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FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

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Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#51

Post by femiagbabiaka »

hdndjsbbs wrote: post #15
femiagbabiaka wrote: post #10

Earlier quoted context omitted.

At least in part, they legitimately see Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Israel, and now Syria, as part of the American empire. I would argue this is a bipartisan elite belief as well, you see Dem current and former elected's lobbying and giving talks where policy is dictated in those countries all the time, investing and being invested in by those countries all the time.

It's funny to me that the average American is Islamophobic, but the US government sharply divides middle eastern countries based on alliances (and how rich they are). Qatari Emir? You're a friend of the US government. Poor Pakistani? Enemy. Lebanese farmer? We'll think about it.

It makes sense given a few things, although it's not as bad as you're saying: 1. The median American lives in a city and has exposure to Muslims and is most likely not Islamophobic. 2. Due to the voting structure of the U.S., people who don't live in cities and don't get exposure to Muslims get outsized voting rights. 3. Most American electeds are much more well travelled than Americans who don't live in cities.

So basically, elites have to necessarily balance (and exploit) the biases of over-represented minorities with their own largely metropolitan beliefs.

All of this is made more ironic in that the moral structures of the Abrahamic religions, including Islam, are all influences on and in line with, traditional American values, which American elites don't follow (see Epstein) but Americans who don't live in cities largely do.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#52

Post by pessimizer »

BowBun wrote: post #3

I don't understand how decisions like these align with the supposed "America First" rhetoric coming from the same side. Specifically - this deal is being led by the son of the president of the USA who was elected on promises of "bringing jobs back to America" and prioritizing domestic investments. Seems to me like they say one thing, do another, and all of us hold the bag at the end of it all.

> I don't understand how decisions like these align with the supposed "America First" rhetoric coming from the same side.

Because that rhetoric has ended, replaced with H1B-love, Israel-first, "immigration needs to rise actually, because a lot of toilets need to be cleaned" and "we don't have enough money to worry about the population, we need to make war" and the administration spends a large amount of time attacking the people who still use it?

Annoying that people don't keep up with this. "Same side" is some really simple thinking for a complex political environment.

Trump is just another neocon accumulating cash. In the 90s-00s, he worshiped Hillary Clinton; now he governs almost indistinguishably from a Clinton, a Blair or a Bush. With the only difference being that there's been a complete end to any restraints on Executive power through a bipartisan effort that still continues (see FISA renewal.) He can sell everything. Democrats were used to selling everything the old way, and pretending to be powerless. Turns out there's no reason to pretend to be powerless anymore.

The ideological MAGA types haven't changed at all. The only part of the electorate still on the Trump train are the same people who would have been Trump University students. With the addition of a bunch of newly silent lib Iran/Israel-first hawks. They also don't care about the foreign ownership of the media, or the media concentration that made it dangerous. They in fact actively support media concentration because it makes it easier to censor political opinions that they object to. The sex pest who is still ideological father of the Democratic Party was literally the person who repealed the laws that made it possible.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#53

Post by lotsofpulp »

reducesuffering wrote: post #44
owlcompliance wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a former staunch Republican, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that both parties have sold us out. I disagree with a lot of the Left's policies and many on the Right as well, but both parties advocate, in theory, for several things that would benefit all Americans -- yet it never happens. Republicans advocate for fiscal responsibility -- never happens. Democrats advocate for things like healthcare and cancel…

"Democrats advocate for things like healthcare and cancelling student loans -- never happens." You're blaming Democrats for things they try to do and are blocked by Republicans...

They need to make themselves feel better by believing could not have made a better choice.

It doesn’t matter that federal Democrats enabled the largest wealth transfer in the last 3 decades with ACA, by the smallest of margins. Or that a Democrat president increased the overtime exempt wage from $30k per year to $50k per year. Or that Biden tried to get paid parental leave and paid sick leave, but was thwarted at every turn by a Republican Congress.

The important thing is for the voter to not take accountability for their actions, so “both sides”.

I write this not as a “Democrat” (I despise them on the state and local level), just as someone who has seen Republicans literally only pass tax cuts and reduce women’s access to healthcare in the last 3 decades. Oh, and try to overturn an election and then pardon traitors.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#54

Post by mandevil »

toast0 wrote: post #6
BowBun wrote: post #3

I don't understand how decisions like these align with the supposed "America First" rhetoric coming from the same side. Specifically - this deal is being led by the son of the president of the USA who was elected on promises of "bringing jobs back to America" and prioritizing domestic investments. Seems to me like they say one thing, do another, and all of us hold the bag at the end of it all.

Yeah, election promises and post-election behavior aren't really correlated in general. I think this administration is worse than the average, but still. Past talking points are not indicative of future behavior.

It turns out there is extensive research on this, and you are mistaken. Most politicians actually do try to deliver on their promises. They might get stopped, but they try.

https://strathprints.strath.ac.uk/59403/1/Thomson_etal_AJPS_... for one quick to find example of the literature on this.

Most of the research on this was done before Trump entered office. Trump is a wildly unusual political leader, who is significantly more corrupt than other politicians, promises random things and then fails to deliver them, and generally breaks all of the rules that politicians follow- this is what his supporters describe as his "authenticity", that he "tells it like it is". The more people believe, incorrectly, that "all politicians are corrupt" and "no politicians deliver on their promises" the more likely they are to accept Trump- who again is an extreme outlier among American politicians.

Your cynicism actually ends up ruining the country and makes it more likely that we have bad government.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#55

Post by slg »

cestith wrote: post #22
toast0 wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, election promises and post-election behavior aren't really correlated in general. I think this administration is worse than the average, but still. Past talking points are not indicative of future behavior.

Lots of politicians fail to deliver. This administration just flat out lied about their priorities.

And yet there has been very little about their actual priorities that have been surprising. Anyone who fell for it should do some self-reflection on why they believed those lies when so many other people saw right through them.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#56

Post by vel0city »

femiagbabiaka wrote: post #51
hdndjsbbs wrote: post #15

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's funny to me that the average American is Islamophobic, but the US government sharply divides middle eastern countries based on alliances (and how rich they are). Qatari Emir? You're a friend of the US government. Poor Pakistani? Enemy. Lebanese farmer? We'll think about it.

It makes sense given a few things, although it's not as bad as you're saying: 1. The median American lives in a city and has exposure to Muslims and is most likely not Islamophobic. 2. Due to the voting structure of the U.S., people who don't live in cities and don't get exposure to Muslims get outsized voting rights. 3. Most American electeds are much more well travelled than Americans who don't live in cities. So b…

> The median American lives in a city and has exposure to Muslims and is most likely not Islamophobic

Most Islamophobic people I know live in cities. Is there really that much of a change related to urbanism for Islamophobia, one you adjust for political alignment and religiousness?

For reference, this is the America I see every day:

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/local/epic-citys-vision-sp...

Collin County is >90% "urban", as much as what counts for urbanism in the US.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#57

Post by ryandrake »

encoderer wrote: post #40
cwal37 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What did Republican appointees on the Supreme Court have to say about student loan forgiveness? Who not only fights tooth and nail against healthcare improvements but actively took money from existing programs to fund a national police and detainment apparatus? Which party produced the most meaningful (albeit not far enough) healthcare reform of the 21st century in the US? Those examples in particular are quite rough…

Where I live (California) there are basically no republicans in power. For a long time now. And we have more money and a better economic base than just about anywhere on the planet Earth. So to all the partisans out there who are sure things would be better if "their side" had total control, I ask: what the hell is going on with California then?? We should be modeling the best governance in the country and even the w…

I don't think "What the hell is going on with California?" is a great example. I've lived in many states throughout my life, from deep red to navy blue, and now I live in California. It's definitely the best place I've ever lived, and neither me nor anyone in my family wants to leave any time soon. Is California a flaw-free utopia? No. Does it have its shit together in more ways than most other states? I'd say yes. Also, being a few hours drive from the ocean, a few hours from a city that's a major cultural center, a few hours from the beautiful Sierras and winter sports, and a few hours from many other pristine and interesting outdoor amenities is and added bonus. Extra bonus, year round decent weather, relatively clean air, clean water, a great university system. Extra extra bonus, nobody in my house has to worry about being hunted down because of the color of their skin or their national origin or their sexual preferences, or because they had a miscarriage.

Not exactly the hell hole red staters make it out to be.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#58

Post by unrelat3d »

BowBun wrote: post #3

I don't understand how decisions like these align with the supposed "America First" rhetoric coming from the same side. Specifically - this deal is being led by the son of the president of the USA who was elected on promises of "bringing jobs back to America" and prioritizing domestic investments. Seems to me like they say one thing, do another, and all of us hold the bag at the end of it all.

I don't understand how, given bullshitting the public about Making America Great Again has been the norm since Reagan, Americans are still so surprised to find ...oops it was all lies for votes!

Academics like Zinn and Chomsky, popular music, movies, TV have been calling out the lies for decades.

Americans are that fucking dumb, I guess.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#59

Post by msie »

owlcompliance wrote: post #16
throw0101a wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Seems to me like they say one thing, do another, and all of us hold the bag at the end of it all. Yup. It's the same lie that the GOP cares about deficits and debt… except when they're in power and want to do tax cuts for the rich.

As a former staunch Republican, if there's one thing I've learned, it's that both parties have sold us out. I disagree with a lot of the Left's policies and many on the Right as well, but both parties advocate, in theory, for several things that would benefit all Americans -- yet it never happens. Republicans advocate for fiscal responsibility -- never happens. Democrats advocate for things like healthcare and cancel…

No, both sides are not equal. Biden tried to cancel student loans.

Re: FCC Funding Application Notes Paramount Will Be 49.5% Foreign-Owned Post-Merger

#60

Post by joe_mamba »

encoderer wrote: post #40
cwal37 wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

What did Republican appointees on the Supreme Court have to say about student loan forgiveness? Who not only fights tooth and nail against healthcare improvements but actively took money from existing programs to fund a national police and detainment apparatus? Which party produced the most meaningful (albeit not far enough) healthcare reform of the 21st century in the US? Those examples in particular are quite rough…

Where I live (California) there are basically no republicans in power. For a long time now. And we have more money and a better economic base than just about anywhere on the planet Earth. So to all the partisans out there who are sure things would be better if "their side" had total control, I ask: what the hell is going on with California then?? We should be modeling the best governance in the country and even the w…

> And we have more money and a better economic base than just about anywhere on the planet Earth.

Because of the massive historical defense, tech and entertainment industries all under one roof for decades, bringing in crazy money. The blue politicians that built California as the defense, tech and movie powerhowse decades ago, have nothing in common with those running California today, so California staid successful despite it's current blue leadership not because of it.

It would be amazing for things to be as simple as "vote blue and become rich like California", but that's not how it works. It's more like rich people tend to vote blue, rather than voting blue makes you rich.

When the private sector brings trillions in revenue and local taxes, then the current political competence decline, corruption and mismanagement, inflicts a much smaller splash damage than in places that have less money so there's no one size fits all magic solution.

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