7 ms·
> the executive branch of the federal government attempting to punish dissent Like using the IRS to target conservatives?
by rfrank 10y ago
> the executive branch of the federal government attempting to punish dissent
Like using the IRS to target conservatives?
- Larrikin 10y agoTwo bad things by both sides doesn't make them right
- rfrank 10y agoIt's just amusing to me how only one of those bad things seems to be "terrifying" or "disturbing". Which is worse, unmasking the twitter account owner, or Susan Rice's unmasking of intel reports on Trump's campaign staff?
- biaachmonkie 10y agoWhy do you want to ignore and sweep away the investigations into the possible misdeeds of Trump and his associates? Are you a paid Russian troll?
- memmcgee 10y agoDoesn't it bother you that these names showed up in intelligence reports on Russia?
- shitgoose 10y ago"intelligence reports on Russia" = had a phone conversation with Russian ambassador. in soviet union one could easily get a prison sentence for talking to US ambassador. it is fascinating to watch the transformation of US into USSR.
- alphapapa 10y agoWould it bother you if Nancy Pelosi's name did? After all, she's had meetings with the Russian prime minister, ambassador, etc. Photographic proof on Twitter.
- memmcgee 9y agoNancy Pelosi is also House minority leader who would have official business with the Ambassador. Pelosi's meetings were also not in secret.
- Dylan16807 10y agoThe equivalent to "unmasking" would be someone inside twitter knowing the name. Totally incomparable to mandated disclosure.
- guelo 10y agoThat didn't happen. You were lied to.
- brobinson 10y agoI think rfrank meant "conservative groups", and the IRS actually apologized for doing it: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/10/irs-apology-conservative-groups-2012-election/2149939/ https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2013/05/10/irs-...
- guelo 10y agoThe IRS also was scrutinizing liberal and Occupy groups. And it was all done at the request of senators. Political groups are not supposed to claim 501c4 nonprofit status. Tea Party and Occupy groups were breaking the law so the IRS started looking into the explosion in political groups claiming non-profit status. Keywords the IRS agents were on the lookout for included "Tea Party", "Patriots", or "9/12 Project", "progressive," "occupy," "Israel," "open source software," "medical marijuana" and "occupied territory advocacy". Then Congressional Republicans turned it into a successful fake news witch hunt against Obama saying he was abusing his power by targeting conservatives. Read wikipedia for a mostly objective account https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRS_targeting_controversy
- alphapapa 10y ago> Read wikipedia for a mostly objective account You don't actually believe that, do you? Wikipedia is so left-leaning it virtually capsizes.
- Chris2048 10y agoI'd argue that Wikipedia isn't left, but it's focus of published media, and the fact that much of the American media is left, causes this effect.
- ntelson1s 10y agoWhoa, whoa hold up there, buddy. YOU'RE not quite fitting the narrative.
- sanderjd 10y agoTrying to avoid getting further into the muck - I meant the very specific way of punishing dissent: attempting to reveal the identity of anonymous dissenters.