Modern Warfare–Russky Style

                                                           Image from CNN 7-7-2017

Lately I’ve been incredibly puzzled by how little most Americans know or even care about Russia meddling in our elections. The news has been trickling in for some time and as an IT professional and former computer programmer professor with 20 years of experience in computer programming, I can tell you that it is probably worse than you know.  If you want to stay updated on the Russian story, the BEST site I’ve found to date is https://investigaterussia.org/, aka, the Committee to Investigate Russia.  Created by a bipartisan group consisting of experts and advocates (a couple of names you are probably already familiar with like James Clapper and Rob Reiner are on the advisory board), this site catalogs news articles from reputable sources, lists all of the key players (who are easy to get confused, especially with the long hard to pronounce Russian names), explains the various public investigations that are ongoing, and keeps track of timelines in the investigations.  I found the site by listening to Jacki Schechner on the Bob Cesca Show.  Jacki has a long history in the news business and her latest project has been to launch this news aggregation site launched.  It’s finally online and I STRONGLY encourage you to check it out.

Here’s a BRIEF summary of what we know.  The Russians attempted to hack 39 states and in at least one instance, tried to delete and alter voter data.  We know during the Democratic primaries that many Bernie voters complained that their change in registration from Independent to Democratic parties did not occur properly and so they were unable to vote in the closed primary.  In other instances many longtime Democratic voters were inexplicably given provisional ballots.  This led Bernie Sanders to file complaints, which in turn led to Hillary supporters becoming defensive and voila the damage was done.  The Left continues to argue among itself to this day and Putin is loving every moment of it.

We know that Putin engaged in a disinformation campaign and that it has been an unprecedented success on many levels.

• He has succeeded in undermining our confidence in our democratic institutions.   If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it a million times.  The hackers didn’t need to hack our voting machines to mess with vote tallies, they only needed to mess with our voter registrations.  There is mounting evidence that they did just that.  Now many people, including myself, don’t trust our election process.
• He has succeeded in suborning the Executive Branch.  Herr Orangenfuhrer* has shown a pattern of letting Russia get away with far too much** (see Sources 4-7 at bottom).  The Executive Branch is being lead by a man who is, for all practical purposes, Putin’s “poleznyje idiot” or “useful idiot”.
• He has succeeded in subverting the Legislative Branch.  Congress, under the control of the GOP, has been blocking progress into the investigation while mouthing crap about “being concerned”.  I don’t want to hear about how my Senator, John McCain is concerned.  I want to hear about how he and his colleagues are doing something to 1) stop the current collusion with Russia and 2) to stop it from happening again in the future.  Neither of which is happening.
• He has succeeded in taking advantage of our ignorance and our openness.  Part of the problem is that the information has been trickling in and from so many different sources.  Another part of the problem is that it involves technology that most people don’t understand.  And yet another problem is our short attention span.  The final part of the problem is that far too many on both the Right and the Left are knowingly and unknowingly carrying Putin’s water.  The Right is repeating Trump’s BS rhetoric about “Fake News”.  It also doesn’t help that some on the left (like Jill Stein, Bernie Bros, and Russian plants pretending to be Bernie Bros) not only pushed anti-Hillary news but are now pushing the “Fake News” line of thinking as well.   As a result, unfortunately, too many Americans in the middle are throwing up their hands and saying, “We don’t know who to trust!”  All this confusion is EXACTLY what Putin wants.

Is it any wonder that the American people are too distracted and confused?!  Unfortunately, we need to pay attention to this story.  I honestly believe that this is the beginning of the end for our Democracy IF we don’t respond appropriately to this crisis.

Make no mistake about it–Russia attacked us.  They have attacked and are continuing to attack our democracy and we all need to wake up and pay attention.  We need to stay on top of this story and push Congress to do something about it.   Check out the “Committee to Investigate Russia“.

Notes:
*I refuse now and forever to give Trump the title of President.
**Too many articles to cite in that one sentence but a few are listed below (see sources 4-7)…I could go on and on
***These sources are listed in no particular order.  I have been trying to avoid any sources that might be of Russian origin but it is very hard to know who to trust.  For instance, I know that RT.com is basically Russian propaganda but there are many bloggers who seem to have a Russian/Wikileaks slant to them who might be reporting real news but they also might be knowingly and unknowingly repeating crap stories from Russia.  For that reason I’ve tried to avoid using links to other “unknown” bloggers and tried to stick to well known news sources.

Sources:***

1. https://www.vox.com/world/2017/6/13/15791744/russia-election-39-states-hack-putin-trump-sessions
2. http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-ca-voting-problems-20160607-snap-htmlstory.html
3. http://www.cnn.com/2016/04/19/politics/new-york-primary-voter-problem-polls-sanders-de-blasio/index.html
4. http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/07/09/trump-has-picked-americas-enemies-in-russia-over-its-friends-in-europe/
5. http://www.weeklystandard.com/trump-caves-to-putin/article/2008751
6. https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/national-security/trump-administration-moves-to-return-russian-compounds-in-maryland-and-new-york/2017/05/31/3c4778d2-4616-11e7-98cd-af64b4fe2dfc_story.html?utm_term=.916898cc623e
7. http://www.newsweek.com/trump-collusion-russia-what-we-know-so-far-630053
8. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Reiner
9. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Clapper
10. https://investigaterussia.org/
11. http://www.bobcesca.com/the-bob-cesca-show-presented-by-bubblegenius-com-9717/
12. http://www.cnn.com/2017/09/05/politics/house-intelligence-committee-subpoena-fbi-justice/index.html
13. http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/if-only-john-mccains-actions-matched-john-mccains-rhetoric
14. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/monkey-cage/wp/2016/08/10/are-u-s-voters-confident-in-their-electoral-system-yes-and-no/?utm_term=.8acf19b0f164
15. http://thehill.com/policy/national-security/343292-jill-stein-looped-into-widening-investigation-of-russia-and-trump-jr
16. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-fake-news-russia_us_58c34d97e4b0ed71826cdb36

 

I want to get off the crazy train

Ezra Klein and Evan Solta have a good article about how one crazy faction of the Plutocrat Party actually wants the U.S. to default on our debts. Yeah, you read that right. The Republican careerist politicians (Boehner, McCain, McConnell, etc) WANT to pass something on the Debt Ceiling so the US doesn’t default–but only if it’s a “clean” bill–i.e., without all the additional stuff regarding Health Care or particular aspects of the budget. The President wants a clean bill too. Unfortunately, the nuts holding the government hostage have included the debt ceiling in the hostage negotiations because they actually think it would be a good idea to default. Here’s the thinking:

Analogies between the finances of families and government are typically pretty flawed. But there’s one worth drawing here: That moment when a family realizes it’s broke and stops paying their mortgage, credit card bill, etc? It’s not a good moment for them. It’s a moment that wrecks their credit score and makes it harder for them to be “not-broke” ever again. To try and improve the U.S.’s finances by sharply and permanently increasing its borrowing costs is like trying to prove to your sister that her house is a firetrap by actually setting it on fire.

Unfortunately, it’s not just us in the U.S. that are struck on the Crazy Train….the entire world is.  U.S. Treasury bills are the world’s key safe asset–that’s not me just saying it….Nobel Prize winning economist Paul Krugman says so.  If we default it won’t just be bad for us, it can and will be REALLY bad for other countries that are always on that economic ragged edge.

(Click the image to enlarge)

The Loco Loco

Shit My Senator Says

Sen. John McCain today on Kim Jong Il’s death:

“I can only express satisfaction that the Dear Leader is joining the likes of Qaddafi, Bin Laden, Hitler, and Stalin in a warm corner of hell.”

I actually said something similar in a blog post (someone else’s blog) this morning.  However, I am a nobody.  Kim Jong Un does’t give a darn about my opinion.  However the opinion of a powerful U.S. Senator* will certainly be noticed and potentially used as an excuse for even more hostilities between North Korea and the U.S.   I would expect a senior statesman to know when to keep his mouth shut.  Of course, he probably doesn’t care how it affects the country because anything bad for the current Administration is considered good for the GOP….the good of the nation be damned.

 

*the Armed Services Committee,where he is the ranking member, and the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee.

Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/2011/12/19/20111219mccain-says-kim-jong-il-warm-corner-hell.html#ixzz1h0veyOK3

AZ Asshole: John McCain

I couldn’t avoid it any longer.  I kept thinking that as the evidence, political will and popular support shifted to support the repeal of DADT, John McCain would reverse positions AGAIN and support it.  See he supported it before he was against it.  Let’s look at the…..ummmm….evolution of Sen. McCan’ts history on this and other related issues.

1993 – During the controversy over its initial enactment and during the time that there was discussion of its potential repeal, Sen. McCan’ts own mentor, the retired Sen. Barry Goldwater advocated for DADT’s full repeal.

1999 – Sen. McCan’t told the Boston Herald that he supported the decision of the military leaders who helped to create the DADT policy in the first place, which included Gen. Colin Powell.

February 27, 2000 – Sen. McCan’t says during a speech that neither party should be pandering to the outer reaches of American politics that support policies of intolerance such as Pat Robertson, Rev. Falwell and others.  Pat Robertson and Rev. Falwell were notorious supporters of the outright ban on gays serving in the military.

May 2006 – Sen. McCan’t thanks Rev. Falwell for his support and begins speaking to conservative religious groups (that support banning gays from serving in the military) to win his party’s nomination. 

October 2006 – During a speech in Iowa, Sen. McCan’t says he would support the repeal of DADT if the heads of the military said they think it should be repealed.

October 2007 – During the Iowa caucases for the nomination of the Republican Party, Sen. McCan’t again says he would support the repeal of DADT if the heads of the military said they think it should be repealed.

Oct. 1, 2008 – Sen. McCan’t reiterates his willingness to review DADT and receives the endorsement of Log Cabin Republicans.

Nov. 2008 – Sen. McCan’t loses the Presidential election to Sen. Barack Obama.

Feb. 2, 2010 – Sen. McCan’t says during hearings that we shouldn’t be seeking to overturn DADT because it would prove a hardship for the troops.

Feb. 3, 2010 – Retired Gen. and former Secretary of State Colin Powell urges the repeal of DADT.  Powell was one of those very same leaders that helped to create the policy of DADT and who McCain said he wanted to hear from before he would change his own mind.

May 2010 – Facing a far right-wing challenger for his Senate seat, Sen. McCan’t says that he will support a Republican filibuster of any Defense authorization bill that contains repeal DADT language.

Sept. 16, 2010 – Sen. McCan’t releases a statement saying he doesn’t oppose it or support it.  He also stated he would not take action before the members of the armed forces were surveyed.

Nov. 14, 2010 – Information about the results of an Armed Forces survey are leaked to the press, which indicate general support for the repeal.  Cindy McCain does a video in support of the repeal of DADT.  Sen. McCan’t when confronted with these things says he’ll wait for the results of the study and not make a judgement based on leaks. 

Dec. 3, 2010 – The armed forces survey shows general support for the repeal.  The top military brass support its repeal.  The majority of Congress supports its repeal.  The majority of the American people support its repeal.  Sen. McCan’t claims the armed forces survey on DADT was flawed and still won’t support its repeal.

For his bullshit stance, or lack thereof, on DADT Sen. John McCain is an AZ Asshole.

PS:  A hilarious take down of Sen. McCan’t and his many reversals:  http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-april-6-2010/say-anything

Sources:

http://www.mediaite.com/tv/mccain-on-dadt-i-will-listen-to-our-military-leaders-not-a-study-that-is-leaked/

http://www.keennewsservice.com/2010/09/19/mccain-re-pitches-his-position-on-dadt-again/

http://tpmlivewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/02/now-that-powell-supports-dadt-repeal-will-mccain-come-around.php

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don’t_ask,_don’t_tell

http://www.lcrga.com/news/John-McCain-Dont-Ask-Dont-Tell-DADT-Powell/199912180929.shtml

http://www.lcrga.com/news/John-McCain-Gay-Lesbian-Interview/200810011727.shtml

http://articles.cnn.com/2010-02-03/politics/powell.gays.military_1_gates-and-mullen-general-powell-repeal?_s=PM:POLITICS

“McCain is all hat and no cattle….”

Excellent coverage of Arizona’s first Republican primary debate with video at Crooks and Liars

The take away? Beware of old white men who talk about deficit reduction out of one side of their mouth and granting tax cuts to the military industrial complex with the other side.