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 @ISIDEWITHNewsUnited StatesJoe BidenGovernment SpendingCNNU.S. Politicscampaign financeMedia FundingEthical Controversies•••1yr ago

U.S. Politics Entangled in Ethical Quandaries Over Campaign Finance and Media Funding

The United States is currently witnessing significant controversies surrounding the ethics of campaign finance and the proposed funding of media outlets with tax dollars. From Joe Biden's utilization of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to fund political campaign signs, to the broader accusation of elites from both political parties manipulating the system, the integrity of U.S. politics is under scrutiny. Additionally, the mayoral candidacy of Farrell has brought to light questionable campaign ethics, further complicating the landscape. Moreover, the proposal by some states to use state tax dollars to support local media outlets has sparked a debate about the role of government in journalism, raising concerns about the independence of the press and the potential for biased reporting.

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 @MinorityBobbyLibertarian from New York  commented…1yr1Y

It's really troubling to see how campaign finance and now the funding of media with tax dollars are turning into major ethical issues in U.S. politics. The idea that taxpayer money could be used to prop up certain political campaigns or media outlets just doesn't sit right with me. It feels like a direct path to government overreach and a serious threat to press independence. We should be pushing for more transparency and less government involvement in these areas, not the other way around.

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1yr1Y

Is it ethical for politicians to use public laws or funds for their own campaign benefits, or does it cross a line?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1yr1Y

How do you feel about using tax dollars to support local media outlets; could it threaten journalistic independence?

 @ISIDEWITHasked…1yr1Y

Do you believe campaign funds should have a cap to ensure a fairer election, and why?

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…1yr1Y

See how they run: Farrell’s questionable campaign ethics history

https://missionlocal.org

When it comes to campaign finance, the mayoral candidate has a record of playing fast and loose — or testing the limits of what’s allowed.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…1yr1Y

Dear Elites (of Both Parties), the People Will Take It From Here, Thanks

https://nytimes.com

A revolution is about to swallow U.S. politics, and it’s based on the simplest and most radical theory of power.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…1yr1Y

Political campaign signs paid with your tax dollars

https://highlandcountypress.com

Cool story Joe, but we all know you aren’t funding anything – you’re charging your trillion-dollar spending spree to taxpayers. As predicted, Biden is using the “Bipartisan Infrastructure Law” as a piggy bank to pay ... tax dollars on campaign ...

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…8mos8MO

Horror in Northern Gaza: U.S. Questions Israel After Civilians Slaughtered in Residential Attack

An Israeli strike on a residential building in northern Gaza killed dozens of people early Tuesday, the territory’s emergency service said, in the latest attack to cause mass casualties in the area since Israel renewed its offensive against Hamas in the north.The Palestinian Civil Defense, the emergency service, said at least 55 people were killed in the strike in the town of Beit Lahia. Gaza’s health ministry said at least 93 people were dead, including 25 children. The Israeli military said in a statement that it was “aware of reports that civilians were harmed” in the town and was looking into the details.Matt Miller, a U.S. State Department spokesman, called the strike “a horrifying incident with a horrifying result” and said the Biden administration had contacted the Israeli government to ask what happened.Israeli forces renewed their offensive in northern Gaza this month, saying they were trying to stem a regrouping of Hamas, the militant group that attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, sparking the war in Gaza.The strike comes days after another Israeli attack on a residential block in Beit Lahia that left dozens of people killed or wounded, according to the Palestinian Civil Defense. The Israeli military confirmed the strike on Sunday, saying that the air force had “conducted a precise strike” targeting Hamas fighters.An overnight Israeli airstrike hit another residential building in the town on Oct. 20, killing dozens of people, Palestinian officials and emergency workers said.Roughly 400,000 people remain in northern Gaza, according to the United Nations, and many have been trapped in their ruined neighborhoods.

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Active 3 days ago

 @ISIDEWITH submitted…8mos8MO

Death, Denial, and Silence: Inside China’s Push to Bury Zhuhai’s Devastating SUV Attack

Outside the sports center in the southern city of Zhuhai where a 62-year-old man had plowed an S.U.V. into a crowd, killing at least 35 people, workers on Wednesday quickly removed bouquets of flowers left by grieving residents. Uniformed police officers and officials in plainclothes shooed away bystanders and warned them not to take photos. At hospitals where patients were taken after the attack — at least 43 more people were injured — local officials sat outside the intensive care units, blocking journalists from speaking with family members.On the Chinese internet, censors were mobilized to delete videos, news articles and commentaries about the attack. Almost 24 hours had passed before officials divulged details about the assault, which happened on Monday, including the death toll. Their statement offered limited details, and they have held no news conferences.The response was a precise enactment of the Chinese government’s usual playbook after mass tragedies: Prevent any nonofficial voices, including eyewitnesses and survivors, from speaking about the event. Spread assurances of stability. Minimize public displays of grief.The goal is to stifle potential questions and criticism of the authorities, and force the public to move on as quickly as possible. And to a large degree, it appeared to be working.Though many residents of Zhuhai, the city of 2.4 million where the attack happened, were clearly shaken, they said on Wednesday they had not questioned the delay in information, attributing it to the government’s need to first sort out what had happened. A steady stream of people arrived by foot or taxi to lay flowers at the sports center’s entrance, but when officials took away the flowers and told the people not to linger, they quickly complied.Local governments have also vowed in recent months to spend more time screening for people who have experienced “failures,” after a spate of violent attacks, including several cases in which schoolchildren were stabbed.But officials were also clearly on the lookout for any deeper scrutiny of the Zhuhai killings. Videos and photos of the scene of the attack showed only as grayed-out squares on Weibo, a social media platform. Blog posts urging people not to treat violent attacks as isolated incidents, but rather to look deeper for potential social causes, disappeared.

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