Jeff Bezos killed Washington Post endorsement of Kamala Harris, paper reports
The Washington Post planned to endorse Kamala Harris over Donald Trump before owner Jeff Bezos, the Amazon founder, decided against it, the newspaper reported.
Wow, a hugely wealthy oligarchical capitalist facilitating the rise of fascism?
How completely unpredictable, with no historical precedent whatsoever!
Who could have possibly expected this?!
Certainly not Prescott Bush!
Man... that's one of the things that seems like a conspiracy theory to a great many people, but just actually is true.
Dude literally got caught doing massive amounts of money laundering for literal Nazis during WW2 and by all rights should have been convicted of treason.
Its like how most people don't know that IBM machines enabled the Germans to tabulate and keep track of the holocaust, that their machines spit out the UIDs that were tattooed onto the victims at the death camps....
... I think that 'War is a Racket' by Smedley Butler really needs to be added to the basic K-12 curriculum alongside 1984 and Brave New World...
But oh oops, the Republicans already destroyed our education systems, nevermind.
And definitely not Woodrow Wilson!
How much money do these fuckers need before they are content enough to not rat fuck American democracy so they can eek out a few percent more on their billions?
... The answer is infinity.
Capitalism requires constant growth, constant extraction, constant return in investment, constant tendency toward monopolies and wealth disparity until you end up with a neo feudalistic caste society.
You can either attempt to restrain and regulate the system, which we are currently doing a rather poor job of, overthrow the system, which is nigh impossible given the precarity of the average prole, or you can just watch as we head closer and closer to... some kind of hybrid of the handmaids tale and elysium.
... Or, maybe, escape to a slightly less insane foreign country, but you're gonna need a lot of money or a very lucrative skill set as an employee to do that as anything other than an illegal immigrant.
The motto of the Post is literally “Democracy dies in Darkness”, and it was adopted immediately after Trump was elected. It is deliberately positioned as pro-Democrat and anti Trump. I didn’t have a high esteem of Bezos, but I am still disappointed.
The guy that "gifted" millions to political commentators from CNN tries to influence politics? No way!
Some real bald-headed behavior right here.
The world is full of surprises, my friend.
Has this f*ing idiot never heard of the Streisand Effect? The fact that they broke a decades long tradition to do this makes a louder thump than their endorsement would have.
Louder to people who know who they're voting for already
Quieter to people on the fence
He's not a calebrity reliant on publuc opinion. He doesn't give a shit.
The Washington Post: "Democracy Dies in Darkness"
Bozos:
I had to settle for the Jurassic Park GIF because I couldn't find the one of Homer Simpson using his gun to turn off the lights. If anyone has that GIF, please hook me up.
I know this isn’t intentional, but the broken image makes the comment 10x funnier.
LOL. Task failed successfully!
I just re-linked the GIF to go through my image proxy (originally linked directly from yarn.io). Did that help?
It's also weird that it's not showing the alt text. Figured that'd have at least come through.
No shooting, but does this work?
Democracy Dies in Darkness
We just didn't realize this was a mission statement.
never ask rexy where she was on january 6
This episode.
I did find the "watch me turn off the TV" GIF but not not the lights :(
90% wealth tax is needed
Anyone with over 10 million dollars in wealth should be legally classified as a dragon and anyone stealing from their hoard shall not be punishable under the law.
Not so fun fact: The absolute richest dragons in all of fantasy, excluding Smaug, only have a net worth of several hundred million dollars. A Red Elder Wyrm will have, on average, around 2.5-3 million gold pieces of wealth, with an absolute maximum of 5 million gold pieces. That means that the absolute greediest, and richest type of dragon, by far, only has between 100,000 to 500,000 oz worth of gold.
Smaug being the absolute outlier because he had somewhere between 5 to 10 billion dollars worth of gold.
Now if you are wondering why I'm making a big deal about this, it is because 500,000 oz of gold is only worth about 1.1 billion US dollars. But that is the absolute outlier of the greediest type of dragon that there is. Still only looking at Chaotic Evil Red Elder Wyrms, the average would only be about 3.5 million gold pieces, or a mere 350,000 oz of gold. That's only about $850,000,000 and that is just the most average of the absolute greediest manefestations of greed that our limited minds could imagine. Most dragons would be absolutely fine with between $1,000,000 to $10,000,000. The literal manefestations of greed don't need more than $10,000,000 according to every treasure table.
Those people that have more than 100 million dollars have already passed the greed alignment chart into Chaotic Evil. They are damn near caricatures of dragons at this point.
Maximum wealth law. Once you're worth more than 100 million, 100% of any new income goes to a designated fund for social programs.
100 million is enough money that there is still no real limit to how pampered your life can be, so there's no argument that the rule would hurt anyone.
Rep. Ted Lieu, a Democrat from California, in his own tweet on the news wrote, “The first step towards fascism is when the free press cowers in fear.”
I don't know if this is the free press cowering, or the free press being bought out by rich people. Either way, it's some bullshit.
My first reaction was that it was cowering in fear, since trump keeps threatening newspapers. But after thinking about it, why would Bezos give a fuck if trump threatens the paper? He wants his paper to be a trump propaganda outlet because he wants trump to win. Not because he likes trump but because he wants the fascist movement to win so he can get richer (see Blue Origin govt contracts for one thing). Because having hundreds of billions of dollars is simply not enough, so fuck democracy.
“The most consequential election in our country, a choice between Fascism and Democracy, and you sit out? Cowards. Unethical, fearful cowards,” wrote one reader.
Haha, yep.
Oh man the first 3 words got me excited.
Pervert :)
That was my first reaction as well, but I've been well trained to expect a trick.
Also, cancel your prime subscriptions you cowards!
Anyone who’s still using Amazon and wants to keep democracy is drowning in cognitive dissonance. Amazon is a bigger threat to decent lives for non-millionaires than any single politician, even granting that Trump is a nightmare.
Laaaaaaazyyyyyyyy
Sigh.
Canceled my subscription.
Just spoke to my parents. Uninterrupted subscribers since '73.
I called them right after canceling my own subscription and they'd already canceled theirs.
I hope Bezos is happy losing 51-year patrons of his paper.
Look, that's honestly quite sad and very telling of the way things are, but I audibly snorted at the idea of Jeff Bezos noticing his income slightly lower this week, panicking, scrambling to find The Borbendorfs' payment. A single tear wells up, but he wipes it away frantically. Never let them see. Never let them know how it hurts.
Bezos has tons of federal government contracts. When Trump was president last time he went after Amazon and others he disliked to get their contracts cancelled. Bezos is concerned that if Trump wins, Trump could fuck with his contracts.
That's the reason. It's fucked up and more evidence of why news media shouldn't be owned by fuckhead billionaires. Shameful day in WaPos history. Cowardice. Grovelling to placate Trump for the benefit of the paper 's owner.
Tin foil hat: I am somewhat concerned that our oligarch overlords seem to be hedging in a way that they think Trump might win.
I'm extremely concerned. LA times backing out too. There's no reason not to, unless they're afraid the psycho toddler dictator is going to be holding the reigns next year. Fucking traitorous cowards, money over country.
He is clearly just wants peace... For his money
This is that "liberal news media" that Republicans keep yammering on about.
The one that's owned by six corporations.
As long as you mean 'neo liberal open to fascism' then yeah I guess they're all liberal....
Most wholesome 2 finger salute
If Kamala really wanted to get back at Bezos for this, the best thing she could do is promote union membership in tech and in the press.
It has been Bezos' kryptonite for years, and while I hold zero hope that unions will grow in popularity in the US, having a president push for them might be enough to make big businesses shut up.
She shouldn't be "getting back" at people. That's Trump's MO, and a major part of the reason that makes him so unsuited for the role. She should do what's best for the country. So ultimately I agree she should be pushing for unions.
To that end I'd say unions would be best for the country
I'll believe corporations are people when Texas executes one.
Bezos is worth so much there is no hope of a single president reigning him in.
It would require a group of countries all going at him at once. Otherwise we are not only stuck with Bezos for our whole life but his children and family will also be unstoppable.
These men should be disrupted. The "move fast and break things" was their mantra. Now they demand nobody move and nothing changes including wealth vectors.
If there is one thing that authoritarians are any good for, that is using their unlimited power to deflate millionaires' ambitions and keeping them in line e.g. Jack Ma https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-56448688 (but yea, they will help them fuck everyone over if it benefits them enough)
Waltons entered the chat
tax them until they learn to mind their own business
Since he owns the Post, it is very strictly speaking "his business".
On one hand, I'd love to see the Post endorse Harris, but on the other hand, I do feel that the owner of a company absolutely should have this level of control over their own company.
It might be different if he were compelling the paper to compromise on it's integrity or something, but simply preventing his own paper from endorsing a political candidate is absolutely something that he should be able to do.
Please note that this isn't a commentary on his immense wealth, or the role of the ultra wealthy in America...simply an observation on what a business owner should be able to do with their own company.
well he did it. why? looks like he's trying to help by trumping the editors opinion. only they were bypassed because story's out. pay site drama is not worth it. wsj and wp paywalls have always been not worth it. subs leaving in droves like TwX.
Well that subscription is cancelled
Jeff Bezos killed
Well this should be interesting.
Washington Post endorsement of Kamala Harris, paper reports
Oh, nevermind.
There should be a law for owners of media being kept at arm's length.
I think the laws we already have about free speech mean the government absolutely can't tell a newspaper owner what to print. They can be held liable if they break laws, but not endorsing a candidate is not illegal.
EDIT: If you don't like what I'm saying that's on you. The constitution of the US is pretty clear about this and the Supreme Court has upheld it numerous times. I don't think it's cool that Bezos did this, but I also don't think that a law stopping someone from doing it is a good idea or even plausible in the US. As long as we're run as an oligarchy we'll never get past problems like this, because if there is money to be made off information and money can buy power, unethical people will make unethical moves to manipulate the information that people take in. But as we all know, you cannot legislate morality, so the only thing to do is to remove the incentive.
Free press in the USA? LOL, it becomes more and more difficult every time a US oligarch buys a news outlet.
Majority Report, Some More News. I suppose the on the other side of the aisle it would be Joe Rogan and Ben Shapiro.
There is still some of the fourth estate left that hasn't been bought by oligarchs, it's just not exactly effective on the leftward side of the overton window.
for years tech bros has been framed as liberal/leftist/team blue supporter. but after years of musk shitposting bullshit and almost not even single one called him out, more and more i have a feeling that they ALL are just magas hiding in the closets, they are not allies at all.
They're mostly self-styled "libertarians", which means they haven't thought anything through, think they know better than all the country's institutions, and just want to be allowed to do whatever they want without consequences. This makes them natural allies of the MAGAs, even if they don't realize it.
Everyone talking about billionaires and how they endorse, support, finance, fund, hold lotteries to influence an election and everyone still thinks they exist in a democracy.
It's an oligarchy or a plutocracy
Call it whatever you want ... but it certainly isn't a democracy
NGL, I had to reread the headline because my brain got too excited.
Not for nothing but what would even happen if someone like Bezos got caught red-handed killing someone on twitch.
I don't think very much. Free shipping to come in before 10am is just too good to pass up.
Sigh
Canceled my friday.
File this under "why billionaires should not exist".
And I just killed my subscription to the post fuck them.
I certainly much hope he has to justify that decision to a jury and later a deity
I saw the first three words of this post and was like, "HOLY SHIT! FINALLY!!"
Dude, same. I almost wanted to stop reading there.
Jeff Bezos killed. Washington Post endorsement of Kamala Harris. Paper reports.
That's a big news day.
In a 2019 lawsuit, Amazon claimed it lost a $10 billion Pentagon cloud computing contract to Microsoft because Trump used “improper pressure ... “to harm his perceived political enemy” Bezos.
That doesn't really matter. They were just trying to use the system to get more tax cuts and passes.
Kamala wants to raise taxes on the rich 4+%, while Trump wants to lower them by ~1.5% (again). These asshole would want to see Trump harm americans and destroy the system for a few extra % in their pocket.
Where are the conspiracy theorists when there is actually something going on? I guess they stand back and stand by...
Loving the 8k+ comments of people cancelling their subscription.
Putin overseeing:
Musk, Bezos, Zuckerberg, Trump, The entire GOP.
Bernie was never more right about the billionaires
Yeah but why didnt DNC let him run in 2016?
Coward is afraid of Trump exacting retribution if he wins. Fucking megacoward.
Oh Jeffrey.... that's not how you're aupposed to run a newspaper.
Nooooooo but there's no record of him donating money to trump's campaign therefore he can't be said to be supporting truuuuuuuump Noooooooooo
The Richest People on EARTH supporting Trump is PROOF that the Middle Class will be BETTER under Trump! Jeff Bezos and Elon Dipshit are KNOWN to Treat their Workers EXTREMELY WELL!
Key pull quote from TFA:
Post chief executive Will Lewis, in an online explanation of the decision, wrote, “The Washington Post will not be making an endorsement of a presidential candidate in this election. Nor in any future presidential election.”
“We are returning to our roots of not endorsing presidential candidates,” Lewis wrote.
“We recognize that this will be read in a range of ways, including as a tacit endorsement of one candidate, or as a condemnation of another, or as an abdication of responsibility,” he wrote. “That is inevitable. We don’t see it that way. We see it as consistent with the values The Post has always stood for and what we hope for in a leader: character and courage in service to the American ethic, veneration for the rule of law, and respect for human freedom in all its aspects.”
That's the corporate excuse statement, and only significant if you ignore all context.
The phrase I've seen bandied about for this is "world-class bullshit." Very fitting.
What a fuckin hypocrite. I hope he stubs his toe really really hard, then steps on a lego.
If Idocracy is a documentary, what does that make Elysium? It seems like we are headed that way more and more.
But just think of the juicy government contracts
coward shit. candyass afraid of a pittance tax bump.
It's not just about taxes. It's about maintaining his status as an oligarch.
I've never agreed with journalistic organizations endorsing candidates. Report on them? Yes. Scathe them if necessary? Yes. Endorse them? No thank you.
long as he doesnt force a trump endorsement in its place, it could be an arguement for impartiality
Why are newspapers endorsing candidates?
It was an opinion piece by one of the editors
Oligarchs dont care who wins since for them either one is W lol
Normies in shambles to finally figure out that elections are a clown exercise to provide owners puppets legitimacy.
Didnt LA times have a similar situation haha
"Oligarchs don't care who wins"
Jeff Bezos provably and directly interfered with an endorsement of Kamala Harris.
You could not have picked a dumber time to comment this, could you have?