I believe it’s the responsibility of the news media to report the actual news to “we the people” – accepting that every person and every entity have biases that are undeniable. What we now have in America are a few entities attempting to do just that – and, to discover the TRUTH about the FACT our nation was ATTACKED by Russian cyber-criminals in an obvious attempt to sway the 2016 election to Donald Trump – plus, we have entities that are PURE PROPAGANDA like Fox “news” which, to me, are like TRAITORS to the constitution we’re all supposed to hold so dear. And, then there are the fringe “Wing nut” outlets like the Enquirer that are specializing in inflammatory conspiracy theories which, apparently, enough Americans fall for that keeps them in business. I see copies of their “garbage” – and, that of other similar publications – every time I check out at the grocery store. (Donald Trump calls the Enquirer “respectable media” – that should tell you all you need to know about our so-called “president”)
Of course, there are also many outlets such as Breitbart that specialize in a specific type of propaganda, and some are gaining “steam” because they proved to be significant in the “election” (with, of course, three MILLION less votes than his opponent) of Trump. Breitbart, Fox, and we’re learning of others who either purposely or inadvertently were the proponents of what is now referred to by Trump as “fake news.” Of course, Trump is NEVER referring to the REAL “fake news” – that which was produced and pushed by Fox, Breitbart, other American entities AND most significantly Russian interests attempting to, at a minimum, destabilize American politics (a resounding success) and ultimately get Trump in the “White House” OR severely damage Hillary Clinton.
Well, republicans have been FOCUSED on damaging Hillary Clinton for 25 years, so the Russians were simply “helping out.” How much they were working together remains to be seen, but we now know the Russian ATTACK on America was very sophisticated – and, with Trump in the “White House” and taking no apparent notice of this with the result being virtually NO American plan to PREVENT further attacks (which are likely happening as I’m writing this piece) I find it EXTREMELY interesting that republicans in Congress are sitting idly by while this is all happening. Do they actually FEAR Trump to that extreme – that they’re willing to allow this ASSAULT on America to continue? Would they be acting this way if it was Clinton who COLLUDED with the Russians to win the election? Yes, republicans in Congress almost unanimously agreed to the sanctions Congress directed Trump to place on Russia – which was supposed to be completed by October 1 of this year – and, Trump is refusing to put those sanctions in place. Have you heard of the word “Kompromat?” This is what I believe is causing Trump’s reluctance to say ANYTHING negative about Russia or Vladimir Putin AND why he’s refusing to enforce these sanctions.
“Kompromat” is the “stuff” the Russians have on Trump that they are – or likely could – BLACKMAIL him with. For example, MUCH of what was written in the so-called “dossier” of Christopher Steele (former British Intelligence agent) is proving to be TRUE. And, I’m hearing MORE reports that the “selatious” sexual innuendo – and, the reports there’s video of the incident – is also TRUE. I suppose it’s NOT illegal for Trump to hire prostitutes in Russia to perform a “golden shower” on the bed President Obama slept in while in Moscow during his presidency – but, I’m imagining Trump doesn’t want video of that coming out at this point in time. You know, might give added meaning to his words after Charlottesville – if you get my “drift.”
That all being said, the focus of my thoughts right now is how Trump is the master at “projection.” I usually call it “political projection” because, it seems to me, it’s regarding political issues when I see people using this deplorable technique the most. Projection is the foundation behind PROPAGANDA. It’s the work of pathological LIARS. Right now, we’re seeing a masterful attempt to DEFLECT (which is the PURPOSE of projection) the, apparently, IMPENDING results of Robert Mueller’s investigation which will UNCOVER much of the CORRUPTION that follows Trump wherever he goes. Of course, this investigation will snag much more than Trump himself, and true to form Trump is already fighting back with his friends at Fox, Breitbart, and elsewhere lending their “hands.”
Trump, republicans in Congress, Fox, Breitbart, and, I suppose, many others I don’t pay attention to, are pushing a story that the real “Russia thing” is the sale of a Canadian Company involved in mining uranium in America to a Russian Company – that, like virtually all Russian companies – has ties to Vladimir Putin. Trump seems to know what’s coming from Mueller, so he – and his “cronies” – are PROJECTING with “both barrels” – to kind of steal a phrase from another LIAR in the “White House” – General Kelly. This is classic PROJECTION. Blaming someone else – in this case Hillary Clinton as “colluding with the Russians” – on your “enemies.”
The Trump “supporters” are accusing virtually EVERY democrat – or “opponent” – they can think of. Of course, their MAIN TARGETS are not Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama, BUT James Comey and Robert Mueller. If you’ve been around and you’re NOT dumbed down by Fox “news,” the right wing “talkers,” or republicans who FEAR Trump enough to do his bidding instead of DEFEND this nation against Russian ATTACKS, then you maybe understand how people like Trump ALWAYS attack the MESSENGER in order to get people’s attention off of the MESSAGE.
In this case, the MESSAGE is likely that Trump and members of his campaign committed TREASON in the last election by working with the Russians to target specific portions of our nation with real FAKE NEWS. (Of course, this is why Trump has been accusing the actual media of giving “fake news” as a classic example of this same strategy – this is NOT an accident) Sadly, it worked, although, I’m kind of thinking it’s better that it did and that Mrs. Clinton is not president, because we’d be in impeachment territory already from this republican Congress – which can’t seem to do anything constructive even with control of both houses of Congress. (It seems like republicans feel they were cheated from the chance to impeach Mrs. Clinton, so they’re attempting to do so “defacto.”
Additionally, unless you’re listening to a republican biased lawyer, Trump will likely be indicted for OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE – charges which led to the impeachment of both Nixon and Clinton. Of course, it will likely take the election of 2018 to remove Trump from office because these present day republicans FEAR him to the point I don’t believe they’ll move to impeach even after the charges are presented. And, those in Trump’s sphere will receive pardons probably before they are convicted in court. The question will become, are republicans correct in their “bet” that progressives (liberals) stay home from the polls in 2018, or that they can purge enough through their voter suppression antics to continue their hold on POWER.
Here are the people who I believe are liable to exposed to criminal charges. Everyone knows about Paul Manafort and Mike Flynn – but, Jared Kushner and Donald Trump Jr., and Flynn’s son are clearly vulnerable. Additionally, in my mind and from what I’ve gathered listening to legal experts – EVERY member of the “White House” staff who were read into both the letter where Trump outlined that he was firing Comey to stop the “Russia thing” AND the misleading explanation of the June 9, 2016 meeting with Russians who were giving “dirt” on Hillary Clinton – and THEN went out and gave FALSE information to the public are vulnerable to “conspiracy to obstruct justice.” This would include the Vice President and the press secretary and likely key advisers in the “White House.” In short: There’s a lot of legal vulnerability in Trump’s “White House.”
Reportedly, Trump’s got the pardon pen on high alert and Mueller is trying to figure out how to bypass Trump’s inclination to use his pardon pen at will. I want to say this should be interesting, but the Russians have succeeded in helping to DIVIDE this nation to the point where, no matter how this turns out, there’s likely to be unrest. And, keep in mind, most of those people carrying Tiki Torches in Charlottesville and shouting “Jews will not replace us” are armed to the hilt. And, there’s cells of their supporters all across America. Additionally, if violence breaks out should Trump face criminal charges and Congress do their duty (impeachment) we have a Justice Department being run by Jeff Sessions. I don’t know if you have confidence that he’s apolitical and will defend the law and the constitution in this matter, but not so much as for me.
I started this post ONE DAY before Robert Mueller issued his first indictments – which was Friday the 27th of October, 2017. As people like me would have predicted, based on “leaks” that have managed to hit the news prior to last Friday, Paul Manafort was one of those indicted. Additionally, a Manafort associate I was not aware of, Rick Gates, was also indicted. It appears Mr. Gates may have been involved with Trump much longer than Manafort himself. The really interesting part of the announcement was that a young man named George Papadopoulos was arrested last July and has pleaded guilty to LYING to the FBI and is now a “cooperating witness” to what was going on between Trump’s campaign and Russia.
Papadopoulos is around 30 years old and was a “foreign policy adviser” to the Trump campaign. Apparently, on occasion, he was the “go between” for the campaign and their connection to the Russians as they were getting “dirt” on Hillary Clinton. It’s, at this time, unknown how much Papadopoulos knows, but there’s got to be some of the “higher’s up” in the campaign a bit nervous as I’m writing this. As I looked at how Papadopoulos was connected to the campaign, what he was doing, and then ALL the “counts” against Manafort and Gates, and it feels as if Mueller has his sights set much higher.
It appears to me that Mike Flynn (and his son), Donald Trump Jr., and Jared Kushner are all in serious legal trouble based on what I read today and what’s been published previously – and, this in above and beyond what I referred to above. I have no idea how complete a “house cleaning” Mueller has in mind, but if he’s one to take the constitution and our legal system literal, there’s a lot of those in the “White House” who should be nervous and spending time with their attorneys. Clearly, I believe the “target” is Donald Trump himself. If you remember, James Comey, in his last testimony to Congress actually said, “It makes me nauseous to think my actions could have swayed the election.” Of course, those words were the last “straw” for Trump and he fired Comey – surely thinking that would end the “Russia thing.” (another example of Trump’s stupidity – which included the meeting with Lester Holt and subsequently, in the Oval Office with the Russian Ambassador and Foreign Minister where he doubled down by proclaiming getting rid of Comey – which included derogatory characterizations of Comey – “took the pressure off from the Russia Investigation”)
Our media remembers all these things for a few days, but Mueller catalogues everything and it’s all going to come back to haunt the president. I personally will find it the ultimate irony if Trump is finally IMPEACHED as he SHOULD be by the very entity which was responsible for his election. It was Comey’s announcement 12 days prior to the election which swung the results Trump’s way (along with the voter suppression in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin PLUS the Russian involvement in numerous surreptitious ways) and Trump was lauding Comey and the FBI for their “help” – at the time. Not so much now. I believe the results of Mueller’s investigation will cast Trump in a “light” that will place him in a DARK place in American History. The question will become, at that point, is Congress willing to put themselves in that same place in the History books? I really hope not! There are members of the republican Congress right now who are reminding me of the McCarthy era of the 1950’s. You’d think they wouldn’t want to go there!
Final Thought: The Russians have succeeded, along with members of the right wing republican party, in dividing this nation to the point where we’re more likely to be arguing neighbor to neighbor than uniting in defending the basic principles this country was founded on – which begin with our RIGHT to VOTE. I can only hope that the energy in the so-called “resistance” will last well beyond the 2016 election and that LIBERALS will not argue amongst themselves to the detriment of the country as a whole. They have the power to vote out this republican Congress and remove Trump from office if that becomes necessary. To be honest, I hope it doesn’t. The first line of defense against the Trump presidency is the republican Congress. So far, they’re failing to do their job and adhere to their oath of office. So, their removal may be necessary.
However, I’m not an advocate of the complete other alternative – which would be a die hard “liberal” Congress that was acting in a totally partisan manner as with this present group of republicans. There’s an old saying, “Don’t make the perfect the enemy of the good” and my hope is that those who are “progressive,” “moderate,” and “conservative” and can place this country ahead of their partisan beliefs can come together and purge our nation of this administration which has a closer identity to a mafia organization than a governing one AND members of Congress who are unable to work with their cohorts no matter their party affiliation. I don’t think I’m alone in believing, on most issues, the best solution lies somewhere between the “left and the right.”