“There are Going to be Rules”: Warren Pledges Wealth Tax and Social Media Regulations After Musk Twitter Deal

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by JONATHAN TURLEY

In response of Elon Musk buying Twitter with a pledge to restore free speech values to the company, Senator Elizabeth Warren (D., Mass) joined many on the left in declaring that our very democracy is now in danger. However, last night Warren went further with MSNBC’s host Ari Melber to pledge to hit Musk and others with a wealth tax and “new rules” limiting what he can do with his new company.
 
The choice of interviewers was notable since Melber has been under fire for warning that Twitter could be used to “secretly ban” or “turn down the reach” of a political party or candidate. That is apparently worse than Twitter openly banning candidates and suspending accounts of conservatives for years. Melber emphasized “this thing matters a ton.” That is a ton more than it mattered for the last six years.
 
On MSNBC’s “The Beat,” Warren declared

 “I see that we need to make two big changes. The first one is we need a wealth tax in America. Let’s talk about how Elon’s purchase here was subsidized by tens of millions of people who have paid their taxes every year. The second part is we need rules of the road for big tech. But ultimately, what all of this boils down to is power. Who’s going to have the power in our country? Are we going to make these decisions as a democracy, or is this going to be Elon Musk all by himself off in a room, a bazillionaire who just plays by his own set of rules, and that’s really what’s at stake here.”
 
We need rules of the road, and look. There are going to be rules. Like I said, the only question is will Elon Musk decide all of the rules by himself in a darkroom, or is it going to be the case that we’re going to decide this as a country? We’re going to make rules in a democracy.”

The most ironic moment came with Warren’s explanation that “Rules of the road could help facilitate that kind of competition and frankly, break the stranglehold of someone like Elon Musk coming in and owning the whole thing.”
 
As with Melber, the lack of self-awareness is breathtaking. Until this purchase, social media has been a uniform front for censorship in line with the demands of politicians like Warren.
 
Senators like Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) warned social media companies that they would not tolerate any “backsliding or retrenching” by “failing to take action against dangerous disinformation,” and demanded “robust content modification” to block disfavored views on subjects ranging from climate control to elections to the pandemic.
 
Sen. Warren (D-Mass.) has called for these companies to protect citizens from poor reading choices by tweaking algorithms to steer them away from disfavored views. It is the free-speech version of the rejected “Big Gulp” laws. Warren wants companies to amplify “true” books on issues like climate change and direct searches away from “misleading” books.
 
Once again, Warren continues to dismiss constitutional protections and values in the name of democracy.
 
I have previously written how a wealth tax would gut constitutional language limiting the tax authority of Congress.  The Constitution originally imposed a narrow limit on Congress’ taxing authority. Article I, Sections 8 and 9, barred any direct tax unless it’s “apportioned among the several states” in proportion to population. In other words, it must be spread evenly among every person in every state.
 
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In 1895, Congress sought to impose an income tax, but was stopped by the Supreme Court in Pollock v. Farmers’ Loan & Trust (1895). The court barred any such tax “upon property holders in respect of their estates, whether real or personal, or of the income yielded by such estates, and the payment of which cannot be avoided.”
 
That case led to the ratification of the 16th Amendment, which allows Congress to levy “taxes on incomes” without apportionment. Yet it expressly states that “The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”
 
President Joe Biden has moved in that same direction while denying that he was seeking a wealth tax. However, After the President rolled out the new tax, his economic adviser Jared Bernstein went on Fox News and had a moment of uncontrollable honesty. He blurted out to Bret Baier that “it is very much a tax on wealth.”
 
As for her threat of “new rules” for social media to blunt Musk’s efforts, it is a telling threat. Her threat would suggest direct control over content and would potentially cross the line for First Amendment protections.
 
However, the idea of losing control over what people say or read is proving too much for many. That was evident in the tearful remarks of Vijaya Gadde, Twitter’s head of legal, policy and trust, to her staff this week. Gadde, like Twitter CEO Parag Agrawalis highly controversial in the free speech community for her record of censorship, including her role in banning Donald Trump as well as the New York Post story on the Hunter Biden laptop.

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Musk, literally, has paid more taxes in his life that most of the world combined.

Warren is an idiot.

Warren is an idiot.

You may disagree with her, but she is certainly not an idiot. You impugn your own credibility when you write stuff like that.

No no, I’m being quite serious:

Musk, literally, has paid more taxes in his life that most of the world combined.

Warren is an idiot.

IDIOT:

Middle English (denoting a person of low intelligence): via Old French from Latin idiota ‘ignorant person’

I am literally saying she is someone of low intelligence, based on her statements. Based on empirical facts.

Last edited 1 year ago by Nathan Blue

As pf 2011, 56% of the people in the world had income of less than $10 per day. “Most of the world combined” is a very low income segment.

Last edited 1 year ago by Greg

And a huge proportion of them have benefited from the prosperity Musk and other grow for the benefit of all human kind.

Also, you need to understand PPP before you try to invoke economics, son.

Last edited 1 year ago by Nathan Blue

I had no idea that the lower class drive Teslas – or live in Fremont, California.

Who exactly is “the lower class?”

Your comment is almost too stupid to address. Rockets, tunnels, paypal, teslas, furthering commerce, science, engineering.

Guess you don’t understand why we don’t all die of polio these days and why 40% of women don’t die in childbirth.

It’s a group effort, and Musk has done much to benefit the poor, worldwide.

Vaccinations and antibiotics, mainly. Billionaires invented neither. Dr. Salk declined to patent his polio vaccine. Same with Albert Sabin, who declined to patent his variant vaccine. Alexander Fleming, who created penicillin, the first antibiotic which greatly reduced death in childbirth, declined to patent it.

Guess you don’t understand why we don’t all die of polio these days and why 40% of women don’t die in childbirth.

Last edited 1 year ago by Greg

But one Billionaire has misused these, spreading polio , why are they not after the serial murderer Bill Gates?
They are after the guy that with government green energy grants and subsidies actually worked, he did not take the money and declare bankrupsy like so many Democrat donors did.
They all have horrible predictions for something that has not happened, Elon is twitterpatted, twitter does not have the number of people on that it says it does so many bots. We see numbers of “followers” drop by the thousands for liberals and gain for conservatives. I would bet the US does not have 31 million users, Elon bought a pig in the poke.

Bill Gates is a mass murderer? But then you also think St. Vladimir Putin is the savior of Ukraine…

UN Forced ToThat Admit That Gates-Funded Vaccine Is Causing Polio Outbreak In Africa

Greg you are just one wikipedia or CNN opinion article away from total retard.

REGENBOGENSEELE (Rainbow Soul) publishes crackpot articles. You might notice the link the article provides to the UN “admission” is a non-existent page. Anoter shocking Rainbow Soul revelation is that COVID test swabs are as dangerous as inhaling asbestos, and MAC addresses detected in vaccinated individuals with Bluetooth apps. Unless they’re doing weird German satire, they’re nuts.

Last edited 1 year ago by Greg

So the small pox blankets given to the indians were to innoculate them?

Vaccine causing polio in Africa? Context from an expert

I believe your claim was that Bill Gates is a mass murderer.

He is and hung out with Jeffrey Epstein.

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Changing the subject, are we?

Last edited 1 year ago by Greg

Changing the subject, are we?

Well, where’s your defense of the lying racist Wahoo Warren? If she believes Twitter needs “rules”, why didn’t she impose them when Twitter was suppressing legitimate news stories simply because they exposed Democrat corruption but allowed threats of violence, racism and anti-American propaganda to be posted?

She could just leave Twitter and return to smoke signals.

Hahahaha.

What kind of economic idiot is joe?

What sort of idiot doesn’t understand Putin’s intentions? He intends to dominate all of Europe. The problem with that? He’s a murderous son-of-a-bitch. He doesn’t care who he kills. That’s not hypothetical. He’s demonstrating what he’ll do by indiscriminately killing men, women, and children.

Do you think the nuclear extortion will end if he gets Ukraine? That would only be the beginning.

Last edited 1 year ago by Greg

Putin is not the source of our economic malaise. It is all on biden, no one else.

Dr. Alexander Fleming declined to patent penicillin.

Um…

Guess you don’t understand why we don’t all die of polio these days and why 40% of women don’t die in childbirth.

Your statement of patents is not on topic, and kind of irrational.

Are you Robert Caroll?

It’s a group effort, and Musk has done much to benefit the poor, worldwide.

I am literally saying she is someone of low intelligence

I know. That’s why I commented.

She’s an idiot, a liar and a racist.

She’s a duplicitous ass who appropriates cultures for her own benefit.

Musk, literally, has paid more taxes in his life that most of the world combined.

Warren is an idiot.

How does Musk’s dick taste today. Nathan?

How does Musk’s dick taste today. Nathan?

Probably just like all those you’ve gobbled. Do they actually vary?

That’s sweet of you to stick up for Nathan. It would be nice if he could do it himself, like a big boy.

What’s wrong, don’t want to discuss your pecker buffet?

What’s wrong, don’t want to discuss your pecker buffet?

Maybe I do suck cock. The idea that someone suggests I give blowjobs doesn’t bother me. Can you or Nathan say the same?

Maybe? MAYBE?

I can unequivocally declare such sick perversions are not a part of my life. The idea of you alone with students just became quite a bit more ominous.

Maybe? MAYBE?

You act as if you’ve never encountered the word before.

The idea of you alone with students just became quite a bit more ominous.

Homosexuality =/= pedophilia.

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael

It may be that not every male homosexual is a pedophile, but every male pedophile that preys on boys is a homosexual. It’s what destroyed the Boy Scouts.

So pedophiles who prey on children of the same sex are gay?! That’s some mighty fine detecting you did there, Encyclopedia Brown! Next, you’re going to tell me that pedophiles who prey on kids of the opposite sex are straight!

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael

Homosexuality –> Trans Delusion –> Pedophilia –> Bestiality–> a general lack of self control –> a general lack of personal responsibility, asking that society be remade for one’s own carnal desires.

It’s all the same, and it’s a harbinger of societal collapse.

As would have been the case if you had ever found a woman who was willing to be with you, long-term relationships are about more than carnal desires—even, believe it or not, for homosexuals.

Side question: are you using the arrows to indicate that each item on your list leads inevitably to the next item?

Last edited 1 year ago by Michael

I’ve been married for 17 years, together for 20. I understand it’s pretty much the same dynamic in a gay union as a marriage. My good friend (male) is marrying his bf in a few months. I’m beyond happy for him.

The issue is, however, what comes next concerning what’s allowed in society. I don’t think homosexuality leads an individual to ever-sinking sexual deviancy (so no, a gay man does not eventually become a pedophile), but I do believe normalizing gay relationships leads to normalizing everything else. That’s new for me, because ever have I been an “ally.” But once gay is okay, now we push trans. Then kids? Then animals? History, yes Sodom and Gomorrah included, shows this doesn’t end well. Put your anti-Judeo-Christian bigotry and hate aside.

We have a society for a reason, and it’s based on many things. It sucks. I don’t know what to tell a gay man or women, other than abstinence…for the good of the community…is what they need to do.

Sounds quite puritanical, I know, but I just haven’t been able to find another way. Our society isn’t making babies. Our culture will go extinct, as a result.

American/Western society, under the morals and ethics of Christianity promoting the sovereignty of the individual, has been shucked of God but tries to promote this “I’m just being me,” but that being is completely defined by Corporate advertising campaigns and nefarious ideologies in education that are really just hateful and out for revenge. It’s not an identity; it’s a religion.

I’ve banned my kids from having LBGT friends, so understand this militant and hateful push by the left to groom kids so the existing LGBT people can recruit enough people into being the “majority” is going to have consequences. I’m not “Conservative” or “Right-wing.” I’m a Liberal, and my liberalism requires I put my foot down concerning injustice, and the Left now represents the biggest threat to a fair and free society.

Last edited 1 year ago by Nathan Blue

I’ve banned my kids from having LBGT friends

That’s unfortunate.

I’ve been married for 17 years, together for 20.

Off to a good start.

That’s unfortunate.

We said we’d stay out of your bedroom. Too bad that didn’t go both ways. Agreement broken.

Off to a good start.

OK, Boomer. The average marriage in the US lasts 8.2 years.

Last edited 1 year ago by Nathan Blue

OK, Boomer. The average marriage in the US lasts 8.2 years.

What are you whining about? I said you were off to a good start. It’s a compliment.

Could you possibly for one moment give us an insight as to why a disinformation governance board is a good idea? Also include how this is not tyranny, and against every founding principle of the United States of America?
The tough guy I think you are trying to heckle is Joe Biden, as he’s the one that’s threatened the populace with tanks and nukes.

You never, ever will.

This woman is a dangerous moron:

We need rules of the road, and look. There are going to be rules. Like I said, the only question is will Elon Musk decide all of the rules by himself in a darkroom, or is it going to be the case that we’re going to decide this as a country? We’re going to make rules in a democracy.”

We’re going to make rules? NO SHIT! It’s called the LAW, and it’s already there. She means “we’re going to impose our will on you.”

Their time is over. Now we get back to free speech, and Constitutional Law.

Like I said, the only question is will Elon Musk decide all of the rules by himself in a darkroom,

Haha. That’s what Twitter has been doing, as they hurriedly burn their algorithms and unbanned people the couldn’t ban legally. A congressional investigation is warranted.

I guess Wahoo Warren doesn’t realize yet that the expiration date on Democrats imposing rules from Congress is coming up. How many times have we been told that social media is private business and 1st Amendment rules don’t apply?

Funny how when the left is no longer controlling who can be heard and who cannot, there needs to be “rules”. Damn, people… can’t you SEE IT? Democrats FEAR free speech! They FEAR the Constitution! They FEAR people having rights.

Must doesn’t speak of cancelling anyone or curtailing anyone’s voice or right to say anything.. and the left thinks this destroys Democracy. What criminals. What cowards. What anti-American trash.

Sen. Warren (D-Mass.) has called for these companies to protect citizens from poor reading choices by tweaking algorithms to steer them away from disfavored views.

That would mean that Warren could not post the lie that she’s Native American. I can think of nothing more dangerous or hypocritical than putting this nation’s most prolific liars in charge of monitoring “disinformation”. Democrats promote nothing but disinformation.

While from their perspective, the “wealthy” are people like Musk, from my perspective, the wealthy includes the millionaires in Congress as well. Perhaps they should start paying their taxes, stop their insider trading and understand how living on an income derived from WORKING feels like before they try to impress us with their partisan attacks on wealthy job creators. For instance, is there some tax exemption on income used to pay a crackhead’s legal bills? An exemption on income derived from corrupt influence peddling and money laundering? I want those who impose the taxes on us to pay THEIRS first. That includes YOU, Stacey.

For four years democrats spread bullsh*t about Trump Russian collusion but NOW there are going to be rules? She can drop dead.

Why would Warren imagine Musk in alone in a dark room, Dude is a multi-billionaire he can afford leave the lights on.
Maybe Musk can improve the platform, no links to the darkest areas of the web, cut out all the porn links, report some to the US Marshals.
Not that Democrats care about kids being abused, not one customer of Maxwell has been prosecuted. They have all Jeffery’s CDs and “security” footage, from his multiple properties.

Musk should pull his bid. It would be the best of all possible outcomes at this point. There are no competing bids and the stock value is under the bid value.

twitter is a mess and Musk does not need the headaches of walking into Saigon in 1965. Let the board fire the complete staff and eat the lawsuits bound to come as a result of failing their fiduciary responsibilities.

twitter is not really even a sound business model. It is being propped up by more than 10 investment entities, none of which are good actors.

Last edited 1 year ago by TrumpWon

With each passing day, Warren and her ilk show their true intentions: autocracy draped with a false veil of being “democratic.”

Putin sounds that. Xi sounds like that.

Tyrants throughout history sound like that.

You say “democracy”…

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