2/18/2026 at 3:18:55 PM
“Our fight against human trafficking is one of the great human rights causes of our time, and the United States will continue to lead it — in partnership with you. The change we seek will not come easy, but we can draw strength from the movements of the past. For we know that every life saved — in the words of that great Proclamation — is 'an act of justice'; worthy of 'the considerate judgment of mankind, and the gracious favor of Almighty God'." — President Barack ObamaIt is estimated that more than 20 million men, women and children around the world are victims of human trafficking. The United States is a source, transit and destination country for some of these men, women and children — both U.S. citizens and foreign nationals — who are subjected to the injustices of human trafficking, including forced labor, debt bondage, involuntary servitude, and sex trafficking. Trafficking in persons can occur in both lawful and illicit industries or markets, including in brothels, massage parlors, street prostitution, hotel services, hospitality, agriculture, manufacturing, janitorial services, construction, health and elder care, and domestic service, among others.
White House Archives from Obama era
by RickJWagner
2/18/2026 at 5:36:53 PM
It is indeed a problem: the US gov itself trafficked half a million folks or so in 2025.by scarecrowbob
2/18/2026 at 5:26:45 PM
What are you trying to convey? That concentration camps are good, actually? Or that people only feel otherwise today because they're liberal hypocrites?by cholantesh
2/19/2026 at 12:34:49 AM
My read of this account is that they're deeply conservative, and like to take every example of a terrible thing the current administration is doing as an opportunity to "both sides" it in order to attempt to normalize how bad the current administration is.They have never condemned the current administration for doing this without also "whatabouting" the Obama administration.
So to answer your question, they will say they're doing the "liberal hypocrites" song and dance, but in reality they're working towards a case that "Actually concentration camps aren't that bad, because 'both sides' do them."
In practice most people actually on the left can recognize that the Obama administration (and the Bush, Clinton and Biden administrations) were deeply flawed, but they are still lightyears better than the Concentration camps of the current administration which are detaining children and separating them from their families based on which side of a line they fall on, on a map (or more likely, the color of their skin).
It's funny because Rick's examples always what-about the Obama administration which makes it likely a dog-whistle.
Rick, if you want to beat the allegations, please condemn the current administration for their actions if you think they're wrong. We already know what you think about Obama, so you can just call out the current administration without mentioning other administrations.
by xracy
2/18/2026 at 8:20:28 PM
More of the latter.If someone condemns Trump and condemns Obama, I believe them and think that they have a high level of compassion for immigrants.
If someone is ok with Obama and ok with Trump, I’m good with them and believe they are someone that is protective of national borders.
If someone condemns Trump but is ok with Obama, I think they have either no integrity or no critical thinking skills.
by RickJWagner
2/18/2026 at 8:46:38 PM
I am glad you feel that _I_ have a high level of compassion for my fellow humans.If someone posts "but Obama" in response to a bunch of -hand written letters from children in what I consider to be a literal concentration camp- then I'm going to think that person has transcended a lack of "integrity" or "critical thinking skills" into becoming a literal monster.
by scarecrowbob
2/19/2026 at 12:39:08 AM
This is the account's M.O. You can see my response above, but basically as far as I can tell they're deeply conservative, and they try and position themselves as a like "rational centrist" by doing this "both sides" Dance.The giveaway that you've noticed, is they never actually condemn the existing administration without also comparing them to Obama (and for reasons beyond me, specifically Obama and not say, Biden, Bush 1/2, Clinton).
Here he is 36 days ago doing the same thing: https://news.ycombinator.com/threads?id=RickJWagner&next=466...
by xracy
2/19/2026 at 1:51:12 AM
big hint: how many computer-literate people do you know that would put their whole-ass name as their HN handle, in 2026? none i'd professionally associate with, thats for sureby technol0gic
2/19/2026 at 2:00:40 PM
I do that to keep myself in check. I try not to say anything online that I wouldn’t say in public.It’s not a common practice, to be sure, but I think the internet would be a better place if more people behaved that way.
by RickJWagner
2/19/2026 at 9:46:22 PM
I mean, I think the internet would be better if folks didn't share theinr in-humane and, frankly, monstrous opinions.Do better, brah.
by scarecrowbob
2/19/2026 at 12:56:35 AM
Well, doing 3 parts of a 4-part matrix just makes him look like your run of the mill racist. Easy math.Almost all the folks who I know who are cool with Trump but don't like Obama are some flavor of birther.
by scarecrowbob
2/19/2026 at 2:02:44 PM
As They smeared Mitt Romney. John McCain before him. George Bush before him.Diversity of thought does not equal racism. Be better.
by RickJWagner
2/19/2026 at 5:39:49 PM
Having an excuse for why you still haven't filled out the fourth-quadrent "unknown unknowns", doesn't make you "better".It's entirely possible to dislike BHO for racist reasons, just like it's possible to think both he and the Bushes are literal war criminals for consistent reasons.
I think GWB is a war criminal who had a better understanding of North/South migration than BHO. I still think both of them, and about anyone who supports DJT for any reasons, are pretty vicious.
And, like I said, literal all folks who like DJT and dislike BHO are birthers of various stripes. That's my lived experience. Maybe you're some kind of unicorn, who knows.
by scarecrowbob
2/19/2026 at 6:02:24 PM
Impartial sources like the ACLU have said that Trumps actions and Obamas actions are comparable.I am saying you should treat the black president as you treat the white president.
If you praise Trump, you should praise Obama.
If you condemn Obama, you should condemn Trump.
You should treat the presidents based upon their actions, which are similar.
I don’t see how you can call that racist. If anything, it seems the opposite of racist to me.
by RickJWagner
2/19/2026 at 1:58:46 PM
I am transparent about my motives.I am indeed somewhat conservative. Not deeply so. I occasionally vote for against the grain, and several times Libertarian.
My stance is this: impartial sources like the ACLU have treated Trump and Obama in similar ways. ( They have been deeply critical of both for their immigration stance. ) It seems logical to me. Both presidents used the same organizations, led by the same people, using largely similar tactics, to do the same thing.
Yet people today are protesting, resisting, agitated, when there seemed to be little of that behavior when Obama was doing largely the same thing. ( Refer to the ACLU articles. ). They condemn Trump, but still cheer Obama.
Edit: You raise a valid point about Bush and Clinton. Indeed, both of these behaved a lot like Trump and Obama. Why didn’t people lose their minds then? Why only now?
Do you behave that way? If someone, explain why.
by RickJWagner
2/19/2026 at 3:09:09 PM
I mean, why don't you lose your mind that Trump is doing it? If it was so bad when Obama did it, then you're the hypocrite here.by xracy
2/19/2026 at 6:09:58 PM
My opinion is that Trump ( and Obama ) were both enforcing the laws passed by bipartisan congress. ( As others have pointed out, Bush and Clinton could easily be included. )They have all enforced the laws, as is their duty. Obama eloquently said he is a president, not an empower. He did not get to pick and choose which laws to enforce.
So I condemn neither Obama nor Trump. They were charged with a duty, and they fulfilled it.
My argument is against people who condemn one and praise another.
by RickJWagner
2/19/2026 at 1:31:29 AM
Obama's been a private citizen for nearly a decade, so inserting him into the conversation suggests your rubric for integrity and critical thinking skills is in grave disrepair.by cholantesh
2/18/2026 at 8:52:51 PM
... and if you can't differentiate between the badness of Obama and the badness of Trump you have neither integrity nor critical thinking skills.by eadler
2/19/2026 at 12:43:29 AM
A lot of them were trafficked by Epstein. Release the files or no?by gzread
2/19/2026 at 1:51:53 PM
Yes. Why not?by RickJWagner