Independent journalist Matt Taibbi has released the sixth installment after review of more Twitter File data [SEE HERE].  Keep in mind, the research group containing Mr. Taibbi are only seeing the consequences side of the content removal process.  What specifically happened in/around the portal of information flowing into Twitter HQ is a different division.  Taibbi et al are only seeing the consequences from the requests that entered the Twitter system.

[Twitter Release #6, Here]

The first section of Taibbi’s analysis is the most interesting.  Having tracked the issue for several years, I would modify some of the descriptive language Taibbi presents yet agree with the overall context of his presentation.

Taibbi begins by noting, “Twitter’s contact with the FBI was constant and pervasive, as if it were a subsidiary.”  I would safely take that a step further, yes there is a subsidiary relationship; however, as years of government involvement continued by 2016 Twitter became the subsidiary of DHS, not vice-versa.  This dynamic within the relationship explains some of the more curious elements that Taibbi struggles to fully understand.

Notice the timing of escalation by DHS/FBI: “The FBI’s social media-focused task force, known as FTIF, created in the wake of the 2016 election, swelled to 80 agents and corresponded with Twitter to identify alleged foreign influence and election tampering of all kinds.”

As we have noted from the lead into and out of the 2016 election, the surveillance state took action specifically to protect itself from President Trump.   This activity included the NSA, FISA court, FBI, DOJ-NSD, CIA, ODNI while specifically and purposefully enmeshing the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI).

Protecting Washington DC from the risk President Trump represented was a whole of government approach.  The executive and legislative branches worked together and weaponized national security claims to involve the judicial branches in the effort.  In the aftermath of the 2016 election outcome, now we see social media being pulled further into the approach.

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There is a historic irony surrounding today as the anniversary of the Boston Tea Party (December 16, 1773) and Elon Musk suspending the accounts of multiple journalists who violated the Twitter terms of service about publicly releasing private information without consent. To say the ‘splodey heads are epic, would be an understatement.

After several ‘mainstream’ journalists began spreading the physical location of Elon Musk, his airplane travel and his family location, Twitter began suspending all accounts that were affiliated with promoting the activity. Several high follower journalists were -by their own expressed conduct- caught up in the account suspensions, some permanently, and the resulting outrage over their claimed curtailment of speech has exploded the universal hypocrisy continuum.

Demands for reinstatement by allies of the suspended accounts stretch from threats to “haul Musk before congress,” to foreign government demands. While demanding to see the manager, CNN’s Oliver Darcy contends that Twitter cannot exist without the journalists Mr. Musk has now removed.

White knuckled fists are clutching pearls tightly.

New York – […] Speaking with anchor Jim Sciutto about several journalists, including CNN’s Donie O’Sullivan, having been suspended under Elon Musk‘s newly minted policy about posting real-time location info, Darcy made clear that Musk is playing with fire and could get burned.

“This is raising a number of issues,” said Darcy. “Obviously it highlights how Musk doesn’t really have that commitment to free speech that he said he does. But it also raises questions about what the future of the press looks like on Twitter.” (more)

Apparently, the world will not exist without journalists being able to push their narrative engineering efforts through the social media platform.

Putting Mr. Musk’s ultimate long-term motives in a box over in the corner of the room just so that we can enjoy this moment, the billionaire space entrepreneur will never exceed today’s creation of smiles regardless of his electric cars or the eventual goal of a human population on the Martian landscape.

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During a podcast Matt Taibbi describes the big picture takeaway of the data they have been permitted to review so far. {Direct Rumble Link}

Interestingly, Taibbi notes the silo effect within Twitter as the division in charge of taking action on requests is not necessarily the division that receives the requests.  There is an inflection point between two silos. Taibbi notes the current data set does not include access to the inbound requests and instructions from government officials, they are limited to only seeing what happens after the request is received.

They are also limited in only seeing the activity that is taken within the action division where the accounts are restricted.  The division within Twitter that was in the process of amplifying or boosting accounts, is a different silo.

Additionally, as Taibbi also notes, if the scale of what they are seeing in Twitter is representative of outside contacts to other social media platforms, then he is sure Facebook, YouTube, Google, Microsoft, Instagram, Apple etc. also have a process to receive and act upon these inbound DHS/FBI instructions.  WATCH:

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In essence, everything Taibbi is seeing is fully in line with Jack’s Magic Coffee Shop.

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The G7 leaders have been debating the problem of African farming for quite a while. The issue surrounds the conflicts between the G7 climate change agenda and the need for Africa to develop fertilizer production to enhance their farming and crop yields.

As noted in a Reuters article from June, “the European Union is divided on how to help poorer nations fight a growing food crisis and address shortages of fertilisers caused by the war in Ukraine, with some fearing a plan to invest in plants in Africa would clash with EU green goals.”  As the argument unfolded, “the EU Commission explicitly opposed” any effort to enhance African fertilizer development, “warning that supporting fertilizer production in developing nations would be inconsistent with the EU energy and environment policies.”  

The energy development corporations, the source industry needed to create the components for nitrogen-based fertilizer, have been waiting to invest in African energy production pending the approval of western government decisions.  Addressing the issue today, Joe Biden told the African Union the United States would send an emergency $2.5 billion in food crisis aid to offset the inability of Africa to feed itself.

In essence, instead of Western government policy supporting energy production in Africa that would lead to a greater farm yield, and by extension a greater level of food independence, the Biden administration would rather restrict energy/food development in Africa and send them food subsidies; because, climate change.

(White House) – […]  President Biden announced an additional $2.5 billion in emergency aid and medium to long-term food security assistance for resilient African food systems and supply markets, which builds upon over $11 billion in U.S. humanitarian and food security assistance for this year alone.  President Biden also launched a new strategic partnership on food security between the United States and the African Union.  

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Friends, in the late summer and fall of 2021 CTH warned of massive waves of price increases that would push inflation to record highs.  We watched as each wave arrived almost on schedule throughout 2022, and as a direct result of Joe Biden energy and economic policy, prices necessarily skyrocketed.

In essence in 2021 we were warning about the expenditure side of the ledger that all working-class and fixed income families would experience.  We advised to take every proactive measure possible to avoid future price increases.

Now, unfortunately, we begin moving those same warnings to the other side of the ledger; because as a natural consequence of consumer checkbook pain, the financial pressure always transfers to the income and employment side of the economic dynamic.

Keep in mind, retail sales are calculated in dollars spent by consumers.   November 2022 retail sales as reported by the commerce department today [DATA pdf], reflect a 0.6% decrease in spending vs October.  November data includes Thanksgiving, Black Friday and the traditional early holiday shopping.  0.6% less dollars were spent, despite prices being double digits higher than the prior year.

When the prices you are charging for goods and/or services are 10, 20, even as high as 60 percent more than prior year, yet your sales are running flat to negative – that means consumer purchases of those goods/services are substantially lower.

If you were selling 100 widgets for $1 each in 2021, you gross $100.   If your widgets now sell for $1.25 and you gross $94 in 2022 sales, you have sold 75 widgets.

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This afternoon President Donald Trump released a video outlining a campaign platform position around free speech. {Direct Rumble Link}

Referencing the latest revelations about various political groups, campaigns and government agencies instructing social media platforms on the removal of content, President Trump notes his position would be to dismantle the government systems that facilitate the censorship.   President Trump notes he would sign an executive order banning any federal agency from censoring or limiting the free speech of American citizens.

Additionally, President Trump noted he would ban federal money from being used to label domestic speech as misinformation or disinformation, along with firing any bureaucrat who has previously engaged in the domestic censorship, directly or indirectly, including within all agencies of the DHS, FBI or DOJ who have targeted the free speech rights of Americans.  WATCH:

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Among other initiatives, President Trump called for the federal government to break ties with any nonprofits and academic programs that are aimed at tacking mis- and disinformation.

“If any U.S. university is discovered to have engaged in censorship activities or election interferences in the past, such as flagging social media content for removal of blacklisting, those universities should lose federal research dollars and federal student loan support for a period of five years, and maybe more,” he said.

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Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake appeared on Fox News with Tucker Carlson to explain some of the details surrounding her election day lawsuit {Direct Rumble Link Here}. 

As Mrs. Lake notes there were widespread issues throughout the state and multiple irregularities in Maricopa, County specifically.   Approximately 60% of the voting equipment was not working on election day and Mrs. Lake believes an intentional effort to create crisis was behind the lack of preparation.  WATCH:

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I do not recall when a post-election lawsuit has ever succeeded in overturning a certified election result.   If Mrs. Lake is successful in her legal battle, I’m afraid the victory would be pyrrhic. The court may agree the lawsuit provides evidence that the 2022 election was demonstrably fraudulent, yet the certified results still stand.

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Olena Zelenska, wife of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, traveled to Paris France for a three-day visit December 12-14.  As reported by Le Monde, “Members of the Ukrainian government will also come, including Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, and several ministers in charge of reconstruction, including Yulia Svyrydenko (economy), Oleksandr Kubrakov (infrastructure) and German Galushchenko (energy).”

However, social media has erupted today after a “reliable store clerk” working on the ritzy Avenue Montaigne, has reported that Olena Zelenska went on a Christmas shopping spree spending €40,000 euros in an hour. (citation) Previously President Zelenskyy’s wife was received by French first lady Bridget Macron.

If the reporting is accurate, the spending spree comes at a bad time optically, as Mrs. Zelenska’s husband Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is simultaneously asking the European Union to provide more financial support for the embattled country.

Additionally, the Biden administration is trying to push congress to pass another $38 billion spending package for Ukraine to bring the total spent well over $100 billion.

Mrs. Zelenskyy Christmas shopping in glitzy Paris stores and dropping €40,000 while her husband bangs his tin cup isn’t exactly a good look.

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House Democrats have returned to their old ‘deem as passed’ playbook to provide a vehicle for the Senate to construct another stopgap omnibus spending bill despite the legally required non-origination from the House.

WASHINGTON DC – The House is expected to pass a stopgap spending bill Wednesday night that would give negotiators an extra week to finish a $1.7 trillion year-end spending package, setting up an all-out legislative sprint before lawmakers leave for the holidays. (more)

Texas Representative Chip Roy explains exactly what the House is doing.  WATCH:

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Yup, it’s Deja vu all over again.

Did you know the last regular order congressional budget was passed in September of 2007 for fiscal year 2008.  That’s it.  Every single year from 2008 to now has been a series of baseline budgeting, continuous resolutions and omnibus spending bills.

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The political branding and campaign team behind Florida Governor Ron DeSantis have structured a “Win with Ron 2024” strategy constructed around the politicization of the COVID-19 vaccine.  Yesterday, the team launched the effort through the governor’s office [Details Here].

The polarizing federal vaccine and mask mandates continue to create an opportunity for exploitation by political interests.  The WWR ’24 team see the opportunity within the republican base for Ron DeSantis to create a 2024 lane by presenting himself in alignment with medical autonomy in a similar vein that a candidate might create with strong support for the second amendment.

To accomplish this brand strategy, the people around DeSantis need to pretend the Florida Governor did not advocate for lockdowns and vaccines in 2020 and 2021; even going so far as to threaten the liquor licenses for non-compliant bars and restaurants.  Through a series of continuous and carefully organized drumbeats surrounding the later held position on medical freedom and autonomy, the WWR24 team attempt to rewrite history in advance of his 2024 GOP nomination announcement.

The branding and image strategy for Ron DeSantis has been carefully mapped since early 2022 and includes the coy game of pretending to be above the national political fray while simultaneously dropping into national political issues at carefully constructed moments.

COVID-19 has been poll-tested amid the base of the republican party and positions have been established based on surveyed responses.  That’s the background for a rollout that took place yesterday in Florida complete with the creation of a Florida Public Health Integrity Committee.  The Florida governor grabs headlines by asking for a state grand jury to “hold the federal government and Big Pharma accountable.”

The ‘medical freedom‘ rollout yesterday included a simultaneously timed 2024 election primary poll showing DeSantis with the highest favorability rating.

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