What Joe Biden Got Right—and Wrong—Last Week in the Middle East
Plus: A listener asks the editors about mandatory maternity leave.

In this week's The Reason Roundtable, editors Matt Welch, Katherine Mangu-Ward, Nick Gillespie, and Peter Suderman evaluate President Joe Biden's visit to Israel in the wake of the Hamas attacks and highlight particularly bad U.S. responses to the war in the Middle East.
0:24: President Biden visits Israel
16:24: Bad U.S. domestic responses to the war in Gaza
26:52: Weekly Listener Question
42:13: House Republicans' enduring embarrassment
48:23: This week's cultural recommendations
Mentioned in this podcast:
"Unimaginable Force," by Liz Wolfe
"U.S. Faces Risks in Spreading Israel-Hamas Conflict," by J.D. Tuccille
"Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis Argue Who Is More Hostile to Refugees from Gaza," by Joe Lancaster
"Trita Parsi: Is De-escalation Feasible in the Middle East?" by Zach Weissmueller and Liz Wolfe
"Who Is—and Isn't—Ready To Change Their Minds About the Gaza Hospital Blast?" by Matt Welch
"Disinformation Reporter Ben Collins Failed To Correct the Gaza Hospital Story," by Robby Soave
"What Happens Next in the Israel-Hamas War?" by Zach Weissmueller and Liz Wolfe
"Biden's Foreign Policy Is Adrift," by Bonnie Kristian
"I find such unrestrained xenophobia particularly disgusting," writes Nick Gillespie on X.
"I urge @Heritage to delete this utterly disgusting, xenophobic post," writes Justin Amash on X.
"Why America Shouldn't Resettle Palestinians," by Lora Ries
"The Case Against Government-Provided Paid Parental Leave," by Veronique de Rugy
"This Law Will Kill Opportunities for Pregnant Workers," by John Stossel
"Jim Jordan Is Trying To Buy the Speakership With Tax Breaks for Wealthy Residents of Blue States," by Eric Boehm
"Jim Jordan: The Perfect Speaker for a Policy-Free GOP," by Eric Boehm
"In Killers of the Flower Moon, Martin Scorsese Plumbs the Depths of American Depravity," by Peter Suderman
"Martin Scorsese Is a Grumpy Old Fart—and Wrong About the State of 'Cinema,'" by Nick Gillespie
Send your questions to roundtable@reason.com. Be sure to include your social media handle and the correct pronunciation of your name.
Today's sponsor:
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Audio production by Ian Keyser; assistant production by Hunt Beaty.
Music: "Angeline," by The Brothers Steve
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From where I stand he got pretty much everything wrong. And his entire neocon administration is trying to use the situation in Israel as an excuse to widen the conflict to the entire middle east.
Can you imagine in times past when pretty much every Arab leader literally refused to even pick up the phone for a visiting American President?
Wait.
Give credit where it is due. POTUS Biden has spoken with unusual moral clarity on the horrific savagery of Hamas' attack on Israel. That is where he has been best (for him).
POTUS Biden has been helping make US policy for 50 years. Isn't what happened a tacit damning of failed policies he helped along = Oslo, two states, disengagement, and conflict management? This is where POTUS Biden is at his lowest point (to me). Listen to what Biden's old boss (POTUS Obama) said: Never underestimate Joe's ability to fuck things up.
POTUS Obama was right.
"Give credit where it is due. POTUS Biden has spoken with unusual moral clarity on the horrific savagery of Hamas’ attack on Israel. That is where he has been best (for him)."
I really didn't expect it of him, but you're right, Biden has spoken admirably and without equivocating on the attack on Israel.
" Biden has spoken admirably and without equivocating on the attack on Israel."
You mean you agree with him. He could be backing the country into the biggest conflict since WWII. And you agree with him. And for what? So that Israel doesn't have to sit down across from Hamas and negotiate a political settlement.
Hamas wants a single state solution, and that state won’t have Jews in it.
In any negotiated settlement, what any side wants at the beginning of the talks won't necessarily be a part of the final deal.
"and that state won’t have Jews in it."
Sounds like Idaho. What have you got against Idaho?
Please tell me the story about how Idaho murdered all the Jews.
Ask Joe Biden. He's got a million stories to tell gullible folk like you.
You really are a stupid piece of shit. Hamas has zero interest in doing anything but murdering Israelis and every other Jew on the planet. It’s in their charter. But you’re too weak minded and stupid to understand that.
" Hamas has zero interest in doing anything but murdering Israelis and every other Jew on the planet. It’s in their charter. "
You sing from the same song book as Joe Biden. I've heard them all. Hamas as well as the rest of the Gazans were born and raised in a concentration camp. Give them freedom and a chance to make a livelihood and they will develop new, more healthy interests. Emaciated children make great jockeys for ostrich racing, sources tell me.
Looks like you are the gullible idiot here
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I do so appreciate that you’ve ripped off the mask to show just what a piece of subhuman shit you are. Saves us all the trouble of engaging you with anything but the invective you so richly deserve.
I support a ceasefire and political settlement. And you don't.
"Saves us all the trouble of engaging you with anything but the invective you so richly deserve."
That's a given. You're a moral coward. You lack the courage to defend you support for continuing the slaughter.
No political settlement is possible with Hamas that doesn't leave them free to continue murdering both Gazans and Israelis.
You admit the possibility of a political settlement. I agree with you.
https://twitter.com/xbtGBH/status/1716463322365579747?t=kwZnjIgATbSD5qR3PmZA1w&s=19
LMAOOOOOO
[Pic]
He spoke like a fool. Moral clarity my asss.
HE gave billions to people who bankroll a cash payoff for those who die killing Jews.
I should have known what kind of person I was talking to. No right or wrong or God or human rights...just "moral clarity" Pure Hillary that is.
That's not true at all.
If you blow up a pipeline in inter/multi-national waters and don't admit to it, you get billions in aid in your struggle against oppression. If you execute and kidnap civilians and proudly take credit, you only get a few hundred million.
You get more of what you reward (more) and less of what you don't. (Does it really need a sarc tag?)
"Can you imagine in times past when pretty much every Arab leader literally refused to even pick up the phone for a visiting American President?"
It's worse. The Arab leader in the current conflict is the head of Hamas. Biden, as with previous presidents can't talk to him, even over the phone, presumably. Hamas is labelled as a terrorist organization, and there are no links, no recognition. Any dealings,
like the return of hostages are done though Egypt, I believe.
Not only are Arab leaders refusing to take his call, Biden refuses to make the call that matters.
Firstly, can we first use Neocon as its actual meaning and not it's new found meaning as hawk?
Secondly, Biden has been anything but hawkish. He's given piles of money to Iran. He's told Israel not to invade Gaza.
If anything, it's his extreme weakness on foreign policy that has emboldened Iran
Weakness in a president is handing the agenda setting over to others. Like Obama. Israel broke the truce with Hamas and kicked off Operation Cast Lead the day Obama was elected. Obama was another weak stooge for Israel.
Biden is no better. He's let Hamas set the agenda.
You also want Hamas to set the agenda.
My desires count for little. This matter is down to Palestinians and Israel. Nobody can solve it for them.
Firstly, can we first use Neocon as its actual meaning and not it’s new found meaning as hawk?
Wait, you mean Bill Kristol is no longer a Neocon? Victoria Nuland is no longer a neocon?
It isn't I that has fucked up the meaning of Neocon... it's the DNC that did.
JFC, yeah, the current administration hawks are... just hawks, not Neocons.
Joe got everything wrong.
"Joe got everything wrong."
Joe has been eating food and breathing oxygen! Can we now logically expect "Don't look at me!" to STOP eating food and breathing oxygen?
Inquiring minds want to KNOW, DamnShitAll!
Try to stay on the subject.
SQRLSY can’t even stay on his meds.
What, the meds that would otherwise suppress my super-genius and benevolence genes? Why would I NOT want to be (and stay) smarter, wiser, and more benevolent than ye bunch of EVIL TRIBALISTIC FUCK-HEADS?
The Tribe Blue medicine man who’ll make excuses for censorship, false imprisonment and political prosecutions if it serves the (D), has just called everyone else here "tribal".
Anyone still supporting the Biden regime is an existential enemy to all Americans. If we want to survive we had best act accordingly.
https://twitter.com/Cernovich/status/1716593643912581595?t=0v1vIVlqRc1KhZKRhEUv6w&s=19
Sorry folks I don’t have it in me to feel sorry for people who voted for this stuff and were fine with a culture of hatred until the hate they enabled was directed their way. Show me Trump 2020 votes or else spare us, you created this world.
when does the piece on the Insane Clown War Machine drop?
When Charles Koch's investments in the defense industry go south.
so Nikki's Offensive Department pieces instead
I agree with the consensus so far.
Joe's speech was embarrassing. He spent the whole time talking about Ukraine.
https://simulationcommander.substack.com/p/joe-biden-mumbles-in-primetime
But remember that Putin is super bad, too, guys! He steals children! Totally disgusting. He’s like the government version of Hamas. But Hamas is the terrorist version of Hamas.
But back to Putin. He’s super bad, guys. So bad. We have to beat them. The Russians AND Hamas. We have to beat them both. With money. And weapons. We must escalate the war so that Putin doesn’t escalate the war. Escalate to de-escalate. The war to end all wars! We can do it!
We don’t want American troops fighting against Russia, to be honest we don’t really care WHO does it, as long as there’s no political ramifications for us. But if Russia wins, then Iran wins, and then Hamas wins. IT’S ALL CONNECTED, PEOPLE!
But I, Joe Biden, have come up with a brilliant plan to stop this “domino effect”, and the best part is that it will actually HELP Americans! We’re the world police, and being the world police makes us safe!
Well, Joe has to protect his money laundering operations somehow.
-1 Not enough "horrific horror".
Your moral compass is broken if you think that opposing Biden means defending Putin.
Lol, look who is talking about morals.
Your moral compass is broken if you think that opposing waging and financing war means defending Putin.
Hey look, it's another right-wing asshole.
Tell us, who would you vote for in an election - Biden or Putin? Be honest.
"Hey look, it’s another right-wing asshole."
Hey look. It's the OG Nazi shillposter dropping in to push for war. Castrated any kids today, dirtbag?
"Tell us, who would you vote for in an election – Biden or Putin? Be honest."
What the fuck does it matter, they both rig their elections.
Fuck you, you're a shill for right-wing authoritarians. You won't admit it but I am quite certain you would absolutely vote for a right-wing dictator to be installed if it means "stopping the Left". Along with about half the commenters here, I imagine. You're a right-wing control freak who is way closer to Nazism than I will ever be.
Like most right-wingers, when given the conflict between liberty and order, you will choose order every time.
Yeah man, right wing authoritarians always support the candidate who doesn’t want to start wars.
Right-wing authoritarians vote for right-wing authoritarians, war or no war.
Aren't you the one who told me to drink Drano? Yeah I think you were. So fuck off.
lol, the projection is off the charts. The Ds have gone full blown Stalinist to fortify and protect our democracy.
The solution is to exterminate all Marxist tyrants and their acolytes. Such as you, Fatfuck. As a pedophile adjacent Marxist, you have no right to exist and a booster for humanity’s destruction.
Let’s hope your morbid obesity ends your life as soon as possible, since you’re too weak and cowardly to do the honorable thing and take your own life.
Exterminate unpopular groups.
Definitely a Nazi.
Yup he is high on the Nazi scale. And not a single right winger will call him out for it. Telling.
Oh Fatfuck, you’re so confused. Not a surprise. No, I’m just ready to treat you the way you and your fellow travelers want to treat me and all the other actual American citizens. Did you really expect us to go along with your lawless oppression and Marxist plans?
You’re welcome to live in peace with us, but you have to anyone all your bullshit beliefs and leave Americans alone. If not, you and your pedophile Sorosite friend can be repurposed.
And seriously, does it ever bother you that your only ally here is an unrepentant pedophile?
It's fairly accepted, indeed recommended, to remove cancer. Feel free to include yourself in that designation.
You lecturing anyone on morals is epically hilarious.
"But back to Putin."
He's a sideshow. Since the pivot to China announced under Obama, and continued under everyone since then, the main event has been elsewhere. Three guesses as to where that is. This business in the middle east is an irritating diversion away from the Pentagon's charted course. I assume that Hamas was aware their issue was being put on the back burner and decided to take measures to front burner cause. Among other reasons of course.
Really? Your fellow travelers appear to be fixated on Putin. With some of your democrat masters raving about regime change.
"Really? Your fellow travelers appear to be fixated on Putin."
You mean like Elvis is real? I doubt he's a fellow traveler of mine. He seems to be defending Putin. I'm against Putin, but on the whole I sympathize with Russia in this conflict, I've been something of a Russophile since getting immersed in Russian novels as a lad. But Putin disappointed me. Ex KGB, he should have found a way to get what he wanted without a very costly and time consuming military invasion. KGB? Has he forgotten all those lessons in election rigging, assassination, blackmail, bribery, propaganda etc? Nasty business but more subtle and less costly than the war we're witnessing today. Maybe he thought that the timing was opportune, or maybe the vanity of an aging leader obsessing over his legacy.
My point stands, in any case. America pivots away from Europe and Middle East, and hostile forces rise to take advantage.
I'm not pro anybody in the foreign shitshow we're involved with. Get everybody out. From everywhere.
It doesn't matter what; doing anything will improve his average standing with voters. It's already showing in an uptick in his approval vs. disapproval in RealClearPolitics's average.
Ukraine mentioned 23 times to 22 for Israel.
If it were Obama he would have said ‘I’ at least 60 times.
Hennepin County Medical examiner Dr. Andrew Baker, who conducted the autopsy of George Floyd, concluded that Floyd's arrest did not contribute to his death and that homicide charges against Derek Chauvin could not be supported. At least until he was pressured into altering his report.
https://spectator.org/chauvin-did-not-murder-george-floyd/
Once again, stuff the Reason commenters were talking about three years ago.......
once Hamas has your narrative worldwide, Katie bar the door.
Anti-semitic Islamophobe!
https://twitter.com/JackPosobiec/status/1716548836116578713?t=eVJ6Uct4cWafASPS7dOioQ&s=19
Elon just called for an immediate ceasefire agreement in Ukraine in the name of the future of human civilization
Sleepy Joe tied with Obama and Donnie with Zero wars started - like that is some kind of rare distinction.
Wait! What is that? This just in from Wingnut.com!
Selling arms to Ukraine is EXACTLY like sending 250,000 troops into a decade long ground war in Iraq!
EXACTLY THE SAME!
BIDEN = DUBYA !!!!
Except, Turd, one leads to a path that, at the end, has a war with Russia. The other was just stupid. How retarded are you? Oh, wait, don't answer that, it was rhetorical as your IQ is in single digits.
Well at least you conservative nutcases can finally admit Iraq was a colossal blunder some 20 years after we went in.
That is something I guess.
Dude, the neocons are on your side, your team, stupid fuckface.
Dubya and Darth Cheney are still registered Republicans, dickhead.
The Gridlock Party doesn't want them.
All the journos and politicians who supported them are now dems. Such as kristol dumbass.
I remember you waxing rhapsodical about Romney and McCain, and quaking with delight that Dubya and Darth Cheney were down on Orange Hitler.
Then there's your admiration for Lynn Cheney and your regular quoting of Kristol, Frum and David French. Face facts, you're a neocon's neocon.
Didn't POTUS Biden vote FOR the use of force resolution against Iraq while he was Senator Biden?
Checks notes. Well gosh by golly...he did.
In his defense, shrike IS the dumbest motherfucker to post here.
Sleepy Joe tied with Obama and Donnie with Zero wars started
I guess you can count zero for Obama, if you don't count Syria. Or Libya. Or Yemen.
And of course, if we don't count Syria, then we don't have to count Biden putting troops back in Syria after Trump removed them.
Does that mean we don't count troops getting readied for Israel?
Our troops are already involved. The US Navy is on record shooting down/intercepting Hamas rockets. To some, that may not be involvement-involvement, but it's still involvement.
Not Hamas rockets- Houthi rockets. The guys in Yemen. Also drone attacks from Iraqis and Syrians directed at American bases in those countries.
Not great.
It’s not a war until Lindsey Graham gets a hard-on.
https://twitter.com/WallStreetSilv/status/1716574972955492435?t=Y4-CKaDpKnC7fDWZGSAMQg&s=19
El Salvador President Nayib Bukele with Tucker Carlson
"The demise of the USA has to come from within. No external enemy can cause so much damage as an internal operation."
"I am from a 3rd world country and I see cities in the US where I wouldn't want to live now. When you see cities in the US eroding so fast, this has to be by design."
[Video]
Just a racist, nationalist, El Salvadoran political propagandist trying to convince people to stay on the south side of America's southern border.
“I am from a 3rd world country and I see cities in the US where I wouldn’t want to live now. When you see cities in the US eroding so fast, this has to be by design.”
But as each iteration of policy paint-bucket-splashing occurs, we’re repeatedly reassured that everyone involved “means well”. Just a tweak to the sales taxes here, a tweak to the sales-on-sunday policy there, and voila! Back on our Libertarian Moment Track.
But OMGLOLWTFROTFLCOPTERS those Republicans!
Interestingly, whenever Reason quotes approvingly someone who has vague left-wing sentiments, you are quick to point this out. So I wonder why you didn't do the two seconds of Internet research to determine that Nayib Bukele is an authoritarian asshole who shouldn't be regaled or treated favorably by any libertarian who values liberty and human rights. I wonder why you couldn't be bothered to do that when you have so much time on your hands to dig deeply into vague left-wing connections of people and organizations who favor housing reform. Could it be that you are running cover for the authoritarian impulses you desire?
In what way is Nayib Bukele an authoritarian?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Salvadoran_political_crisis
He locks up violent, homicidal, extortionist gang members w/o trial
https://apnews.com/article/el-salvador-nayib-bukele-gangs-989d6e3ec5e25449e167c7790c795823
So he reacted to crime the way others reacted to COVID-19?
Aaand there we go, excusing the flavor of authoritarianism that you like, with a false analogy to boot.
What is so hard about criticizing a guy who literally sends the military to the legislature to "convince" them to vote a certain way, or a guy who uses "special powers" to revoke fundamental rights?
Come on, I know you can do it.
Your team spent the entire pandemic screaming and howling about how awful and terrible the lockdowns and restrictions were. And around here, for the most part, you got nothing but SUPPORT in your demands to oppose the government-imposed restrictions on liberty. But when it comes time for you and your team to oppose – in YOUR OWN flawed analogy – similar pandemic-like restrictions by an authoritarian asshole, you can’t do it.
It is what I have suspected for a while – you right-wing morons never opposed the pandemic restrictions out of some principled devotion to liberty. It was always because YOU were the ones affected. It was fundamentally selfish in nature. The moment those same restrictions – by your own reckoning – are applied to someone else, you don’t give a shit. Because YOU aren’t affected.
No Fatfuck. It’s morbidly obese, Marxist beta male, pedophile adjacent, phony libertarians like you that give real libertarians a bad name.
I’ve also noticed that you haven’t been around much of late. Which is good. Have you been focused on revamping NAMBLA since you took over last year?
It's morons like you that give libertarians a bad name. Because you feed into the stereotype that libertarians are just selfish jerks.
You don't like pandemic lockdowns? Great! Is it because you fundamentally disagree with the violations of liberty that lockdowns represent? Hell no! It's because you really just want a haircut and to go shopping!
You don't like onerous government regulations? Great! Is it because you fundamentally disagree with the propriety of government to regulate the economy to such a degree? Hell no! It's because those regulations are costing YOU money! All of those regulations that you think are benefitting you - regulations on immigration, regulations on trade - hell, let's bring those on! Go USA!!!
You don't like high taxes? Is it because you think taxation is theft? Hell no! It's because you just want to keep your money! But the taxes that OTHER people pay, you're okay with that, as long as it means building ridiculous border walls to keep the brown people out.
You're not a libertarian, you're just a selfish asshole.
Makes no sense at all.
He must take a hard line against illegals and pedophiles. Fatfuck is a champion of both groups.
Could it be that you are running cover for the authoritarian impulses you desire?
*scratches chin*
So, it's like constantly adding the 'well-meaning' color commentary to the actions of a certain political class ISN'T running cover for authoritarians?
Oh and here we have the false equivalence. That's right, supporting any level of taxation is equivalent to suspending fundamental human rights. All violations of liberty are equal, isn't that right?
So, does that make you an anarchist, pure as snow in your opposition to all authoritarian imposition of coercion?
Oh wait no it doesn't, because we all know you're a Trump voter who is more than happy to vote for authoritarian policies if it means the people you hate get what you think they deserve.
So take your fake false equivalence and shove it up your ass.
https://twitter.com/DLeonhardt/status/1716450869816742370?t=2KuW-5iklmpOOEO81bQ1WQ&s=19
The 1965 immigration overhaul was a monumental achievement. It ended the system's discrimination against Asians, Africans, eastern and southern Europeans and disabled people. But the law's authors also made a second promise, and it’s worth revisiting.
LBJ, Ted Kennedy and other champions of the 1965 law promised that it would change only *who* the U.S. admitted to this country – not *how many* people immigrated to the U.S. This promise was crucial to the selling of the bill. And it turned out to be false.
“Do we appreciably increase our population, as it were, by the passage of this bill?” Emanuel Celler, the bill’s champion in the House, said. “The answer is emphatically no.”
“This bill that we will sign today is not a revolutionary bill,” LBJ said while signing the bill in 1965. “It does not affect the lives of millions.”
(And there are dozens of quotes like this from the bill's advocates in Congress.)
Anyone who suggested otherwise, Ted Kennedy said, was making claims that were “highly emotional, irrational, and with little foundation in fact” and that were “out of line with the obligations of responsible citizenship.”
In fact, the 1965 law led to a huge surge of immigration. This surge began almost immediately after the bill passed. How, then, could the law’s authors have been so wrong about their own policy?
One explanation is motivated reasoning. The advocates believed, justly, that they were righting a historical wrong. In their eagerness to do so, though, they dismissed legitimate questions. And they sold the bill with repeated promises that it would not do what, in fact, it did.
[Link]
I love how you take the claims of moral titans like LBJ and Ted fkn Kennedy at face value when they support your anti-immigrant views. Fuck off.
Nayib Bukele with Tucker Carlson
Two fucking idiots spanking each other’s meat.
The USA had 35% unemployment in the 30s. We survived a dust bowl and mass starvation. Hoovervilles were needed.
We’re insanely rich now. Just since Biden personal net worth is up some $30 trillion. Tucker should just lead the new fascist revolution he is pining for.
We’re insanely broke now, thanks to your kind. You goddamned Marxist pedophile. If you had a shred of humanity within you would douse yourself in gasoline and self immolate.
The government is broke.
The US is phenomenally wealthy, dumbass.
Huh. So an authoritarian caudillo from Latin America, who literally sent the military to the legislature in order to "convince" them to vote the "correct" way, is upset that the US is not authoritarian enough when it comes to controlling crime. Huh.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Salvadoran_political_crisis
So, why again is Tucker Carlson interviewing this guy in a favorable light?
Tucker Carlson also like Viktor Orban, another authoritarian asshat. He also looks favorably upon Putin, yet another authoritarian dictator.
Could it be that Tucker Carlson wants to whitewash and mainstream right-wing authoritarianism? And could it be that the idiots here at the Reason comment section posing as ‘libertarians’ will gladly cheer on right-wing authoritarianism if it means “pwning the libs”?
"Tucker Carlson also like Viktor Orban, another authoritarian asshat."
What makes Tucker or Orban more authoritarian than say, Trudeau or Biden?
Well, let's see. What has Orban done? Well.
Imagine if Biden had directed the entire government not to do any business whatsoever with Fox News or any right-wing media outlet. Imagine if Biden had gone to their advertisers and told them that the government would not do any business with them whatsoever while they continued to advertise with Fox News. Imagine if Biden directed the FCC to revoke broadcasting licenses of independent right-wing stations for bogus violations such as "not enough patriotic music content" or somesuch while of course not doing anything of the sort towards left-wing media outlets. Imagine if Biden turned PBS into a giant holding company for media companies and installed literal party bosses in charge, then when those right-wing media outlets started to lose money and go bankrupt due to the government's actions, had PBS buy up these media outlets for a song and install Democratic Party operatives as CEOs. So ALL of the major media is therefore controlled *directly* by the Democratic Party - newspaper, TV, radio, ALL of it - and the only way that any Republican can get their voice heard is via online.
That is what Orban in a nutshell has done in Hungary.
Do you think that compares to what the actual Biden or the actual Trudeau have done?
The answer is no. Complain all you want about the left-wing tilt of the New York Times or CNN, but that pales in comparison to being run by literal Democratic Party bosses, and an active pressure campaign by the government to suppress and bankrupt any right-wing media outlet.
Orban is absolutely an authoritarian and the fact that Tucker and other conservatives give him such a tongue-bath should be a cause of concern for anyone who values liberty.
But since you don't value liberty, you value order and "destroying the Left", you don't give a shit.
"Imagine if Biden had directed the entire government not to do any business whatsoever with Fox News or any right-wing media outlet. Imagine if Biden had gone to their advertisers and told them that the government would not do any business with them whatsoever while they continued to advertise with Fox News. Imagine if Biden directed the FCC to revoke broadcasting licenses of independent right-wing stations for bogus violations such as “not enough patriotic music content” or somesuch while of course not doing anything of the sort towards left-wing media outlets. Imagine if Biden turned PBS into a giant holding company for media companies and installed literal party bosses in charge, then when those right-wing media outlets started to lose money and go bankrupt due to the government’s actions, had PBS buy up these media outlets for a song and install Democratic Party operatives as CEOs. So ALL of the major media is therefore controlled *directly* by the Democratic Party – newspaper, TV, radio, ALL of it – and the only way that any Republican can get their voice heard is via online."
1. That's exactly what's happening in Canada right fucking now. Word for word. All the newspapers and TV are now being paid by the Liberal government, even little local ones. Sharing the news on social media is now blocked by the government. They've just introduced a bill to make internet content providers only provide Canadian content.
2. The Twitter files FFS. And how Tucker got canned even though he was the only Fox News host to challenge Sydney Powell's story.
Of course you know all this, but you're a Nazi shill that's paid to lie.
No it isn't you lying weasel. Show me where Trudeau or Biden is pressuring independent media outlets to go out of business and then using a government agency to buy them out of bankruptcy to spread government propaganda. That is what Orban is doing. You are such an ignorant asshole that you defend actual authoritarian to try to stop your perceived enemies.
And one more thing.
If Biden or Trudeau were to do what Orban is doing, IT WOULD BE WRONG. Even if it meant Fox News was driven out of business. Because the government shouldn't have the power over independent media like that.
Now be honest: can you honestly state that if Trump used the government to drive the New York Times or CNN out of business, that you would object and disapprove? I think not.
Who the fuck cares?
Chemjeff isn't a person, he's a malignant tumor that thinks of prepybescent children as sex objects and constantly lies.
In more civilized times he already would've been dispatched.
Oh fuck you. You're a deranged right-wing lunatic who likely only posts here because you've been banned everywhere else for your inflammatory murderous rhetoric. In more civilized times your mama would have taught you some manners before releasing you into the world.
No, Nardz is right. You're trash.
So no liberty for me? Then I am right, you value tribe over liberty. You're just a right wing collectivist asshole.
Do you think we are controlling crime in an effective manner?
Do you think whitewashing and mainstreaming a right-wing authoritarian caudillo from Latin America is a good idea?
Posted in the wrong spot, also fuck you Jeff.
I'm not paying attention to what you're whining about here but you probably deserve it.
Yes I know. People you hate don't deserve liberty.
I don’t want to treat people like you the way I want to be treated. I want to treat you the way you want to treat me. And you deserve to die from slow torture you fucking Marxist.
Drink some drano.
Faggot.
Case in point.
None of our right-wing colleagues here will call you out for such a comment, but that is because they don't value liberty.
No, they just don’t value you.
Got it. Liberty doesn't belong to those whom you hate. Right?
Sapristi! When did you start giving a fuck about liberty, Jeffy?
What the fuck do you know about liberty? You think liberty means using the state to ban gay books in school.
To be a libertarian means respecting the liberty of ALL. Even the people you hate. You can't do that. Anything outside your narrow moralistic world doesn't count as liberty for you. So fuck off.
That's right, Pedo. Not purchasing books with illustrations of minors giving blowjobs for the middle school library is now "banning". Even though you can still get your kiddie porn from Amazon, not putting it in the classroom is cEns0rShiP.
You're such garbage.
Well it certainly isn't liberty to use the power of the state to ban books from school, is it? As I said, you don't even try to defend your position in terms of liberty because your moralizing trumps all else.
Ordinarily I would, but you're a Nazi and a colossal piece of shit, so I'm hard pressed to give a fuck.
Lol when was the last time you ever criticized Nardz for wishing death on someone? You are such a liar.
When he scrapped with Ken, Sevo, and Rebecca, and they'll all agree.
You, I don't give a fuck.
Even if you are telling the truth, which I doubt, you only criticized him when he attacked people whom you thought were your allies.
Tribe over liberty
"People you hate don’t deserve liberty."
Back to your old tricks of putting words in people's mouths after a short break I see.
On that note, say, have you stopped molesting kids yet?
But I am right and you are not. When have you called out the misanthropes around here who routinely wish death on those whom they hate? No, it is always tribe before liberty. You're just another right wing authoritarian asshole unwilling to challenge your tribal allies.
What do you call a gathering with 9 people and 1 Nazi?
A group of 10 Nazis. That's you.
The only guy here who pushes for Kirchenkampf and Aktion T4 eugenics, euthanasia and abortion policies, who thinks corporatism is effective, who pushes rejiggered Nazi racial views and who fanboys political prosecutions and speech censorship here is you.
When I call you a Nazi it's not hyperbole.
Says the guy who would cheer on his political enemies being shot by Nardz’s right wing death squads
You are the one who hangs out with right wing authoritarian assholes, excuses their behavior, and puts tribe over liberty. Fuck you, fascist scumbag
Yes. Because there will never be another Experiment of democracy after the US.
At least you are honest enough to admit that you are rooting for authoritarianism.
Only overseas, or out of the US.
That’s simply because the vast majority of humans will not, have not ever desired freedom in their hearts. Therefore, authoritarians are the least worst option.
“Plus: A listener asks the editors about mandatory maternity leave.”
This ENB break is really hitting White Mike hard.
https://twitter.com/SwordMercury/status/1716621563716313403?t=H_SyymX7ZW5fWX3FiXuJaw&s=19
The US military is now being attacked by Iraqis, Syrians, and Yemenis.
This is legitimately a gigantic foreign policy disaster that makes the GWOT look like a work of genius by comparison.
[Link]
https://twitter.com/DavidSacks/status/1716513814131384339?t=8r03CsqwiN5ZXozWeS8MCQ&s=19
AXIOS reports: “Never before have we talked to so many top government officials who, in private, are so worried about so many overseas conflicts at once. We don't like to sound dire. But to sound a siren of clinical, clear-eyed realism: U.S. officials say this confluence of crises poses epic concern and historic danger.”
[Link]
https://twitter.com/FromKulak/status/1716628551489691715?t=V3XNYkkUg5kjZ30YKFi-vQ&s=19
1300 civilians is less than half a single 9/11 (~3000 dead).
But they think their lives are worth more than yours, so to them its many 9/11s
This is what the regime thinks of the Americans they want to throw away in a potential world war: worth mere fractions of their lives
[Link]
https://twitter.com/sentdefender/status/1716626371391226261?t=k_O0Gw2oJ8pYHYWhty-Q6Q&s=19
Senior Officials in the Biden Administration have stated that they are Worried that Israel does not have “Achievable Goals” for its Ground Invasion of Gaza and that the Israeli Defense Force does not yet have a War Plan to conduct these Operations; they further stated that some Members of the Administration are even Skeptical about the IDFs ability to Militarily Destroy the Hamas Organization.
[Link]
https://twitter.com/MrAndyNgo/status/1716603050557616607?t=S7F7cGR8qwGiYN1A_TtQNA&s=19
A man dressed in a knight costume holds up a cross at a Palestine direct action in Minneapolis on Oct. 15. The Muslim and leftist crowd becomes very angry and he ushered away before a riot breaks out. One of the men (in the neon vest) is holding a flag associated with Hamas.
[Video]
https://twitter.com/feelsdesperate/status/1716643898070614398?t=NBkhq3RNVEVUNVgG4XbD7A&s=19
People get confused about the difference between libs and leftists.
LIBS will end a 20 year friendship because you laugh at one of their little ideological fantasies whereas LEFTISTS will try to get you fired, have you socially exiled, and otherwise ruin your life.
The thing is that these guys aren't anywhere close to liberal anymore and the term "left" is now meaningless. They're fascist economically, morally misanthropic and politically authoritarian. Even "progressive" doesn't work as an appellation because aside from being sexual libertines they are socially and scientifically regressive.
That's why "Woke" is the perfect word for them.
aside from being sexual libertines they are socially and scientifically regressive
I am, of course, no serious opponent to all sexual liberty, but this makes it sound a bit like height of social and scientific acumen was achieved by lagomorphs and rodents before humans mastered fire.
One of these lists is shorter than the other.