US Revokes Visas for Speech, Welcomes AIPAC Lobbyists
The US government, according to Deutsche Welle, is pulling visas based on social media posts. This selective enforcement raises an eyebrow when considering the robust 'free speech' afforded to foreign lobbyists. For example, AIPAC’s 2022 lobbying expenditures topped $3.3 million, with individual contributions to politicians totaling millions more, according to OpenSecrets. These expenditures are
explicitly targeted at influencing US policy regarding Israel, often with little scrutiny. Is it only 'free speech' when it's paid for and aligned with certain foreign interests? While critics of US-Israeli policy face visa revocation, foreign influence groups like AIPAC enjoy unfettered access, shaping legislation like the $14 billion in aid to Israel passed last month. One might wonder if the
'free marketplace of ideas' only applies if those ideas were bought and paid for in DC, rather than expressed online. How much do you have to spend to avoid having your speech deemed 'unacceptable'?