Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by tptacek on Monday October 17, 2016 @02:14PM
(#12727635)
This argument depends on Trump being "less corrupt" than HRC. If you believe Trump is the anti-corruption candidate, you can plausibly argue that Assange is somehow justified in supporting a candidate who is calling for the death penalty for leakers. It won't be a strong argument, but it'll be coherent.
But very few observers of US politics believe Trump is the anti-corruption candidate. A more widely held belief is that he's the most corrupt major party nominee in the history of US politics.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by tanderson92 on Monday October 17, 2016 @04:20PM
(#12729289)
Widely held beliefs are not necessarily correct; it's strange to hold to that as the standard of what is a reasonable argument for Trump.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by tptacek on Monday October 17, 2016 @04:44PM
(#12729548)
If you believe Trump is less corrupt than Hillary Clinton, further support for Wikileaks makes sense.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by tanderson92 on Monday October 17, 2016 @10:41PM
(#12731612)
It depends what you consider to be corruption. I don't have any confidence that they will enact the policies they describe. Trump is a well-known charlatan and liar. Clinton, however, comes closer to corruption via corporate interests and wealthy friends.
Disclosure: I support neither candidate and will probably vote the Party for Socialism and Liberation this cycle.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by tptacek on Monday October 17, 2016 @11:13PM
(#12731740)
Fair enough. Sharpen the contradictions!
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by ovidnis on Monday October 17, 2016 @02:44PM
(#12727944)
I hear people saying the 'most corrupt candidate ever!' about both candidates. More about HRC than Trump though. For some reason I doubt both assertions.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by tptacek on Monday October 17, 2016 @02:45PM
(#12727952)
Look, if you're a Trump supporter, I exempt you from criticism about support for Wikileaks. As a Trump supporter, your support for Wikileaks is totally coherent.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by ovidnis on Monday October 17, 2016 @04:56PM
(#12729667)
I'm not a Trump supporter, I just don't think Trump is any more corrupt than HRC
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by throwaway729 on Monday October 17, 2016 @06:27PM
(#12730375)
Trump's corruption and naked greed is overt and out-in-the-open. He's even proud of it.
Clinton's happens in secret and is masked by insincerity, lies, etc.
I think there's a brain glitch at play here -- corruption in the style of Clinton feels more corrupt because it's secretive, even if the out-in-the-open corruption is just as bad or worse.
Re:Wikileaks: Julian Assange's internet access 'cut'
by effie on Monday October 17, 2016 @08:08PM
(#12730972)
George Carlin explained this phenomenon in a brilliant way:
https://youtu.be/bu3hy4OMX38?list=RD07w9K2XR3f0&t=265
Only this time, it seems the Clintons were trumped...
Assange is savvy enough to know their position inevitably supports Trump, but there isn't any reason to think if they viewed Trump as more corrupt they would be against him. So it is possible they take a principled position while wrongly accused of having a preference in who wins the election.