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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsJennifer Palmieri (WaPo article) on what to do about Russian hacking and Russia-Trump ties
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2017/03/24/the-clinton-campaign-warned-you-about-russia-but-nobody-listened-to-us/?After recounting the history of the Russian hacking, etc., and their attempts to raise this as an issue during the Clinton campaign, Palmieri ends with this:
But Democrats can break out of the Catch-22 of the campaign: If we make plain that what Russia has done is nothing less than an attack on our republic, the public will be with us. And the more we talk about it, the more theyll be with us. Polls show that voters are now concerned about the Russia story and overwhelmingly support an independent, bipartisan commission to take over this investigation. Members of Congress should use every procedural tool available to force votes on such a commission. Dont let business continue on Capitol Hill without insisting at every opportunity that our nation should resolve the Russia matter. Filibustering Neil Gorsuch is a good start. Senate Minority Leader Charles E. Schumer is right that it would be unseemly to move forward with a lifetime appointment to the Supreme Court by a president whose campaign is under an active FBI investigation.
Democrats should push for this relentlessly and above all else. They should talk about it in every interview. They should invoke the big gray cloud that Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.), the House Intelligence Committee chairman, said hangs over the Trump administration so often that anchors sigh and roll their eyes when they say it. They should call out the Republicans in Congress who seek to distract from the substance of the Russia investigation by arguing that leaks are the real problem. Democrats should be blunt: These apologists are complicit in helping Russia undermine our democracy. So far, the GOP has seen defending Trump as being in their political interests. But now were at a tipping point. If those Republicans feel enough heat for helping Vladimir Putin attack the United States to assist Trump, they will abandon the White House and support an independent commission.
The possibility of collusion between Trumps allies and Russian intelligence is much more serious than Watergate. It is a constitutional crisis. It represents a violation of our republics most sacred trust. The worst part about our lackluster collective response to Russias interference is that it represents exactly what the Russians were hoping to produce: apathy. Their goal, in addition to installing a president sympathetic to their views, was to undermine Americans belief in our democracy. For Americans to think that none of this really matters, that its all a game. Thats how they truly erode U.S. moral authority and strength over the long term. Its what they have sought to do to European adversaries for many years, and now they have brought this seed of destruction here.We all have a role to play in stopping it. Each of us should be judged by how we respond at this moment when the most fundamental precept of our democracy has been violated.
Girard442
(6,086 posts)How many suitcases of cash and death threats did it take to get the press to pile on to Hillary the way they did?
Dustlawyer
(10,497 posts)No more "It's entertainment" should be allowed. These media conglomerates are part of the corptacracy that runs our country through regular campaign donations. They wanted Trump as President, it is very clear. They gave him all of the free media and set for him the lowest bar by far! They report on tweets instead of the historic big stories generated by his corrupt, incompetent actions.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Not sure why journalists have all learned that they should just report what people say without telling us what is factual and what is not. But that kind of journalism doesn't work when some politicians are willing to blatantly lie.
Report the truth, not just others' words. Otherwise liars like Trump and Rove and Ryan exploit the media and all Americans lose.
jodymarie aimee
(3,975 posts)But she should have published this in Oct 2016.
nocalflea
(1,387 posts)don't get their act together what are we left with ? Media has to ride this story and ride it hard.They are so damn easily distracted,it's infuriating. Time for them to step up. Pedal to the metal.Our democracy is at stake .Russia/Trump should be the story and only story 'til GOP relents or Trump goes.
My god , are we really going to have to take it to the streets to get a special prosecutor ?
MBS
(9,688 posts)tomp
(9,512 posts)they are our greatest weapon against tyranny of all types, including failure of democrats to do their job.
nocalflea
(1,387 posts)Only they can call for a special prosecutor or independent investigation. Could dem congressional members be more vocal , in general , yes , but their power is limited.
tomp
(9,512 posts)at the very least democrats should be calling for demonstrations. the situation is untenable.
Cosmocat
(14,575 posts)nm
MBS
(9,688 posts)This link is also posted in the article quoted in the OP, but just to highlight some relevant passages>
. . . .
Though the opportunists outnumber the ideologues, its the true believers who could pose the greatest damage to U.S. foreign policy over the long term. Their proposed strategic realignment with Moscow, predicated upon shared opposition to vaguely defined Islamic terrorism, is seductive but wrong: Far from being a potential partner in the fight against Islamic terrorism, Russia does much to stoke it.
A representative bellwether is former American Conservative Union chairman David Keene, who, writing in the Washington Times, cast doubt on the intelligence communitys assessments regarding Russian hacking and favorably quoted right-wing former Czech president Vaclav Klaus (who lost a sinecure at the libertarian Cato Institute for his pro-Putin views ) to the effect that a nation and its leaders may be detestable without being dangerous. (Like secretary of state nominee Rex Tillerson , Klaus has received a state prize from Putin.) There are new monsters out there and we need to focus on the threats they pose rather than wishing for the return of those already slain, Keene advised, sounding like a Cold War-era leftist accusing conservatives of red-baiting.
. . .
In an interview recorded more than 30 years ago, Russian defector Yuri Bezmenov revealed the KGBs counterintuitive approach to recruiting. This was my instruction: Try to get into large-circulation, established conservative media. Reach . . . cynical, egocentric people who can look into your eyes with angelic expression and tell you a lie. These are the most recruit-able people, people who lack moral principles, who are either too greedy or suffer from self-importance. Say this for Bezmenov: He knew his mark.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Not libertarian. Cato advocates for tax cuts for the rich because that's what their donors want. They like to put a nice word to make it seem like they have some higher principles.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)I'm shocked right now.
More seriously I am not surprised that Russia wants to recruit conservatives in media. The authoritarian personality works well for Russia.
MBS
(9,688 posts)from Adam Schiff's opening statement in House Intel committee hearings:
http://time.com/4706721/comey-hearing-adam-schiff-transcript/
KittyWampus
(55,894 posts)And that is where Jeff Sessions probably comes in.
Ligyron
(7,639 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)tblue37
(65,492 posts)GWC58
(2,678 posts)talked up Putin, said he was a real leader, unlike Obama? I thought it strange then. Now it makes perfect sense.
sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)How hard is that to do? Please do it, Democrats.
MBS
(9,688 posts)GWC58
(2,678 posts)hold up this Supreme Count vacancy "till the cows come home." I'm okay with 8 justices.
Botany
(70,613 posts)"Earlier that week, our campaign manager, Robby Mook, was mocked for telling
CNN that the leak of stolen emails before our convention was an indication that
Russia was trying to help Trump."
Fast Walker 52
(7,723 posts)because they think Americans don't care
Lonestarblue
(10,106 posts)Perhaps it's time for another march on Washington with the sole purpose of demanding an independent investigator and insisting that all Trump legislation and nominations stop until this matter has been settled. A heavily attended march on Washington and sister marches throughout the country (and perhaps the world) would demonstrate that the PEOPLE, if not the politicians and the money men, want an answer to whether Trump and his administration (and even the majorities in Congress) are illegitimate. Call it the March for Freedom--freedom from Russian interference, freedom from administration efforts to bury the truth, freedom from fake news that gives Trump and his minions a pass.
roscoeroscoe
(1,370 posts)Count me in!
BadgerMom
(2,771 posts)L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)What I see as truly alarming about the Republican behavior at this point is the concerted effort, from Trump's tweets to Nunes and friends, to Fox and friends, to Wikipedia, all the way down to the lowly bots, to blame Obama and turn this scandal on its head. They are literally playing politics as the Republic burns by promulgating a new set of lies in an attempt to discredit the investigation of the election hack and of the Republican-Rosneft collusion to install Trump, to eliminate Russian sanctions, and to make billions and line their pockets. We live in a world of international corruption of governance that literally threatens our future survival. That's far more than a big gray cloud.
paleotn
(17,989 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)That's the key to the GOP media strategy. They all say the same thing. Dems must do the same!!
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Repeating the same phrase ("death panel", "death tax", "job creator", "entitlement" is a big part of the secret of GOP media effectiveness.
See Luntz on this:
https://thinkprogress.org/luntz-warns-gop-on-occupy-wall-street-dont-say-capitalism-because-americans-think-capitalism-is-f54637f09e33#.qtp2m3680
L. Coyote
(51,129 posts)We aren't about phrases and simple-minded appeal.
secondwind
(16,903 posts)PoliticalPie
(37 posts)MBS
(9,688 posts)Much of the discussion has been focused on the unprecedented nature of Russian interference in the 2016 election. Yes, it is.
But to me the worst travesty of all is another unprecedented phenomenon: the increasingly incontrovertible evidence that Americans (almost all of them Republicans) have aided and abetted these efforts and colluded with Russians in corrupting and destabilizing our democracy at the most fundamental level. Not to mention the non-stop lies and shameless corruption -- also at unprecedented levels - that seem to have operated hand-in-glove with these efforts.
Huge RECOMMEND.