As I've been saying for months now, the Twitter feeds I follow are consistently ahead of the news (read over my shoulder via this public list...or, if pressed for time, scan my Twitter "likes", which I'm offering as a trail of breadcrumbs). Recent mainstream reports like this are no surprise to those of us who've been following things closely.
Mainstream news, of course, has a higher burden of proof than someone yakking on Twitter, and properly so. But while most yakkers are useless, those with deep ties to American intelligence, like John Schindler, are another thing entirely. He and the others in my list are drawing connections and pointing out patterns, applying great intelligence and experience. And they've been wrong about very little.
It's abundantly clear that we're in a full-scale intelligence war with Russia, and have been for some time, and Trump and an eye-popping proportion of his team are in the thick of it. And it wasn't just about the election. So where is the conclusive proof? Where are the prosecutions? The problem is that the key evidence is top-secret.
Our intelligence community (and the agencies of our allies) have known about this for quite some time, but what they know is classified. That's why mainstream press has lagged (reporters are working their asses off to independently confirm, via publicly available methods, solid stories they've known about for months). Prosecution's even harder. Even downright treasonous behavior can be difficult to prosecute because classified evidence can't be introduced at trial without burning sources and methods. Some truly despicable characters in our country's history have walked free because of this problem.
So that's why you're not hearing conclusive proof, and that's why people aren't being arrested, despite solid assurances from intelligence agencies (Obama, fwiw, knew all about it, but was apparently confident Clinton would win without his sticking his neck out). The world's counter-intelligence community is on the verge of a collective stroke, knowing what they know while the bad guys remain in place.
It's my nature to spurn conspiracy theories. And, post-McCarthy, anti-Russian paranoia and witch-hunting pushes strong buttons. But I'm forced to accept that the Russians have been engaged in impressive, wide-ranging actions with shocking results. I'm even coming around to the intelligence community's view on Snowden (public antagonism to the NSA - and intelligence community, generally - created by Snowden's actions have has had the opposite effect of increasing government transparency, plus they've clouded the ability of our intelligence people to warn us about situations like the current one; it's superb cover, really).
If, like me, you're unaccustomed to parsing the convolutions of disinformation deviousness, it's time to get up to speed. Russian intelligence agents have certain obscure, but highly-developed, tactics for screwing with people - and groups of people. Read this explainer, which helps cut through some of the (deliberately and painstakingly sown) confusion.
And if you can make the effort to read through this important Twitter thread, strewn with acronyms and potboiler-ish suspicion and counter-suspicion, you'll take away a deeper understanding of how confusion can be sown on a grand scale...and weaponized. The goal isn't just one thing (though Putin would love to lose those sanctions). Plain, random confusion is a potent tool for weakening a society - and associations with allies. Russian disinformation campaigns always play both sides, just to sow chaos and doubt. In other words, the Russian agents aren't just the people spouting pro-Russia agendas. Our president, for example, just apparently gave Putin a black eye by creating some potholes in an airstrip in Syria, even offering a "Take that!" to the Russian leader afterwards, but only a simpleton would conclude that he's switched sides. Look for more "Take that!" (he's not a puppet; you're the puppet!).
I've created a new blog "label", Trump/Russia, which links to my previous postings on the topic.
Showing posts with label Trump/Russia. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Trump/Russia. Show all posts
Saturday, April 15, 2017
Monday, March 6, 2017
Follow My Twitter *Likes*
I've mentioned several times that Twitter is telling the story of Trump's downfall a month ahead of mainstream media. Mainstream press can't run with conjecture, while Twitter floats more primordial data points. Of course, conjecture is inherently less trustworthy ... unless you follow the right conjecturers - i.e. those with proven insight, connections and track record, as I do.
You may not have time/interest to deeply dive into a half dozen very active Twitter feeds every day as I do, but, as a service, I will start "favoriting" essential tweets as a leaving of breadcrumbs. Feel free to follow along here. Note that before today, my faves were usually marked for their cleverness, not their informational usefulness (still, I'd recommend delving a few months into the backlog).
You can also read this Twitter list of mine presenting the cumulative feeds of all my every day reads (mostly anti-Trumpers on the right and center, who have much better insight, discipline, and non-partisan motivations than the strident lefties who've been just wildly freaking out, usually counterproductively). Just remember one thing: Louise Mensch is breathless, overly dramatic, scarily manic, and appears to be way too wrapped up in frothy meth-head-ish conspiracy connections. She will ring every bell in your brain's "whack-job" detection center. But she's been right an awful lot, and many (though not all) of the staid, respected people I read respect her. If you want to see the full crazy, that'd be this guy. I don't know what to make of him.
How big a conspiracy is it? Well, I hold two truths to be self-evident: 1. the Trump campaign changed the Republican platform on Ukraine in exchange for Russia's DNC hacking, and 2. the Trump admin is full-to-bursting with people with questionable connections to Russia. I'd stress that connections to Russia are not necessarily a bad thing, and the left must avoid frothy McCarthyite hysteria (because that, in itself, is a patented Russian move). I have no problem with senators (e.g. Sessions) and presidents meeting Russian ambassadors and such. But when they lie about it, that's a great big problem.
You may not have time/interest to deeply dive into a half dozen very active Twitter feeds every day as I do, but, as a service, I will start "favoriting" essential tweets as a leaving of breadcrumbs. Feel free to follow along here. Note that before today, my faves were usually marked for their cleverness, not their informational usefulness (still, I'd recommend delving a few months into the backlog).
You can also read this Twitter list of mine presenting the cumulative feeds of all my every day reads (mostly anti-Trumpers on the right and center, who have much better insight, discipline, and non-partisan motivations than the strident lefties who've been just wildly freaking out, usually counterproductively). Just remember one thing: Louise Mensch is breathless, overly dramatic, scarily manic, and appears to be way too wrapped up in frothy meth-head-ish conspiracy connections. She will ring every bell in your brain's "whack-job" detection center. But she's been right an awful lot, and many (though not all) of the staid, respected people I read respect her. If you want to see the full crazy, that'd be this guy. I don't know what to make of him.
How big a conspiracy is it? Well, I hold two truths to be self-evident: 1. the Trump campaign changed the Republican platform on Ukraine in exchange for Russia's DNC hacking, and 2. the Trump admin is full-to-bursting with people with questionable connections to Russia. I'd stress that connections to Russia are not necessarily a bad thing, and the left must avoid frothy McCarthyite hysteria (because that, in itself, is a patented Russian move). I have no problem with senators (e.g. Sessions) and presidents meeting Russian ambassadors and such. But when they lie about it, that's a great big problem.
Sunday, February 19, 2017
Tide is Turning
Smart people believe the tide is turning - earlier than expected. Remember those ongoing investigations into Russian campaign exploits and the Trump administration's Russian connections? We haven't heard anything about them, because that's the way of serious intelligence investigations. But an extended briefing of Congress' Intelligence Committee by the FBI on Friday reportedly left lawmakers startled and silent.
Simultaneously, our vice-president, occupying a position not "worth a bucket of piss" in normal times, finds himself as the only administration official who can't be fired. Pence is starting to show open defiance, clearly confident that, to paraphrase Ruby and the Romantics, his day will come. Check his Twitter feed from today and yesterday for full-throated anti-Trumpian support of Nato and Europe (plus a rather pointed linkage between "Holocaust" and "Jews") and bellicose anti-Putinism, with the coup de coup de grace of this hilariously weak-tea lip service to POTUS:
Somewhere in the distance, a fat lady sings.
And after I've spent weeks following the Twitter feeds of journalists and former intelligence officers who've clearly been onto something re: Russia, the stuff they've been saying all along has finally become the mainstream narrative (for the most cutting edge mainstream update on Trumputin, see this jaw-dropping Reuter's piece.
Most telling, perhaps, is Fox News' incipient pivot. First Fox News anchor Shepard Smith went tremblingly batshit re: Trump on Thursday:
....and now the most persuasive account of Congress' get-religion moment in the aftermath of Comey's Congressional briefing Friday (see link in first paragraph, above) was also a Fox News product. When Fox News pivots, look out (obviously, Hannity will stay faithful even through the final days in the Führerbunker).
Russia completely aside, the administration is leaking like a sieve, the rats are starting to chew each other, and this is clearly unsustainable. But let's not put Russia aside!
It seems to have been conceded that Flynn lied to FBI investigators, and that's a felony. The FBI can get mileage from an informed party facing such overhang. Multiple layers of unraveling are taking place, and The Guardian's Louise Mensch has explained why there's reason to think Comey is truly on it - well-informed about even the deepest connections and allegations. So, again, the tide may be turning, and it may happen faster than we'd imagined.
Meanwhile, liberal pundits continue to fully reciprocate the administration's stupidity level. After a month of praying for Republican lawmakers to put nation over politics and to take action against a clear threat to our peace and democracy, they're beginning to smell the endgame, and they don't like it one bit.
While Trump (a man who praises torture, deems nukes tactical, wants to abolish NATO and give Putin free reign to stomp on Eastern Europe, and who is not only controlled by one of the world's most diabolical figures, but has appointed Putin-connected people to many cabinet positions - all the important ones - including a linchpin figure on his national security apparatus) might be a deranged authoritarian monster wannabe, the thinking goes all over liberal media, Pence (being strongly anti-abortion and likely to stock the Supreme Court with people who'd approve policy they'd mostly disagree with) is worse.
Lord, take me now.
Nation over politics, huh?
Simultaneously, our vice-president, occupying a position not "worth a bucket of piss" in normal times, finds himself as the only administration official who can't be fired. Pence is starting to show open defiance, clearly confident that, to paraphrase Ruby and the Romantics, his day will come. Check his Twitter feed from today and yesterday for full-throated anti-Trumpian support of Nato and Europe (plus a rather pointed linkage between "Holocaust" and "Jews") and bellicose anti-Putinism, with the coup de coup de grace of this hilariously weak-tea lip service to POTUS:
Somewhere in the distance, a fat lady sings.
And after I've spent weeks following the Twitter feeds of journalists and former intelligence officers who've clearly been onto something re: Russia, the stuff they've been saying all along has finally become the mainstream narrative (for the most cutting edge mainstream update on Trumputin, see this jaw-dropping Reuter's piece.
Most telling, perhaps, is Fox News' incipient pivot. First Fox News anchor Shepard Smith went tremblingly batshit re: Trump on Thursday:
....and now the most persuasive account of Congress' get-religion moment in the aftermath of Comey's Congressional briefing Friday (see link in first paragraph, above) was also a Fox News product. When Fox News pivots, look out (obviously, Hannity will stay faithful even through the final days in the Führerbunker).
Russia completely aside, the administration is leaking like a sieve, the rats are starting to chew each other, and this is clearly unsustainable. But let's not put Russia aside!
It seems to have been conceded that Flynn lied to FBI investigators, and that's a felony. The FBI can get mileage from an informed party facing such overhang. Multiple layers of unraveling are taking place, and The Guardian's Louise Mensch has explained why there's reason to think Comey is truly on it - well-informed about even the deepest connections and allegations. So, again, the tide may be turning, and it may happen faster than we'd imagined.
Meanwhile, liberal pundits continue to fully reciprocate the administration's stupidity level. After a month of praying for Republican lawmakers to put nation over politics and to take action against a clear threat to our peace and democracy, they're beginning to smell the endgame, and they don't like it one bit.
While Trump (a man who praises torture, deems nukes tactical, wants to abolish NATO and give Putin free reign to stomp on Eastern Europe, and who is not only controlled by one of the world's most diabolical figures, but has appointed Putin-connected people to many cabinet positions - all the important ones - including a linchpin figure on his national security apparatus) might be a deranged authoritarian monster wannabe, the thinking goes all over liberal media, Pence (being strongly anti-abortion and likely to stock the Supreme Court with people who'd approve policy they'd mostly disagree with) is worse.
Lord, take me now.
Nation over politics, huh?
Sunday, January 29, 2017
How We Got Trolled Yesterday: The Story You DIDN'T Hear
Per my posting earlier today about how we're being trolled, here's an example: The executive order yesterday on immigration restrictions was not a huge big deal.
I'll wait patiently while you bellow and rage. The pique level is, as I've said, stuck at "11", and people are prepared to Hitlerize just about anyone or anything. Unless I hastily reaffirm my virtuousness to you via high-minded pro-immmigrant language, you very likely might stop reading and never come back. In fact, some of you stopped reading three sentences ago. That's the moment we're in. That's the problem.
Let's proceed.
The executive order yesterday on immigration restrictions was not a huge big deal. What was a huge big deal was that the sane generals (like Matthis) were removed from the National Security Council, which will be run entirely by Banon and Flynn (Flynn is The Worst Possible Thing, excused only by reason of insanity), putting them in exclusive, unchecked control of the entire national security apparatus, without so much as frickin' input from (sane) career military or intelligence people - none of them will even be at the table. The crazy kids have the keys, unchecked. This is the single most terrifying thing I've seen the US Gov do in my lifetime.
But you probably don't know (or at least don't understand how catastrophic it is) because you, like half the country, were freaking out over the executive order. President Bannon trolled you (via a limited, temporary, executive order subject to judicial counterbalancing - slipping in measures against green card holders just to spark extra sputtering pique), and the media whipped you into a frenzy and then spent the rest of the day covering your frenzy - which wound you up even more. And with that circus going on, two conspiracy-minded whack jobs unapproved by Congress and unfettered by rationality staged a coup. Barely reported, hardly noticed, 'cuz, hey, we're chanting slogans here!
From the perspective of mainstream rust belters, the arty farty liberals were freaking out yet again on TV, this time to defend terrorists. So they didn't even hear the important story. And if they had, it would have concerned them.
We need to stop being trolled; set off by small stuff custom-engineered to trigger us into serving as The Diversion. Breathe! Pay attention! Think! Cease responding in hyperbolic ways that 1. make everyone miss the real story, and 2. make half the country think you're as whacky and over-dramatic as Trump told them you were. The more we freak out about every little thing, the less ammo we have to to make the rest of the country pay attention when seriously bad shit like this happens.
Again, read John Schindler's Twitter feed, an alternative perspective way closer to the truth than what you're seeing in media or in social media (and put up with his anti-Obama, anti-Hillary, anti-PC stance, which is shared by half the country, including lots of nice, sincere, smart people who have a different perspective, and some of whom will help us bring down Trump). To understand his feed, you'll need to learn some new acronyms: IC = intelligence community; NATSEC = national security; EO = executive order; MSM = mainstream media; OIF = Operation Iraqi Freedom; NSC = national security council; FSB = Russian intelligence; DOD = department of defense; USG = US government; WH = White House).
We need to stop being whipped into a frenzy by media and social media. We need to stop triggering at every minor action, statement, and tweet. We need to suck it up when he does the normal right wing stuff he earned the right to do November 8th. We need to stop going to "11" on every distasteful bit of this or that, so we can keep our eye on how he's actually wrecking the country, and so we have some ammo left when little backstage tiptoe moves like this happen, and we need people to hear about it and understand it and pay attention. If YOU dind't hear about it or understand it, then you were trolled.
I'll wait patiently while you bellow and rage. The pique level is, as I've said, stuck at "11", and people are prepared to Hitlerize just about anyone or anything. Unless I hastily reaffirm my virtuousness to you via high-minded pro-immmigrant language, you very likely might stop reading and never come back. In fact, some of you stopped reading three sentences ago. That's the moment we're in. That's the problem.
Let's proceed.
The executive order yesterday on immigration restrictions was not a huge big deal. What was a huge big deal was that the sane generals (like Matthis) were removed from the National Security Council, which will be run entirely by Banon and Flynn (Flynn is The Worst Possible Thing, excused only by reason of insanity), putting them in exclusive, unchecked control of the entire national security apparatus, without so much as frickin' input from (sane) career military or intelligence people - none of them will even be at the table. The crazy kids have the keys, unchecked. This is the single most terrifying thing I've seen the US Gov do in my lifetime.
But you probably don't know (or at least don't understand how catastrophic it is) because you, like half the country, were freaking out over the executive order. President Bannon trolled you (via a limited, temporary, executive order subject to judicial counterbalancing - slipping in measures against green card holders just to spark extra sputtering pique), and the media whipped you into a frenzy and then spent the rest of the day covering your frenzy - which wound you up even more. And with that circus going on, two conspiracy-minded whack jobs unapproved by Congress and unfettered by rationality staged a coup. Barely reported, hardly noticed, 'cuz, hey, we're chanting slogans here!
From the perspective of mainstream rust belters, the arty farty liberals were freaking out yet again on TV, this time to defend terrorists. So they didn't even hear the important story. And if they had, it would have concerned them.
We need to stop being trolled; set off by small stuff custom-engineered to trigger us into serving as The Diversion. Breathe! Pay attention! Think! Cease responding in hyperbolic ways that 1. make everyone miss the real story, and 2. make half the country think you're as whacky and over-dramatic as Trump told them you were. The more we freak out about every little thing, the less ammo we have to to make the rest of the country pay attention when seriously bad shit like this happens.
Again, read John Schindler's Twitter feed, an alternative perspective way closer to the truth than what you're seeing in media or in social media (and put up with his anti-Obama, anti-Hillary, anti-PC stance, which is shared by half the country, including lots of nice, sincere, smart people who have a different perspective, and some of whom will help us bring down Trump). To understand his feed, you'll need to learn some new acronyms: IC = intelligence community; NATSEC = national security; EO = executive order; MSM = mainstream media; OIF = Operation Iraqi Freedom; NSC = national security council; FSB = Russian intelligence; DOD = department of defense; USG = US government; WH = White House).
We need to stop being whipped into a frenzy by media and social media. We need to stop triggering at every minor action, statement, and tweet. We need to suck it up when he does the normal right wing stuff he earned the right to do November 8th. We need to stop going to "11" on every distasteful bit of this or that, so we can keep our eye on how he's actually wrecking the country, and so we have some ammo left when little backstage tiptoe moves like this happen, and we need people to hear about it and understand it and pay attention. If YOU dind't hear about it or understand it, then you were trolled.
Crazy Like Foxes: We're Being Trolled
"So what the hell's going on here?" you may well be asking yourself.
I ran a huge online community for eight years, and helped manage earlier online communities since long before there was a Web. I was around and keyed in (Zelig-like) when computer viruses were titillating thought experiments for computer scientists, rather than real world scourges. And I've watched trolling develop as an art form from a front row seat. I've played chess with every escalating generation of scary mega trolls.
And I can confirm that we, ladies and gentlemen, appear to have been trolled.
Read two things: this piece from lefty Mother Jones, and this Twitter storm from John Schindler, a veteran Intelligence Services dude with a very shrewd mind, some far right wing sentiments (some of which may rub you the wrong way, as they do for me), and an earnest patriotic impulse to put country way ahead of party and stand staunchly anti-Trump.
(The anti-Trump movement will only succeed if we really listen to the right-wingers in our potential coalition, who have far deeper insight into the basis of Trump's appeal, so I recommend Schindler's Twitter feed as a daily read...and also click through to his great articles in the NY Observer. He also is keyed into the Russia connections, though if you want to delve into that - it gets way crazier than you'll want to let yourself believe - read Louise Mensch and, if you dare, the guy she cribs off of - who's working at either the hysterical fringe or else at the Very Core Of It All, we shall see: Adam Khan).
Back to those first two links. They're both a little right and a little wrong (though way more correct than any other voices you're hearing right now), but if you add them together, you'll understand how the trolling is working. Steve Bannon is a troll par excellence. It's easy to forget that he's smart.
This explains why anti-Trump centrists like me have had an instinct to plead with people to calm down and be smart and focused, rather than flailing around, pinning the outrage level at a constant "11". I've been sensing the trolling. Now, it's filled in a bit.
Nothing solidifies the Trump coalition like a freak out on the left. When the left freaks out, just like the right, it gets 1. stupid, and 2. reverts to its most divisive tropes, shoring up the other side. Trump was elected, in the first place, as a deliberate move to freak out the left. A cherry bomb, if you will. The tone (repeat: the tone) of the backlash cements his base of support. But people are way too outraged/reactive to see it....just as victims always take comically long to spot a troll's agenda once they've been emotionally triggered.
We've been (legitimately) concerned about Trump's easy manipulability, but, ironically, it's the rest of us who've been manipulated.
For the dim-witted (and smarties who've let outrage temporarily dull their wits): I'm not saying his stances, actions, words, policies, tweets, appointments, etc., are hunky dory. I'm not saying they don't require push-back. I'm not saying we should appease or enable. I'm not saying it's good.
Lefty Mother Jones Writer, Right-Wing Steely Intelligence Dude, and Centrist Blogger Me are all as opposed to Trump as you are, if not more. I'm sitting here puzzling this out, sleepless, at 5:30 am! I'm not saying Steve Bannon won't destroy the country. I'm saying we need to work, not kvetch. John Schindler's essential quote: "Trump will be stopped when a strong majority of Americans accept he's a nut who violates our laws. Not before."
He's talking about the right there, but it applies to the left as well. Acceptance is not agreement. Acceptance is not "normalization". Acceptance is not capitulation. Something about the liberal psyche (the same part of the brain which gives rise to the notion of, jesus christ, "safe spaces") predisposes them to standing there like chickens in the rain, repeating "No no no no no no no no....this is not happening." It's happening. The left's been stuck in this groove ever since he first ranted about Mexican rapists and glided down his golden escalator; the same sputtering "you've been trolled!" reaction again and again and again.
Let's belatedly get past the fact that he's him and he's here. Let's jar loose of our static posture of surprise and shock and outrage. Let's recognize that 100% of the country totally knows you're upset and fearful and hate him (and Trump supporters cares about that as much as you cared how they hated and feared Obama, which, I know, makes you want to plug your ears and shut your eyes and scream "FALSE EQUIVALENCY!!!!"). Ceaseless wailing will not bring about the gratification of your needs! Instead, let's use grown-up steely wits to deal with this. (Here are some suggestions, just for starters). Above all, let's remember that, unlike Tea Party vs Obama, we have coalition partners on the right. That's a huge difference. LISTEN TO THOSE GUYS! (Here's another to read, and one more)
I ran a huge online community for eight years, and helped manage earlier online communities since long before there was a Web. I was around and keyed in (Zelig-like) when computer viruses were titillating thought experiments for computer scientists, rather than real world scourges. And I've watched trolling develop as an art form from a front row seat. I've played chess with every escalating generation of scary mega trolls.
And I can confirm that we, ladies and gentlemen, appear to have been trolled.
Read two things: this piece from lefty Mother Jones, and this Twitter storm from John Schindler, a veteran Intelligence Services dude with a very shrewd mind, some far right wing sentiments (some of which may rub you the wrong way, as they do for me), and an earnest patriotic impulse to put country way ahead of party and stand staunchly anti-Trump.
(The anti-Trump movement will only succeed if we really listen to the right-wingers in our potential coalition, who have far deeper insight into the basis of Trump's appeal, so I recommend Schindler's Twitter feed as a daily read...and also click through to his great articles in the NY Observer. He also is keyed into the Russia connections, though if you want to delve into that - it gets way crazier than you'll want to let yourself believe - read Louise Mensch and, if you dare, the guy she cribs off of - who's working at either the hysterical fringe or else at the Very Core Of It All, we shall see: Adam Khan).
Back to those first two links. They're both a little right and a little wrong (though way more correct than any other voices you're hearing right now), but if you add them together, you'll understand how the trolling is working. Steve Bannon is a troll par excellence. It's easy to forget that he's smart.
This explains why anti-Trump centrists like me have had an instinct to plead with people to calm down and be smart and focused, rather than flailing around, pinning the outrage level at a constant "11". I've been sensing the trolling. Now, it's filled in a bit.
Nothing solidifies the Trump coalition like a freak out on the left. When the left freaks out, just like the right, it gets 1. stupid, and 2. reverts to its most divisive tropes, shoring up the other side. Trump was elected, in the first place, as a deliberate move to freak out the left. A cherry bomb, if you will. The tone (repeat: the tone) of the backlash cements his base of support. But people are way too outraged/reactive to see it....just as victims always take comically long to spot a troll's agenda once they've been emotionally triggered.
We've been (legitimately) concerned about Trump's easy manipulability, but, ironically, it's the rest of us who've been manipulated.
For the dim-witted (and smarties who've let outrage temporarily dull their wits): I'm not saying his stances, actions, words, policies, tweets, appointments, etc., are hunky dory. I'm not saying they don't require push-back. I'm not saying we should appease or enable. I'm not saying it's good.
Lefty Mother Jones Writer, Right-Wing Steely Intelligence Dude, and Centrist Blogger Me are all as opposed to Trump as you are, if not more. I'm sitting here puzzling this out, sleepless, at 5:30 am! I'm not saying Steve Bannon won't destroy the country. I'm saying we need to work, not kvetch. John Schindler's essential quote: "Trump will be stopped when a strong majority of Americans accept he's a nut who violates our laws. Not before."
He's talking about the right there, but it applies to the left as well. Acceptance is not agreement. Acceptance is not "normalization". Acceptance is not capitulation. Something about the liberal psyche (the same part of the brain which gives rise to the notion of, jesus christ, "safe spaces") predisposes them to standing there like chickens in the rain, repeating "No no no no no no no no....this is not happening." It's happening. The left's been stuck in this groove ever since he first ranted about Mexican rapists and glided down his golden escalator; the same sputtering "you've been trolled!" reaction again and again and again.
Let's belatedly get past the fact that he's him and he's here. Let's jar loose of our static posture of surprise and shock and outrage. Let's recognize that 100% of the country totally knows you're upset and fearful and hate him (and Trump supporters cares about that as much as you cared how they hated and feared Obama, which, I know, makes you want to plug your ears and shut your eyes and scream "FALSE EQUIVALENCY!!!!"). Ceaseless wailing will not bring about the gratification of your needs! Instead, let's use grown-up steely wits to deal with this. (Here are some suggestions, just for starters). Above all, let's remember that, unlike Tea Party vs Obama, we have coalition partners on the right. That's a huge difference. LISTEN TO THOSE GUYS! (Here's another to read, and one more)
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