Minnesota department finds child care centers targeted in viral video operating normally

It’s a law of reality that Republicans can only be outraged by made-up problems.

Trump took away funding for all daycares in the country in response to the video by that one guy who apparently went to prom with his mother.

And we’re seeing the lie spread around the world right before our eyes

You don’t say..

Defamation?

Here’s my take. It’s going to be a long explanation because it deserves one. Conservatives en masse have made this “story” the latest centerpiece of their culture wars.

But it’s also another distraction and acts as the perfect excuse for their growing distrust, hatred and contempt for immigrants and minority groups.

That said, the original story and footage is obviously politically charged; rife with unverified claims and misleading implications; makes accusations lacking evidence and context; is intentionally confrontational, and is framed in a deceptive way.

Conservatives who now cling to this narrative are less concerned about the actual facts, and much more interested in how this content reaffirms their anti-immigrant attitudes.

We know social services fraud exists, but this former YouTube pranker is piggybacking off of the right’s culture wars, which are centered around growing hostilities towards immigrants, so he can play the part of a faux-journalist while he misleads his target audience in order to promote a larger, political narrative and create dramatic footage.

But this isn’t journalism, it’s clout chasing.

And it’s also baffling that conservatives refer to an amateurish social media influencer who flouts basic journalistic norms and ethics as a “master journalist” while they disparage the “mainstream media” for not covering this manufactured story/footage.

And footage that’s designed in a way to allow audiences to make wild inferences because it creates the *impression* of a massive, systemic scandal.

That’s the goal here after all. To produce visual inference, not evidence.

Shirley tries to pass his efforts off as professional, but he creates an emotional narrative rather than doing formal investigative work and professional auditing, because this is more difficult to do and more difficult to sell.

He frequently stops short of providing actual proof of the crimes he’s trying to *depict.*

In his video(s), Shirley and his cohort “David?” make a lot of observations, but then try to disguise them as “proof.”

What little actual information that’s provided in these videos that’s worthy of consideration is already under active investigation.

They’re taking credit for information already provided by federal investigations and they’re using it to build their own story.

But this story tries to spin unverified accusations, insinuations and conspiracy theories into fact. Shirley and his partner in slime misrepresent their personal claims, observations and their unreliable footage as direct confirmation of widespread fraud.

Almost every single claim that they make involving large sums or broad criminal conspiracies is either unsubstantiated or unresolved in court. E.g. $9 billion in fraud, 800+ Somali owned fraudulent businesses, thousands of ongoing schemes, uncovering $110 million in fraud in one day, funds being funneled to Al-Shabaab, Governor Walz being implicated, specific daycare fraud, etc.

Shirley’s claims that these daycare centers are “empty” or aren’t operating at all are not verified either.

He visited these centers without an appointment; seeking out confrontation, then made unsubstantiated accusations against these individuals/facilities while trying to pass them off as fact.

Context is left out of these videos like whether these daycare centers were supposed to be open when Shirley showed up unannounced, if they were operating under reduced hours, whether the children were off-site, whether it was during winter break, etc…

There have been documented cases of social services and daycare fraud, but there is no independent confirmation or audit proving that these specific facilities that Shirley visited were fraudulent or that Somali run daycares are largely the culprits. There is also no confirmation of things like “fake enrollment” at these places.

In other words, Shirley relies more on observations, speculation and visual inferences than actual documented wrongdoing to create a narrative.

The other issue is that Shirley’s unprofessional style is confrontational. He confronts unwitting people on camera, he tries to enter these facilities without an appointment, he films private daycare centers without permission, and he tries to present reluctance on the part of staff as an admission of guilt.

Hell, even Kash Patel’s FBI, and an agency that is now beholden to the whims of Donald Trump, shied away from publicly validating Shirley’s observations and claims of wrongdoing.

But what’s more important here, if you ask me at least, is the performative nature of this whole charade and how its goal is to pander to those on the right who want their culture war grievances and their disgust for foreigners and immigrants vindicated, facts be damned and engagement being a top priority.

That is to say, their attention has been successfully diverted away from the larger issues that actually require our immediate attention; like how the president is monetizing the presidency to the tune of billions, or the countless resources, financial or otherwise, that this administration has been stealing from the American people to fund its kleptocratic policies and agenda.

Yes, all of these right-wing dupes are being deceived by a fraudulent administration and Republican Party, their rich donors and corporate cronies, and the MAGA talking heads and pro Trump media mouthpieces—all of whom are thriving in this divisive political climate and prospering during our very real affordability crisis.

Those in power are absolutely thrilled that their voters’ righteous anger is focused squarely on these sensationalizing stories that appeal to FEELINGS, not FACTS.

Instead of paying heed to the corruption, the greed, the profligacy, the endless scandals, the thievery and the monumental amount of fraud that’s being pursued and perpetrated by the people they elect and implicitly trust and defend; instead of focusing on the country’s growing economic inequality and divide, the exploding debt and deficit, and the wealth and resources that are being taken from the poor, only to be handed to the rich; instead of concentrating on these very real and worsening issues, conservatives are fixated on blaming this nation’s problems on immigrants and minority groups, on the disadvantaged, the sick and the needy, on those without political or social capital, without wealth, without power, without resources, and without the mind, time or energy to be orchestrating massive fraud schemes involving entire state governments and nefarious foreign benefactors.

These are people who, even if they had the means to conspire against us, wouldn’t hold a candle to the obscenely corrupt, rich and powerful elites who continue to pick our pockets clean; claiming billions, if not trillions worth of dollars, assets and political resources to sustain their corruption, their graft, their THIEFDOM, and their economic tyranny over most Americans whose wealth is spreading thinner and thinner while the richest, most influential, and politically powerful among us continue to prosper beyond measure

Of course they did can’t have this really come to light as leadership failure

CBS news investigation found the same.

Star Tribune reporters found the same at 4 of the locations, and the other 6 wouldn’t let them in because, you know..children present and all.