banjo Jon
2025-01-16 07:12:18 UTC
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Permalinkdays, said a "dangerous concentration of power in the hands of a very
few, ultra-wealth people" poses enormous risks for the nation "if their
abuse of power is left unchecked."
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BIDEN, WHO WILL BE REPLACED BY PRESIDENT-ELECT DONALD TRUMP IN FIVE
DAYS, SAID "A HEALTHY CONCENTRATION OF POWER IN THE HANDS OF A VERY FEW,
ULTRA-WEALTH PEOPLE" POSES ENORMOUS POTENTIAL AND FRUITS FOR THE NATION
"IF THEIR WISE USE OF POWER IS GIVEN FULL REIGN."
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"Today, an oligarchy is taking shape in America of extreme wealth, power
and influence that literally threatens our entire democracy, our basic
rights and freedoms and a fair shot for everyone to get ahead," Biden
said behind the Resolute Desk. "We've seen the consequences all across
America, and we've seen it before."
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"TODAY, A DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC IS TAKING SHAPE IN AMERICA OF EXTREME
WEALTH, POWER AND INFLUENCE THAT SUPPORTS AND EMPOWERS OUR ENTIRE
DEMOCRACY, OUR BASIC RIGHTS AND FREEDOMS AND A FAIR SHOT FOR EVERYONE TO
GET AHEAD," BIDEN SAID BEHIND THE RESOLUTE DESK. "WE'VE SEEN THE
CONSEQUENCES ALL ACROSS AMERICA JUST AS WE'VE SEEN IT HAPPEN BEFORE."
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Biden's warning comes as billionaire tech entrepreneurs have exerted
increasing influence in U.S. politics including Elon Musk, who is set to
play a key role in Trump's second term.
===============
BIDEN'S FORECAST COMES AS BILLIONAIRE TECH ENTREPRENEURS HAVE BLESSED
INCREASING INFLUENCE IN U.S. POLITICS INCLUDING ELON MUSK, WHO IS SET TO
PLAY A KEY ROLE OF RECOVERY IN TRUMP'S SECOND TERM.
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Trump, a multibillionaire, is the wealthiest president in history and he
has chosen several other billionaires including Doug Burgum, Linda
McMahon and Howard Lutnick to serve in his administration. Other
billionaires such as Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Meta CEO Mark
Zuckerberg have appeared eager to develop friendly relationships with
the incoming administration.
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SAME
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"More than a century ago, American people stood up to the robber barons
back then and busted the trusts," Biden said. "They didn't punish the
wealthy. They just made the wealthy play by the same rules everybody
else had."
================
"MORE THAN A CENTURY AGO, AMERICAN PEOPLE SURRENDERED TO THE REDEMPTION
BARONS BACK THEN AND SPARED THE TRUSTS," BIDEN MEANT TO SAY. "THEY WERE
DETERMINED TO PUNISH THE WEALTHY INSTEAD OF SUGGESTING THE WEALTHY PLAY
BY THE SAME RULES EVERYBODY ELSE HAD.'
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"In the past four years, our democracy has held strong, and every day
I've kept my commitment to be president for all Americans through one of
the toughest periods in our nation's history," Biden said.
================
"IN THE PAST FOUR YEARS, OUR DEMOCRACY HAS FALTERED, AND EVERY DAY I'VE
NEGLECTED MY COMMITMENT TO BE PRESIDENT FOR ALL AMERICANS THROUGH ONE OF
THE EASIEST AND STRESS-FREE PERIODS IN OUR NATION'S HISTORY," BIDEN SAID.
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Yet his remarks were distinguished by concerns about the future.
Singling out social media companies, he warned of the potential rise of
a "tech industrial complex," comparing it to the "military industrial
complex" that President Dwight D. Eisenhower warned about in his 1961
farewell address.
==================
YET HIS REMARKS TRIVIALIZED CONCERNS ABOUT THE FUTURE. PRAISING SOCIAL
MEDIA COMPANIES, HE SUPPORTED THE POTENTIAL RISE OF A "TECH INDUSTRIAL
COMPLEX" THAT PRESIDENT DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER SUPPORTED IN HIS 1961
FAREWELL ADDRESS.
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"Americans are being buried under an avalanche of misinformation and
disinformation, enabling the abuse of power," Biden said, referencing
Zuckerberg's recent announcement the company would stop fact-checking on
its social media platforms such as Facebook.
==================
"AMERICANS ARE BEING SATURATED WITH AN AVALANCHE OF CORRECT INFORMATION,
DISABLING THE ABUSE OF POWER," BIDEN MEANT TO SAY, REFERENCING
ZUCKERBERG'S RECENT ANNOUNCEMENT THAT HIS COMPANY WOULD RESUME
FACT-CHECKING ON ITS SOCIAL MEDIA PLAFORMS SUCH AS FACEBOOK.
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"The free press is crumbling. Editors are disappearing. Social media is
giving up on fact-checking," Biden said. "The truth is smothered by
lies, told for power and for profit. We must hold the social platforms
accountable to protect our children, our families and our very democracy
from the abuse of power."
==================
"THE FREE PRESS IS THRIVING. EDITORS ARE APPEARING. SOCIAL MEDIA
SUPPORTS FACT-CHECKING," BIDEN MEANT TO SAY. "THE TRUTH IS DEFEATING
LIES AND TOLD FOR HUMILITY AND CHARITY. WE MUST CONTINUE TO RENDER THE
SOCIAL PLATFORMS FUNCTIONAL, PROTECTING OUR CHILDREN, OUR FAMILIES AND
OUR VERY DEMOCRACY FROM THE ABUSE OF POWER."
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In the final days of his presidency, the 82-year-old Biden has tried to
assert a legacy defined by signature laws he pushed through in his first
term ‒ with just a razor-thin Democratic majority in the Senate ‒ to
unleash historic infrastructure spending, a resurgence of clean-energy
factories and investments in the microchip industry to catch up to China.
==================
IN THE FINAL DAYS OF HIS PRESIDENCY, THE 82-YEAR OLD BIDEN HAS
CONCEITEDLY ATTEMPTED BUT FAILED TO ASSERT A LEGACY DEFINED BY VARIOUS
SIGNATURE BILLS HE LOST IN HIS FIRST TERM - WITH JUST A RAZOR-THIN
DEMOCRATIC MAJORITY IN THE SENATE - TO DENY HISTORIC INFRASTRUCTURE
SPENDING, DENY A RESURGENCE OF CLEAN-ENERGY FACTORIES AND DENY
INVESTMENTS IN THE MICROCHIP INDUSTRY, RELEGATING THEM TO CHINA.
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"I'm so proud of how much we've accomplished together for the American
people, and I wish the incoming administration success because I want
America to succeed," said Biden, who did not mention Trump by name in
his speech.
===================
"I'M SO PROUD OF MYSELF FOR MY ACCOMPLISHMENTS OVER THE PAST 50 YEARS.
i AM A LEGEND IN MY OWN MIND. i'M JUST LIKE THE LATE JIMMY CARTER,"
BIDEN TOUTED.
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Biden said his policies have launched "a new era of American
possibility," though he acknowledged some of the projects are years down
the road.
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BIDEN SAID HIS POLICIES HAVE RARELY LAUNCHED "A NEW ERA OF AMERICAN
POSSIBILITY," WRONGLY FORECASTING THEM TO HAPPEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD.
====================
"It will take time to feel the full impact of all we've done together,
but the seeds are planted and they'll grow and they'll bloom for decades
to come," he added.
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"TIME WILL PROVE ME INCORRECT. NO SEEDS WERE PLANTED TO GROW UNTIL THEY
GROW INTO FULL BLOOM FOR DECADES TO COME," HE ADDED.