends to do, knowing full well that any attempts at holding him accountable will look like petty sour grapes. And the rest of the party have been taking notes.

      • futatorius@lemm.ee
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        5 days ago

        When you and your siblings got into a fight and ran to mommy, who won?

        I did. I had the longest memory and was the meanest son of a bitch in the family.

        Trump’s a whiner and a liar. But he wouldn’t stand a chance against an organized and committed mass opposition. And anyone who cares how that might look to the average Fox viewer isn’t committed.

    • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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      5 days ago

      Yep. The minute the qons started up with the qanon narratives, I was pretty sure prominent members of the qons are trafficking kids. I’m also not entirely certain that they are not trying to utilize adrenochrome somehow…

  • CharlesDarwin@lemmy.world
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    5 days ago

    I thought these people were all “free speech absolutists”?

    Or does that only apply when companies are trying to pump the brakes on spreading Kremlin agitprop to divide this country and hand it to the likes of Putin’s puppet, donvict?

  • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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    5 days ago

    When first amendment rights fail, when a peaceful democratic system that is supposed to protect you, fails, theres only one solution to reverse this, that is to [Redacted By lemmy.world Admins]!

    • Rhaedas@fedia.io
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      5 days ago

      Simply consult an earlier document that speaks of governmental change and when it becomes necessary. The Declaration of Independence spoke about a different ruling body with different infractions upon the people, but the logic is the same.

    • samus12345@lemm.ee
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      4 days ago

      Now, now, you don’t want to be uncivil to the feds who have their boot on your neck!

    • futatorius@lemm.ee
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      5 days ago

      …that is to rock back and forth in the fetal position in a dark corner, crying softly?