My son took a class in “AI” at a university and we had several discussions of the future of “AI” with me claiming it was going to be used to swing elections by brutally dishonest people – including foreigners interested in having input in the outcome of specific American elections. Evidence shows that day has arrived. And, somehow, this 2024 election cycle appears to be close despite the reality the republican party, as I’ve been saying for about 20 years now pushes the saying “all politicians lie” to the incredulous, and needs to be voted into the history books next to Benedict Arnold, where it belongs.
And, that’s not to say “we the people” don’t need two functioning political parties to make our system of government work as it was intended. I’ve posted on this site over the years the “history” (my take of it) of republican politics emanating from the so-called “Powell memo” (back in the early 1970’s) written to the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as the “engine” which has produced the (near fascist) corporate/government partnership existing in America leading to a transfer of America’s Middle Class wealth of something like 50 TRILLION dollars to a small number of America Oligarchs who continue “investing” MILLIONS into the American political system allowing for the continuing of this “highway robbery!” How “low” will they go? There appears to be NO bottom!
I take several online surveys because I’m a “member” (I guess) of the Yougov online survey community. I’m someone who pays attention to politics “most of the time.” (If you’ve been here before, that should be obvious) So, some interesting “stuff” is popping up where republicans (or their illegal surrogates, ie the Russians) are showing absolutely (worse than “normal”) DISHONEST political ads using “AI” to twist the words of democrats into political “pretzels.”
A prime example of what I’m talking about is an ad (published by a Russian group going by the moniker of “Storm 1516) claiming to have a former student of Tim Walz (the former student is fake using a name and profile stolen from a man who lives in Hawaii) alleging Walz, when he was a teacher and football coach committed sexual assault. Of course, various republican outlets “ran” with the story and it was shared on Xwitter with reportedly 5 million viewers. (Of course, there’s NO part of Xwitter “moderating” fake news because Elon Musk FIRED the moderators shortly after buying what was then referred to as “Twitter”) This “fake news” was apparently spread across the “swing states” which decide America’s elections via the antiquated (and “deplorable”) electoral college that continues to allow a minority of America’s voters to potentially control our “elections.”
I live in one of the states (Washington) which only gets public political ads when they’re shown on national TV broadcasts – which is OK to me. Apparently, Washington is part of the “left coast” and is reliably “safe” regarding its electoral votes going to Kamala Harris. But we do get national TV! So, for example, I see political ads when watching a sporting event. Just as the national polls for president, in Washington’s 3rd Congressional district the “race” is considered a “tossup” and both the national republican campaign operation AND the democratic campaign operation are spending money on advertising here (which is unusual based on previous elections) because it appears control of the House could be determined by the outcome of this “race.”
Interesting enough, I’ve become a strong supporter of Marie Perez who is the acting representative from my district, Washington’s 3rd. In 2022 she surprised the pollsters by defeating the right wing associate of Matt Gaetz who was favored by less than one percent. This right wing wack job, Joe Kent – who’s been endorsed, of course, by Trump – has been the recipient of at least one ad – drawn up by republicans at the national level – which ended with Mr. Kent saying “I endorse this message” – and is clearly “AI” generated regarding the (false) words coming from Ms. Perez’ mouth.
I haven’t heard of any “experts” reporting this, but if you’ve watched enough of Steven Colbert on his CBS nighttime comedy/talk show you can recognize when the movement of the lips don’t correlate with the words (apparently) coming out of the mouth. In other words, someone (in this instance, apparently the republican congressional campaign committee) is experimenting with “AI” and publishing FAKE ads on TV shows – programming local people see on their TV’s in our district and probably believe. This is simply more of the republicans’ mantra of “the end justifies the means.” It remains to be seen how many local voters fall for this “smear,” although I suspect most republicans will internalize it. (As I remember it, Kent’s ad was putting false words in Perez’ mouth regarding – naturally – immigration)
The false advertising from republicans seems to have been regarded by the general public as, well, OK? Normal? I don’t know what to say other than it’s a never ending flood of the kind of “sewage” coming from their republican “mouths” that would have gotten me, in my youth, to have my mouth washed out with soap.. (I still remember my Mom doing so to me the first time she heard an “F bomb” coming out of my mouth when I was very young – and, didn’t know what it meant) There are numerous examples of this republican tactic, but one that stands out to me.
Republican advertising is spreading a LIE about Ms. Harris and her supposed connection to a federal policy regarding taxpayer funding of sex change operations for prisoners and “illegal aliens.” They’re suggesting Ms. Harris is responsible for this policy. The ad is being run mainly in “swing states” although I’ve seen it more than once on national TV. The TRUTH is the policy Trump’s campaign is referring to is an executive order signed by, of course, TRUMP himself back in 2019. The “Lincoln Project” – who I support with a small monthly donation – is pushing back on this insidious attack on Ms. Harris. I suggest, if you haven’t already, that you check out the “Lincoln project” on the web – a group of republicans who’ve been “reformed.” You can see their response to Trump’s disgusting ad HERE.
As I often say here, with republicans there’s ALWAYS more. And the pile of bulls@#t in this presidential campaign coming from Trump is too enormous to list all of it. There’s Trump LYING about FEMA workers who are attempting to provide relief to victims of Hurricanes Helene and Milton resulting in MAGA “faithful” confronting these workers while being armed with their “militia” style weaponry. (IE – AR-15 style weapons) And, then with being confronted with the results of the danger posed to these workers by his rhetoric, what does Trump do? Of course, he “doubles down.” (His MO is to NEVER admit doing anything wrong – a lesson learned from Mob lawyer Roy Cohn)
There’s even Trump going on a ten minute “story time” with voters in Latrobe, Pennsylvania – where Arnold Palmer was born and began his professional golfing career – about Mr. Palmer. Of course, Trump couldn’t resist the chance to share with his adoring public a story about the size of Mr. Palmer’s – penis. Yep, that’s actually very true because I heard the entire rambling myself. For republicans, that’s “presidential.”
Trump also decided in the past week or so, to stop a Town Hall meeting where the questions from the audience apparently weren’t “properly” vetted, and where two people fainted apparently due to the heat in the venue (before he began his “dancing” he made light of the people being hauled out of the facility on stretchers – “anyone else want to feint?”) – Trump then spent the last 39 minutes of the Town Hall “swaying” to his chosen “Spotify play list,” with the hostess, Kristi Noem, dutifully trying to follow along! Embarrassing? An understatement! The guy’s losing it!
“We the people” have grown used to the LYING by republicans in their advertising to go well, way beyond the “spinning” of facts which is the kind of political advertising I grew up with in years before Trump. We all have opinions on stuff and it’s difficult to impossible to come to conclusions without personal bias. For example, I had a friend who used to do improvements to our home (regrettably, he’s passed away) and him and one of his employees, prior to the 2020 election were remodeling one of our bathrooms. His employee was clearly, based on stuff he said, “MAGA” and I had never talked politics up to that time with my friend (who many years ago pitched for the NY Yankees). I asked him – after a Trump comment from his employee – what he thought of Trump? He responded, “I’d vote for a can of tomato soup for president before I’d vote for Trump.” Well, that summed up my thoughts better than I could up to that time.
So, I know my opinion on facts is biased by my disdain for what I’ve called “today’s republican party” – for about 20 years now as it’s creeped farther and farther to the “right.” Astonishingly, one of the original objects of my anti-republican despair, Dick Cheney, has come out publicly in support of Ms. Harris – along with his daughter Liz. While I’ve found Liz Cheney to be “deplorably” MAGA over the years prior to the January 6th, 2021 Trump induced INSURRECTION at our nation’s Capitol, I have to admit, I’ve learned to admire her COURAGE in standing up to the MAGA extremists (after Jan. 6, 2021) who, undoubtedly, are threatening her on a continuing basis, based on her steadfast refusal to participate in the republican LIES about Trump’s attempted coup d’etat.
When Dick and Liz Cheney say the republican party is too extreme, well, that says to me, “I rest my case!” (While my hand slams down on the table) I mean, I’m sure Mr. Cheney has not repented in regard to his public admission he authorized TORTURE during the ill advised and ILLEGAL U.S. venture into Iraq in 2003. Back when Keith Olberman was the host of “Countdown” on MSNBC I’m fairly certain Dick Cheney received the “honor” of being one of the “Worst Persons in the World” from Olberman more than once. I say this because yesterday I witnessed, once again, a Town Hall where Kamala Harris and Liz Cheney were appearing together.
As someone who’s been lamenting the (Newt Gingrich inspired) era of republican induced Congressional gridlock and their intransigence leading them to FILIBUSTER every initiative coming from democrats helping to create the American political reality of “us against them” politics. Naturally, Trump has enflamed this “reality” and it “warmed my heart” watching/listening to Ms. Harris and Ms. Cheney acknowledging their different views on the issues but agreeing about the importance of LISTENING to one another.
Aside: I used to have (what I thought was) a friend who I would meet periodically for breakfast where we – him being a republican and me a liberal independent – would have spirited discussions about politics. I, at the time, admired the fact he and his wife had adopted and raised three African American children (who were by then young adults). I was taken aback when he, knowing and admitting to Trump’s disgusting personal conduct, joined the MAGA cult. We continued to meet, usually about every other week, until the election of 2020. (He bet me a steak dinner in 2016 that Trump would win and we went “double or nothing” for the 2020 election) Just prior to the 2020 election my friend said a couple things about one of his adopted children that raised the hair on my back. There was no other way than for me to interpret his comments about his adopted daughter than as racist – a red line for me. I tried to find a way to think it was a mistake, but when I brought it up he “doubled down” – in true MAGA fashion.
After Joe Biden WON the 2020 election I started getting emails demonstrating he had bought the “stolen election” bulls#$t coming from Trump’s mouth and after January 6th, 2021 I stopped hearing from him. Our relationship was terminated by LIES coming from Trump’s mouth. I say all this because I think that’s why I was encouraged watching Kamala Harris and Liz Cheney – seemingly political polar opposites – agreeing that defending our constitution and rule of law was a commonality between them. And, listening to them talking about the importance of “listening” to one another was encouraging.
As I said earlier, we all process FACTS based on our own prejudices – but, the bottom line is FACTS are FACTS! NOT “alternative facts” but clear situations where the TRUTH is beyond debate. Yes, how you interpret that FACT is going to be different than how someone else does, but denying the TRUTH of something is, well, not the TRUTH. For example, the result of the 2020 election had a record number of voters and Joe Biden had approximately 7 MILLION more votes than Trump. Trump has argued for almost four years now the FACT he got more votes in 2020 than he did in 2016 (and didn’t win) means the election was “rigged.” It would take very creative thinking, from my vantage point, for anyone to argue – with factual information – that Trump won in 2020, even in the Electoral College. However, at a minimum, people should be able to disagree about it without one side being threatened. Even if someone seems crazy (Trump and MAGA sycophants) it’s important to listen to one another.
I actually really looked forward to my conversations with my (long lost) friend, knowing every time we sat down for breakfast we would be, in a good natured way, arguing. But, most importantly, we’d be listening to each other. I’m not sure either of us changed the other’s perspective, but (at least) I really looked forward to our get-togethers. I’ve sent him messages a few times since the 2020 election but, with no response. I’m expecting an “I told you so” message from him after this upcoming election if Trump somehow manages to CHEAT his way into another four disastrous years for our nation and the Western world. My hope, of course, is Kamala Harris will win a decisive victory allowing for Trump to deal with his NUMEROUS alleged FELONIES, and that the end result will be republicans and democrats somehow working together in a good faith effort to solve problems to the benefit of the American people.
As I see more and more of the FAKE news (the original fake news) coming from Russian sources and using “AI” to generate disingenuous bulls@#t in Vladimir Putin’s just as desperate attempt to swing this election Trump’s way as Trump’s desperate attempt to avoid potential prison sentences if he loses (A Trump “win” in the election will equate to a Russian “win” in Ukraine – more than likely) my optimism is paused. I almost couldn’t believe Joe Kent’s attack ad in my home district against Marie Perez which was clearly “AI” generated – including the false words (seemingly) coming from Ms. Perez’ mouth – I couldn’t believe my eyes (and ears) until I remembered Kent is a devotee to Matt Gaetz, he the alleged “sex trafficking of a minor” fame – who is known for sharing lewd photos from his “smart phone” with other members of Congress regarding his exploits with women. Nothing SHOULD surprise me anymore, but there’s always a new “low” when it comes to “today’s republican party.” Solution: VOTE THEM OUT!
Final Thought: I got a bit more carried away than usual today, but the more I read about how the republicans disrespect their own voters enough to continually LIE while looking straight at their voters’ faces, the more disgusted I get. Today, it’s the “AI” fake news (well actually I witnessed Kent’s “AI” cheating a day or two ago) and learning the “terrible” federal transgender programs” Trump is attacking Harris with suggesting her to be the perpetrator (and regarding that issue I go with Tim Walz saying: “Mind your own damn business) is actually a federal program Trump, himself, signed into (law?) back in 2019. Just MORE of his PROJECTION – his strategy taken straight from the annals of the Third Reich. (If you’re too young to understand what that means – it comes from Hitler’s Nazi Germany!) Stay tuned!!