Buh Bye TikTok

Congress have voted to force TikTok's parent company to divest from the popular social media app that counts over 170 million Americans among its users. That's of course due to the security concerns by the parent company being all but an arm of the Chinese Communist Party. Meanwhile, TikTok users are up in arms over the proposal, which the app claims is a "ban". Concerning is the fact that their mass mobilization against Congress' proposed divestment plan was actually organized by TikTok itself, which used its massive reach into the American populous to urge adults and children alike to contact their representatives and voice their opposition. No need for concern there, not when the app that Congress is concerned could be used to manipulate American politics from the outside literally starts a movement overnight and mobilizes Americans to get involved in a political action, something even presidential campaigns struggle to do. TikTokers have raised some important points in their opposition to Congress' plan, and they're not shy about about pointing out the lack of technological literacy in a Congress with an exceptionally high average age. Yet for whatever Senators and Members of the House lack in technical skill, they do have access to important intelligence that informs their decisions on matters of national security. TikTokers, for their part, have a great on screen presence and a mastery of the tech -- at least from a user's standpoint -- but are they glossing over the real security concerns? Seeing one brilliant TikToker's take, it seems like the best argument they have has little to do with China's dystopian use of personal data or Congress' national security concerns and more to do with "what about Meta and Alphabet." It's whataboutism, and not a very persuasive argument. But the threats we all face in this Election Year aren't just from a social media app. Project 2025, a product of Trump's enablers at The Heritage Foundation, lays out the blueprint for Trump's takeover of the federal government should he retake the White House next January. This plan, far more researched and complex than Trump himself could ever fully appreciate, provides the keys for his inner circle to dismantle any remaining safeguards against presidential overreach once he's in office. With chapters on the "bureaucracy", presidential powers, and the Department of Justice, Project 2025 makes scary, if mandatory, reading as we barrel toward a rematch between the Donald and democracy itself. We also get into the court's ruling on Fanni Willis' ability to continue to prosecute the criminal case against Trump in the Fulton County, Georgia case. Willis certainly made a mistake, but Trump once again, came out on top, no matter how much he and the Magaverse continue to complain. They've been able to move the national conversation away from the election fraud crimes of which he and his coconspirators are plausibly accused and all but put Willis herself on trial for her outsourcing legal work to an attorney she was dating. Not only has the underlying case been buried by the ensuing circus, but Trump has been able to do what he always does when the law comes knocking at his door: delegitimize the process and delay, delay, delay. It's a full and fast moving pod -- one you don't want to miss! #trump #fultoncounty #fultoncountyga #2024elections #georgia #tiktok #tiktokban #ccp #china #nationalsecurity #propaganda #project2025 #authoritarianism Project 2025: https://www.project2025.org/ JWilliamj8 on Congress' TikTok divestment bill: This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit christianhanley.substack.com