Today individual 1 made a couple things clear in regard to why he’s such a danger to the United States as people like me know it. And, make no mistake, I’m fully aware of the “pimples” America has accumulated over the years (“pimples” is probably way too kind a word) – beginning with the genocide of Native American nations and slavery and evolving to fear of communism after WW II which led to the American equivalent to what the Russians did to us during the 2016 election in places like Iran (is it going to be deja vu all over again?), Chile, Panama, IRAQ and various other places around the world. Given all the “pimples,” there have always been those who believe in the founding documents and believe “we can be better.”
Say what you will about individual 1’s policies, he’s likely to be our so-called president until the end of 2020. In the meantime, here’s a couple things he’s doing which are, as I said above – at least in my view – VERY dangerous – in the top ten of individual 1’s “very dangerous.” First, he’s figured out how to weaponize social media – in a way not too dissimilar to how the Russians do it – what they call their “active measures.” And, the second part of my point also mirrors the Russians, individual 1 will go way beyond LYING on social media (which I don’t, personally, participate in) to make his “point.” NOTHING is too low for him!
For example, as was reported earlier today in regard to individual 1’s “temper tantrum” as reported by Nancy Pelosi where he abruptly left a meeting (which he only temporarily appeared) ostensibly intended to deal with infrastructure and, then, gave a pre-arranged press briefing in the Rose Garden of the “White House” – individual 1 lashed out at Pelosi in a worst than DISHONEST manner on “Twitter” and “Facebook” – according to the reporting I heard. Pelosi had accused individual 1 of orchestrating a “cover-up” which he appeared to use as his excuse to “go off.” (Think Stormy Daniels when contemplating whether he’s capable of a “cover-up”)
Of course, individual 1 uses “Twitter” to disparage his opponents – or, for that matter, anyone he notices saying “bad things” about him. Apparently, he’s also got a sophisticated “Fake News” scheme going on “Facebook” as well. In this instance, individual 1 appears to have published a video of Ms. Pelosi which has been “doctored” without identifying whatever was done to modify the video. It was sent to his MILLIONS of followers on “Twitter.” Now, as I said, I don’t do “Twitter” (or “Facebook” for that matter) so I’m “reporting” this based on what I heard on MSNBC, but here’s what I believe is very bad about this.
First, the willingness to go beyond LYING takes the depravity of individual 1 a step lower, AND, sadly, the apparent willingness of “Twitter” and “Facebook” to allow themselves to be the “vessels” for disinformation adds to the danger of these days. In fact, that MAY be the most dangerous part of all of this. We KNOW from individual 1’s own words he “loves uneducated voters.” Meaning, there’s a BUNCH of Americans who are “buying” this crap “hook, line, and sinker.” I actually know some of them – and, I have to say, in most instances, the reason they’re “uneducated” is because they watch Fox “news” and/or listen to the likes of Rush Limbaugh. The brainwashing campaign has been ongoing, at least to what I’ve managed to notice, since the mid to late 80’s and the introduction of “social media” has made it all the more dangerous.
When anyone decides to go “toe to toe” with individual 1 what you can be assured of is he will go “lower.” (If you remember Michelle Obama saying “when they go low, we go high – well, individual 1 is the opposite – with him it’s “how low will he go” – and, I believe there are no limits) In her attempt to mollify her caucus, many of who are ready for an impeachment inquiry RIGHT NOW, Pelosi was pointing out her assessment of the FACTS, which she said indicate our so-called president is orchestrating a cover-up. What other conclusion is possible when the “White House” is REFUSING to allow ANYONE who’s EVER been associated with it to either hand over documents to the House or testify? That would suggest individual 1 is COVERING UP something! Otherwise he’d be saying give them the documents, testify ASAP so we can get this over and move on. But, of course, NOOOOOOO! He’s attempting to HIDE something – which, well, means a “cover-up.”
The worst part of all this to me is individual 1’s BLATANT putting his “tin pot dictator” tendencies on the “front page” and showing he’s capable of breaking any law or destroying any person in his attempt to somehow legitimize his presidency – which is getting more illegitimate every day. While democrats seem to be focused on defeating individual 1 in 2020 and are showing their traditional lack of will when it comes to IMPEACHMENT – suggesting if they do an impeachment inquiry they will be helping individual 1 get re-elected – our so-called president continues to push his obstruction to extremes we’ve NEVER seen before. Of course, I predicted this impeachment timidity based on 2007, the first year Nancy Pelosi (who I admire, by the way) became Speaker of the House. For me, at the moment 2020 is NOT my focus. The reality is, in my view, the BULLY in the “White House” needs to see ALL his misdeeds during “executive time” – ie when he’s watching TV. If he’s not held accountable for his misdeeds America will be no longer a “nation of laws.”
To me, the reality of democrats failing to act (and, by the way, SOON) will be almost as catastrophic to America as the DAMAGE individual 1 is causing to this nation. And, keep in mind, I’ve been almost continuously writing about this DAMAGE for two plus years and most of us have no idea the extent of what they’ve done while we’re all focused on the “scandal of the day.” While democrats are claiming they can “walk and chew gum” – meaning both legislate and investigate – individual 1 is clearly able to do the same – only his mantra is LYING (continuously) to “we the people” while setting up his brazen attempt to turn America into something which would make Vladimir Putin proud.
As individual 1 is lashing out, as he did on TV this past week, he demonstrates (over and over again) he’s the master of projection. I’ve been pointing this out since his early days in the “White House” but he’s put it on “steroids” of late. The best example I can think of was the other day when he accused people like James Comey, Andrew McCabe, “and maybe people higher up” (did he mean President Obama?) of “treason.” Of course, if anyone committed “treason” it would be individual 1 himself. The connection with Russia was NOT made clear in the Mueller report (I’m half way through volume II) other than to say individual 1’s campaign was willing to accept the help of the Russians. The “office” was unable to prove a “conspiracy” to a level where a conviction was a certainty. (Clearly, there WAS “collusion” and Mueller pointed out the LYING and the destruction of documents impeded the investigation)
When individual 1 is bloviating about our media as perpetrators of “Fake News” be cautious about what you read on “Facebook” or “Twitter.” Or, if you watch Fox “news” you’re getting a constant barrage of “Fake news” on a daily basis. Individual 1’s campaign (for 2020) has been busy flooding “Facebook” into the states he sees as “necessary” in order to gain re-election with “fake” propaganda. States like Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Wisconsin are the “lucky” recipients. It was reported recently a “super PAC” affiliated with individual 1 is “investing $250 MILLION in this “fake news” campaign already. (This is the main benefit to individual 1 and republicans of the tax scam) And, remember, with Steve Bannon’s help, the republicans have the ability to send very targeted “fake news” to key areas.
The republicans AND individual 1 are far better at CHEATING than democrats. Keep in mind, I’m not suggesting democrats don’t put out advertising which is arguably false. To me, there’s a huge difference between “arguably” (we’re debating something) and “blatantly” (Wow, that was on purpose) LIES. Or, as our mainstream media likes to call it, spin. Now, we have a so-called president who has an Attorney General who is BLATANTLY LYING on his behalf and is now “investigating the investigators.” In “collusion” with individual 1’s claim that James Comey, Andy McCabe, and others committed TREASON Barr has become maybe the most dangerous person to our constitution in the nation. It remains to be seen what DAMAGE Barr will be willing to enhance, but the POWER individual 1 entrusted to him is unprecedented and dangerous. We all just need to hope he doesn’t get away with “cherry picking” intelligence in a way to create a false narrative for his boss. (OK, I know that’s unlikely)
And, of course, if Congress (the House) intervenes and calls Barr to explain what he’s doing, he will refuse to appear and there will be more subpoenas getting thumbed at from republican noses with the apparent strategy of relying on the courts individual 1 and Mitch McConnell have been STUFFING with right wing ideologues/judges who they apparently believe will look at the Justice Department from the same “lens” as Barr. To me, this attack on the investigators is a concerted plan to counter the impending impeachment inquiry. Individual 1 believes he’s one step ahead of the democrats and he may be correct. He’s certainly good at reinforcing his crap on the so-called “base.” He may succeed in causing his 40% to tune out from any impeachment hearings and, I can tell you – from reading as much of the Mueller report as I have, there is NO doubt individual 1 has committed crimes.
It’s now up to Congress to determine if a president is “above the law.” The parallel between the impeachment of Bill Clinton and what SHOULD be the impeachment of individual 1 is stark to me. And, I don’t think the democrats are seeing it this way – they may not be capable of doing so. In Clinton’s case, clearly he was impeached for “political reasons.” It’s really interesting to listen to the recorded comments of people like McConnell and Lindsay Graham from the Clinton impeachment trial in the Senate. And, don’t get me wrong, I’ve often said I had always considered myself a “conservative” – until, well, the word got “trampled” by republicans using it to fool “we the people” – and, I was very unhappy with Clinton in regard to his personal behavior. What he did in the Oval Office with Monica Lewinsky was, to me, BAD! That being said, I certainly didn’t see it as “impeachable” – nor, did I see LYING about it as impeachable.
The republican used that situation in an attempt to destroy a president who was successful in EVERY other way, from what I could tell, beside his personal failures. And, ironically, several of the republicans who led the “assault” on Clinton were soon ‘retiring” from the House because of their own personal shortcomings. (Gingrich was maybe the worst of the bunch) My point: Clinton’s impeachment was POLITICAL. So, now we have a president doing things which SHOULD warrant impeachment “In plain sight” – using the words of Ms. Pelosi. But, almost in the same breath she says, “the president is ‘taunting’ us into impeachment.”
So, the reason democrats are NOT impeaching individual 1 is POLITICAL. If this doesn’t show the difference between the two parties I don’t know what would. In just the part of Mueller’s report I’ve read to date, there is a plethora of reasons laid out painstakingly by Mueller which SHOULD require impeachment – EACH one of them. And, Mueller isn’t even mentioning the campaign finance violations at the Southern District of New York which got Michael Cohen 3 years in jail and where individual 1 got his new name. Our so-called president is listed in the Court documents as an “unindicted co-conspirator” in two FELONIES. These two FELONIES, by themselves may have been enough to cause him to “win” the 2016 election (with 3 MILLION fewer votes than Ms. Clinton). Couple that with what’s IN Mueller’s report and I’m really confused by the lack of will coming from the democratic Caucus..
Democrats want to investigate and “get the facts in front of the American people.” What better way to do so than in an impeachment INQUIRY. From what I’ve read this would give them much more POWER to actually FORCE the “White House” to turn over requested documents and to FORCE all the people who are now refusing to testify to – well, TESTIFY! And, for those who wish to continue this stonewalling there should be a nice comfy JAIL somewhere for them to contemplate whether or not they believe America is a “nation of laws and not men.” The way you stop BULLIES is you punch back. “We the people” are depending on democrats to do the “punching.” Recent history doesn’t have me feeling all that confident!
Final Thought: Clearly individual 1 has a strategy of “stonewalling” in order to “run out the clock.” He’s covering his (donkey) both ways – the stonewalling to push things to a point where it’s impractical for impeachment hearings AND the Barr ATTACK on the intelligence community – with the POWER to selectively declassify ANYTHING he chooses (think: “cherry picking”). Just as Vladimir Putin is using our “openness” in regard to our society AGAINST us, individual 1 is using the reticence of the democrats almost as a weapon. My thought (I don’t want to use the word “fear”) is that if democrats don’t TAKE THE INITIATIVE soon it will be too late. Barr is busy with a plan to undercut the rationale for the Mueller report which will pacify individual 1’s supporters and insulate them from any hearings where the actual report is put on their TV screens. (So far, I’ve offered my copy of the report to almost 10 people and I haven’t found one person interested in reading it.)