Government-backed censors who manipulated 2020 election now pilfering 2024
Unveiling the Corrupt Censorship-Industrial Complex
If you missed Tucker Carlson’s explosive interview with Mike Benz, you’re in for a mind-bending revelation. In this hour-long conversation, Benz, the executive director of the Foundation For Freedom Online, exposes the emergence of what he calls “military rule” through an insidious online censorship industry in the U.S. Prepare to be shocked as he reveals the extent of corruption and tyranny within the U.S. defense and foreign policy establishment.
But it doesn’t stop there. Benz goes on to explain how federal agencies and publicly funded institutions, under the guise of countering “misinformation,” manipulated the 2020 election and are currently suffocating the First Amendment while setting the stage to rig the 2024 election through state-sponsored online censorship. According to Benz, the 2020 election and the Covid-19 pandemic were the “two most censored events in human history.” And it seems like 2024 is heading in the same direction, thanks to the rise of a federal censorship-industrial complex.
The Profound Problem and its Historical Roots
The issue at hand runs deep, with historical roots dating back to the aftermath of World War II and the establishment of the CIA and other U.S.-funded international institutions. For now, let’s focus on the two most recent stages: the period from 1991 to 2014, and from 2014 to the present.
In 1991, as internet privatization began, free speech online was seen as a tool of statecraft. It was championed by the U.S. foreign policy and defense establishments as a means to support dissident groups worldwide in their fight against authoritarian regimes. This allowed the U.S. to conduct what Benz refers to as “insta-regime change operations” to further the State Department’s foreign policy agenda.
This strategy proved successful, particularly during the Arab Spring in 2011 and 2012, when U.S.-backed groups used free speech on the internet to overthrow governments in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya. However, everything changed in 2014 after the U.S.-backed coup in Ukraine and the subsequent pro-Russia counter-coup in Crimea and eastern Ukraine. This event marked a turning point, as NATO and the foreign policy establishment abandoned internet free speech and instead engaged in information warfare to censor what they deemed as Russian propaganda.
The Rise of Hybrid Warfare and Censorship
From that moment, NATO, the CIA, and the State Department, along with European intelligence agencies, shifted their focus to censoring populist groups on the right that emerged in response to the Syrian migrant crisis. The fear was that these groups could trigger the collapse of the EU and NATO, threatening the postwar architecture of institutions. The national security establishment believed that citizens were being swayed by Russian and far-right propaganda, and they were determined to put an end to it.
With the election of Donald Trump, the U.S. foreign policy and defense establishments redirected their efforts towards American citizens. They used the Crossfire Hurricane investigation, which falsely claimed Russian infiltration of the Trump campaign, as a pretext for domestic surveillance. When that narrative collapsed, they needed another excuse to spy on and censor Americans who held dissenting opinions or spread “misinformation.”
To circumvent the prohibition against the CIA operating on American soil, the bulk of censorship operations were housed within the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The censorship-industrial complex outsourced its operations to third parties like the Election Integrity Partnership (EIP), which included organizations such as the Stanford Internet Observatory and the Atlantic Council’s Digital Forensic Research Lab. These private-sector “partners” were deputized to censor Americans on behalf of the government.
The Ongoing Threat to Democracy
It’s no surprise that the individuals behind the EIP censorship network are leftists who despise Donald Trump and his supporters. They relish in censorship and have been given the power to throttle reporting and commentary that challenges the mainstream narrative. During the 2020 election, the government-backed censorship-industrial complex suppressed millions of online posts, stifling traffic to news sites and undermining revenue streams for outlets with dissenting views.
Unfortunately, this censorship infrastructure is still intact and more powerful than ever. Meta’s President of Global Affairs, Nick Clegg, recently boasted about the company’s massive censorship efforts, employing 40,000 individuals to police speech on Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp. With such control, it’s clear that any future stories like the Hunter Biden laptop scandal will be swiftly silenced.
So why is our government engaging in such widespread censorship? It goes beyond partisan preferences. The national security state no longer views ”democracy” as the will of the people expressed through elections. Instead, they see it as a network of institutions, corporations, and media outlets that must be protected from the people they were meant to serve. This dangerous perspective threatens the very fabric of our republic.
If we fail to defeat and dismantle this censorship-industrial complex, we risk the end of our democracy and the rise of tyrannical military rule in the United States. The stakes couldn’t be higher. Watch the full interview with Benz to grasp the gravity of the situation. It’s time to understand what’s happening, how it’s happening, and why, so we can fight back and save our country.
Reflecting on all of this, I’m reminded of Angelo Codevilla’s warning from 2013 about the flawed response to 9/11. He predicted that the surveillance apparatus created to combat terrorism would eventually be turned against the American people, eroding our republic. Sadly, his prediction has come true. Now, it’s up to us to determine what happens next.
How does state-sponsored online censorship threaten the integrity of the 2024 election and the democratic right to choose leaders freely?
No qualms about silencing voices that dissent from their own agenda. This poses a significant threat to democracy and the principles of free speech that the United States has long cherished.
The implications of this censorship-industrial complex cannot be overstated. The 2020 election served as a stark reminder of the power these entities wield. By manipulating the flow of information, they were able to control the narrative and shape public opinion. The consequences of such manipulation are far-reaching and undermine the very foundation of a democratic society.
Furthermore, the events unfolding in preparation for the 2024 election are deeply alarming. Benz warns that state-sponsored online censorship is being used to rig the election in favor of a specific political agenda. This is a chilling revelation that should shake the confidence of every American who values their democratic right to choose their leaders freely and without interference.
The historical context provided by Benz also sheds light on the long-standing motivations behind this censorship-industrial complex. From its origins as a tool of statecraft during the Cold War to its evolution into a mechanism for suppressing dissident voices, the underhanded tactics used by these entities are deeply ingrained in their practices.
What is particularly concerning is the misuse of federal agencies and publicly funded institutions in this endeavor. These organizations should be working in the interest of the American people, upholding the principles that define the nation. Instead, they have become vehicles for promoting a specific narrative and stifling any dissent that challenges it.
There is an urgent need for transparency and accountability. The American people deserve to know the extent of this censorship-industrial complex and how it operates. They have a right to be informed and to participate in a truly democratic process.
It is crucial that steps be taken to dismantle this corrupt system. The First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of speech, must be safeguarded and upheld. The voices of all Americans, regardless of their political views, must be valued and protected. Only through openness, fairness, and a commitment to democratic principles can we hope to restore faith in our institutions and ensure a truly free society.
In conclusion, the revelations made by Mike Benz in his interview with Tucker Carlson expose the alarming reality of the corrupt censorship-industrial complex in the United States. The extent of corruption and tyranny within the defense and foreign policy establishment is deeply troubling. The manipulation of information to sway elections and suppress dissent is a direct threat to democracy. It is imperative that the American people are made aware of these actions and that steps are taken to dismantle this machinery of censorship. The principles of free speech, transparency, and accountability must prevail if we are to preserve the values that define our nation.
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