The Manchester Free Press

Thursday • May 21 • 2026

Vol.XVIII • No.XXI

Manchester, N.H.

Syndicate content Granite Grok
News – Politics – Opinion – Podcasts
Updated: 10 min 46 sec ago

Watch As Middle America Become The Middle East

Wed, 2024-05-22 14:00 +0000

Joe Biden and the Democrats have been re-engineering our country. I am probably giving Biden too much credit. He is not a designer of the plan but a hapless tool to carry out the plan. This plan started in 2008 when Obama was elected and openly proclaimed his purpose to transform America.

This plan has many fronts, from the accelerated indoctrination of our children from K-16 to the irrational DEIJ movement that rewards boxes checked versus competency and finally to the manipulation of the electoral map by the placement of illegal migrants.

One of Biden’s first acts upon his election was to open our southern border and allow over ten million unvetted migrants from over 150 countries to enter our country. If these individuals were brought to one location in the United States, these people would form the 10th most populated state in our country. The people crossing the Rio Grande by foot were step one, and step two was flying illegals directly to predetermined destinations. The goal is to change the demographics of the Red States. The faster the Democrats can get these migrants to the polls. The better for the Democrats.

In what may be the final stage is the Democrat plan to bring millions of Palestinian refugees from Gaza to the Middle American states. These states have some of the lowest population numbers and are typically Conservative and Red-leaning. By inserting millions of people the Democrats feel will vote for the Left, they can quickly transform these Red fly-over states into Blue-voting machines.

There are many aspects to consider when importing refugees from Gaza.
First, there will be no way of vetting these people, and we know that not all Palestinians are terrorists, but all Hamas terrorists are Palestinians. We will have no way of discerning how many of the people we bring into Middle America will be terrorists hell-bent on taking down America or in sleeper cells ready to be awakened and activated. Secondly, we just went through weeks of unrest on college campuses with radical activists funding and coaching impressionable college students to protest for Palestine and Hamas and against Israel. These refugees will add fuel to that movement.

This engineering of future elections is the transformation that Barack Obama envisioned. By manipulating the population in selective states, the Left can guarantee there will never be a Republican elected President. Ironically, the Democrats yell about election suppression or interference. Yet, they have spent decades manipulating the election process in their favor. One hundred years, they are indoctrinating our young students, turning them off on America and capitalism and convincing them that Socialism is a superior system to live in.

Joe Biden should not be impeached. Joe Biden should be charged and tried for Treason against the United States. He has stomped on the Constitution, insulted and ignored the Supreme Court, and has been complicit with the Senate stalling any bills passed out of the House. His efforts to transform America have damaged American lives, smashed the dreams of our future, and made states and cities less safe for Americans to live comfortably. Biden and this Democrat plan must be stopped, and making sure that Biden does not get four more years in the Oval Office.

The post Watch As Middle America Become The Middle East appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Depopulationist Says ‘Quiet Part’ Outloud – Doesn’t Regret It

Wed, 2024-05-22 12:00 +0000

When a partisan faction committed to depopulation by other means openly admits that we’d be better off with fewer of us around, they mean it. Culling the wrong people out of the population has been a goal for over a century, and these social engineers openly support policies that prove it.

Abortion isn’t health care. It is a feature of a longstanding depopulation agenda. Progressives have long sought to reduce populations of people who are not like them.

Assisted suicide sounds like well-meaning empathy until you let them control it. It quickly becomes a subject of much debate as a means to relive the state of the homeless, mentally ill, and others whom they’ve long wanted to cull but lacked a way to do it without looking like who they really are.

The Climate movement has long been very clear on the need to reduce populations to save the planet but they never volunteer to go first. Who would make sure the right people remained if they lived by their own creed?

Professor Bill McGuire shared an observation the other day along these lines. A very casual, you know, if we’re serious about reducing emissions, people gonna have to die.

“If I am brutally honest, the only realistic way I see emissions falling as fast as they need to, to avoid catastrophic #climate breakdown, is the culling of the human population by a pandemic with a very high fatality rate

To summarize.

  1. He’s convinced that a trace gas incapable of warming the planet as advertised will be the end of the world.
  2. We must reduce the emissions of that gas to prevent a global catastrophe.
  3. Culling (killing) human beings is the only honest way to prevent planetary doom.
  4. There is no other way to get there from here.

When called out on this, he did what you’d expect. He accused everyone of taking him out of context and twisting his words.

The only thing in this response that matters is that he doesn’t regret it, which I believe. I feel certain he thinks people need to die to satisfy his perception of the effect of emissions on climate. The rest is rubbish.

The only person who has taken his meaning the wrong way is Bill McGuire because this sort of thinking is part of his movement’s collective consciousness. It is no less a fact that 0.04% of the atmosphere has more influence on waring than the sun, solar mechanics, and water vapor.

It is also true that the political catalysts of the movement, the ones who keep the climate fear messaging funded, are ideologically descended from social engineers whose rhetoric has inspired past cullings of the human population. Leaders who share other commonalities like the need for a command and control economy managed by the Government and a police state to keep order when the humans they have not yet culled (but will be for dissenting) discover how badly they’ve been screwed.

Bill is a useful idiot.

Regardless of whether you agree with his science, he aids and abets despotism, whose logical conclusion is the systematic culling of the population when it does not fully align with the goals of the State or dares to challenge it.

Bill and his climate theory is a bigger threat to humanity (human rights, justice, liberty, and prosperity) than CO2.

 

The post Depopulationist Says ‘Quiet Part’ Outloud – Doesn’t Regret It appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Congrats to Comment of the Week Winner, Martina Vaslovik

Wed, 2024-05-22 11:00 +0000

I picked seven possible winners, and you voted. This week’s comment of the week goes to Martina Vaslovik.

Congratulations to Martina – please email steve@granitegrok.com.

Here’s the winning comment.

Post: Scientists” Testing One-Jab-To-Kill-Them-All ‘Vaccine’ to Fight Multiple “Coronaviruses”

Martina Vaslovik There has never been any efficacious vaccine for any form of coronavirus, ever. There has never been any cure for the common cold, which is caused by a coronavirus, specifically rhinovirus 39. What they are hawking is not even a vaccine, which is made from an attenuated virus, it’s gene therapy using mRNA, to do God knows what to us, and it’s killed millions so far. They cannot make a vaccine for the *alleged* covid virus because it does not exist. It has not been isolated by anyone anywhere in the world four years later and the CCP conveniently announced they had ordered the original specimens destroyed. It’s my belief that COVID19, or the idea of it, originated not in Wuhan, but in Davos with Klaus Schwab and his merry men, who when they came out with their Great Reset’s pie chart had COVID19 smack in the middle of it and lauded it as a narrow window of opportunity to change the world. Note also that Klaus Schwab’s buddy Yuval Noah Harari has put us all on notice telling us “Frankly we really don’t need the vast majority of you.” Should that not tell us something? Dr. Derek Knauss: “When my lab team and I subjected the 1500 supposedly positive Covid-19 samples to Koch’s postulates and put them under an SEM (electron microscope), we found NO Covid in all 1500 samples. We found that all 1500 samples were primarily Influenza A, and some Influenza B, but no cases of Covid. We did not use the bulls*** PCR test.’ At 7 universities not once COVID detected. ‘This virus is fictitious’ ‘I still need to find one viable sample with Covid-19 to work with. We who conducted the lab test with these 1500 samples at the 7 universities are now suing the CDC for Covid-19 fraud. The CDC still has not sent us a viable, isolated and purified sample of Covid-19. If they can’t or won’t, then I say there is no Covid-19. It’s fictional.’ ‘The four research papers describing the genome extracts of the Covid-19 virus never managed to isolate and purify the samples. All four papers describe only small pieces of RNA that are only 37 to 40 base pairs long. That is NOT a VIRUS. A viral genome normally has 30,000 to 40,000 base pairs.’ ‘Now that Covid-19 is supposedly so bad everywhere, how come not one lab in the world has completely isolated and purified this virus? That’s because they never really found the virus. All they ever discovered were small pieces of RNA that were not identified as the virus anyway. So what we’re dealing with is just another flu strain, just like every year. Covid-19 does not exist and is fictitious.’ Which brings us to this: Seasonal Flu Cases in the US 2012-2013 34,000,000 2013-2014 30,000,000 2014-2015 30,000,000 2015-2016 24,000,000 2016-2017 29,000,000 2017-2018 45,000,000 2018-2019 36,000,000 2019-2020 38,000,000 2020-2021 1,822 Draw your own conclusions…

The post Congrats to Comment of the Week Winner, Martina Vaslovik appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

How to Buy Clothes Profitably in the USA with Delivery to Poland by Polonez America

Wed, 2024-05-22 10:30 +0000

When you purchase clothes from the United States, it may be extremely lucrative, in particular if you exploit outlet online stores and actual bargains on designer clothes.

Polonez America (https://polonezamerica.com/en/online-shopping-in-usa) makes this process hassle-free by helping you to shop smart and having your purchases delivered to Poland within a short period of time. This guide shows how to buy low-priced clothing in the USA and have it delivered to Poland.

Shop from Outlet Online Stores in the USA

Start by checking out outlets in America. These are stores where branded items are sold at high discounts, enabling one to get them at a fraction of their retail price. To maximize savings, look for clothing sales and real discounts.

Use Polonez America’s Warehouse Address

In the course of making an order, enter Polonez America’s warehouse address as your shipping address. It lets you consolidate purchases and avail yourself of their shipping services.

Register on Polonez America’s Website

After placing your order, register on Polonez America’s website. Add the tracking number and contents of your order to your account. By doing so, Polonez America will be able to follow up on your package and make all necessary preparations for its arrival.

Receive Notification and Measurements

When your order reaches Polonez America’s warehouse, they measure size and weight again and notify you when they receive new measurements.

Create and Pay for Shipment to Poland

Using this information, create a shipment to Poland via Polonez’s website, paying for it too.

Tips for Buying Clothes Profitably in the USA
  • Seek Outlets and Sales: Focus on outlet stores or seasonal sales where branded items can be found with huge discounts.
  • Compare Prices: Ensure that when looking at prices for different things, use comparison tools/applications which will guarantee the best deals.
  • Group Purchases: Multiple purchases can be combined into one shipment, thus decreasing shipping costs and allowing you to fully benefit from Polonez America services.
  • Stay Updated on Discounts: Signing up for newsletters from your favorite online stores will help you get news about upcoming sales, exclusive discounts etc.
Advantages of Using Polonez America
  • Efficient Warehouse Service: Polonez provides a reliable warehouse address in the USA for your orders.
  • Consolidation of Shipments: Shipping costs also can be lowered if you consolidate many orders into a single shipment.
  • Professional Handling: All parcels are measured, processed and shipped with accuracy.
Conclusion

Thus, shopping for clothes in the US is profitable and easy with Polonez America. The use of online outlet stores, real discounts, and efficient delivery services offered by Polonez America will allow you to save great on branded items.

The post How to Buy Clothes Profitably in the USA with Delivery to Poland by Polonez America appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

For Democrats, Justice is a One-Way Street

Wed, 2024-05-22 10:00 +0000

Most people would agree that no free society can survive without a fair, unbiased justice system, one in which everyone is treated equally and no one is above the law. While so many governments around the world are rife with corruption and unequal justice, most Americans agree that, while imperfect, our judicial system has always been the best there is.

After all, we have all the safeguards in place to help ensure integrity in our government and fairness in our justice system. First, there’s our Constitution and our three co-equal branches of government. And we have a free press, intended to serve as the conscience of our government. Then there are the people, citizens who have always banded together to stand against government corruption.

Of course, all that came crashing down for several years while our nation was still young. Less than 100 years after its birth, America became a deeply divided nation, and those divisions erupted into a bloody war between the states.

After the Civil War, it took time for our country to get back on the right track, but Americans eventually did come together to create a world superpower, accomplishing some incredible things – militarily, socially, medically, and scientifically.

But it seems that the very same political party that fought so fiercely to preserve slavery is unhappy with America’s success. Democrats have vowed to fundamentally transform our country. Once again they’re on the wrong side of history, the wrong side of morality. They’re using any means at their disposal to transform our country, and it has again created deep divisions among us. Now, the Democrat Party has begun abusing its political power in a way that would make banana republics envious. It’s employing our justice system as a weapon against its political opponents.

Democrats have always had a tenuous relationship with the law enforcement community. They envision themselves as defenders of the oppressed, and they generally perceive police as oppressors. That was especially apparent during the widespread BLM riots in the summer of 2020. Nearly every Democrat supported the anarchy, calling the riots mostly peaceful protests. Our future vice president even helped bail out some of the protestors. At the same time, they were stereotyping all law enforcement officers as racist. So began their insane movement to defund the police.

But in 2021, that same party discovered how to make the justice system work for them.

On January 6th of that year, a group of protesters, enraged by several unresolved election irregularities, stormed the U.S. Capitol. Democrats saw an opportunity. They redefined the protest as an “insurrection” and brought the full weight of our justice system down on anyone who was there.

But they didn’t stop there. They wanted Donald Trump’s head.

Today we see profoundly biased Democrat prosecutors and judges pretending that they’re above political influence. And hateful, like-minded Democrats close their eyes to their abuses of power, telling themselves that everything is on the up-and-up and that the justice system is working exactly as it should.

But they know exactly what’s really going on. To paraphrase Joe Biden himself, they may be fanatical Democrats, but they’re not stupid.

They know that Democrat lawmakers were in such haste to impeach President Trump, not once, but an unprecedented two times, that they did it without any investigation. Both impeachments lacked merit and failed.

They know that the endless Democrat-controlled hearings on the January 6th incident served no purpose other than to hurt Trump.

They know that the four indictments and 91 individual charges filed against a former president are also unprecedented. They know that the Democrat prosecutors don’t even try to conceal their contempt for him.

They also know that those charges against Trump represent brazen examples of both selective prosecution and election interference.

For when Democrats sanctimoniously parrot the phrase, “No one is above the law,” they’re forgetting the bizarre explanations they invented to defend Democrat politicians who stepped outside the law.

First, there’s this gem: “No reasonable prosecutor would take this case.” Then there were these assurances about Biden’s theft of classified documents: “They were safely locked in his garage with his prized Corvette.” On the bribery allegations? “It’s not influence peddling if the bribes only go to his family members.” And there was the congressman who suggested that Biden, his wayward son and “business associate,” arranged a conference call to “talk about the weather.”  Sometimes outright lies worked best for them: “The border is secure.”

But Democrats, handicapped by blind hatred, see nothing out of the ordinary in those unrelenting attacks on President Trump. Objective, clear-thinking Americans see a different picture. They can only conclude that they’re witnessing a political feeding frenzy – not the even-handed administration of justice.

As Democrats continue tinkering with our justice system, they’re engaging in an incredibly dangerous gambit. When citizens start to question the fairness of their justice system, when they believe it’s been corrupted, they lose respect for it. That inevitably leads to social unrest, widespread anarchy, and the eventual disintegration of society. Many would say it’s already begun.

The post For Democrats, Justice is a One-Way Street appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Introduction to Hydroluxx Facial

Wed, 2024-05-22 09:00 +0000

In the ever-evolving world of skincare, the Hydroluxx Facial has emerged as a revolutionary treatment. Combining advanced technology with the fundamentals of skin hydration and rejuvenation, this facial offers a comprehensive solution for those seeking radiant and healthy skin. Unlike traditional facials, the Hydroluxx Facial uses a unique blend of water, oxygen, and serums to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate the skin deeply.

What is a Hydroluxx Facial?

A Hydroluxx Facial is a non-invasive skincare treatment designed to cleanse, exfoliate, and hydrate the skin. It utilizes a specialized device that delivers a combination of water and oxygen at high pressure, along with nutrient-rich serums. This process helps to remove dead skin cells, unclog pores, and infuse the skin with essential nutrients. The result is a refreshed, glowing complexion with improved texture and tone.

The Process of a Hydroluxx Facial
  1. Cleansing: The treatment begins with a thorough cleansing to remove any makeup, oil, and impurities from the skin’s surface. This step ensures that the skin is prepared for the subsequent stages of the facial.
  2. Exfoliation: Next, a gentle exfoliation is performed using the Hydroluxx device. This step helps to remove dead skin cells and unclog pores, allowing for better absorption of the serums and nutrients that will be applied later.
  3. Extraction: The device then uses a combination of water and suction to extract blackheads, whiteheads, and other impurities from the pores. This step is crucial for achieving a clear and smooth complexion.
  4. Hydration: After the extraction, the skin is infused with a customized blend of serums and nutrients. These serums are tailored to the individual’s skin type and concerns, providing hydration, anti-aging benefits, and protection against environmental damage.
  5. Oxygenation: Finally, the skin is treated with a burst of oxygen, which helps to further enhance the absorption of the serums and stimulate collagen production. This step leaves the skin looking plump, radiant, and revitalized.
Benefits of a Hydroluxx Facial

The Hydroluxx Facial offers numerous benefits, making it a popular choice among skincare enthusiasts:

  • Deep Cleansing: The combination of water, oxygen, and suction helps to thoroughly cleanse the skin, removing impurities and unclogging pores.
  • Exfoliation: Gentle exfoliation removes dead skin cells, promoting cell turnover and revealing a brighter, more even complexion.
  • Hydration: The infusion of serums and nutrients provides deep hydration, which is essential for maintaining healthy, youthful-looking skin.
  • Anti-Aging: The oxygenation step stimulates collagen production, helping to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Customized Treatment: The serums used in the Hydroluxx Facial are tailored to the individual’s skin type and concerns, ensuring optimal results.
  • Non-Invasive: Unlike some other skincare treatments, the Hydroluxx Facial is non-invasive and requires no downtime, making it a convenient option for those with busy schedules.
Who Can Benefit from a Hydroluxx Facial?

The Hydroluxx Facial is suitable for a wide range of skin types and concerns. It is particularly beneficial for individuals with:

  • Acne-Prone Skin: The deep cleansing and extraction steps help to reduce breakouts and prevent future acne.
  • Dry or Dehydrated Skin: The infusion of hydrating serums provides much-needed moisture, leaving the skin soft and supple.
  • Aging Skin: The collagen-boosting effects of the oxygenation step help to minimize fine lines and wrinkles.
  • Dull or Uneven Skin Tone: Exfoliation and hydration work together to improve skin texture and tone, resulting in a radiant complexion.
Conclusion

The Hydroluxx Facial represents a significant advancement in skincare technology, offering a comprehensive solution for achieving healthy, glowing skin. By combining deep cleansing, gentle exfoliation, and intense hydration, this treatment addresses a wide range of skin concerns and delivers noticeable results. Whether you are looking to combat acne, reduce signs of aging, or simply maintain a healthy complexion, the Hydroluxx Facial is a worthwhile addition to your skincare routine. Its non-invasive nature and customized approach make it suitable for individuals of all skin types, ensuring that everyone can enjoy the benefits of this innovative facial treatment.

The post Introduction to Hydroluxx Facial appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Night Cap: “What is the most important thing that GraniteGrok has brought to NH?”

Wed, 2024-05-22 02:00 +0000

A wee bit late in coming – yes! Last October, we had our first Groktoberfest. A time for Conservatarian (Conservative & Libertarian) activists to come together to yak, eat, and listen to a few people tell us their stories (and raise some money).

At that event, I announced my retirement from the ‘Grok, which I had founded in 2006. Family issues that HAD to take priority. With that, I went into that Quiet Night and didn’t write anything until last week.

My keyboard went silent, so it has taken seven months (I was actually only semi-retired) to process and post this (and the following) video clip.

Given that Groktoberfest was about GraniteGrok and the 18 years that we’ve been serving NH, the micro-interview question for Rep. Jim Kofalt (Grokster and 603 Alliance Board member) was, “What was the reason all these folks returned, time after time after time, to read our opinions, hear about our political activism, and ride along with investigations we had done over the years?”

Short and to the point:

!function(r,u,m,b,l,e){r._Rumble=b,r[b]||(r[b]=function(){(r[b]._=r[b]._||[]).push(arguments);if(r[b]._.length==1){l=u.createElement(m),e=u.getElementsByTagName(m)[0],l.async=1,l.src="https://rumble.com/embedJS/u359331"+(arguments[1].video?'.'+arguments[1].video:'')+"/?url="+encodeURIComponent(location.href)+"&args="+encodeURIComponent(JSON.stringify([].slice.apply(arguments))),e.parentNode.insertBefore(l,e)}})}(window, document, "script", "Rumble");

Rumble("play", {"video":"v4twzxt","div":"rumble_v4twzxt"});

More coming

The post Night Cap: “What is the most important thing that GraniteGrok has brought to NH?” appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Why Should You Fly to Houston for Addiction Rehab Instead of Staying in New Hampshire?

Wed, 2024-05-22 01:00 +0000

When it comes to overcoming addiction, the decision to seek help is a monumental step. But choosing the right place for treatment can be just as crucial. If you’re living in New Hampshire and considering rehab, you might not have thought about traveling out of state. Specifically, Houston, Texas, offers unique advantages that could make your recovery journey more successful. Here’s why hopping on a plane to Houston might be the best decision for your addiction rehab.

Escape Damaging Triggers and Environments

Breaking free from addiction often requires a fresh start, far away from the environment where the addiction took root. Houston offers a complete change of scenery, helping you escape the familiar places and faces associated with your substance use. Staying close to home might mean you’re constantly surrounded by triggers that could lead to relapse. By traveling to Houston, you remove yourself from these distractions, giving you the space to focus solely on your recovery.

Houston’s diverse landscape, from bustling city life to serene parks and green spaces, provides a variety of settings to support your healing. The city’s size and diversity also mean you’ll find a range of activities and support systems to help you build a new, healthier lifestyle. Whether you prefer the calm of nature or the energy of a big city, Houston has something to offer that can aid your recovery process.

Access to Top-Tier Medical Professionals and Facilities

Houston is home to some of the nation’s leading medical facilities and professionals specializing in addiction treatment. This access to top-tier healthcare is one of the strongest reasons to consider rehab in Houston. The city boasts numerous world-class hospitals and treatment centers with experts who are well-versed in the latest addiction therapy techniques and technologies.

Preventing drug addiction relapse is often a matter of receiving the right care at the right time. Houston’s medical community is equipped with cutting-edge resources and offers numerous different treatment options that might not be available in New Hampshire. From detox programs to intensive inpatient therapy, you can find comprehensive care tailored to your specific needs. The quality of medical support in Houston increases your chances of a successful recovery.

Strong Support Networks and Aftercare Programs

Recovery doesn’t end when you complete a rehab program; ongoing support is vital for maintaining sobriety. Houston offers extensive aftercare programs and support networks designed to help individuals transition from rehab back to everyday life. These programs include everything from sober living homes to outpatient therapy and support groups.

Joining a strong support network in Houston can make all the difference in staying sober. The city has a thriving recovery community where you can connect with others who understand what you’re going through. These connections provide emotional support, practical advice, and a sense of belonging that can be incredibly beneficial as you navigate life after rehab. Plus, being in a new city can help you build a fresh network of sober friends and activities, reinforcing your commitment to a healthier lifestyle.

The Benefits of Specialized Holistic Rehab Programs

In Houston, you’ll find a variety of specialized programs that take a holistic, whole person, approach to addiction recovery. This means they treat the physical aspects of addiction alongside the crucial mental, emotional, and spiritual components. Holistic rehab programs in Houston might include therapies like yoga, meditation, art therapy, and acupuncture, alongside traditional treatments like counseling and medication-assisted therapy.

The value of a specialized holistic rehab program lies in its comprehensive approach to healing. These programs recognize that addiction affects every part of a person’s life, and therefore, recovery should address all these areas. By focusing on the whole person, holistic rehab in Houston can help you build a more balanced and fulfilling life. Whether it’s through mindfulness practices that reduce stress or creative therapies that allow for emotional expression, these programs offer tools that can be vital for long-term sobriety.

Cost-Effective and Comprehensive Care

While the idea of traveling to another state for rehab might seem expensive, Houston offers cost-effective options that can provide significant value. Many treatment centers in Houston offer high-quality care at prices that are competitive or even lower than those in other parts of the country. This affordability doesn’t mean a compromise in the quality of care; rather, it reflects the broad range of options available.

Comprehensive care in Houston means you’ll have access to various treatment modalities under one roof. This can include detox, residential treatment, outpatient programs, and aftercare support. The convenience of receiving all these services in one place can streamline your recovery process and reduce the stress of coordinating multiple aspects of your treatment. Plus, some rehab centers in Houston work with insurance providers to help cover the costs, making it more accessible for those who need financial assistance.

The post Why Should You Fly to Houston for Addiction Rehab Instead of Staying in New Hampshire? appeared first on Granite Grok.

Categories: Blogs, New Hampshire

Is Congress About To Destroy The Internet?

Wed, 2024-05-22 00:00 +0000

Is this the end of Section 230, a law that shields tech companies from liability for the third-party content they host? Will the sky fall without 230?

Recently, the House Energy and Commerce Committee proposed a bipartisan bill that would sunset Section 230 at the end of 2025: “Our bill gives Big Tech a choice: Work with Congress to ensure the internet is a safe, healthy place for good, or lose Section 230 protections entirely.”

While the 230 “experts” will have a lot to say on this topic, as an engineer, I prefer to start with real-world examples, not abstract talking points that sound nice on Twitter but don’t work in real life.

Let’s start with how Section 230 affected the child-porn victims in Doe v. Twitter (N.D. Cal. 2021).

In a nightmare for any parent, the victims encountered a perpetrator on Snapchat who pretended to be a 16-year-old girl. After this perpetrator enticed the victims to send nude photos, they extorted the victims to send even more explicit content. The perpetrator then posted this child porn on Twitter; the victims learned about it from their classmates.

Despite numerous reports from multiple users, Twitter did nothing — even after asking for and receiving a copy of one victim’s ID. They only changed their tune when a federal agent intervened.

The victims then sued, credibly alleging that Twitter violated federal child porn laws. Twitter, for its part, did not contest those allegations. They merely argued that Section 230 barred the victims’ legal claim. The court agreed.

Yet when Congress tried to fix that problem with EARN-IT — a bill that would carve federal and state child-porn laws out of 230 — the 230 “experts” reacted like it was a five-alarm fire, resorting to a dirty playbook of tactics that rivaled the nastiness of the net neutrality debates.

Groups like the Taxpayers Protection Alliance spread four-Pinocchio lies about EARN-IT, such as this whopper: “If platforms choose not to encrypt data, the bill requires them to track and identify all users for age verification purposes.” This claim is so far from the truth that the only appropriate response is the “everyone in this room is now dumber” rant from “Billy Madison.”

And may God have mercy on the souls of the 230 “experts” who consider it wise to resort to dirty tactics on a bill meant to stop child porn. Even the Big Tech companies would never tarnish their brand by directly engaging in those sorts of tactics. Instead, they do it indirectly via their trade associations like NetChoice. If it feels like Congress is just throwing its hands up in the air with this proposal to sunset 230, it would be easy to understand why.

So what happens if Section 230 disappears not just for child-porn laws, but for every law? Would the sky fall? No. Not at all. Even without 230’s shield, you still need a sword: a valid cause of action. If you can’t prove that a tech company violated the law, a lawsuit is dead on arrival, with or without 230.

In reality, many frivolous lawsuits that get quickly dismissed due to 230 would still get quickly dismissed without 230, as they don’t credibly allege a violation of any law. Under federal civil procedure, the defendant will win an early motion to dismiss under rule 12(b)(6) if the plaintiff fails to state a claim; this is the same stage at which lawsuits typically get dismissed due to 230.

Claims that censorship of conservatives will increase without 230 are also balderdash. No law makes “disinformation” or “hate speech” illegal — and such a law would violate the First Amendment anyway. There are laws for real problems like child porn, though. Realistically, without 230, there would be more moderation of real problems and less censorship of fake problems.

(The 230 “experts” will quickly point out here that 230 has an exception for federal criminal law. What they often leave out, though, is that this exception only applies to criminal prosecutions by law enforcement. As the child-porn victims in Doe v. Twitter already know, this exception does not apply to civil lawsuits for the same conduct.)

Let’s also dispense with the myth that Section 230 is the “Internet’s First Amendment.” Even without 230, the actual First Amendment would still apply. As a corollary, even without 230, tech companies could not be held strictly liable for every piece of third-party content that they host; strict liability is already unconstitutional per Smith v. California (1959).

If we do repeal and replace 230, though, what should we replace it with? Conservatives, after all, are well-known for using the phrase “repeal and replace” without figuring out the “replace” part. In tech policy, two themes will frequently recur. The first common-sense theme can be summarized in one sentence: “If it’s illegal offline, it should be illegal online.”

The second theme is a uniform national policy. Simply put, the difference between a local coffee shop and a tech startup is that data frequently crosses state lines and coffee does not. As a result, tech companies — both big and small — can get stuck with a patchwork of state laws, which can impose a significant regulatory burden. In a scenario straight out of the song “Hotel California,” if a startup checks out of California and moves to Florida, it may not be able to leave California’s laws behind.

These two themes point to a simple solution: Section 230 should not apply to any federal law. This compromise would protect tech companies from drowning in an endless sea of conflicting state laws, while ensuring that at the federal level, anything that is illegal offline will be illegal online. (Section 230 and state law is a much more nuanced topic.)

In a world where citizens’ voices are often silenced by tech companies’ woke trust and safety departments, things can only get better when those companies are instead governed by laws created by democratic institutions that give every citizen a voice.

 

Mike Wacker is a software engineer and technologist who has previously served as tech fellow in Congress. Follow him on X.com at @m_wacker.

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