Jack Dorsey, the founder an former CEO of Twitter, is a controversial figure regardless of party affiliation. For many on the left, he was largely insufficient at cracking down on disinformation, allowing lies—particularly regarding the COVID-19 pandemic—to go viral, potentially at the cost of people's lives.
For many on the right, he's the figurehead of a social media outlet that supposedly tramples on the free speech of conservatives, barring former President Donald Trump's infamous Twitter account after Trump incited a deadly failed insurrection with his election lies.
On Monday, Dorsey responded to a report from CNBC, which relayed a warning from the White House, warning that a soon-to-be-released inflation report will show consumers paid massive upticks in prices, especially on oil and gas, last month amid Russian President Vladimir Putin's ongoing invasion of Ukraine.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki is quoted in the report, saying:
"We expect March [consumer price index] headline inflation to be extraordinarily elevated due to Putin’s price hike."
Sure enough, it was.
Labor Department data just released found that common consumer goods rose to their highest price levels since the 80s. The stock market saw a boost as a result of the report.
Ahead of the report's release, Dorsey weighed in on Twitter.
Every administration, republican or democrat, has an opportunity to build trust with the public.
Instead, every single time, they choose deception and zero accountability. It’s not the party, it’s the system. https://t.co/sxLJTkPkSn
— jack⚡️ (@jack) April 12, 2022
His tweet suggested that the Biden administration was continuing a tradition of "deception" by telling the public to expect the report to reveal higher consumer inflation rates.
People took issue with this, including MSNBC host Joy Reid.
Yes, yes, one party openly admits that inflation is going to rise. The other demagogues inflation by pretending the president personally caused it, not the pandemic plus a whole war in Europe; all so they can seize power while repeatedly undermining democracy. But “both sides!”🙄
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 12, 2022
The pair continued the exchange in the replies.
Yes, yes, one party openly admits that inflation is going to rise. The other demagogues inflation by pretending the president personally caused it, not the pandemic plus a whole war in Europe; all so they can seize power while repeatedly undermining democracy. But “both sides!”🙄
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 12, 2022
Respectfully Jack, how can you look critically at this system without analyzing the fact that it’s not “administrations” — it’s one administration, and not “parties,” but one party— that are using international inflation as an autocratic wedge? Also what about corporate greed?
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 12, 2022
I’m with you on corporate driving most of this. The party doesn’t matter. It’s the same system. Both parties have the same incentive. It’s not for the people.
— jack⚡️ (@jack) April 12, 2022
I really don’t think they have the same incentives, man. Not even close. This take completely ignores the incredible extremism of the Republican Party in this era. This isn’t exactly hidden… https://t.co/nzKtU0UGLw
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 12, 2022
Ok. You can continue with the binary thing, or we can discuss systemic change which calls out both parties.
— jack⚡️ (@jack) April 12, 2022
Happy to have that conversation as soon as one of the two parties isn’t threatening to end our democracy altogether. First things first. There’s no tinkering that will fix an autocracy.
— Joy-Ann (Pro-Democracy) Reid 😷 (@JoyAnnReid) April 12, 2022
But Reid wasn't the only one who disagreed.
I expected better tweets from you
— Brian Guest (@brguest20) April 12, 2022
Here’s a really critical point you skipped, .@jack. Before lazily adopting the “both sides” argument, you need to look at who is trying to keep the system broken. Today’s mistakes aren’t to be balanced by those of 50 years agohttps://t.co/ke00HMmFl7
— Troy Hirschhorn (@TroyHirschhorn) April 12, 2022
Predictable ignorance from a billionaire who is blinded by their own ego and pride.
It's disturbing that he feels justified comparing Democrats to the authoritarian agenda of a fascist Republican party. https://t.co/ykNXxk7C9G
— Nathan Schneider (@SchneiderLD35) April 12, 2022
And Dorsey faced calls of hypocrisy for contributing to the climate he described, though people disagreed on whether he did this through too much or too little moderation.
Sir, do you think you were fully transparent with the public about your company when it counted?
I mean, you're not wrong about political parties, but it seems a bit strange to call on the better angels of elected officials when it wasn't exactly your approach, either.
— Charlotte Clymer 🏳️⚧️🇺🇦 (@cmclymer) April 12, 2022
Well @jack maybe you shouldn’t have allowed information on Hunter Biden’s laptop to be censored. More importantly banning a President from speaking the truth. You had an opportunity to help build that trust but you ruined it. https://t.co/dmCHlRqCvo
— Truth Justice & The American Way (@CortneyTNelson) April 12, 2022
Dude who made billions being the face of a disinformation distribution network has takes on how government can be more transparent https://t.co/ONhJi3pJLh
— Trillian Astra (@ReneeStLouis) April 12, 2022
Perhaps Dorsey should've left that one in the drafts.
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