Alternative truth and America at a crossroads

[myata]

As Trump's stooge Rudy Giuliani is hit with a record penalty of $148 million for lies about election workers, the essence of this point and contraposition in the American history becomes very clear: the cult claims nothing less than the right to make the reality itself with their words, free of any checks, facts, principles duties and obligations.

Says Giuliani:

“So I am quite confident when this case gets before a fair tribunal it will be reversed so quickly that it will make your head spin and the absurd number that just came in will help that, actually.”

The more they are shown and held to account for their lies, the stronger they will peddle and insist on them, with the only hope that the tired and disillusioned populace would not care.

If not checked now, this path will lead, directly and surely, to authoritarianism. Between this position, if and when the society accepts and adopts it, and the worst forms of authoritarianism there's no stops.

From the polls it appears that a large part of the American population moved beyond comprehending that. For it, it's some sort political entertainment game, whichever button you push, fun is guaranteed. Scary. And dangerous. This is exactly how Roman democracy perished, and every democracy will degrade and fade unless supported by the reason and will of free citizens.

Are there still enough reasonable and responsible citizens who understand what's at stake here, these days?

Edited December 16, 2023 by myata

[Michael Hardner]

5 hours ago, myata said:

Is there still enough reasonable and responsible citizens who understand what's at stake here, these days?

"Are"

We have to develop a way to filter out people who are intellectually dishonest.  Well, it's sometimes entertaining to engage with them, it's the equivalent of popping bubble wrap in terms of intellectual progress

Use the ignore feature.

 

As for this judgment, I agree that he's guilty but the amount is ridiculous.  Is that 150 million per plaintiff?  If he had the money to pay, they could live in unimaginable luxury as well as their entire families for many lifetimes. That's just ridiculous.

[myata]

5 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

Is that 150 million per plaintiff?

What's the population of the USA, over 300 million? That comes down to less than 50c per individual lie... could it go any cheaper?

[Michael Hardner]

15 minutes ago, myata said:

What's the population of the USA, over 300 million? That comes down to less than 50c per individual lie... could it go any cheaper?

It's defamation so the money goes to the plaintiffs I believe 150 each or for the two of them

[myata]

2 minutes ago, Michael Hardner said:

It's defamation so the money goes to the plaintiffs

That's right, he lied 300 million times about each of the plaintiffs, that comes down to less than a quarter, per lie. What if we tax them, an idea? About $1 per instance should do the trick.

Edited December 16, 2023 by myata

[Michael Hardner]

54 minutes ago, myata said:

That's right, he lied 300 million times about each of the plaintiffs, that comes down to less than a quarter, per lie. What if we tax them, an idea? About $1 per instance should do the trick.

Two individual people are going to make tens of millions of dollars because Rudy called them cheaters. That's too much, all joking aside.

[myata]

1 hour ago, Michael Hardner said:

Rudy called them cheaters. That's too much, all joking aside.

Did you miss the harassment and death threats, for years? Anyways it's fellow citizens who decided the penalty, they judged it fair and appropriate to the offense, including $75 mln in punitive damages to prevent this kind of malicious public claims in the future.

Edited December 16, 2023 by myata

[robosmith]

2 hours ago, Michael Hardner said:

Two individual people are going to make tens of millions of dollars because Rudy called them cheaters. That's too much, all joking aside.

The penalty likely will be reduced on appeal, and they may not see much of that since Rudy is apparently broke.

Wonder if this penalty takes precedence over his legal fees.

[myata]

So the Republicans do not support freedom and democracy as they liked to claim. This is the moment of truth, and it speaks more than words: it speaks everything there's to know.

No, it's nothing to with the border security. Yes you can fight for border security, but it has nothing to do with the question, and decision: do you stand up for freedom and democracy? Will you?

The answer is clear and it's already recorded in the history. Words do not count. Humans, you can fool with hollow useless words; but hardly the history and the evolution. Not a chance.

[Rebound]

[myata]

Commander-in-Chief complaining that he doesn't have the money to fulfill the mission. Complaining to who, the enemy? Absurd. Ridiculous. Where do you find it? Only in the late, past its prime West.

Look what if Putin, when he set out to destroy the West knew something, after all?

What if chaotic pullout from Afghanistan wasn't a fluke?

The future is watching. And it won't be fooled by any great words.