I read that the Russian government, in its attempts to conceal the very poor performance of its air, land, and naval forces, has resorted to massive campaigns of misinformation. Of course, this is nothing new. Spreading disinformation has been a constant in Russian propaganda, Tsarist, Communist, and neo-monarchist.
Of course, Trump and MAGA have also made disinformation the centerpiece of their propaganda. Did they borrow this from the Russians, or did they think it up all on their own?
Well, the MAGAs got what they’ve been calling for, a violent attack on Nancy Pelosi. It is obvious to anyone that a significant portion of the MAGA base is to some degree insane. So did the MAGA stars think they could constantly call for violence against Nancy Pelosi without someone of the crazies taking them up on it?? To their disappointment, Nancy wasn’t at home, so her husband, Paul, had to take the hit. But that does not at all slow down the MAGA wits. Hence, headlines on CNN today:
“Devin Nunes Posts Appalling Quip About Hammer Attack on Paul Pelosi”
“Donald Trump Jr. Mocks Paul Pelosi With ‘Despicable’ Halloween Post”
Nunes and Donny Jr. are only the most recent MAGA grotesques to try to gratify the base-of-the-base with tasteless jokes. All I can do is quote from Pogo: “That’s what you gets when you invites a pig into the parlor.”
Marjorie Taylor Green is claiming that she was a victim of the Jan 6th Insurrection. If MTG is a victim at all, she is victim of her own ambition and stupidity.
No doubt she learned to play the victim card from Donald Trump whose current complaint is that he is a victim of Jewish ingratitude. MTG is going through a divorce and will be free to marry Trump when Melania can’t stand him any longer, unless Ron Johnson gets to her first.
Ron Johnson is another GOP victim. He asserts that he was laughed at during a debate at Marquette University by some students who were “let in” to the audience. The students, he claims, are “being taught leftist propaganda,” and this explains their laughter at his claim to have been a victim of an FBI plot. No, Johnson is, as always, the victim of his own unfailing stupidity.
Another instance of the affinity of Trump and Putin. Trump habitually accuses enemies of the very crimes he himself commits. So Vladimir Putin is denouncing the explosion on his signature Russia-Crimea bridge as a terrorist attack. He is seeing in this explosion a reflection of himself, for he is at this time the world’s leading terrorist.
Horrors perpetrated by the Russian occupiers in Ukraine are a weak imitation of earlier Russian practice. See the Wikipedia article “NKVD prisoner massacres.”
I’ve read a report about Newt Gingrich’s dodge for Herschel Walker. The report begins, as do all reports about Newt, “Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich ….” The story is “Speaking on Fox News, Gingrich hailed Walker as ‘the most important Senate candidate in the country’ due to his ‘deep commitment to Christ.’” “deep commitment to Christ” Really? Newt would gild a turd.
I took a look at the Federal Code as it bears on recent and current efforts to destroy the government in the United States. I find that our democracy does, in fact, have the means to defend itself. All that is required is the ruthless enforcement of the law on all offenders.
Whoever incites, sets on foot, assists, or engages in any rebellion or insurrectionagainst the authority of the United States or the laws thereof, or gives aid or comfort thereto, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than ten years, or both; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.
§2383Is applicable to all who participated in any way in the Jan. 6 Rebellion.The small fry are being prosecuted, but there seems to be a reluctance to prosecute the big bugs, the politicians and their camp followers who instigated, abetted, and perpetuate the Rebellion.
If two or more persons in any State or Territory, or in any place subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, conspire to overthrow, put down, or to destroy by force the Government of the United States, or to levy war against them, or to oppose by force the authority thereof, or by force to prevent, hinder, or delay the execution of any law of the United States, or by force to seize, take, or possess any property of the United States contrary to the authority thereof, they shall each be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both.
§2384 seems applicable to those who tried to interfere with the lawful transition of power, to those who conspired up to Jan. 6 as well as those who continue this conspiracy by promoting the Big Lie. Support for the Big Lie is not a mere difference of opinion. For some of Trump’s jihadists this may be due to invincible ignorance, but for more it is complicity in support of a pernicious falsehood that is in an attempt to hinder the lawful processes of government.
Whoever knowingly or willfully advocates, abets, advises, or teaches the duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government of the United Statesor the government of any State, Territory, District or Possession thereof, or the government of any political subdivision therein, by force or violence … Shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than twenty years, or both, and shall be ineligible for employment by the United States or any department or agency thereof, for the five years next following his conviction.
§2385 is applicable to public figures, Roger Stone, Steve Bannon, slap-stick politicians, et al., and to organizations like the various militias, clubs like the Proud Boys, and to politicians who lie to these people, encouraging their belief that they have a right and duty to rebel against the American government.
Ginni Thomas continues to proclaim the Big Lie. Why? I think she really believes with all her heart that the election was “stolen.” If so, what a pity and what an embarrassment to her “best friend”! But Ginni lives and moves, has her being and public persona in the reactionary fantasyland. So, whatever she may believe, she needs to keep asserting her belief in the Big Lie if she’s going to maintain her position of leadership among right-wing conspiracyholics.
As to her denial that she talked about the Big Lie with Clarence, I cannot believe that an unrestrained motor-mouth like Ginni would not have discussed her idée fixe with her Best Friend.
Judge Aileen Cannon has made her second payment for the patronage of Donald Trump. She’s interfering with the work of the Special Master she herself appointed and is facilitating Trump’s delaying tactics. I suppose it is wonderful to see gratitude in action. Is anyone interested in impeaching Judge Cannon? Or, a less radical suggestion, will people contribute to her tuition for a redo in law school?
Mr. De Santis and Mr. Abbot, governors of two of the more barbarous states in America, have resorted to the old-time dictator’s tool of forced migration. Their supporters in the voting population have been tricked into believing that immigrants are a threat to their supposed way of life and so are expected to be gratified by the governors’ tyranny. Antisemitism, racial fear and hatred, anti-Catholicism, and anti-feminism are the oldest devices in the G.O.P.’s bag of deceptions, xenophobia and anti-feminism being now the ones most in favor.
De Santis and Abbot seem to think that their inhuman treatment of the immigrants is a good old boys’, haw! haw! haw!, owning the liberals, stunt. Their treatment of the immigrants is simply nazi-esque, with substitution of air liners for cattle cars. But I think that maybe, in the end, Il Duce De Santis and Oberstürmfuhrer Abbot may have done the immigrants a favor by getting them out of the political and moral abysses over which these two monsters rule.