Cruz is chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which has oversight jurisdiction over the FCC.
U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz says FCC Chairman Brendan Carr sounded like an organized crime boss threatening the ABC network’s broadcasting licenses over comments by late-night host Jimmy Kimmel.
The Texas Republican also emphasized how much he hates what Kimmel said about the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk — and how much he likes and works closely with Carr.
Having high-ranking federal officials threaten a network in such a way, however, is “dangerous as hell” because it presents a slippery slope that could end with conservatives facing government censorship down the road, Cruz said.
because it presents a slippery slope that could end with conservatives facing government censorship down the road
Silencing speech in “the Land of the Free” isn’t really the problem to him. The problem is that the sword swings both ways.
Turd continues to be turd.
More of the same.
The shoe was on the other foot and the FCC never did this before.
Time to stop being the adults. Use their tactics against them, and once they’ve FINALLY learned their lesson we can negotiate normalcy with impenetrable safeguards.
There is no such thing as impenetrable safeguards. We have safeguards now but half of the government refuses to enforce the rules. We could do better but there’s no getting around that level of coordinated treason. The only thing that has ever worked consistently is the fear of retribution from the people. We need to make them afraid of what will happen to them if they fuck us over. I’ll leave the specifics of that suggestion to your imagination but suffice it say that they aren’t afraid of us voting them out of office.
Oh sure there are; you’re just not creative enough. Laws can be written to where they can’t be overturned by less than the number of folks that voted to implement it in the first place. Consequences can be written for violating laws and rules (you’d be surprised how many things Trump has done that are illegal but don’t really have any consequences other than “don’t do that”). Enforcement powers can be granted to others who wouldn’t fall into this corruption orbit. Standing can be granted to bring charges and cases to parties that can’t currently do that. Hell, we could add a mechanism for plain ole citizens to recall POTUS and our Congressfolk/Senators.
The ultimate goals would be to take away the ability for a select few to protect others in power do these egregious violations.
All of that stuff already exists in one form or another. Democrats just softballed their turn with power and Republicans are refusing to acknowledge their role in checking the authority of the executive branch. There is no system of government that can survive when those charged with enforcing the rules abdicate their responsibility.
Show me how citizens can directly initiate a recall of the President, or their Rep or Senator for that matter.
Criticizing someone else’s censorship in order to defend your own right to free speech is as valid a reason as any. In fact, I’d say it’s the very point.
You’re right, but only if he were being honest. Democrats wouldn’t do the same. We all know that. He’s just saying this because he knows it’s wrong but can’t be honest and say that it’s Republicans who are doing this and are the issue. He’s pretending like both sides are equal, and he is fully aware they aren’t. He’s in too deep to actually call Republicans (specifically Trump and MAGAts) out.
Sure, he might be doing it for the wrong reasons, but at least he’s doing the “right” thing. Isn’t that the best one could expect of him?
Fair point! I’d’ve liked something about the whole “market place of ideas” illusion that the ruling class says exists, but I guess your perspective gets right to the quick of things.
Credit where credit is due, he at least understands that consequences exist as an abstract concept. That’s pretty rare nowadays from that side of the aisle.
Yes, but a slightly more self-aware turd than I gave him credit for before.
We have no idea how he thinks. He just finds this the most effective argument.
That’s your party, bro.
You guys have spent decade upon decade getting here. It’s not like Taco is some kind of weird outlier. He’s the most popular figure in the conservative movement and the Republican Party.
This is your party. Also don’t try to both-sides what Kimmel said. Kimmel said nothing even remotely wrong or in bad taste.
Sure, but while the enemy of your enemy is not necessarily your friend, someone willing to speak out against facism is at least another voice against facism.
Saying “fuck this guy for speaking out against facism” doesn’t actually help.
Sure, but he’s not speaking out against fascism, he’s just scared that it’ll backfire on the fascists down the road. He fears the democrats will use it to shut down their propaganda.
He is a member of the in-group for many. He is using the arguments that will actually make some in said in-group listen.
You can impeach him, Ted.
Take back the power of Congress. It’s supposed to be a coequal branch of government.
Is he trying to rehabilitate himself as a “man of reason”? I predict at the first sign of resistance he’ll be back on the plane for Cancun
It’s because MAGA should be a totally different party. I suspect It’s too different even for the most hardened republicans.
Anyone who proudly declares that they believe fantastical things on no credible evidence AND have a Sky Daddy…
Has no place as a “leader” in civilized society.
And sure the fuck doesn’t get to claim being a person of “reason”
Go back to the disease-ridden Middle Ages whence you came
There are plenty of good and valid reasons to criticize Republicans.
Them claiming to have religious beliefs is not one of them.
Maybe he was only expecting Donald Trump to go 65% fascism, enough so that Republicans would always be in power. He doesn’t want 100% fascism because once you hit 100% the leaders kill everyone that helped them get there.
new Fascism light: All of the bigotry, but none of the blowback…
At this point it damn well better end with conservatives facing censorship down the road. I’m so sick of Dems bending over and taking it only to “turn the other cheek” when they should be doling out punishments - it’s why the right keeps doing this. Need to see lots and lots of consequences if we ever want it to stop.
Biden had his chance to enforce the law and he didn’t do anything to the people that mattered. It’s too late for all that now. This doesn’t get fixed at the ballot box.
I think we have one last chance, maybe, next November.
HOWEVER we need to get plans in place, NOW, for what will be done if the election is rigged. I’d go so far as to say if he somehow maintains control due to the gerrymandering that should trigger it. But we need concrete plans in place so that we don’t sit around allowing them to consolidate even more power.
Personally I think we should be doing more now, but since most of America won’t seem to get behind that I/we have to sit back and wait until they wake up and just pray it’s not too late by then. But each passing day makes it harder.
Yep. If ever Dems are in charge again, I better see Fox lose its licence.
They overreached. They thought they could use this as their George Floyd moment and it doesn’t seem to be working.
Because no-one cares about gun deaths anymore. If we did nothing after Sandy Hook, a Nazi getting shot isn’t going to do shit to the zeitgeist.
Please stop the simulation, I’d like to return to regular life
It’s not a dream, and no one is going to wake you up from it.
Now, I have to care about Jimmy Kimmel (and I should) and agree with the human slug Ted Cruz? Weird times…
“that could end with conservatives facing government censorship down the road, Cruz said.”
They haven’t clued Cruz in about all the schemes they’ve got planned to cheat future elections.
That was a compliment
Never in my wildest dreams did I ever imagine I’d end up in a timeline where Ted Cruz made a good point.
He only made it, because he fears it could potentially backfire on the fascists. He is right, but for the wrong reasons.
That’s a beautiful merger you’ve got there. It would be a shame if something were to happen to it.
“Happy with the results, don’t sound like a Mafia boss next time, though.”
