zeke5123
2yr ago
What is the evidence that isn’t compelling to you?
Is it the fact that multiple people have stated Biden was to get money doesn’t seem fishy? Was it Biden using aliases to set up calls with Burisma while CCing Hunter not being blatant enough? Was it that the state department believed in the AG that Biden fired in contradiction to state department policy being just an internal disagreement? Was it the massive string of corporate shells set up that triggered 72 money laundering alarm bells being just a way for Hunter to avoid taxes? Was it the statement by an FBI informant that is consistent with those shell corporations being just a statement from an informant? It must just be normal in the Biden family for all members to get paid for nothing from Hunter’s activities. Do we just accept that Biden met with people at Cafe Millano to just discuss the weather? Is it that to date no one has been able to prove any alleged facts are incorrect but maybe at some point someone will?
I’ve left out other evidence. There is a pattern and practice here.
zeke5123
2yr ago
We have three persons saying the big guy is Biden. No one has even proffered a suggestion it was someone else.
I don’t know why the standard here is “beyond a shadow of a doubt.” Until there is other evidence, it has been satisfied to the reasonable doubt standard.
zeke5123
2yr ago
I think Republicans are making a category error. They think Ukraine and Lewinsky impeachments hurt the impeaching party because Americans don’t like impeachments.
The alternative explanation is Americans don’t like bullshit impeachments. Watergate helped democrats. Indeed, once the evidence mounted if the democrats didn’t do something it would’ve hurt them.
I imagine if the inquiry is able to put together a very strong case (there already is a very large amount of evidence — the inquiry will need to find a bit more hard evidence and put it together) republicans and even some democrats will be forced to vote to impeach.
zeke5123
2yr ago
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What leverage do they have over him to make him fork over 50% of his income? He isn’t 18. He doesn’t seem to like the situation. They have no control unless the reason he gets the money is because of them.
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It also doesn’t explain why all of the other Biden’s were benefiting from Hunter’s largesse.
zeke5123
2yr ago
It also seems utter bullshit. This dumb crack addled son was able to pull a fast one on both his father and hardened Eastern European oligarchs? Come on.
zeke5123
2yr ago
I don’t think you’ve been keeping up with the news. Emails have surfaced from the state department praising the AG’s efforts. The idea they wanted him gone simply appear untrue.
zeke5123
2yr ago
It isn’t just that. If Biden has to resign in disgrace, the question is do you end up tainting the Democrats with the same brush especially after they defended him zealously until it became undeniable?
zeke5123
2yr ago
I am a tennis fan. On the tennis Reddit page, they are discussing Novak’s comment that he isn’t anti-vax but stood for the proposition that bodily integrity meant he shouldnt be forced to take the vax.
The five bullets you list explain perfectly how the propaganda affected the main heavily upvoted response on Reddit.
The highly upvoted poster makes the claim taking the vax isn’t about freedom but that Novak was selfish putting others at risk by refusing the jab and thereby not getting to herd immunity.
This was a common refrain during the pandemic. It appealed to people’s emotions, it repeated a simple idea, it didn’t wrestle with other arguments, and it vilified a small subset (the selfish people refusing to take a safe jab to protect everyone else).
The poster never seemed to stop and think about the particulars. For example, Novak already had covid. Why did he need a vaccine? Why would a vaccinated person need protection from non-vax? How far did this principle go (ie should fat people be required to have medical surgery to lose weight given that their fatness imposes a strain on the health system)? How effective were the vaccines at creating herd immunity compared to a prior infection? How deadly was covid? If someone was very scared of covid, what protections could they take themselves instead of demanding everyone else take precautions? Did susceptible people have the right to force medical interventions onto others so that susceptible people could live their lives more normally? What amount of risk is appropriate to impose on someone for the good of the collective? Who gets to determine what is the appropriate risk? What process should be used?
There are a ton of meaty issues there. Maybe you determine on net you are still pro socially sanctioned vaccine taking but it isn’t obvious and it isn’t obviously selfish to oppose it. Indeed, in Novak’s case he sacrificed a lot for his principle (skipped numerous tournaments which could’ve cost him the all time slams lead) so kind of weird to even call him selfish — seems a lot more selfless compared to the redditor smugly denouncing him with no cost to the redditor. But I think it’s because propaganda worked. The pro vax redditor repeated the simple talking points drilled into his or her head during an emotional time and identified Novak as a villain.
What’s really odd is that the propaganda still works on vaxes! The redditor continues to make these claims in light of the severe underperformance of the vaccine in stopping the spread. You would think that would cause him or her to say “did I make a mistake somewhere in my thought process” but nope.
Makes me think “where do I have these blinders.”
Or they could say “no smoking gun.” Honestly there is a lot of evidence. Perhaps enough evidence that it Joe Biden was long retired but this came to light AUSA’s might not have a problem indicting him (especially if he had an R instead of a D after his name).
zeke5123
2yr ago
How bout when he emailed his daughter saying “at least I don’t make you give 50% of your money to me like pop does?”
How bout the fact that everyone in the Biden family was getting paid (why was Hunter so generous and wasn’t everyone else a bit suspicious “hmm why am I getting all of this money for nothing”)
zeke5123
2yr ago
If you don’t punish the most obvious bribery scandal at the national level in probably a century, then you clearly invite more bribery. All of the other things are more important in the short term, but for the long term health of the government you must punish obvious bribery.
Also, it isn’t clear it won’t go anywhere. If the inquiry can show (1) that Joe Biden personally benefited, (2) that State Dept didn’t want to fire the prosecutor (which seems like it was already proven) and (3) there were payments to Joe Biden shortly afterwards, then (4) Democrats would be forced with either trying to rally behind an obviously corrupt unpopular president or dumping said president for someone who might not be as tainted.
The real question is can the inquiry provided enough hard evidence to make the case beyond a reasonable doubt. Right now the Republicans have enough evidence that most people believe Biden is a crook. The question is whether this inquiry will turn that belief into knowledge. If so, then even democrats will vote to convict (or more likely Democrats like Obama will pull a Barry Goldwater)
zeke5123
2yr ago
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds is actually pretty good. Picard Season 3 wasn’t awful.
I do wonder if Disney would’ve been better off doing Disney+ and just opening up the vault. They already had a lot of great content. They didn’t need to produce new content.
zeke5123
2yr ago
That has been a problem with parks too. They build these (occasionally amazing) rides but they are so expensive, take so long to build, and actually don’t move many people.
Disney had an amazing ability to create truly interesting fun unique rides that moved a lot of people. Sure the ride was expensive but not that expensive.
zeke5123
2yr ago
Kotor was such an amazing game. I for one would love to see a Revan series.
zeke5123
2yr ago
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They should spin out sports. Not a core business.
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They should be content creators; not distributors. Hulu was a mistake. Disney+ was a big mistake.
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Focus on what makes you different. For them, it is classic IP entangled with some of the most unique family fun vacation spots. Focus on that (distributing the IP in movies and toys; use that IP to get people to vastly overpriced theme parks).
zeke5123
2yr ago
The prequels were bloated movies with a decent concept and terrible execution. A strong editor and better action would’ve led to a great set of movies.
The sequels lacked even the decent concept.
zeke5123
2yr ago
Taking on debt per se isn’t bad. Question is whether taking on debt for NPV positive or negative assets.
zeke5123
2yr ago
Agreed. But that’s why you need a public reputation. Sure LGBT aligned NGOs will bellyache but they aren’t really Disney’s core audience.
Chapek was right to want to stay out of politics and it seems like the biggest problem was his board support was a lesbian.
zeke5123
2yr ago
The rut is related to woke programming. Without DeSantis the programming still would’ve been woke and bad, but it fit the narrative that DeSantis helped create.
Disney was family; not necessarily women and kids obsessed with princesses (though of course they offered that). They need to try to rebuild that family brand.
zeke5123
2yr ago
Going to Disney world is still a very different experience compared to pretty much any entertainment platform.
They are better positioned compared to most entertainment platforms.
I like this idea. Probably does end up with more executives hiding what they are doing though.
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