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Hunter’s Laptop, Disinformation, and the Common Good

Posted on Monday, March 21, 2022
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AMAC Exclusive – By David P. Deavel

hunter-biden
By Center for Strategic & International Studies – Panel 3: Our Shared Opportunity: A Vision for Global Prosperity, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=82559300

The Hunter Biden story appears to many as simply another political story of “dirty tricks” or perhaps “bad journalists” or “big tech censorship.” The story is all three but the most important aspect of it is that it hurts the common good of the country.  That term needs some unpacking because a lot of people use the term pretty loosely to mean “anything I like”—in a way similar to the way too many use the term “constitutional.” This article will begin an exploration of the understanding of the term from a Catholic and Christian perspective in order to think more clearly about the ills of our day and how to think about them. First, however, a quick recap of the Biden story.

Even the New York Times now is confirming that the Hunter Biden laptop story—with attendant legally and ethically troubling emails that would have been perilous to the election chances of Joe Biden—was accurate. I was never sure exactly why the story was so unbelievable about it. As a number of people have noted, it’s not as if people with drug addiction problems are always careful about their own possessions, so the fact that Hunter might have left a computer somewhere and forgotten about it. But in a letter three weeks before the election, the story was labeled “Russian disinformation” by fifty intelligence agents who admitted they had no evidence other than gut instincts for their assertion. Other news agencies such as The Washington Post and Politico amplified this “baseless assertion” (the term they usually use for anything Donald Trump says that they don’t like).

NPR famously tweeted the words of managing editor Terence Samuels concerning questions about why they had ignored the story that the New York Post had published, “We don’t want to waste our time on stories that are not really stories, and we don’t want to waste the listeners’ and readers’ time on stories that are just pure distractions.” When they did mention it, they passed on the intelligence officers’ statement—something they then had to correct in April 2021. Meanwhile, the New York Post, who had broken the story, were locked out of their Twitter account. Other social media companies shadowbanned or limited the distribution of the story.

We all know that Joe Biden (“the big guy,” as he seemed to be labeled in Hunter’s communications) won the election. And only later was it admitted that the intelligence officials’ view had no merit. Only finally in 2022 that the prestigious Times went on to verify the story.

What’s wrong with all this malfeasance is that it doesn’t just affect an American election result, troubling as that is. It affects the trust of the country. And that trust is one main aspect of the common good as traditionally understood.

A classic definition of the common good was given by Pope John XXIII’s description of the common good in his encyclical Mater et magistra. The common good  of any political community “embraces the sum total of those conditions of social living whereby men are enabled more fully and more readily to achieve their own perfection.”  In other words, the common good is not simply about common goods such as oil or natural resources or material wealth, though they are very important to it. The common good includes those social conditions that allow people to flourish individually and together. The Catechism of the Catholic Church says that responsibility for the common good requires “the prudence of all,” especially “those who exercise the office of authority.”

This note of the need for all to exercise prudence is important since many people interpret the common good as something like Rousseau’s General Will, which ultimately stays at the level of abstraction and yet involves a kind of slavery in which personal interests are canceled out and the government might be obliged to stomp out the rights of the people, who do not actually have the proper desires.

Because the Democrats or Joe Biden are the people we want in power, they think, anything that keeps them in power is for the common good. My candidates and my party must be installed because they will make the big-picture decisions that affect us. And anything that gets my party elected is for the common good.

But in a democratic republic where people do not make all their decisions on their own through referendums but instead elect people to represent them—not rule them!—having journalists who are not afraid, to tell the truth, or track down the story even if it hurts the candidate or party they support is a key part of this. And that is because one of the key aspects of those “conditions of social living” is that people can access information and have others who will ferret it out about our candidates and elected officials in order that they can make the best choices about who actually has the country’s common good in mind.

We need journalists to find this out about officials, candidates, and indeed policies and programs, for, as another document, the Catholic Compendium of Social Doctrine, puts it, truly seeking out the good “does not simply require that [the individual] live with others at various levels of social life, but that he seek unceasingly — in actual practice and not merely at the level of ideas — the good, that is, the meaning and truth, found in existing forms of social life.”   

You may be a Democrat or a Republican. You may think your party has the best ideas for how to enact the common good, but we still elect individuals to use the levers of power. So knowing whether a politician is actually corrupt is an absolute necessity for the common good. So too, knowing what particular policies and programs actually involve is key. Have past programs gone to benefit those in charge of the common good instead of the common good? That is key information for an American trying to prudently vote for persons and policies. If there is a hint of truth to some of the information in the Hunter Biden emails, that is something that the American public had and has a right to know so that citizens can do their duty.

That those who serve us in intelligence spoke without any evidence about this matter, those who serve us as journalists failed to investigate the truth of the matter until long after citizens had to make decisions about it, and that media and big tech companies whose responsibility is to provide honest reporting and access to it refused to do their duty may have been decisions made with regard to a vision of the common good—but it was not an understanding that took into account the real conditions for that common good. Those involve empowering people to make informed decisions about which candidate and which party really is more trustworthy. Those involve building trust by providing, verifying, and certainly not censoring that information.

There is no doubt that intelligence officials, journalists, editors, and tech executives have their own views on whom to elect and what to do. They are free to have those views and support them on behalf of their notion of the common good. But they also have duties to we the people—who also have the right and duty to seek out the truth about what actually promotes the common good and advocate for it ourselves.

The Hunter Biden laptop story is about people who may want the common good at some level but whose actions led them to some pretty common evils that were uncommonly harmful in breaking down American trust in our government and each other.   

David P. Deavel is editor of Logos: A Journal of Catholic Thought and Culture, co-director of the Terrence J. Murphy Institute for Catholic Thought, Law, and Public Policy, and a visiting professor at the University of St. Thomas (MN). He is the co-host of the Deep Down Things podcast.

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Brent Glowa
Brent Glowa
2 years ago

They should be prosecuted for election fraud especially the FBI agents!!@

PaulE
PaulE
2 years ago

Remember when Harry Reid was asked after the 2012 election why he lied about Mitt Romney not paying his taxes and thus peeling off just enough votes for Obama to win a second term? His response was “Well it worked, didn’t it?”

The same principle applies as to why the MSM and the FBI, as well as the Department of Justice, who had already had the laptop in their possession for several months, buried the Hunter Biden laptop story. It shielded Joe Biden from a discloser that would have sunk his campaign and painted President Trump as pushing a lie, according to the MSM and numerous government officials, to unjustly smear his opponent. Thus helping to ensure the coup against Trump could proceed along smoothly and install the useful puppet Biden in his place via the ballot manipulation in the 6 key swing states.

Trying to ascribe some greater morality as to why public officials and members of the MSM acted in the way they did is a fundamental waste of time. This was and still is all about ensuring power was returned to what most people refer to as “the deep state”. The unelected and unaccountable people that run things behind the scenes. Only two Presidents in the last 50 years have given the deep state real concerns, because they could not be readily controlled and manipulated as desired, Those two Presidents were Reagan and Trump.

Now the truth about Hunter’s laptop can come out, because NO ONE is going to prosecute the son of the sitting President or the President himself, who personally benefitted financially from Hunter’s business deals. The FBI investigation will continue endlessly, until the public either forgets or loses interest. Then late on one Friday afternoon, a brief announcement will be issued by the FBI or the DOJ that says something along the lines of “After a lengthy investigation, we have concluded no laws were broken and there is no need for any prosecution. We consider this matter closed.” Just like they buried all the crimes Hillary Clinton did in regards to her illegal server in her home.

Hal
Hal
2 years ago

Even the Democrat “comrades” who participated in rigging the POTUS election knew it was true at the time. The liberal new media, however, ignored or covered it up …. and still are pretty tacit about writing much about it. The truth is Joe Biden is a liar, political poacher, and a crooked politician in the most disgusting way. And now he is so feeble minded that he can’t even reason out the best decisions for the Nation. Delunaware has made it’s historical mark on the POTUS.

Divinasenia Terrasi
Divinasenia Terrasi
2 years ago

First of all, Biden did not win the election, he stole it. Why can’t this mainstream media and other news outlets get it? They insist in saying he won when audits show otherwise.

SHEILA PERRY
SHEILA PERRY
2 years ago

Wait!!
Since when are Catholics NOT Christians.
“from a Catholic and Christian perspective ”
Really.
I don’t think I want to join AMAC, since this is what you publish.

Lon
Lon
2 years ago

“We all know that Joe Biden (“the big guy,” as he seemed to be labeled in Hunter’s communications) won the election.” No, actually. We don’t all know that Biden won the election.

Kay
Kay
2 years ago

Total corruption in this whole family from puppet joe to hunter and brother. They all belong in jail but watch the social media drop the whole matter. They are all involved with taking money from China, Russia, Ukraine and all at the expense of America. Corrupt through and through

J. Farley
J. Farley
2 years ago

Dope, Girls, and Corrupt Country Goons, what a family, by the way Hunter how are your Sister-in-law and Niece doing, have you paid them a visit lately! Just a Question!

The Armstrong Family
The Armstrong Family
2 years ago

I believe Joe Biden doesn’t really know if he won or not. His backroom orators. for everything he changes, speaks out as, and makes bad decisions, hurts the very people whom he really is/was to support, are the people that need taken down as well. Reverse this government back to the leaders that believe that before we are really over our heads with no return.

EMG
EMG
2 years ago

“But in a letter three weeks before the election, the story was labeled “Russian disinformation” by fifty intelligence agents who admitted they had no evidence other than gut instincts for their assertion.”

I think this tells us everything we need to know about the 50 “intelligence agents” supposedly keeping our leaders apprised of international developments! They will sell their souls at the drop of a democrat ruse.

Garye
Garye
2 years ago

It just exemplifies exactly how dirty and corrupt the useless media, joebama and the marxist democrats are!
They will lie,cheat and steal from the American Citizens without one iota of remorse or conscience!
Truly scum that MUST BE REMOVED!

joe mchugh
joe mchugh
2 years ago

“baseless assertions” this is the predominate description of any charges made against Hunter Biden due to the content discovered in his laptop.

OK, let’s go with this defense of Hunter Biden. Challenge:Publish the entirety of that laptop on the Internet.

The left would shout in unison that this might compromise the security of the nation. How could it? Hunter Biden had no official position where he would have access to national security information.
Privacy? What privacy? Hunter Biden’s reputation could hardly be impugned beyond his current standing.

If the Justice Department is not going to seek an indictment based on the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop contents, the people should know just how decadent the son of the dementia compromised creature in the White House is.

Jeb
Jeb
2 years ago

If there is absolutely nothing to see, hear or read then open the contents to the citizens of the US and the world. If there are concerns then keep it hidden from public consumption and proven what many of us have known for some time. Hunter is a drug addict, into kinky sex with underage girls, and was involved with communist countries and other countries sleazing around for money and giving some of that money to the now President of the U. S. A.

Philip Hammersley
Philip Hammersley
2 years ago

I don’t know why Rudy or someone doesn’t just disclose what is on the computer and dare Meth Head and Senile Joe to sue them! They just hint! The computer legally belongs to the repairman since Hunter abandoned it–be specific and tell us exactly what’s on it!

Casey C Matt
Casey C Matt
2 years ago

Well, though rational people have known the laptop was “real” and the property of the drug addled son of the age addled President, the New York Times made a big show of finally admitting that to be the case…like anyone gives a rats backside what the NYT gives credence to.
What do the people do when they discover that pertinent information about a Presidential candidate was censored and thus unavailable to voters to witness prior to the last election? Nothing, we largely plod along like sheep in a stupor.

Carl S Blankemeyer
Carl S Blankemeyer
2 years ago

Maybe the editor could have a look at the first few paragraphs and correct the sentence fragments, etc. I stopped reading after that.

Russ
Russ
2 years ago

So far all we have learned from the laptop is the Biden’s are corrupt, Hunter is a perverted pedophile drug addict and the FBI is crooked and concealed evidence in an effort to get Biden elected. Not one agent has been disciplined. Would indicate the entire agency is dishonest and partisan.

Jim
Jim
2 years ago

The Socialist Democrats use all the tools historically employed by Socialist organizations to seize control of government apparatuses.

PFArizona
PFArizona
2 years ago

This statement is the main point:So knowing whether a politician is actually corrupt is an absolute necessity for the common good.

News media’s ignoring Hunter’s laptop and big tech censorship of it denied voters the right to this critical information. They had nothing on Trump corruption and plenty on Biden corruption and being comprised by China and Russia involvement with Hunter.

I can only imagine how much coverage this would have gotten if it was Trump’s son’s laptop with all the compromising detail!

So now, look what we have! A compromised corrupt man in the White House elected with trickery and ill informed voters.

Richard Slate
Richard Slate
2 years ago

I heard there was child porn on his computer also but I’m sure he will get away with it just like bill Clinton getting away with having sex with underage girls on Epstein’s orgy island

BAE
BAE
2 years ago

I cannot look at Joe Biden or his son Hunter; they make me want to toss my lunch.
Two CREEPERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

SteveL
SteveL
2 years ago

“Because the Democrats or Joe Biden are the people we want in power” I, for one, am NOT one of those people! Had the truth of this story come out before the election, I suspect things might have turned out far different and BETTER!

pidl
pidl
2 years ago

A problem I see here is that Biden committed the same crime of which Trump was accused well before the election. I saw the boasting of getting the prosecutor that was after Hunter fired. That did not even cause anyone in the MSM to “bat an eye”. Why would we think that the information they withheld from the public made a difference? The vote was electronically manipulated to get Biden elected.

Just think about this. Every computer that is on the internet is constantly updated for “security purposes”. One, basically, has no control over this. This is the same kind of update that could be made to the voting machines, manipulating the application software to change the results. The fact that we were mis-informed about the internet connectivity of the machines, the actual truth of what they could do and did do has never come out in the MSM.

Bill on the Hill
Bill on the Hill
2 years ago

I have copied & pasted the 2nd paragraph up from the bottom for everyone to read a 2nd time because it finalizes an otherwise factually written story about what has happened in America from both a political perspective as well as from a good, honest human perspective, regardless of party affiliations & I quote; ” There is no doubt that intelligence officials, journalists, editors, and tech executives have their own views on whom to elect and what to do. They are free to have those views and support them on behalf of their notion of the common good. But they also have duties to we the people—who also have the right and duty to seek out the truth about what actually promotes the common good and advocate for it ourselves. ”
David P. Deavel has created a commendable story here IMHO…
It is only now, ( 14 ) months into arguably the worst presidency in US history that the crooked MSM, i.e. The NY Times & some other outlets are now acknowledging the veracity of the Laptop from Hell, i.e. Hunter Biden & his father, i.e. the Big Guy, Joe Biden… :~(
Bill… :~)

Darrell Weaver
Darrell Weaver
2 years ago

I am impressed and delighted to find that AMAC is publishing honest and pertinent articles to us the American citizens. I am so turned off by those that use corrupt means to blur the minds to see anything in the light of their agenda. What has become of honesty first, dealings with our good citizens?
Anyway, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.
A Patriot,

Tom Pearl
Tom Pearl
2 years ago

I am glade to see real reporting on Real issue’s that the Democrats want the World to over look, by calling it: Fake News and Russian Colusion!It’s sad that our countries News TV, Newspaper, Satellite systems and Cable are run by left-leaning socialist and communist people in America again!It’s even worse when your the Son of the president of the United States and you cannot control your son who has belittled our country and his family!And still cannot see your son has done everyone wrong.

D.P.
D.P.
2 years ago

Let’s just unpack the whole thing, show the info on the laptop, make it an open file and let the chips fall where they may. H. Biden is no prize. J. Biden is no leader. And all the flap over this laptop is useless until it is seen and judged. Enough of the talk. Someone needs to act…….let the people see, and they will act.

Raymond
Raymond
2 years ago

Right in the beginning of the story it’s showing that the New York Times is confirming the story that Jumping Joe and Junkie should be impeached. We read the story, but nothing will happen. Why print the story?

john
john
2 years ago

disappointed in the lack of detail about the information on the laptop as well as the wide spread media denial.

Hal
Hal
2 years ago

For DemocRats, “gut instincts” means what is left in the toilet bowl after …..

Hal
Hal
2 years ago

Maybe the reason that Delunaware Joe Hidin’ Biden hasn’t been impeached is because the
integrity of the DemcRat Party is so partisan that is always puts “Party” first, no matter what or what it takes. With the state of “Mainstream media” now being owned and/or controlled by the DemocRat Party, it is difficult for the truth to get the intention it deserves and merits in the arena of truth. This is a tough public position for the non-mainstream news outlets such as AMAC, FOX NEWS, Conservative Talk Radio, etc. But nothing will change until the rigging related tactics of the DemocRat Party are quashed, including a huge allowance of illegal aliens to enter the country and be recruited as illegal voters (not to mention several other negatives not directly related to voting).

Brent Glowa
Brent Glowa
2 years ago

They should be prosecuted for election fraud especially the FBI agents!!@

PaulE
PaulE
2 years ago

Remember when Harry Reid was asked after the 2012 election why he lied about Mitt Romney not paying his taxes and thus peeling off just enough votes for Obama to win a second term? His response was “Well it worked, didn’t it?”

The same principle applies as to why the MSM and the FBI, as well as the Department of Justice, who had already had the laptop in their possession for several months, buried the Hunter Biden laptop story. It shielded Joe Biden from a discloser that would have sunk his campaign and painted President Trump as pushing a lie, according to the MSM and numerous government officials, to unjustly smear his opponent. Thus helping to ensure the coup against Trump could proceed along smoothly and install the useful puppet Biden in his place via the ballot manipulation in the 6 key swing states.

Trying to ascribe some greater morality as to why public officials and members of the MSM acted in the way they did is a fundamental waste of time. This was and still is all about ensuring power was returned to what most people refer to as “the deep state”. The unelected and unaccountable people that run things behind the scenes. Only two Presidents in the last 50 years have given the deep state real concerns, because they could not be readily controlled and manipulated as desired, Those two Presidents were Reagan and Trump.

Now the truth about Hunter’s laptop can come out, because NO ONE is going to prosecute the son of the sitting President or the President himself, who personally benefitted financially from Hunter’s business deals. The FBI investigation will continue endlessly, until the public either forgets or loses interest. Then late on one Friday afternoon, a brief announcement will be issued by the FBI or the DOJ that says something along the lines of “After a lengthy investigation, we have concluded no laws were broken and there is no need for any prosecution. We consider this matter closed.” Just like they buried all the crimes Hillary Clinton did in regards to her illegal server in her home.

Hal
Hal
2 years ago

Even the Democrat “comrades” who participated in rigging the POTUS election knew it was true at the time. The liberal new media, however, ignored or covered it up …. and still are pretty tacit about writing much about it. The truth is Joe Biden is a liar, political poacher, and a crooked politician in the most disgusting way. And now he is so feeble minded that he can’t even reason out the best decisions for the Nation. Delunaware has made it’s historical mark on the POTUS.

Divinasenia Terrasi
Divinasenia Terrasi
2 years ago

First of all, Biden did not win the election, he stole it. Why can’t this mainstream media and other news outlets get it? They insist in saying he won when audits show otherwise.

SHEILA PERRY
SHEILA PERRY
2 years ago

Wait!!
Since when are Catholics NOT Christians.
“from a Catholic and Christian perspective ”
Really.
I don’t think I want to join AMAC, since this is what you publish.

Lon
Lon
2 years ago

“We all know that Joe Biden (“the big guy,” as he seemed to be labeled in Hunter’s communications) won the election.” No, actually. We don’t all know that Biden won the election.

Kay
Kay
2 years ago

Total corruption in this whole family from puppet joe to hunter and brother. They all belong in jail but watch the social media drop the whole matter. They are all involved with taking money from China, Russia, Ukraine and all at the expense of America. Corrupt through and through

J. Farley
J. Farley
2 years ago

Dope, Girls, and Corrupt Country Goons, what a family, by the way Hunter how are your Sister-in-law and Niece doing, have you paid them a visit lately! Just a Question!

The Armstrong Family
The Armstrong Family
2 years ago

I believe Joe Biden doesn’t really know if he won or not. His backroom orators. for everything he changes, speaks out as, and makes bad decisions, hurts the very people whom he really is/was to support, are the people that need taken down as well. Reverse this government back to the leaders that believe that before we are really over our heads with no return.

EMG
EMG
2 years ago

“But in a letter three weeks before the election, the story was labeled “Russian disinformation” by fifty intelligence agents who admitted they had no evidence other than gut instincts for their assertion.”

I think this tells us everything we need to know about the 50 “intelligence agents” supposedly keeping our leaders apprised of international developments! They will sell their souls at the drop of a democrat ruse.

Garye
Garye
2 years ago

It just exemplifies exactly how dirty and corrupt the useless media, joebama and the marxist democrats are!
They will lie,cheat and steal from the American Citizens without one iota of remorse or conscience!
Truly scum that MUST BE REMOVED!

joe mchugh
joe mchugh
2 years ago

“baseless assertions” this is the predominate description of any charges made against Hunter Biden due to the content discovered in his laptop.

OK, let’s go with this defense of Hunter Biden. Challenge:Publish the entirety of that laptop on the Internet.

The left would shout in unison that this might compromise the security of the nation. How could it? Hunter Biden had no official position where he would have access to national security information.
Privacy? What privacy? Hunter Biden’s reputation could hardly be impugned beyond his current standing.

If the Justice Department is not going to seek an indictment based on the contents of Hunter Biden’s laptop contents, the people should know just how decadent the son of the dementia compromised creature in the White House is.

Jeb
Jeb
2 years ago

If there is absolutely nothing to see, hear or read then open the contents to the citizens of the US and the world. If there are concerns then keep it hidden from public consumption and proven what many of us have known for some time. Hunter is a drug addict, into kinky sex with underage girls, and was involved with communist countries and other countries sleazing around for money and giving some of that money to the now President of the U. S. A.

Philip Hammersley
Philip Hammersley
2 years ago

I don’t know why Rudy or someone doesn’t just disclose what is on the computer and dare Meth Head and Senile Joe to sue them! They just hint! The computer legally belongs to the repairman since Hunter abandoned it–be specific and tell us exactly what’s on it!

Casey C Matt
Casey C Matt
2 years ago

Well, though rational people have known the laptop was “real” and the property of the drug addled son of the age addled President, the New York Times made a big show of finally admitting that to be the case…like anyone gives a rats backside what the NYT gives credence to.
What do the people do when they discover that pertinent information about a Presidential candidate was censored and thus unavailable to voters to witness prior to the last election? Nothing, we largely plod along like sheep in a stupor.

Carl S Blankemeyer
Carl S Blankemeyer
2 years ago

Maybe the editor could have a look at the first few paragraphs and correct the sentence fragments, etc. I stopped reading after that.

Russ
Russ
2 years ago

So far all we have learned from the laptop is the Biden’s are corrupt, Hunter is a perverted pedophile drug addict and the FBI is crooked and concealed evidence in an effort to get Biden elected. Not one agent has been disciplined. Would indicate the entire agency is dishonest and partisan.

Jim
Jim
2 years ago

The Socialist Democrats use all the tools historically employed by Socialist organizations to seize control of government apparatuses.

PFArizona
PFArizona
2 years ago

This statement is the main point:So knowing whether a politician is actually corrupt is an absolute necessity for the common good.

News media’s ignoring Hunter’s laptop and big tech censorship of it denied voters the right to this critical information. They had nothing on Trump corruption and plenty on Biden corruption and being comprised by China and Russia involvement with Hunter.

I can only imagine how much coverage this would have gotten if it was Trump’s son’s laptop with all the compromising detail!

So now, look what we have! A compromised corrupt man in the White House elected with trickery and ill informed voters.

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