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Jeff Bezos Announces Resignation

They had us in the first half, not gonna lie

We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets.

Democracy dies in the free market.

Bezos can get fucked.

Billionaire meddling turns a respected paper into a megaphone for personal agendas.

😼😼

I offered David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter. I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t “hell yes,” then it had to be “no.” After careful consideration, David decided to step away.

That is termination, not resignation.

Fucking scumbag.

Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity.

this is a very interesting sentence to find in a post that outlines the ways in which the opinion page will be losing some of its editorial freedom.

There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader’s doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views.

That's exactly what a journalistic organisation is meant to do Jeff, especially now when the world is increasingly being filled with mouthpieces that regurgitate what their owners want them to.

An organisation that puts out only one opinion, or is only allowed to put out one opinion, is nothing more than a mouthpiece.

Its a shame to see the Post becoming just another mouthpiece.

what's "stunning" about the statement?

All I saw was:

• Opinion Editor did not want to continue to be a meat puppet for this propaganda outlet
• Bezos accepted resignation
• Bezos to look for new meat puppet

We recently got rid of our subscriptions and canceled Prime. Wish we had done it much sooner, but better late than never.

Interestingly, the Post and the NYT both lean heavily on their Opinion sections to pretend they're not licking boots. Now the Post won't have that option.

"Democracy dies in Darkness"

-Washington Post

"Nah, I knifed that bitch in the back in broad daylight."

-Jeff Bezos

He's basically making the exact same argument as Faux News did, 30 years or more after anyone reasonable realized that they were blatantly lying.

The fascism is happening.

Wow, you mean he was an enormous sack of shit the whole time??

I’m writing to let you know about a change coming to our opinion pages.

We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.

There was a time when a newspaper, especially one that was a local monopoly, might have seen it as a service to bring to the reader’s doorstep every morning a broad-based opinion section that sought to cover all views. Today, the internet does that job.

I am of America and for America, and proud to be so. Our country did not get here by being typical. And a big part of America’s success has been freedom in the economic realm and everywhere else. Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity.

I offered David Shipley, whom I greatly admire, the opportunity to lead this new chapter. I suggested to him that if the answer wasn’t “hell yes,” then it had to be “no.” After careful consideration, David decided to step away. This is a significant shift, it won’t be easy, and it will require 100% commitment — I respect his decision. We’ll be searching for a new Opinion Editor to own this new direction.

I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void.

Maybe it's time for people to start submitting Opinion pieces detailing how we can use the free market to make companies regret discontinuing their DEI programs or Pride merchandise, or telling how bodily autonomy and control over one's reproductive equipment is a central pillar of personal liberty.

Editing to add: in the event your submission is rejected, consider adding an opener such as: "This article was rejected by The Washington Post despite meeting their criteria of focus on the free market (or personal liberty)." And then submitting it to one or several of their competitors. Even the ones that aren't any better, pitting their competitive instincts against their conservativism.

What a pompous cunt.

Washington Post was one of the few marginally respectable journalist organizations remaining. It's a sad day for the freedom of the press.

Freedom is ethical — it minimizes coercion — and practical — it drives creativity, invention, and prosperity.

So buying a major newspaper and firing (or putting pressure on) anybody who doesn't agree with the new owner's "pillars" is not coercion? Did Bezos get this buff from the mental gymnastics?

PS: surprised nobody mentioned Manufacturing Consent yet, which describes exactly what is happening here, and remains valid in the age of Internet

We are going to be writing every day in support and defense of two pillars: personal liberties and free markets. We’ll cover other topics too of course, but viewpoints opposing those pillars will be left to be published by others.

Just dragging this newspaper into the right wing muck at full speed now

I’m confident that free markets and personal liberties are right for America. I also believe these viewpoints are underserved in the current market of ideas and news opinion. I’m excited for us together to fill that void.

"Market of ideas" but you're only allowed to say what I like

Buy your axe grinding wheels now before it's hard to keep them in stock.

Someone assassinate this guy, please

Sounds like he wants more direct control.

It's a good thing I stopped bothering with the Washington Post even before Bezos bought it. In fact pretty much every news organization that is owned by a singular entity is completely worthless nowadays.

Trash capitalist propaganda is becoming even worse? I'm shocked. Shocked!!! \s

Is he trying to "get out in front of this story" like he did with the photos of him having an affair? Has anyone heard from David Shipley what happened?

I find it important that he writes, that freedom of individuals and markets is important because it is without coercion.

To then go on and write that he tried to coerce his editor to accept the change with a "hell yes" or basically resign. This is coercion. Doesn't he see this? Is the irony lost on him?