Well aren't you just Mr. Subtle today?

I've been getting some unsolicited political texts recently. Here's a sampling:¹

Trump won't ask again: Will you join him on his new social site. Friend? You have 1hr to stand w/ Trump until link closes for good [minified link redacted] stop=end

Have you abandoned Trump, Friend?! He launched his new site & you haven't told him you'll join. You have 1hr to stand w/ Trump [minified link redacted] stop=end

Trump won't ask again: Will you join him on his new social site, Susan? You have 1hr to stand w/ Trump until link closes for good [minified link redacted] stop=end

We've texted 9x & you still haven't answered Trump: WIll you join his new site, Susan? 20min or he'll know you've sided w/ Dems: [minified link redacted] stop=end

It's Steve Scalise & I'm wondering if we lost you, Susan. True Patriots will steps up. Socialists will ignore this. Which are you? [minified link redacted] stop=end

And so on. In case you're wondering, my name isn't Susan nor does that name belong to anyone I've shared a mobile plan or a mailing address with, so the contact database they are using is suspect.

The main thing that stands out to me here is the "subtle" menace in much of the phrasing here. Oh, it's ambiguous enough to provide cover against legal action—your basic plausible deniability—but it is also clear in the natural reading. The semantics here are those of bullies and crooks.

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¹ Before last year's election I was getting a bunch from pro-democratic sources. Those were run of the mill electioneering. The partisan selection and nature of this spam changed recently.