this post was submitted on 13 Aug 2025
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[–] NocturnalMorning@lemmy.world 6 points 1 year ago (5 children)

If the Epstein stuff is what finally brings down Trump, it would be peak irony. Its a low bar, but at least some of these MAGA ding dongs draw a line at diddling children.

I honestly thought there was no line for MAGA at this point.

[–] spencerwi@feddit.org 6 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (3 children)

I mean, I don't think they do draw that line; 47% of Republicans would still vote for Trump even if Trump were implicated in Epstein's sex-trafficking activities – and those are just the ones who answered brazenly and honestly on the survey, to say nothing of those who say one thing in public and do another when nobody's looking.

[–] jballs@sh.itjust.works 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Forty-seven percent of Republican respondents said such a revelation would not affect their vote, though based on other polling data this appears to reflect voter loyalty more than approval of the alleged actions.

Hate to tell ya MAGA, but voting for pedophiles is the same thing as approving of their actions.

[–] Empricorn@feddit.nl 2 points 1 year ago

It's like the people absolutely shocked when they find out the Trump administration's horrible policies negatively affect them. 😐 ➕ 🐆

[–] redsand@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 year ago

Hate to tell ya. They know.

[–] ikidd@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There's still a billion-odd self-identified Catholics despite kiddy-diddling scandals and cover ups one after another. People are fine with criminals if they're their criminals.

hell, I know folk who stay catholic even though it happened in their family. belief is weird.

[–] Bytemeister@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

That...and the other 53% of Republicans have no idea who Epstein is, or they are also implicated in the Epstein files.

[–] NuXCOM_90Percent@lemmy.zip 1 points 1 year ago

The "good" news is that the reason most stuff never sticks is because most of his base (and the people as a whole...) never know about it. Yes, it is hard to miss if you at all pay attention to the news. How many people respond to a thread to complain about the paywall and ignore the article? Or actively reply without ever having read the article in the first place? Let alone the crowd who "prioritize their mental health" by ignoring everything anyway.

What makes the epstein shit special is that it has been the rallying cry of qanon, and much of the alt-right, for the better part of a decade. In a lot of ways, they are single issue voters with said issue being "god emperor trump is going to kill all the cheese pizza pedophiles in the epstein list".

And when your very identity is built around salivating over a list of who raped those kids and continue to receive irrefutable evidence that the man you put your faith in got his dick wet with those same child tears for decades?

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago (3 children)

If the Epstein stuff is what finally brings down Trump, it would be peak irony. Its a low bar, but at least some of these MAGA ding dongs draw a line at diddling children.

I have kind of tuned out of this iteration of the Epstein scandal. Why would it bring him down now? Is there really any new information? Everyone with a brain knew he was friends with Epstein and on the list. Americans voted him in twice anyways. Why does it suddenly matter now?

[–] Invertedouroboros@lemmy.world 2 points 1 year ago

It's that "everyone with a brain" bit that's different now. Because you're right, nothing here is new. Trump and Epstein's ties have been pretty common knowledge to anyone not in the cult.

What's changed is that those inside the cult can't really ignore it anymore. They went from "the democrats are all pedophiles and the Epstein files prove it!" to "they have the Epstein files on their desks, they are just doing some final checks before they release them" to "there are no Epstein files, there never were any Epstein files, and if you think different you need to shut up.". Cognitive dissonance may be a powerful force, but "the Epstein files" have been the conspiracy bread and butter that's been holding this cult together for a while now. They were probably willing to bend on just about anything but that.

A lot of hay is made out of the fact that Trump managed to fuck up running a casino, and it’s true. In a business where the saying goes "the house always wins", it takes a special breed of incompetance to bankrupt the house. This feels very similar. Dude could have said that aliens stole the Epstein files, Q-anon folks would have bought it. Or better yet don't say anything at all. I think a lot of folks wouldn't have bat an eye if Trump's cronies were still "working on releasing the Epstein files" in 2028.

But he didn't do that. He made a huge song and dance about "releasing the Epstein files" then obviously canned it at the last minute. For the rabid conspiracy theoriests that comprise his base, the folks who were willing to invent an entire child trafficing code for pizzagate, that was probably the one manuver even he couldn't pull.

Will this mean anything in the long run? Well, I've kinda had my hope beaten out of me in that respect. But this does kinda feel different, I will say that.

[–] FreshParsnip@lemmy.ca 1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

My question is what is going to be done if the files containdamning evidence against Trump?

[–] Sailor88@lemmy.world 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I am feeling like this is just a big distraction from all sides. "We" are being easily played. All these files have been in the hands of both sides and neither have released them. Either they are all hiding things or there isn't actually anything beyond the sicko JE.

Just one more wedge between the citizens (I don't know you but I hate you) to occupy us while "they" do something else. The uniparty is real.

[–] nova_ad_vitum@lemmy.ca 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Yes thank your for illustrating the logic that enlightened centrist have used to justify voting for a known rapist twice. Literally just stoner logic.

[–] Sailor88@lemmy.world -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Why didn't Biden release the files?

[–] Lyrl@lemmy.dbzer0.com 1 points 1 year ago

Because the only information that isn't already public is speculation (a mix of outright wrong and unknown if wrong but unprovable in court), victim and witness names, and maybe some investigative techniques. Releasing them would expose victims and witnesses to doxing, feed conspiracy theory on the speculation (including the known-wrong stuff, but to many people "being in the file" gives it some kind of aura), and let future traffickers know how Epstein was finally taken down so they can run a tighter operation and avoid getting caught.

[–] bobbyguy@lemmy.world 1 points 1 year ago

there isn't, they want to legalize deportation to active warzones, ice also has a racial bias (obviously), plus they let some trust fund billionaire who wasn't even part of the American government make massive budget cuts that will have massive concequences.

and technically there is a law that says no president of the united states can be convicted of a crime (for declaring wars and other crap) the side affect being that a 36 times convicted felon (and non-convicted rapist) can run for office, win, and then have all charges dropped

[–] ExtremeDullard@lemmy.sdf.org 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I honestly thought there was no line for MAGA at this point

Don't assume there is a line. Most of those MAGA numbskulls are armed to the teeth, yet neither Trump nor any of his less-well-protected henchmen are dead yet. So I guess kiddie stuff is mildly okay for the MAGA dumdums - or at least not really anything to get truly worked up over...

[–] theneverfox@pawb.social 1 points 1 year ago

You realize there's been several attempts on Trump and his staff, right? After the first one, they've been downplaying it. People have resigned in fear over the Epstein files

And with pizza gate, there was supposedly a dungeon with children about to be raped and killed. Releasing the files is more abstract and less immediate

Time will tell, but I don't think this is going away