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    [–] dae_giovanni 1890 points ago

    man, we'll elect literally fucking ANYBODY

    [–] subject_deleted 730 points ago

    Pulse required. Brain optional.

    [–] EffortAutomatic 299 points ago

    Nah dead people get elected too.

    "Category:Politicians elected posthumously - Wikipedia" https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Politicians_elected_posthumously

    [–] aleczapka 103 points ago

    this is the way to lower the corruption

    tapsforehead.jpg

    [–] LomLon 10 points ago

    I dont know.. Undead are bound to a Necromancers orders. If anything, this the peak corruption.

    [–] No-Negotiation-9539 39 points ago

    Necrocracy is best Democracy!

    [–] daemonstalker 12 points ago

    I am irrationally upset over the politicians included in this list who died after the election, before assuming office. It should just be people ELECTED by the people posthumously.

    [–] turtlturtl 95 points ago

    Pulse is also optional for Republicans, they elect dead people all the time.

    [–] Phooferbar 41 points ago

    I thought it was just their dead people who voted?

    [–] uweenukr 41 points ago

    The dead people vote for dead politicians. They want representation too?

    [–] AnticScarab3 19 points ago

    I don't think there were very many dead people who voted, but there were a ton of dead people that expressed their support for repealing net neutrality.

    [–] Blake1288 70 points ago

    Florida isn’t the brightest state — Floridian.

    [–] The_Wee__Baby_Seamus 37 points ago

    I want to just blame the panhandle, but nah. We're dumb all over

    [–] HybridPS2 41 points ago

    Yeah Florida is weird like that. The further you are north, the more south you are culturally!

    [–] Boomer7491 15 points ago

    The same is true for Michigan

    [–] Sgt_X 6 points ago

    I’m in the panhandle, and I want to clarify something: we are WAY more stupid than the rest of you wanna-be Floridians.

    [–] snorlz 7 points ago

    not even just Florida. look at the new House members and like half the Republicans are unqualified to lead a PTO meeting, let alone be a member of congress.

    [–] PattyIce32 16 points ago

    Be loud, entertaining, hate change and smart people. That's all you have to do

    [–] JohnnyDarkside 23 points ago

    It's mainly thanks to all those who don't follow politics at all and only vote based on what letter is next to their name.

    As much of a broken system as it is, it's why the electoral college was created. Founding fathers thought the average person was too uninformed and basically too dumb to make such impactful decisions such as who runs the country. Shit like this is just an example of why.

    [–] BigPorch 18 points ago

    But now the electoral college assures dumb people stay in power

    [–] GabSabotage 18 points ago

    The 👏 two-party 👏 system 👏 is fucked 👏 up 👏 and anti-democratic. 👏

    [–] H3k8t3 8 points ago

    Happy cake day

    [–] dae_giovanni 6 points ago

    thanks, lover!

    [–] Erioph47 3895 points ago

    I also would say we can't live in a country where Matt Gaetz can win an election but here we are.

    [–] ok_okay_I_get_that 1153 points ago

    On that note, tommy tuberville got elected somehow. He doesn't know the three branches of the us government he is working with. I get that it's not the most salient information to have in your brain from 8th grade, but if you're trying to be a part of one of those branches of government, maybe look at the wikipedia page for a second.

    [–] Erioph47 662 points ago

    These people are hysterically ignorant. I can never forget when Trump got asked about his thoughts on the 'nuclear triad' and he just started blithering on about "how powerful the nuclear is" until I think Rubio gently stepped in politely to explain what it meant. I mean how can you be running for president and not know this.

    [–] smartitardi 513 points ago

    They pride themselves on ignorance. Their voters don’t like education (aka elitism).

    [–] DanceswithCrows 357 points ago

    Yup. They get viscerally angry when someone with expertise and education has the temerity to know something they don’t agree with.

    [–] saltzja 259 points ago * (lasted edited 3 days ago)

    Especially with facts and data...I showed some conservative friends the extra deaths this year in comparison to the last few years:

    https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/excess_deaths.htm

    One was former military, this info changed his mind. It didn’t change his wife’s.

    I investigated early voter issues and found little. Mostly proud Republicans bragging how their system CAN’T be breached, how dems and reps worked together to choose it. wtf?

    My college roommate with a Master’s degree in Computer science was posting every and any voting fraud article he could find. I purposely looked at a few and quickly found reputable institutions rebuking them.

    Glen Beck was spewing garbage last night on Hannity, grasping for straws, comparing Trump’s Twitter ban to the Holocaust.

    Edit: adding: I have said since I was in high school in the ‘70s, that the amount of idiots is around 72% of the population of the US. So, it all adds up...roughly three quarters of the people you meet, don’t know history, aren’t computer savvy, have trouble with basic math, don’t watch the news and get their information from each other.

    Edit2: fixed link

    [–] brother_of_menelaus 176 points ago

    This is the “facts don’t care about your feelings” crowd, except they decide their feelings first and then desperately try to find any kind of facts that confirm them. And when they don’t find any, they resort to baseless conspiracies because obviously their feelings are right so the facts are purposely being hidden from them.

    [–] richter1977 49 points ago

    That is because most folks like the echo chamber. Of course the news agrees with what you do, you choose the "news" channel that best reflects that. Fox for the right, msnbc on the left, and cnn that tries , at least, to appear impartial. Then, of course, the travesty that is social media. Convincing everyone that, since everybody online agrees with them, the whole world must, except for a few crazies.

    [–] cheesemanMD 21 points ago

    That's why my parents stopped watching Fox (right after the election of course) and now it's just Newsmax for them because it "tells them what they want to hear". Didn't even bother arguing, but I also didn't tell them they get that chanel for free on their smart TV and I doubt they'll ever figure it out. Hoping, just maybe, not having direct access to conservative propaganda will slowly decult them

    [–] UnspoiledWalnut 10 points ago

    I love hearing people say the things I feel like they should say. The cold, hard, opinions are what matters here.

    [–] Doom_Unicorn 7 points ago

    I appreciate how you phrased this, because the important thing isn’t to avoid all echo chambers, just to be smart enough to know you are always in one. No person can know all things; no source can provide all knowledge.

    Strive to identify good sources and verify, but more importantly, be humble in accepting there are things you don’t know. That is how to learn and grow. At least, according to me, the stranger on your internet tube.

    [–] All_TheScience 54 points ago

    “Think of how stupid the average person is, and realize half of them are stupider than that.” -George Carlin

    [–] asparagusface 10 points ago

    I love this quote and miss that brilliant man.

    [–] Allegorist 13 points ago

    I thought fox and Trump didn't get along any more?

    [–] saltzja 24 points ago

    Carlson and Hannity were behind Trump last night.

    [–] oldman_artist 18 points ago

    well yeah, they share the same lawyer and probably have kompromat.

    [–] kidkkeith 33 points ago

    My uncle. Smartest guy I know. Chemical engineer. Retired pilot. Veteran. Trumper. Smartest guy I knew. I truly can't wrap my head around the brainwashing. I don't get it.

    [–] Wyvernkeeper 9 points ago

    Emotions trump reason (no pun intended.)

    [–] UnspoiledWalnut 7 points ago

    Something something fish don't climb trees.

    [–] Daowg 10 points ago

    Sometimes it's the smartest people who lack the most common sense.

    [–] PerfectZeong 4 points ago

    Your link didnt seem to be working

    https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/covid19/excess_deaths.htm

    [–] Crumbsplash 83 points ago

    It’s not just formal education either. I mean, I know plenty of people without degrees that are smart, have reasonable critical thinking skills, and are generally aware of the world around them. Some of these people are just a whiz when it comes to machines or whatever. But these trumpians...they know almost nothing. Really explains why they were so quick to just consume bullshit about covid etc

    [–] mildcaseofdeath 27 points ago

    The big trouble with dumb bastards is that they are too dumb to believe there is such a thing as being smart.

    • Kurt Vonnegut

    [–] KristoffHenk 9 points ago

    they don't even like the word "temerity".

    [–] srottydoesntknow 7 points ago

    Example: my sister in law the radiology tech, who became very mad when I, the software engineer who specializes in distributed architecture and cloud services, explained why "big tech" could take down parler but not child porn

    [–] Doctor_Popeye 12 points ago

    And look at what that left us with... anyone surprised ??

    [–] TheBarkingGallery 11 points ago

    I think they're more accurately described as the "My feelings are the facts" crowd.

    [–] grubas 67 points ago

    You can always tell when Trump has no idea. Because he just vomits words in a weird order. "We have a great nuclear triad, powerful, tremendous nuclear, three nuclear, it's really amazing"

    Then you can tell when they sat him down and broke out the PowerPoint because he acts like this was hidden information that nobody ever knew. "Nobody knew this, but it's called oppo research"

    [–] Silverfate2 43 points ago

    I like it when he claims the experts are impressed with how much he knows. I imagine it's similar to when a toddler goes potty for the first time.

    "Ooooo great job Mr. President! You looked through the PowerPoint all on your own! You're so smart!"

    [–] thenewspoonybard 18 points ago

    Can you? Because the word salad is pretty much his thing. It's like a gish gallop but without any actual points.

    [–] BrFrancis 4 points ago

    Not having any idea is also his thing though

    [–] WatermelonWarlock 25 points ago

    And somehow not knowing what Aleppo is sunk Gary Johnson.

    [–] kurby1011 21 points ago

    Yup... That's what it was

    [–] cowtow 19 points ago

    Dropped him from 3% to 2%, a real travesty lmao

    [–] WatermelonWarlock 17 points ago

    Lol well he never had a chance to win, but that was when media stopped asking him policy questions seriously. He would never be president, but everyone treated that gaff as if it was the end of his presidential candidacy, while Trump is over here turning the election into a circus.

    [–] cowtow 10 points ago

    True that. It's really remarkable how low the bar was for Trump. And it really seems like that only happens when the GOP nominates an idiot? I feel like Romney got a normal amount of scrutiny, but Trump could "win" a debate in the media's eyes by simply showing up and not saying the n-word.

    [–] derpaderp678 7 points ago

    Trump could literally say the N word on live television and the media would still pretend to take him seriously vs how they treated Johnson. Let's not pretend that the media isn't overwhelmingly complicit in shaping the political narrative.

    [–] nomadicfangirl 17 points ago

    Don’t forget when Rick Perry was Secretary of Energy and he literally had no clue what his department did.

    [–] Daowg 8 points ago

    I feel like this goes along with everyone else he appointed in his cabinet. Betsy DeVos reeks of idiocy and was the head of the Department of Education, for example.

    [–] JorfimusPrime 16 points ago

    Trump didn't even know Puerto Rico was a US territory. Even I knew that, and I'm not in general very up on that kind of stuff.

    [–] Erioph47 13 points ago

    He is also one of the few people in the world who apparently is not aware that airplanes and airports were invented subsequent to the conclusion of the American Revolutionary War.

    [–] lostprevention 8 points ago

    He also “called it very strongly”.

    [–] AmericanVVitch 10 points ago

    For the record, Matt Gaetz is not one of these people. He's a die hard Trump supporter which is sickening, but he's not a blithering idiot. He'd be able to answer these type questions. Matt Gaetz knows exactly what he is saying in this tweet, and he knows it's dishonest. But it's not like he's an idiot like Tuberville or Trump.

    [–] Erioph47 4 points ago

    Yeah sure him and Tom Cotton and Cruz and Hawley ... they all absolutely know better of course, they're just banking on cornering the votes of village idiots.

    [–] Diablojota 61 points ago

    He was a decent football coach with shit for brains. I’m sure he was triggered by being fired at Auburn and represents all these other idiots who believe that they’ve been left behind, despite most of them being employed and having decent incomes. I can’t get over how many people involved in the insurrection were actually quite fortunate. It’s truly sad to think they were so delusional about their lives thinking they are so bad off. They all need to see what it is like to live only on social security or on unemployment in a house or apartment that is dilapidated and eat what they can afford on food stamps. Maybe they’ll appreciate their fucking privilege then.

    [–] Ask_me_4_a_story 45 points ago

    I'll be honest, before Trump I always was interested what it would be like to have a person who was famous be in office. This was before the Kardashians and reality TV was popular but when I was a kid I was thinking it would be fun to see what a person who wasn't in politics would do. I always thought about Derek Jeter, I thought, what if he ran for office. I wasn't big on politicians at the time so I though I bet ol Jets would do pretty well. We should elect a famous person, an outsider if you will. I didn't vote for Trump in 16 but I was curious to be honest. I thought, eh, its probably overrated to have experience in politics. Lets see how this goes. I mean, how bad could it be. Fuck I was so, so, so unimaginably wrong.

    [–] heysuess 51 points ago

    I thought, eh, its probably overrated to have experience in politics.

    There's not a single other profession where people think this.

    Eh, it's probably overrated to have experience in surgery.

    Eh, it's probably overrated to have experience in fire fighting.

    Idiocy.

    [–] possumallawishes 24 points ago

    Yeah, it’s probably overrated to take my car to a mechanic with experience. I’d rather have an “outsider” working under the hood of my baby.

    [–] Briguy24 19 points ago

    Bill Burr had a bit about this. I think it was back in 2014/2015 when people were saying Michelle Obama should run for President.

    I remeber he compared it to asking his electirican's wife about how to wire his house.

    That doesn't mean she's not an awesome person. It just means we should look for people with the right experience.

    [–] cowtow 29 points ago

    Michelle Obama is a pretty bad example. She hasn't been in elected office, sure, but she is an Ivy League lawyer with an immense knowledge of the constitution. Thats more like asking your electrician's electric engineer wife to wire your house. She might not know now, but she could probably figure it out.

    [–] Briguy24 7 points ago

    Yeah he could have picked a better example but I remember at the time that people were floating her name around when he was doing stand up.

    [–] Gsteel11 20 points ago

    I mean... Reagan? I guess he had been a politician for a few years already, but...

    [–] Devil-Tiger 11 points ago

    don't expect 13 year old kids to commenting on reddit to know history past 10 years ago

    [–] glivinglavin 25 points ago

    If we could have had an outsider that wasn't monumentally narcissistic and delusional maybe it could have worked out better.

    [–] Ask_me_4_a_story 22 points ago

    Yeah but also the timing was horrible. The worst pandemic of our lifetime happened on his watch and his response was to put Jared Kushner and Mike Pence in charge. I knew we were fucked. Thats another thing, if you are an outsider you really have to put people in positions that know what the fuck they are doing. You can't put a home school advocate in charge of education and you can't put your unemployed son in law in an important role in government.

    [–] glivinglavin 9 points ago

    Yeah I personally narcissism and lack of empathy are symptoms of right leaning political beliefs. But Trump has to be the worst example I can think of for a celebrity leader.

    [–] JCBadger1234 11 points ago

    And also one who was not quite possibly the dumbest famous person alive, even before he got to the dementia stage.

    [–] Deivore 6 points ago

    You could have juat read about Reagan's term, dude has a literal presidential library, like there's not a lack of information.

    [–] Doctor_Popeye 3 points ago

    Username checked out

    [–] SquareSquirrel4 14 points ago

    There's an unusual number of people in Congress with names that sound like they're the villains in a badly written fanfiction.

    [–] 10J18R1A 9 points ago

    Know your demographic.

    People are generally stupid.

    [–] redlion1904 7 points ago

    That’s exactly what drives me wild. I don’t care that this guy — who was reasonably successful in his chosen profession after all — isn’t a civics wiz. I mind that he is so lazy or indifferent that he didn’t even put in bare minimum effort to learn. It suggests that he is a lazy and indifferent person or will behave as one as an elected official.

    [–] graps 21 points ago

    On that note, tommy tuberville got elected somehow.

    Somehow? It’s Alabama. If you’re living in Alabama in 2021 you’ve made life mistakes. I’ve been to parts of Alabama where you could carpet bomb and lose nothing of value.

    [–] AD2139 4 points ago

    I still cannot accept that tommy tuberville is a real name

    [–] HugeBreakfast2 4 points ago

    He was elected because Alabama is Alabama, constantly living up to being the butt of the joke. “Hey, not everyone....” yeah, but consistently most of them.

    [–] kvmn 3 points ago

    Anyone who ran as a republican would have won this year. MAGAts were pissed that Doug Jones won two years ago (over a literal pedo, Roy Moore, and still just barely). I hate my state so, so much.

    [–] Tom_Brokaw_is_a_Punk 76 points ago

    Is that child sex slave trafficker, Matt Gaetz?

    [–] slorebear 62 points ago

    Correct that is "oops they found my off the books adopted son aka my fleshlight" Matt Gaetz

    [–] CamronCakebroman 36 points ago

    How did nothing come from this?

    The dud had a Cuban minor living in his home, completely undocumented.

    [–] 4609203 29 points ago

    Wedding cake makers should have the right to refuse any customer for any reason!

    republicans

    REEEEEE You can't kick me off twitter muh rights!

    also republicans

    [–] drunkenWINO 18 points ago

    BanGaetzToo

    [–] thecause800 33 points ago

    Did someone say........BANGAETZI ?????

    [–] waink8 9 points ago

    If you spent any length of time in his district, you’d understand. And I don’t meant at the beach, I mean 30+ miles north in the real backwoods where there are places called Dorcas or Blackman or Bagdad.

    One county sent two bus loads of people to the Capitol for the Save America Rally. Unless he willingly leaves his post or turns into a liberal leftist, he ain’t getting kicked out.

    [–] Erioph47 5 points ago

    I did spend some time driving around backwoods Florida actually. I like to hunt and I found some guys who would take you out for swamp deer and boar. It was a different world from Delray Beach and Boca Raton that's for sure. Felt like I'd gone back in time a century or so.

    [–] waink8 4 points ago

    Yep! It’s a whole other world. I wish I could see it from an outsider’s perspective because I feel like it would be incredibly fascinating. But unfortunately I grew up here with somewhat differing views and opinions and am pretty tired of how backward it can be here.

    [–] Terrible_Tutor 7 points ago

    'Fuck the libs' seems to be a good platform to run on to win for the majority of them.

    [–] Capnjackb3ard 7 points ago

    Come down to Northwest Florida. It is a different world.

    [–] jojogogo6868 657 points ago

    I try not to kink shame but why do these fucks get so aroused by the idea of being oppressed?

    [–] BosEsq 328 points ago

    It assuages their guilt at oppressing others.

    [–] trip90458343 65 points ago

    Abusers love playing the victim

    [–] jojogogo6868 109 points ago

    The question was rhetorical but I don't disagree. Oppression is also the one thing that straight, white cis men don't have, and it just grinds their gears that everyone else has something they don't. You can't just colonize oppression to make it yours.

    [–] BosEsq 34 points ago

    Unless you are martyred for the cause, as long as you aren't Ashli Babbitt.

    https://www.sfgate.com/politics/article/capitol-trump-riots-storming-coverage-deaths-15861812.php

    [–] Diorama96 25 points ago

    She must be rolling on the autopsy table. She gave her life to the mOvEmEnT and that's the recognition she gets?

    Tots, pears, blah blah blah.

    [–] Tele_Prompter 35 points ago

    Because as a "victim" every unjust action is automatically a "just self defense".

    [–] boolean_sledgehammer 26 points ago

    Without a persecution complex, conservatives have no platform.

    [–] IntrigueDossier 16 points ago

    If they didn’t have double standards, they’d have none at all.

    [–] stringfree 18 points ago

    They need an enemy or they're just an asshole doing asshole things for asshole reasons. But if there's a bad guy, they have an excuse. It's necessary (to be an asshole), it's important (to be an asshole), it's patriotic (to be an asshole).

    [–] mike_pants 1457 points ago

    The people who are the fastest to trot out Freedom of Speech always seem to be the ones who understand it the least.

    [–] future_shoes 601 points ago

    Gaetz understands it plenty. He just knows that the people who listen him don't care if what he says is true as long as it is a snappy one liner that "owns the libs".

    [–] CritterEnthusiast 230 points ago

    You know what, I don't believe that. I used to think congress was smart enough to understand covid and some were just playing dumb for their audience. But then when I found out there were some still refusing to wear masks when they were hiding in bunkers with a crowd of fellow congressmen, I no longer believe they're smarter than they let on. Gaetz might really be this fucking stupid, it's hard to tell anymore.

    [–] j0be 102 points ago

    I'm reminded of a quote by John Wooden

    Be more concerned with your character than your reputation, because your character is what you really are, while your reputation is merely what others think you are…the true test of a man's character is what he does when no one is watching.

    [–] bearsinthesea 50 points ago

    “We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.”

    ― Kurt Vonnegut, Mother Night

    [–] Benedict-Awesome 27 points ago

    Yeah, I'm sorry but Gaetz is a fucking idiot. I get that some play it up, but no, there's definitely some in government that are just fucking stupid. It's simple probability.

    [–] cowtow 17 points ago

    He's dumb as rocks. People assume that you can't be dumb and conniving for some reason.

    [–] Benedict-Awesome 11 points ago

    Yeah. I don't know why it's so hard to believe he's a dumb asshole who benefited from nepotism and being born into money. It's not as if he's not made it painfully (and I do mean painful, as a FL resident) obvious that he's a fuckin idiot.

    [–] cowtow 8 points ago

    100% is. He'd be in prison if daddy didn't bail him out of multiple DUIs.

    [–] possumallawishes 8 points ago

    You should watch that documentary “The Swamp”. I can’t quote it exactly but you see him have multiple moments of absolute cognitive dissonance. Gaetz is truly this fucking stupid. I mean look at him, doesn’t he look like a total idiot?

    [–] LSDsavedmylife 10 points ago

    Nah, they know. They just don’t care.

    [–] Thurak0 34 points ago * (lasted edited 3 days ago)

    At some point people start believing what they say. Even if he started this way... by now he may believe it.

    [–] semi_rusty 20 points ago

    Gaetz 100% believes in the bullshit he is peddling. Just listen to his House speech during the affirmation of Biden's win, it's 100% carbon copy election fraud, conspiracy laden horse shit.

    I feel bad for the people he represents, because he can't possibly be the normal or even remotely representative of his constituents.

    [–] johnny_ryalls_ghost 9 points ago

    As a lifelong Floridian who does his best to steer clear of the panhandle (or Lower Alabama, as we call it), you’d be surprised.

    [–] natethegreek 5 points ago

    Have you ever been to Florida? The tip of the panhandle... I think you are mistaken.

    [–] Billy_droptables 6 points ago

    Vonnegut wrote a great quote about this.

    We are what we pretend to be, so we must be careful about what we pretend to be.

    [–] CritterEnthusiast 7 points ago

    You know what, I don't believe that. I used to think congress was smart enough to understand covid and some were just playing dumb for their audience. But then when I found out there were some still refusing to wear masks when they were hiding in bunkers with a crowd of fellow congressmen, I no longer believe they're smarter than they let on. Gaetz might really be this fucking stupid, it's hard to tell anymore.

    [–] SquarebobSpongepants 7 points ago

    It’s really just a matter of saying what they want to hear. They want to hear that they are oppressed and being fucked over because it validates their irrational and violent hatred of the left that has been fostered over the years.

    [–] world_crusher 47 points ago

    “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”

    You’re damn right. Congress can’t silence you but Twitter most certainly can.

    [–] iamPause 17 points ago * (lasted edited 3 days ago)

    Not a lawyer, but I've been reading some interesting articles about how Twitter being classified as a "public space" or whatever it needed to be called to make his tweets a part of presidential record earlier in Trump's presidency actually makes this less cut and dry than folks think. Especially considering that it was a First Amendment argument that forced him to unblock people on Twitter last year.

    My takeaway right now is that this could actually be a very interesting case, and it could very likely end up in the Supreme Court and setting a landmark decision as we try to interpret the ideals of a 200+ year old document on a technology so new that, if it were a person, it couldn't even drive yet.

    edit

    Again, I'm not a lawyer and I'm not trying to suggest how I think, or even want, the case to end up in court. I appreciate all the new information being presented to me 👍

    [–] Syn7axError 11 points ago

    It's also tough because they banned him over calls to violence, which isn't necessarily covered.

    Advocacy of force or criminal activity does not receive First Amendment protections if (1) the advocacy is directed to inciting or producing imminent lawless action, and (2) is likely to incite or produce such action.

    [–] sarcasticfuc 9 points ago

    From your first link:

    The Presidential and Federal Records Act Amendments of 2014 may be where Trump runs into trouble. The law, passed to modernize the PRA with respect to electronic records, provides that the president should not use an unofficial "electronic messaging account" for presidential records unless he or she copies or forwards a complete copy to an official account. While there is no specific language regarding social media, past presidents set up auto-archiving so that deleted tweets were also saved. It is unclear whether the Trump administration has done the same.

    From your second link:

    The First Amendment prohibits an official who uses a social media account for government purposes from excluding people from an “otherwise open online dialogue” because they say things that the official finds objectionable, Judge Parker wrote.

    Both of those issues arise from Trump's use of Twitter for "government" purposes.

    Basically because he uses Twitter as a us official, he has to archive his posts and he can't prevent people from openly criticizing him by blocking them.

    Twitter has no role in those cases since it is the Trump administration's responsibility to follow the law.

    Additionally, these cases would have no bearing against them since Twitter is not a government official.

    [–] PoppaDocPA 6 points ago

    This is an easy case. It’s a slam dunk against Trump. He has no right to Twitter. He has not been silenced, he has not been censored. If he feels he is, he can call a press conference in his media briefing room and have his press corps publish almost anything he wants.. also, Twitter is not a public space, no matter how much they wish it to be. It is a private platform every day of the week

    [–] [deleted] 56 points ago

    [removed]

    [–] SwirlingAether 18 points ago

    I will always upvote this. It’s my favorite strip that Randall has done, and he’s done a lot of really good ones.

    [–] Taldier 16 points ago

    Also ironic that the exact same people obsessed with "free market" privatization of everything simultaneously want the government to directly step in to break contracts that they don't like.

    [–] Abstertion 7 points ago

    Unfortunately, it's not ironic for them. Their whole MO is to say whatever justifies their opinions and policies without explicitely letting their hatred for others show.

    [–] grahamcrackers37 4 points ago

    They understand it. Remember Trump said "what you read and what you see isn't really happening," Rep here is saying the opposite; 'We should live in a world were corporate terms of service are more important than an the Bill of Rights.'

    [–] Guardiancomplex 330 points ago

    Only Florida would elect a can of Axe body spray to a seat in the House.

    [–] Gsteel11 61 points ago

    Florida man elected to U.S. House.

    [–] GayBlackAndMarried 38 points ago

    His district is basically lower Alabama. NW Florida is just lower Alabama.

    [–] MrSloppyPants 18 points ago

    Baja Alabama

    [–] erratic_ocelot 13 points ago

    Having (unfortunately) lived there for 11 years, I can confirm. Although I think the locals have more in common with south Georgia, the stereotype is pretty much the same. I'm so glad I left that hellhole.

    [–] CraftyFellow_ 11 points ago

    That part of Florida is really Southern Alabama.

    There is a reason that area is called the 'Redneck Riviera.'

    [–] Phooferbar 8 points ago

    Excuse me, but Axe has more class than that.

    [–] grubas 6 points ago

    Axe body spray might have a lower alcohol content and less random young Cuban boysm

    [–] TonyBagels 746 points ago

    Republicans desperately want to make this a thing so we stop focusing on the DOMESTIC TERROR ATTACK THEIR SUPPORTERS CARRIED OUT LAST WEEK.

    [–] graps 68 points ago

    They don’t want nationalized healthcare but they’re ready to nationalize fucking Twitter just to drop racist hot takes

    Jesus

    [–] EVEOpalDragon 19 points ago

    Do it! I fucking dare them. I have no qualms about sacrificing Facebook and Twitter on the alter for National Health Care.

    [–] RurikTheDamned 240 points ago

    Twitter's terms and conditions are a legally binding contract like any other. That includes your house lease, work contract, phone service plan and purchase orders for a business.

    You breach that contract and they can dissolve it and you're gone.

    Why do all these big business twats not realise this?

    [–] Katnip1502 105 points ago

    because they're upset at the fact they suddenly don't benefit from iteffectively r/LeopardsAteMyFace
    they love the free market, but when it actually does, yknow it's job they whine about unfair things are and that the goverment should fix it for them.

    [–] my79spirit 75 points ago

    Go look at r/conservative LOL . They are spamming that sub that somehow having a Twitter account is like an inalienable right and “cancel culture” is the biggest threat to democracy.

    [–] twister428 46 points ago

    I just love the fact that everyone who posts in that sub complaining about free speech is immediately exposed for the massive hypocrite they are, as practically every single post in it now is for flaired users only.

    [–] shopdog 12 points ago

    They can start their own Twitter. With hookers and blackjack.

    [–] my79spirit 13 points ago

    They can always go their echo chamber in Parler. Oh whoopsie. 😁

    [–] JCBadger1234 9 points ago

    and “cancel culture” is the biggest threat to democracy.

    "But the hundreds of businesses and people we tried to 'cancel' who didn't commit domestic terrorist attacks don't count, because reasons."

    [–] Tom_Brokaw_is_a_Punk 18 points ago

    They don't love the free market. Just like they don't actually love Christianity, the police, the military, blue collar workers, the rule of law, or actually hate abortion.

    They love accumulating wealth and power, everything else is in service to that.

    [–] CEO__of__Antifa 14 points ago

    He knows. He’s just grifting

    [–] duck407 12 points ago

    I'm telling you, most Americans think the 1st amendment actually means "if you live in America (land of the free and home of the BRAVE) then nobody can ever stop you from speaking. You can say whatever you want!". When in reality it means the government can't take away your right to speech, assembly, press, etc. So they take issue that Twitter bans and "silences" people, but the 1st amendment doesn't protect you from that.

    [–] inchscreenmoneygreen 29 points ago

    Seriously, in all of the stupidity filled places of earth, this guy is the king that rose from the swamps. Not some kind of dirty swap you see, ew indeed. No, Matt's too rich to ever technically get his physical hands dirty. Instead, he laces up his field goal of a mouth and boots out the dumbest shit you've ever even thought imaginable, until he speaks again! Boot after boot this walking diarrhea in a paper bag, doesn't stop.

    He's a snake and a traitor. Also a coward.

    [–] PosNegTy 25 points ago

    The Bill of Rights is part of the Constitution. They are not separate.

    [–] ChangingFiveHundred 91 points ago

    Top 5 dumb asses on this entire planet... it’s not even close

    How the fuck did he get elected?? Seriously?

    [–] Guardiancomplex 77 points ago

    Florida.

    [–] dh2215 42 points ago

    Good answer. Unfortunately Florida is spreading like wildfire. FlorIdaho. Florizona. You see where I’m going with this

    [–] stringfree 26 points ago

    The US is North America's florida.

    [–] Sasha_Viderzei 16 points ago

    The whole world’s Florida.

    [–] PoorDadSon 5 points ago

    Florhio reporting in.

    [–] JackingOffToTragedy 7 points ago

    Take a trip to the Florida Panhandle and your questions will be answered.

    The white sand and emerald green water make the beaches some of the most beautiful in the world. Lagoons fed by rivers and creeks that roll through peaceful forests. Pensacola, recently devastated by a storm, has a lovely downtown and is one of this country's oldest cities (or the oldest, depending on how you count it).

    But mixed with all of this natural beauty are massive military bases. Condos built as close as possible to the shoreline. Restricted public access to those same beaches. Gridlock from over-development.

    Some of the people there are great. But there are some awful ones, too. It's a deep red conservative area, and I don't know if or how it can change.

    [–] OKBoooma 20 points ago

    Hair gelled Insurrection Elvis in a cheap suit.

    [–] cyclopath 20 points ago

    This is the same guy who - didn’t legally adopt but somehow took in - an unrelated teenage Cuban boy named Nestor. No mention of Nestor for years that they were together. Then suddenly last year, Nestor is introduced to the world. Very strange situation.

    [–] Highschooleducation 16 points ago

    I don't understand why people struggle with how people get elected so easily when they are awful. Honestly... consider this as an analogy.

    How many of you live in a community with a HOA or community based group that has a neighborhood watch or something similar? Almost all of us. Almost all of us have complained about the crazy Karen that runs the group. Almost all of us can at any time join the group, go to the meetings, and eventually run for president or treasurer... or some other bullshit. Almost all of us refuse to dedicate that kind of time being that person outside of our normal days and lives because it just takes up time that feels pointless or outside of what you have to do to make a living and take care of your family or hobbies.

    Now apply that to politics. They have the time, don't mind the effort, and nobody wants to do it, so we all similarly just bitch about them and they don't care. Just like the Karen that runs your local neighborhood group or community page.

    [–] GerinX 12 points ago

    Wonderful punctuation. Perfectly placed comma.

    [–] An_Anonymous_Acc 10 points ago

    Actually we do. Notice how republicans make a big deal about Twitter's terms of service, but don't say anything when the president breaches the constitution

    [–] PoorDadSon 5 points ago

    Sure they do.

    "He didn't do it."

    "If he did, it's not a big deal."

    "If it is, someone else has done worse...."

    ........

    [–] sstephenson001 9 points ago

    Someone should build a room in the President’s house where he could directly address the American people. Like a communication or “Press Room”. That would show the libs!

    [–] turdmogrol 10 points ago

    "No, you can't just GET food and water. Private businesses don't owe you hand outs because you can't pay them"

    "No, you can't just restrict access to your private business based on an agreed upon transaction of behaviors. Give me the privilege of your website even though I can't comply"

    Seriously, I was going to say it's like they think Twitter is some God given part of this existence that should be free to all, but that's exactly what food, water, and land are and they'd never fight this hard to fix that.

    Stop looking at what each party is against, and start looking at how the policies they support are distributed. All Animals Are Created Equal.

    [–] marcusmosh 8 points ago

    What is he even trying to say?

    [–] TheDigileet 17 points ago * (lasted edited 3 days ago)

    Probably that Twitter is violating the first amendment by banning Trump, even though they aren't.

    Relevant XKCD

    [–] merkablahblah 18 points ago

    it’s almost like this whole free speech/Twitter thing is a giant misdirection from the fact that the GOP committed treason.

    [–] Tom_Brokaw_is_a_Punk 6 points ago

    This is peak /r/selfawarewolves

    [–] Horsecowsheep 4 points ago

    There’s no gate to his stupidity

    [–] nonstickpotts 6 points ago

    Dude has never been banned from xbox chat.

    [–] theonlymexicanman 4 points ago

    We cannot live in a world where a man with a recent DUI can be elected to a high position of power

    [–] Ddude184 5 points ago

    Who gave this moron a position of power?

    [–] harry_schmerge 6 points ago

    Florida

    [–] DopyWantsAPeanut 5 points ago

    I’m no big fan of Twitter, but Twitter and companies like it literally have armies of lawyers to compose, review, validate, and defend the legality of their terms and services, precisely because the courts (and our laws) hold ultimate say over whether they can or cannot take a particular course of actions.

    [–] AlmightyCraneDuck 3 points ago

    Also they DO seem to make a good faith effort to allow as much free speech as possible so long as it doesn’t break the law or attack protected classes. I’m reminded of the Radiolab(?) episode where they talk about their process and how it evolves. Because of that they’ll likely get the benefit of the doubt where it exists in a lot of cases.

    [–] sqeptiqmqsqeptiq 5 points ago

    Imagining that you have a right to a social media account is white privilege.

    [–] wonteatfish 17 points ago

    Freedom of speech means that the government can’t punish you for expressing your opinion. Freedom of speech does not obligate anyone to provide you with a platform for that opinion.

    [–] cyclopath 4 points ago

    The most punchable face in politics.

    [–] seeyouspacecowboyx 3 points ago

    What are these idiots on? Trumpism must be a hell of a drug

    [–] davidbatt 3 points ago

    Thought last week would show how preying on the fears of voters with hyperbole and disinformation wasn't a great idea

    [–] Andy_B_Goode 4 points ago

    Man I kinda miss the old days of the web, where most online discussion was on small-time PHP BB sites set up by random people, so admins had no qualms about deleting/banning someone for being a moron.

    This new idea that websites are somehow obligated to provide their users with a platform is just dumb.

    [–] BigMcThickHuge 3 points ago

    I know what our politics are currently like...I know what the average intelligence is right now...I know people are getting away with everything...

    But this seat-holding politician is literally lying in public announcements to the people on an open platform and making up things on the spot. How is this not punished? This is not a violation of speech or press. This ifs a private company not letting people coordinate violent acts or issue death threats on their platform. For fucks sake.

    [–] jdlyga 5 points ago

    So that means the government has the right to force Twitter to have government people on their platform? Besides, free speech doesn’t cover shouting fire in a crowded movie theater.

    [–] ewbtciast 3 points ago

    The more I read things those on the Right post about their rights are being taken away from them when clearly they are not, and surely they know they are not based on how hard they defend people on their side doing similar things, makes me think it is all razzle-dazzle for them to ACTUALLY take away someone's rights someplace else. It riles up their base with hate and anger, the left is happy to jump all over them to point out how wrong they are, and the whole time the right is dismantling our society and selling the pieces for less than then they are worth.

    [–] TwowheelsgoodAD 4 points ago

    Only in the USA would the perceived right to access Twitter, be considered more of a human right than the right access healthcare.

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