Donald Trump has launched a lawsuit against Facebook, Google, and Twitter. Paul Waldman writes:
His complaint against Facebook — presumably prepared by actual lawyers, hard as that may be to believe — claims that it “rises beyond that of a private company to that of a state actor. As such, Defendant is constrained by the First Amendment right to free speech in the censorship decisions it makes regarding its Users.”
It goes on to use the word “unconstitutional” again and again to describe Facebook’s decisions, despite the fact that only government action is or isn’t constitutional.
Waldman writes that the lawsuit won't go anywhere. But, then, it has nothing to do with the law:
What is this suit about? It’s about money, of course. As soon as Trump announced the suit, fundraising texts were blasted out to his supporters.
“President Trump is filing a LAWSUIT against Facebook and Twitter for UNFAIR CENSORSHIP!” they read. “Please contribute IMMEDIATELY to INCREASE your impact by 500% and to get your name on the Donor List President Trump sees!”
Trump has been a grifter all his life. And he knows that, in the United States, a sucker is born every minute. He simply is doing what he has always done -- harvesting the suckers.
Image: AZ Quotes
12 comments:
Where do I send the cheque? When he sees the list, he might see my name. Then maybe he might want to know who I am. It might be another step I can take to a lifetime of success and, at the very least, he'll know I'm on the team and on the right side of history. I'm so thrilled! Trump might see my name!
It's all about chasing the dream, John -- the more insane, the better.
Trump's lawsuit is a joke. The FB, Google and Twitter terms of service all require that you sue them in California. Trump is suing in Florida. None of these social media platforms are government actors subject to the First Amendment, which is what Trump's lolsuit claims. But as you say, grifters gonna grift.
Cap
When I first read about Trump's meritless lawsuit, Owen, I assumed it was simply to reinvigorate his base and keep him in the forefront of America's discontent. Waldman's thoughts reveal even more devious purposes. I'm sure the campaign will be very, very successful.
The man hasn't changed and he hasn't learned a damned thing, Cap.
The Trump Saga, Lorne, is all about the Law of Unintended Consequences.
The law suit is a ruse and is only intended to grift from his loyal following. "Grifters Gotta Grift"
https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/nobody_ever_went_broke_underestimating_the_intelligence_of_the_American_people
see also "A sucker is born every minute"
The line used to be attributed -- incorrectly -- to P.T. Barnum, zoombats. But Mark Twain and H.L. Menken knew that, in the United States, it accurately described the state of affairs.
Imagine what it must be like knowing you own the world's only idiot tree and whenever you need a bag of cash all you need to do is give it a shake.
Of course come August, when Trump is magically "reinstated" as president, we won't make jest so freely. There'll be consequences. The Force is strong in this one.
History will note, Mound, that Trump was the biggest sucker of them all.
"Good Night you stupid idiots. Good Night, you miserable slobs. They're a lot of trained seals. I toss them a dead fish and they'll flap their flippers."
The fictitious audience that Lonesome Rhodes spoke to recognized the insult when he was exposed calling out their stupidity. In reality, people who flock to demagogues don't have the capacity to untie anything once their brains are in a knot.
A Face in the Crowd is a terrific film, John. Andy Griffiths unwitting speech at the end of the film captures exactly who Donald Trump is,
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