> US lawmakers were somehow convinced ByteDance would absolutely divest from TikTok if threatened with an ultimatum

I worked on the bill. Everyone assumed it would hit the ban, get an extension, and then either remain banned or get sold to Elon, Ellison or a Brexiteer.

Can you point to a lawmaker who has flipped?

Here's what Chuck Schumer said:

"It's clear that more time is needed to find an American buyer and not disrupt the lives and livelihoods of millions of Americans of so many influencers who have built up a good network of followers" [1]

The deal was divest or ban, not look for "more time to find a buyer". My point is they were never prepared for an actual ban.

[1] https://x.com/kenklippenstein/status/1880007290830688609

> they were never prepared for an actual ban

This is have your cake and eat it too politics. I can pointedly say that Schumer’s office isn’t surprised Bytedance ran out its 180 days.

Won't somebody think of the influencers.

I think the bigger point is there are a lot of young people making really decent money on TikTok. (I know a few of them.) The result is a lot of push back from a lot of people who are effectively loosing their jobs. This is probably more clear to politicians now than it was a year ago, since the actual “threat” of the situation set in for more people.

As popular as the platform is with the younger demographic and the voting preferences of said younger demographic it's political malpractice for democrats to not try to at least salvage some face in this whole ordeal, whether you think the blame is misplaced or not.

Here we have a group of people that have given up on their duties re: checks and balances because following orders is easier. What a surprise that they're spineless in other ways too.