Trump in Timeout, Bad Choices by Cheney, and Florida’s Middle Finger: The Week in Review

Guest Post by PF Whalen

Headline #1:          Facebook’s Kangaroo Court Affirms Trump Suspension

On Wednesday, an entity known as the Facebook Oversight Board ruled that the social media giant’s suspension of former President Donald Trump immediately following the January 6^th Capitol riot was the correct decision, and stated that a permanent ban should be decided by company leadership.

Thoughts and Observations:

• Members of this so-called “board” were appointed by Facebook leadership, who are overwhelmingly leftist Democrats. Naturally, those who were appointed are overwhelmingly leftist Democrats as well. It’s ridiculous. This situation is like the Los Angeles Dodgers bringing their own umpires to a game and the fans believing those umpires had credibility. This board has no credibility. It’s a joke.

• The justification the board gave for validating the decision was Trump’s posts on his Facebook page that were complimentary to some of the rioters, which is absurd reasoning. The mostly-peaceful riots by Black Lives Matter/Antifa last summer killed 25 people, and virtually every Democrat and member of their media gushed over the bravery and resoluteness of those rioters. They occasionally tut-tutted about the unfortunate violence, but nothing more. These actions by Facebook have nothing to do with Trump’s posts, they just hate Trump.
• Isn’t it ironic that the company that claims to oppose “misinformation” is actively participating in it? First by pretending their board is legitimate. Second by pushing the idea that what Trump did is in anyway different from what Democrats did. And third by simultaneously claiming their shutdown of Trump aligns satisfactorily with their own policy and our First Amendment.
• The debate at the root of the controversy is rooted in this question: Is Facebook a platform or a publisher? These actions further strengthen the case that they are indeed a publisher. Our phone service providers are a communication platform, they don’t try to control what we say on them. Internet service providers are platforms, they don’t try to control which websites we visit. Facebook is a publisher, and their Oversight Board are glorified editors.
• Republicans, as soon as they regain power, need to ensure these anti-American companies (including Twitter and YouTube) are stripped of the protections they enjoy from being considered communications platforms. There’s nothing wrong with being a publisher, just admit it and deal with the laws that govern publishers.
• Trump gave us a head fake this week when he suggested he’d started his own social media platform. He didn’t. He was referring to what is essentially a blog. Let’s hope, however, that Trump does indeed kickoff a platform. Say what you want about the guy, but Trump’s a shrewd businessman, and such a platform would be virtually guaranteed of success. And we could sure use a legitimate alternative to the leftwing options.

Headline #2:         Liz Cheney Looking More Like a Democrat as She Remains Defiant

Rep. Liz Cheney (R-WY) not only continues to see increased enthusiasm for those who are lining up to challenge her in next year’s primaries, she also appears likely to be voted off her perch as third-highest ranking member of the House of Representatives’ Republican caucus.

Thoughts and Observations:

• This is the third time in recent weeks we’ve discussed Liz Cheney here, and I’m somewhat reluctant to bring her up again. The mainstream media is tripping over themselves to cover the story, thinking they see an opportunity to depict Republican disfunction. They would much rather cover a Republican leader who trashes Trump than report on Democratic insanity. But this story is a positive for the Republican Party. It shows that voters have had enough of RINOs like Liz, and it’s about time.
• Liz Cheney is entitled to her beliefs, and she’s certainly within her rights to despise Donald Trump. She’s not the only one. There are scores of other Republicans who hate him also. But our country has been overwhelmed with negative coverage about Trump for five years. It’s inescapable. Do we really need another person jumping all over Trump, particularly from a GOP leadership position? The answer is no.
• Cheney has been going after Trump on Twitter, which is one thing. But she’s also been appearing on leftist media outlets such as MSNBC to trash the former president which is unforgiveable. That’s what Democrats do. Cheney ranting on MSNBC or CNN is no different than an American official trashing our country on foreign, enemy soil.
• We have Biden and the Democrats destroying the country by spending money that doesn’t even exist. Our future hangs by the thread of the Senate filibuster as Congressional leftist radicals try to implement statehood for Washington D.C. and court-packing. And power-hungry Washington bureaucrats continue to do their best to seize our rights in the name of public safety with COVID. And you’re going on MSNBC hollering about Trump and January 6^th Rep. Cheney? You have the right to your opinions and to make your own choices Ms. Cheney, and Wyoming voters have the right to vote you out of office. Let’s hope they do.
• There are a few ways to determine if a Republican has made a misstep. The easiest way to make such an assessment is by the reaction of Democrats such as Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer. Pelosi has been stroking and lauding Cheney as if she’s from her own caucus, and that’s a surefire sign that Cheney has wandered off the reservation.
• A vote was held by Republicans in the House in January on whether to keep Cheney in her leadership position, and she won that vote easily. Another vote will be taken next week, however, and this vote must have a different outcome. Cheney must go.
• Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY) is one of the favorites to take Cheney’s seat. She’s young, at only 36 years-old, she’s extremely sharp, and she’s got a very bright future. And she doesn’t go on MSNBC trashing fellow Republicans. Stefanik would be an excellent choice.

Headline #3:          DeSantis Signs Florida Voting Bill, the Left Lose Their Minds

On Thursday morning, Florida’s Republican Governor Ron DeSantis once again flipped off leftist conventional wisdom by signing into a law a voting reform bill while the left and their media had a collective conniption.

Thoughts and Observations:

• You have to love DeSantis. The guy has balls. Not only did he sign a bill that was sure to irk Democrats, he did so on live television on Fox News’ Fox and Friends. Has there been an instance in recent memory of a more unmistakable but subtle message of “GFY” to the left? Not that I can remember. Bravo, Governor.
• The bill itself is entirely reasonable, and the reaction was all too predictable. It strengthens voter ID laws, limits who can pick-up/return a voter’s ballot, and bans election funding by private entities. How are those issues problematic? They’re not. They’re only problematic for leftists who want to enable voter fraud.
• So, what tactic did the left employ in attacking the bill? What was their primary beef? The bill, according to the left, is… wait for it… drumroll please… rat-a-tat-tat… RACIST! Of course it is! According to a lawsuit that was filed on behalf of various leftwing groups, the bill is “the latest in a long line of voter suppression laws targeting Florida’s Black [and] Latino voters.” Sure it is. OK, anything you say.
• Similar to the Georgia law that got so much attention in late-March, Florida’s law merely tightens control on voting, and is no more restrictive than laws in many other states, including many blue states. We need these laws. Voter confidence in our election results is at a dangerously low level. Millions of Democrats doubted the legitimacy of Trump’s 2016 election, and even more Republicans question the validity of President Joe Biden’s election last November. If Democrats were truly intent on unity and healing as they profess to be, they would knock off this hyperbolic crap. But they’re not.
• It’s no accident that the Democrats’ response to any of DeSantis’ actions are exponentially more intense than with other Republicans. Democrats fear DeSantis, and they should. They view him as a threat. Republicans have a lot of potential candidates for the 2024 presidential election, and Trump may still be at the top of that list. But if Trump doesn’t run, DeSantis is the overwhelming frontrunner right now. And DeSantis could absolutely destroy Kamala Harris or Biden in a general election.

Headline #4:         Surprise! Chauvin Juror Was a BLM Activist

One of the jurors in the Derek Chauvin trial for the killing of George Floyd, a black man named Brandon Mitchell, participated in a Black Lives Matter march in Washington last year, and a photo has surfaced of him at that march wearing a shirt proclaiming, “Get your knee of our necks.”

Thoughts and Observations:

• To put things into proper perspective in these situations, it’s often helpful to hypothetically reverse the circumstances. Therefore, let’s imagine for a moment, that Chauvin had been found not guilty, and images had been discovered of a white juror participating in a White Lives Matter protest wearing a pro-Chauvin t-shirt. Would that be a problem? Perhaps?
• For those of you who don’t spend much time accessing our mainstream media outlets and are wondering if this story has been widely covered… spoiler alert: it hasn’t. The story has been largely ignored, and it’s no surprise.
• It’s still unclear how this individual made it onto the jury, as it’s obvious he should have been disqualified. Did he lie during the jury selection process? Did Chauvin’s lawyers simply miss the signs? We don’t know, but there’s no way he should have been on that jury.
• The number of travesties involving Chauvin’s trial are mounting, and the fact that Chauvin was not provided with due process is now beyond doubt. This juror was clearly biased. While on the courthouse steps during the trial, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) openly called for in Minneapolis and around the country if jurors didn’t find Chauvin guilty. The judge in the case clearly allowed for significant irregularities, including keeping the trial located in Minneapolis. That trial wasn’t due process, it was mob justice.
• Chauvin has an excellent case for appeal, and we should expect that process to happen and to succeed. Think what you want about Chauvin’s guilt or innocence. Many people, even on the right, at the very least think he should have been more cognizant of the impact that his actions were having on Floyd during the incident. Fair enough. But he’s an American citizen and he has rights. And those rights were undoubtedly violated during this trial.

Headline #5:         COVID Vaccine Patents in Jeopardy, White House Approves

U.S. representatives on Wednesday, with support from the Biden Administration, signaled to the World Trade Organization (WTO) their support for dismissing the intellectual property rights of drug-makers Moderna, Pfizer, and Johnson and Johnson for their COVID vaccines. Such a move would give other pharmaceutical companies worldwide the information needed to manufacture these vaccines without financial compensation to the companies holding the patents.

Thoughts and Observations:

• This is a really, really bad idea. The three COVID vaccines developed by these American companies are not only the three best vaccines that have been developed – far better than European, Chinese, and Russian versions – they are indeed modern miracles. They were developed in a matter of weeks, they were tested in short order with remarkable results, and they are undeniably eradicating the disease. And these modern miracles are the result of the greatest economic system the world has ever known, and the only one that works: Capitalism. This move would be a thumb in the eye to capitalism.
• The innovation involved with the development of these vaccines was remarkable, and that innovation was driven in large part to save lives. But it was also driven to satisfy a desire for profit. That desire for profit motivated those companies, and good for them. Capitalism worked. The scientists who were involved in developing those vaccines should be wealthy beyond their dreams. They deserve it. And bureaucrats in Washington, Brussels and elsewhere have no right to take that wealth away.
• There’s an easy solution to the problem. For those countries seeking access to this intellectual property – most notably, South Africa and India – they could pay J&J, Pfizer, and Moderna for the privilege. Problem solved. Instead, the idea is that those countries, and others, should just be able to steal that intellectual property.
• Anyone doubting that capitalism was the driver, ask yourself: Why is it that companies or governments from communist/leftist countries such as Cuba, North Korea, and Venezuela didn’t come up with the vaccines? How come South Africa and the rest are trying to pry this property away from American companies and not the Russians? Or the Chinese? Because capitalism works.
• This attack on intellectual property rights is just the latest salvo from our left against the companies collectively known as “Big Pharma.” Clowns such as Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) have made a living demonizing the pharmaceutical industry. But while Big Pharma has been busy saving literally millions of lives, what have Bernie and AOC been doing? What have they ever done? How many lives have either of them ever saved?

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