Conservative voices on social media have approached the topic of banning TikTok with extreme caution, noting that Congress seems hell-bent on regulating a social media app controlled by China but has done little to step in when the foreign adversary buys up American farmland or unleashes a pandemic.
For a body often known to work slowly to attain even the most minor of accomplishments, Congress moved rather swiftly in pushing for the TikTok ban.
On Thursday, the House Energy and Commerce Committee voted unanimously to advance a bill that could lead to TikTok being blocked in the United States to the full House.
On Tuesday, the full House had voted in a bipartisan manner, by a vote of 352-65, to pass the bill.
TikTok Ban Moving In A Hurry – Ask Yourself Why?
While the debate has been raging on whether to ban TikTok through years of banter and discourse, this is remarkably swift action considering other China-related concerns that have yet to be addressed.
One has to wonder why a sense of urgency on this matter in particular. Conservative social media personalities openly called that into question.
One of the most popular accounts on X, Catturd, pointed out the many things regarding China that Congress has essentially done nothing about.
“China released a virus onto the world – Congress does nothing,” they write. “China controls over 90% of Pharmaceutical drugs – Congress does nothing. Everything you buy in the United States says ‘made in China’ – Congress does nothing.”
“Ask yourself, why does Congress, who has let China walk all over us for years, suddenly want to do something but only about a social media app?”
It should be noted that the Chinese Government COVID-19 Accountability Act was introduced in the House on March 26, 2020. It was introduced again on January 31st, 2023.
The Act was brought forth by Representative Gregory Steube (R-FL). It is designed to “seek reimbursement from the People’s Republic of China of funds made available by the United States Government to address the Coronavirus Disease.”
It was referred to the House Foreign Affairs Committee and had just 11 co-sponsors in its 2020 form. And it was again referred to that committee in 2023, but now has zero co-sponsors.
It has gone nowhere.
And yet TikTok. Moved to ban. Less than 4 business days later.
What’s It Really About?
There is certainly a myriad of legitimate concerns related to TikTok and their Chinese Communist Party (CCP) associations.
Lawmakers from both parties have stated that TikTok’s alleged ownership by the Chinese tech company ByteDance (which seems to be in dispute) opens up its millions of American users to data collection by the CCP.
But this is the same Congress that repeatedly has allowed – and many demanded – nearly unlimited unconstitutional spying on the American people by the alphabet agencies. So again, do they really care about spying? Clearly not.
Further, it should raise red flags that both Democrats and Republicans are on board with the TikTok ban. Usually, such a coalition means they are not on the side of Americans but have an ulterior motive. See Ukraine, for example.
Do conservatives really agree with Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer?
Are We Ready To Give Up More Freedom?
Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard suggests the swift push to ban TikTok is more about controlling the flow of information. She also warns that it could open a Pandora’s Box.
“The TikTok ban is not about TikTok. Don’t be fooled. It’s about politicians having the power to decide what thoughts, ideas, and information Americans are allowed to hear and see,” she said on X.
“Will we, the American people, willingly give up our freedom in the name of safety?”
We got a taste of lawmakers and social media working together to control the flow of information in 2020. Reasonable takes on COVID were labeled ‘conspiracy theories’ and suppressed.
China couldn’t have been any happier watching it all.
Comedian Larry ‘The Cable Guy’ also chimed in and noted that the American government, which loves to spy on its own people, is seemingly dismayed at the competition.
“Today the House voted to force the Chinese owners of TikTok to sell the company because they don’t want them spying on our kids,” he said. “They want one of our companies to take over so an American company can spy on our kids.”
The problem as always is the slippery slope the government likes to slide down. If they can ban TikTok due to questionable ties to outside entities, could Elon Musk’s X also suffer the same fate?
How long do you think it will take Democrats to find a link between Elon Musk and a booster in another country?
Will those bans be right behind?
The vote to ban TikTok now moves to the Senate where its prospects are less clear.
Now is the time to support and share the sources you trust.
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