peggysue2
peggysue2's JournalThe Smear That Killed the Reset
An excellent article at WAPO this morning by Michael McFaul, our former ambassador to Russia. The piece offers a short history/insight of the how and why of our current situation with Putin and the sharp rise of a sophisticated Russian propaganda machine which is now attempting to subvert all things Western.
As McFaul tells it, Putin paranoia was thick even in 2011:
I was not Mr. Reset but an agent provocateur: a revolutions specialist sent by Obama to orchestrate regime change. For the rest of my time in Russia as ambassador, I battled nearly every day to dispel that myth — and never really succeeded.
This was all about Putin's fading support in the then upcoming 2012 election:
The December 2011 parliamentary elections were the beginning of the end of the reset. Putin’s party, United Russia, performed much more poorly than expected, despite enjoying unlimited national television coverage, abundant financial resources, the backing of regional governments and a bump from ballot falsification. It won only 49.3 percent of the vote, a significant drop from the 64.3 percent it had garnered four years earlier.
Putin was spooked by the resistance and the US became, once again, the worthy object of all things bad in Russia. Every dictator needs a boogie man. And, of course, now Putin has the perfect solution, an agent of influence sitting in our White House.
The article is an interesting read but so is the comments section where you can find some expert trolling by one RobertHeikeler. Fascinating back and forth.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/posteverything/wp/2018/05/11/feature/putin-needed-an-american-enemy-he-picked-me/?utm_term=.58469a406a2c
Another Trip on the Wayback Machine: Jade Helm Hysteria
As we attempt to get our heads around the ongoing Trumpster debacle, the 2016 electoral madness, Michael Hayden, former NSA & CIA Director, suggests taking a trip back to 2015 and revisit the military Jade Helm exercises in Texas. You might vaguely recall Governor Abbott acquiescing to the conspiracy nuts, ordering the State Guard to monitor the Federal military exercises because the ongoing disinformation campaign convinced—the more paranoid and unhinged—that a roundup of political dissidents was at hand. Texas statehood was at stake; a Federal coup was blowing in the wind. Be Afraid!
All under the command of President Obama. Of course.
How did this happen and why?
Hayden has pointedly said that Jade Helm was a test case for Russian bots and the alt-right media to disrupt, confuse and spread a conspiracy information virus into the body politic. It worked surprisingly well and encouraged the instigators to expand the technique to our electoral process.
If Hayden is correct, one of the flash points to what we’ve witnessed since—the Trumpster dumpster fire—started in Texas and was fanned, along with other elements, into the 4-alarm disaster we’re living in the moment.
See more at the Texas Tribune here:
https://www.texastribune.org/2018/05/03/hysteria-over-jade-helm-exercise-texas-was-fueled-russians-former-cia-/
Btw, the Wayback Machine is an interesting and instructive way to pinpoint what we missed in the lead-up to the Trumpster Train. Hopefully, we learn. Even if it is the Hard Way.
The Latest on Kelly Offers a Chilling Reminder: Trump Really is an Idiot
And not of the Idiot Savant variety. From the NBC article with the latest Kelly gossip is this:
"In one heated exchange between the two men before February's Winter Olympics in South Korea, Kelly strongly — and successfully — dissuaded Trump from ordering the withdrawal of all U.S. troops from the Korean Peninsula, according to two officials."
If you recall, in late January and into February, people were really concerned about the opening of WWIII, spurred on by crazy rhetoric and the threat of a military invasion. And the Trumpster was A-okay with the dial-up including troop withdrawal until he was 'talked down' by Kelly (and I also read McMaster). This would have left South Korea and Japan--Our Allies--totally vulnerable and no doubt the victims of millions of casualties.
However when it comes to immigration, something Kelly considers himself an expert on, he was noted as saying the following:
"He (Trump) doesn't even understand what DACA is. He's an idiot," Kelly said in one meeting, according to two officials who were present. "We've got to save him from himself."
After the talks on a bipartisan deal fell apart, a collapse Kelly helped orchestrate with some conservative Republicans, he told aides in his office: "If it weren't for me the president was going to agree to some hasty deal," according to two officials who were present at the time
So, we have the self-appointed Savior of Humanity, saving The Donald from himself on immigration and the deal that Nancy Pelosi almost had The Trumpster agree to. Until he didn't.
If this is what saving looks like, God help us all because we now have Bolton and Pompeo whispering in the Trumpster's ear.
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/white-house/kelly-thinks-he-s-saving-u-s-disaster-calls-trump-n868961
Vote like your lives depend on it. Because they do.
Time to Treat Trump as an Enemy of the State
Because that's what he is.
As a number of our journalists run to the defense of Sarah Huckabee Sanders, a woman who lies every f**cking day for this Creature, they might tap into the interview at Salon where Reza Aslan lays down some very inconvenient truths about Donald Trump and his odious supporters.
Take a stand now or stand down forever.
Because this is the only issue that matters and underscores the importance of our upcoming elections in November and in 2020.
Everything else is a distraction.
https://www.salon.com/2018/04/30/fired-cnn-host-reza-aslan-its-time-to-treat-donald-trump-as-an-enemy-of-the-state/
My Home State, New Jersey, showing its progressive creds
The days of Christie are over, gone, done. And for anyone thinking our new Democratic Governor wasn't liberal enough, left of center enough, this one's for you.
https://twitter.com/AriBerman/status/986298204286275585
Congrats New Jersey. You're helping lead the way back to sanity--13th state and counting.
Can't Get Much More Offensive Than This!
Breeding Concept?? We're into Steven Miller/Baby Goebbel's territory. A Revolution in California? Yes, against the Trumpster and his hideous world view.
The tipping point has come and gone. Anyone supporting this man is an enemy of the civilized world, let alone a democratic society, period.
This cannot, will not stand.
https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/986544648477868032
Okay, This is Disturbing: Would You Kill for Me?
I listened to Barbra Res before. She worked for Trump and was hired as one of the first female construction managers in NYC. At one time she admired the Trumps (this was marriage #1) and was grateful for the chance in the industry. But she has said that something changed the Trumpster during the mid to late 80's. They had a falling out over something and that was it--she was out. She talked about attending a funeral for a former colleague. Trump was also there and completely ignored her, pretended she was invisible. She said the whole thing was strange.
But this is chilling. A mobster mentality? Oh, yes.
https://twitter.com/riotwomennn/status/986272112464879617
Trump Supporters Are Not Pleased
I don't know if this was already up but . . . the Trumpster's supporters are not pleased about the Syria strike. Love the idea of Alex Jones crying over this; his hero betrayed him.
Which means this limited strike will have limited value. When you can't get the loons to support you, it's Mueller Time!!
http://thehill.com/homenews/media/383147-conservatives-trump-supporters-slam-trump-over-syria-missile-strike
Some Positive News
And maybe the reason the Trumpsters are spinning their wheels:
http://news.gallup.com/poll/232433/trump-favorable-rating-dips.aspx
Trumps favorability is down to 38%; unfavorability polling at a whopping 59%.
This, of course, is simply one poll. But it's definitely going in the right direction.
Picked this up on Rick Wilson's Feed
Pretty much says it all in a single image
https://twitter.com/ElGliko/status/983439902036541440
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Name: PegGender: Female
Hometown: New Jersey
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Current location: Wilmington, DE
Member since: Sat Feb 6, 2016, 08:31 PM
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