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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBill Kristol tweet re:Fox liability
Last edited Tue Feb 1, 2022, 12:39 PM - Edit history (1)
Link to tweet
If tobacco companies were guilty of knowingly promoting falsehoods that led to early deaths, shouldn't Fox be liable for anti-vaccination falsehoods that have led to early deaths? Both did it for profit. And Fox suits and stars know the truth as surely as tobacco execs ever did.
Phoenix61
(16,950 posts)Considering FOX was requiring their own employees to be vaxed seems like a slam dunk.
Fla Dem
(23,347 posts)dchill
(38,320 posts)onenote
(42,374 posts)Folks should study the history of the tobacco litigation.
Grins
(7,128 posts)Took years to do it, though.
bringthePaine
(1,726 posts)SallyHemmings
(1,813 posts)This could be way to finally break the company & their so called stars.
Name each individual, take their home.
KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)jaxexpat
(6,701 posts)Or maybe his targeted windmill just gave up and withdrew defeated.
Or maybe he was dusting a mirror and "SHAZAAM".
Or maybe he climbed to the mountain top, saw God and God told him to get off his "me-damned" mountain.
There is, I suppose, the possibility that he has actually seen that there are actors, actions and attitudes too bad to be allowed forbearance. They're blazing away at civilization 24/7 in a conservo-world he helped build. Maybe he feels compelled to condemn it. Which would be a bit more believable if he'd start by crawling out on his knees, wearing a sack cloth onesie and rubbing ashes on his face. Re-imagining oneself is no substitute for repentance.
KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)Plus he's doing everything he can to ensure that happens. One of the few real patriots from the other side of
the aisle, like Liz Cheney.
maddiemom
(5,106 posts)I used to despise the man. I also can now tolerate Liz Cheney, as well. HELP ME!
KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)Goes back to the enemy of my enemy is my friend.
maddiemom
(5,106 posts)I used to despise the man. I can now tolerate Liz Cheney, as well. HELP ME!
PatSeg
(46,787 posts)when I would agree with Bill Kristol so often. It is like living in an alternate universe.
czarjak
(11,191 posts)PatSeg
(46,787 posts)ever acknowledge their own contributions to the madness.
KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)PatSeg
(46,787 posts)Stuart Stevens wrote a book about it, "It Was All a Lie: How the Republican Party Became Donald Trump", acknowledging his part in creating what the republican party has become.
It Was All a Lie is not just an indictment of the Republican Party, but a candid and often lacerating mea culpa. Stevens is not asking for pity or forgiveness; he is simply telling us what he has seen firsthand. He helped to create the modern party that kneels before a morally bankrupt con man and now he wants nothing more than to see what it has become burned to the ground. (From Amazon's summary of the book)
At least some of them know it was lie, a very dangerous lie and are trying to make up for the many mistakes they made.
KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)Will look into buying, hope he has suggestions on how to combat the creature he helped create.
On a side note, whenever I see one of your replies, I think of Vanna White.
PatSeg
(46,787 posts)and really appreciate his honesty. Its not always easy to admit you are wrong, especially if it has been for decades.
Vanna White?
KS Toronado
(16,901 posts)His is Sajak, I thought it started Seg. My bad, sorry.
PatSeg
(46,787 posts)I can see that now. I wasn't thinking of Sajak, just Vanna White and words. Got my brain humming though.
OMGWTF
(3,894 posts)Like that stupid cop who told WA Gov. Inslee to kiss his ass when he got fired for not taking the vaccine. He's now dead from Covid. Judging from his behavior, I'm guessing he was a MAGAt and a Fux News watcher.
Initech
(99,910 posts)Literally every single death since last May when the vaccines became available, if you look at awardee's post histories, nearly every single one is someone who spouts MAGA crap or is a dyed in the wool Trump supporter. Trump and Fox are responsible for at least the 400,000 who have been killing themselves since then.
brooklynite
(93,844 posts)Tobacco companies lied about tobacco deaths in support of selling tobacco. What is the benefit that comes from misleading the audience about COVID vaccinations that accrues to Fox News.
JudyM
(29,122 posts)specifically motivated them to outright and systematically lie. Was it simply for drama/ratings? Or something more nefarious? Since they did it systematically despite knowing it was false, they clearly were getting some benefit.
Captain Zero
(6,714 posts)Advertising is what Fox sells.
lagomorph777
(30,613 posts)This is a no-brainer. Millions of MAGA eyeballs equal billions in profits.
Torchlight
(3,233 posts)calimary
(80,693 posts)And they should be forced to change their company name.
Its NOT news they broadcast. News coverage is supposed to be OBJECTIVE, which makes it trustworthy. Theyre a fucking slanted propaganda outfit.
Fox Propaganda Network, or maybe Fox Entertainment Network. Either one would pass the accuracy test.
They cite the first amendment, which is rather a vague defense.
I would cite the Truth in Advertising Act, which is not.
GB_RN
(2,267 posts)"No reasonable person could take what [their TV personalities] say[s] literally", and then the judge will say, "Not guilty."
Faux's lawyers have made this argument in every defamation case, etc, and that's how they get off. The problem is, the judge and you and I, we're "reasonable" and see through the bullshit, but their audience is totally different: Their audience thinks that they're the reasonable people and we're the insane ones. And the suits at Faux play it up for profits, laughing all the way to the bank. And these assholes are never held accountable because of that "reasonable person" standard under the 1st Amendment.
bhikkhu
(10,708 posts)now that it is general knowledge that Fox's viewing base is largely not reasonable, nor intelligent enough to know the difference between absurd lies and simple truths. If they knew the difference they wouldn't be watching that nonsense in the first place.
Taking advantage of mentally challenged people while also doing them objective harm should be a crime in itself.
GB_RN
(2,267 posts)For you or I, we'd definitely get sent to jail for it. But for guys like Rupert Murdoch, those standards don't apply.
For example, when Rush Windbag got caught with fake oxycontin prescriptions, did he go to jail like you or I would? Did any of the tobacco execs go to jail for doing exactly what Murdoch has done (or even pay a dime out of their own pockets as compensation)? Nope. Wanna know why? They didn't steal from other rich people (aka, do "financial crimes" ). Bernie Madoff went to jail for his crimes because he made the mistake of stealing from rich people. If you're rich and you do financial crimes (which can just run the risk of stealing from other rich people, not necessarily do so), they'll definitely make an example of you.
uponit7771
(90,225 posts)Tickle
(2,461 posts)not to get vaccinated? I don't watch it so I am asking
BobTheSubgenius
(11,535 posts)When did Bill Kristol start making sense?
Initech
(99,910 posts)They need to answer for this. I would love to see Hannity, Ingraham, Carlson, and Pirro dragged before a senate subcommittee.
FakeNoose
(32,335 posts)Wikipedia says Bill Kristol started out as a Dem and switched to the Repukes in 1980. Now he's back again, maybe for good this time? He has definitely slammed the door on Faux Noise, they'll never have him back on again.
(link) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_Kristol