All purpose news and politics thread part v: The quickening

[Tami]

A top Trump strategist says he plans to erode people's trust in local media by November.
“We can actually build up and fight with the local newspapers," Brad Parscale said.

Twitter Link

The Billion-Dollar Disinformation Campaign to Reelect the President

The president’s reelection campaign was then in the midst of a multimillion-dollar ad blitz aimed at shaping Americans’ understanding of the recently launched impeachment proceedings. Thousands of micro-targeted ads had flooded the internet, portraying Trump as a heroic reformer cracking down on foreign corruption while Democrats plotted a coup. That this narrative bore little resemblance to reality seemed only to accelerate its spread. Right-wing websites amplified every claim. Pro-Trump forums teemed with conspiracy theories. An alternate information ecosystem was taking shape around the biggest news story in the country, and I wanted to see it from the inside.

The story that unfurled in my Facebook feed over the next several weeks was, at times, disorienting. There were days when I would watch, live on TV, an impeachment hearing filled with damning testimony about the president’s conduct, only to look at my phone later and find a slickly edited video—served up by the Trump campaign—that used out-of-context clips to recast the same testimony as an exoneration. Wait, I caught myself wondering more than once, is that what happened today?

As I swiped at my phone, a stream of pro-Trump propaganda filled the screen: “That’s right, the whistleblower’s own lawyer said, ‘The coup has started …’ ” Swipe. “Democrats are doing Putin’s bidding …” Swipe. “The only message these radical socialists and extremists will understand is a crushing …” Swipe. “Only one man can stop this chaos …” Swipe, swipe, swipe.

I was surprised by the effect it had on me. I’d assumed that my skepticism and media literacy would inoculate me against such distortions. But I soon found myself reflexively questioning every headline. It wasn’t that I believed Trump and his boosters were telling the truth. It was that, in this state of heightened suspicion, truth itself—about Ukraine, impeachment, or anything else—felt more and more difficult to locate. With each swipe, the notion of observable reality drifted further out of reach.

What I was seeing was a strategy that has been deployed by illiberal political leaders around the world. Rather than shutting down dissenting voices, these leaders have learned to harness the democratizing power of social media for their own purposes—jamming the signals, sowing confusion. They no longer need to silence the dissident shouting in the streets; they can use a megaphone to drown him out. Scholars have a name for this: censorship through noise.

The campaign is run from the 14th floor of a gleaming, modern office tower in Rosslyn, Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. Glass-walled conference rooms look out on the Potomac River. Rows of sleek monitors line the main office space. Unlike the bootstrap operation that first got Trump elected—with its motley band of B-teamers toiling in an unfinished space in Trump Tower—his 2020 enterprise is heavily funded, technologically sophisticated, and staffed with dozens of experienced operatives. One Republican strategist referred to it, admiringly, as “the Death Star.”

[aja_christopher]

I'd also wait until Super Tuesday to see if who in my opinion could be the nominee.

We also should wait to see how many of those candidates with zero delegates from Iowa Caucus will announce that they are dropping out of the race.

Given how long Sanders stayed in the race last election, his supporters shouldn't complain about anyone else wanting to stay in for as long as possible.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...emocratic-race

[JackDaw]

What the House should have done was charge Trump with an actual impeachable offense - treason, bribery, high crimes (or, as what we call it today, felonies) and/or misdemeanors. If they had done that (as was suggested early on during the impeachment process, but rejected) and had the evidence to back it up, yesterday's vote tally would have been different.

Does that mean Trump would have been removed? Hard to say - if his approval numbers were the same, then probably not. Nixon would have remained in office had his own numbers stayed around 50%, - Clinton himself stayed on, despite committing a felony(s), due to his high approval ratings. Nevertheless, the Democrats would be in a better place politically than they are now, while Republicans would be dinged up more.

Isn’t using the Presidential office to put pressure on a foreign country to dig up dirt on a political rival an indictable offence?

[The Darknight Detective]

Isn’t using the Presidential office to put pressure on a foreign country to dig up dirt on a political rival an indictable offence?

If it falls under treason, bribery, high crimes (felonies), and/or misdemeanors, then yes. If not, then no. If the Constitution needs to be upgraded for other impeachable things, then it should.

[Kirby101]

What the House should have done was charge Trump with an actual impeachable offense - treason, bribery, high crimes (or, as what we call it today, felonies) and/or misdemeanors. If they had done that (as was suggested early on during the impeachment process, but rejected) and had the evidence to back it up, yesterday's vote tally would have been different.

Does that mean Trump would have been removed? Hard to say - if his approval numbers were the same, then probably not. Nixon would have remained in office had his own numbers stayed around 50%, - Clinton himself stayed on, despite committing a felony(s), due to his high approval ratings. Nevertheless, the Democrats would be in a better place politically than they are now, while Republicans would be dinged up more.

The GOP would have done the same thing. No witnesses, say it's unproven and acquit.

[aja_christopher]

Isn’t using the Presidential office to put pressure on a foreign country to dig up dirt on a political rival an indictable offence?

Trump is actively pushing to make those things open and legal, just like he says he thinks America should nuke other countries and just "take the oil" along with arguing that torture is okay and that killing the family members of "terrorists" should be policy.

He pardons racists, war criminals, and those who have outed US officials, while demonizing whistleblowers and Gold Star family members.

This is what Americans have elected into office, and what Republicans continue to support.

He wants to turn America into a corrupt oligarchy, much like the one run by Putin and the numerous other dictators that he emulates.

[KNIGHT OF THE LAKE]

Isn’t using the Presidential office to put pressure on a foreign country to dig up dirt on a political rival an indictable offence?

It’s a misuse of power. But really I think you want an actual hard crime like treason or a felony type offense

[Michael Watkins]

Given how long Sanders stayed in the race last election, his supporters shouldn't complain about anyone else wanting to stay in for as long as possible.

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/...emocratic-race

Bernie Sanders Packs Schedule With Campaign Stops for Hillary Clinton
https://www.wsj.com/articles/bernie-...ton-1475928002

[The Darknight Detective]

It’s a misuse of power. But really I think you want an actual hard crime like treason or a felony type offense

Exactly. "Abuse of power" and/or "obstruction of Congress" are nebulous charges that could be brought p against almost any president if push comes to shove.

[WestPhillyPunisher]

Trump is actively pushing to make those things open and legal, just like he says he thinks America should nuke other countries and just "take the oil" along with arguing that torture is okay and that killing the family members of "terrorists" should be policy.

He pardons racists, war criminals, and those who have outed US officials, while demonizing whistleblowers and Gold Star family members.

This is what Americans have elected into office, and what Republicans continue to support.

He wants to turn America into a corrupt oligarchy, much like the one run by Putin and the numerous other dictators that he emulates.

Republicans support Trump only for the tax cuts and judge stacking. Everything else is nebulous and barely significant.

[aja_christopher]

Bernie Sanders Packs Schedule With Campaign Stops for Hillary Clinton

Which has nothing to do with the fact that he stayed in the race long after it wasn't mathematically possible for him to win.

Not saying he was wrong for doing so, just that you shouldn't complain if other candidates choose to do so as well.

[aja_christopher]

Republicans support Trump only for the tax cuts and judge stacking. Everything else is nebulous and barely significant.

Many of them get their cut as well.

https://www.newsweek.com/company-rus...onnell-1397061

Trump's crime boss style suits them -- appropriately enough since they basically operate like a criminal organization at this point.

Hiding witnesses and documents, lying about the obvious, attacking the basic integrity of our democracy -- basically doing everything in their power to force people to take drastic action against them.

They just literally condoned the president's abuse of the executive branch to extort a foreign power -- that weakens our democracy on both the foreign and the domestic front and calls into question the very sanctity of the next election.

The only reason Trump didn't go through with this completely is because he got caught -- Republicans are essentially telling Trump that he shouldn't get caught in the future, while simultaneously attacking the "whistleblowers" who report his crimes.

[Tami]

If Pete Buttigege can do well in states like South Carolina, if he can get the support of African Americans and other Minorities, and if he stays within spitting disntance or winning the Nomination, then I might consider voting for him.

That is the main thing that keeps me from putting him on my top choices list.

[Tami]

Arizona man facing charges of threatening Adam Schiff

An Arizona man indicted in October for threatening to kill Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) told police he was likely reacting to a Fox News segment when he left the alcohol-fueled voicemail, according to newly filed court documents.

Jan Peter Meister, a convicted sex offender with a long rap sheet, was indicted on Oct. 23, 2019 for leaving the voicemail with Schiff’s Washington, D.C. office. After a search of Meister’s residence, prosecutors also charged him with illegal possession of firearms, including a loaded .380 caliber handgun, a 9mm handgun and an American Tactical Rifle, along with 700 rounds of ammunition.

A motion filed late last week by Meister’s attorneys revealed a portion of his interview with police during which Meister apologized for making the call and said that he may have been reacting to commentary on Fox News.

“Meister responded that he watches Fox News and likely was upset at something that he saw on the news. He stated that he strongly dislikes the Democrats, and feels they are to blame for the country's political issues,” according to the police summary of the interview. “Meister stated that he likely Goggled [sic] the congressman’s office number to make the call.”

[Theleviathan]

As usual, you have a dog in this race to be as biased as possible.
People in here crack me up with the bias.

How am I being biased to point out that two people are being Bernie-fueled conspirators? This is a fact, I know those are inconvenient for you, but it's simply a fact.

Perhaps you, and the segment of Bernie Sanders supporters like you, would find less resistance to you if you had a closer relationship with reality.