I don’t know about you, but the cynic in me looks out at the political landscape, one in which we have real live Republican Congressman, speaking in their official capacity as a representative of the United States government calling for a "purge" of the FBI and DOJ. It makes me sit back and think; Something more is going on here than meets the eye. It cannot be just about protecting Trump.
You?
As horrendous as the FBI’s history may be, if my money was scammed in a a big con or if — God forbid — something happened to a family member, I know that I want the FBI and federal prosecutors going after my attacker, over and above other law enforcement agency in this country. I feel equally confident that Republicans have that same level of confidence and respect. Republicans are generally law and order freaks, they would NOT easily destroy the FBI and DOJ. Republicans must know they are helping defense attorneys across the country, as jurors look at their former heroes differently after watching that morning’s Fox and Friends. Yet, Republicans are seemingly at ease with literally tearing down actual institutions of government now, not just the mechanisms of government.
Why?
Canned Answer: So that Trump survives the investigation with Mueller? Bless Jen Rubin's little heart, she thinks so, she thinks it’s about saving Trump. Dunno, about that. She’s right about one thing:
The spectacle of Republicans trying to cook up a spurious case of corruption against the entire FBI is strong evidence of their inability to take their constitutional responsibilities seriously
Fine. We agree. Welcome to the 21st century, Jenny.
But what are the Republicans really fighting for. After all, lose Trump and they get a President Pence, maybe a President Ryan. Are they fighting to avoid the embarrassment of supporting a crook? Embarrass a Republican? Are you kidding?
Still, they’re throwing away the United States’ intelligence community AND the Department of Justice, and it’s supposedly over Donalf F’in Trump?
That doesn’t work for me. Especially now that the Republicans have their tax cut (happy donors), AND, that Trump-Bannon cost the Republicans the Alabama red Senate vote for 3 years. It especially doesn’t work for me now turning the page toward the elections in 2018 with evidence already out there of a wave gathering. You would think that Republicans would start moving away from Trump, start looking “seriously” at those reports. Instead, we see the opposite, why?
Occam? Step in here for a second and shave off the stock answer, please:
Occam: “They are not purging and disparaging the FBI and DOJ to help Trump, they are doing it to help themselves.”
Say what?
Occam: “You heard me.”
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SWITCH FOCUS FOR A FLASH
Google: “Russian attempts to hack voter databases in U.S. 2016” and see if you can spot an article that doesn’t contain the words “more widespread” or “greater than reported” or something of that ilk.
The most recent article, as of September 22, 2017, states that DHS notified 21 states that Russians This article from NPR notes the lead that had been buried:
State election officials have complained for months that the lack of information from the federal government was hampering their efforts to secure future elections.
"We heard that feedback," says Bob Kolasky, acting deputy undersecretary for DHS's National Protection and Programs Directorate. "We recognize that it is important for senior state election officials to know what happens on their state systems."
On Friday afternoon, DHS placed individual calls to the top election official in each state and six U.S. territories to fill them in on what information the agency has about election hacking attempts in their state last year. It will be up to the election officials to decide whether to share what they learn with the public.
Everyone surprised that Donald Trump’s Department of Homeland Security is/was slow on reporting to various states about Russian hacking attempts, raise your hand.
Now, let your imagination go a bit. Don’t go CT, just be “practical” about things.
Given the lack of “ahem” urgency we have seen with respect to the Russian attack on our Democracy (With a capital “D”), isn’t it just responsible to admit that the federal government — beholden to Donald Trump — might not report upon the degree of Russian effectiveness in hacking our voting infrastructure, if it knew and it was bad?
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What were the Russians after? You know, the ones we caught, and the ones the government has reported on?
Only two state election security breaches last year have been made public so far. Hackers were able to gain access to the records of tens of thousands of voters in Illinois' centralized registration database, but there is no sign any records were deleted or changed. Russian hackers also gained access to the password and other credentials of a county elections worker in Arizona. Again there is no evidence that records were altered.
Voter databases, huh?
Where have I ….
Why has Kris Kobach’s voter fraud commission disappeared?
By the Kansas City Star
Nov 1, 2017
...The commission ran into immediate problems last summer when it asked for voter data from all 50 states. Several states denounced the request and refused to comply in whole or in part.
The lack of public discussion does not mean the commission isn’t working privately, of course. Kobach may be teaming up with like-minded colleagues such as Hans von Spakovsky, who is so outside the mainstream that he said Democrats and moderate Republicans should be excluded from the committee.
I challenge anyone who would say we shouldn’t consider the possibility that Russians hacked into our databases to a much greater degree, and with more success, than you or I know, or want to presume possible.
Why?
Because it explains the Republicans behavior far more so than chalking it up to “just” an attempt to save Donald Trump. What if Trump is nothing more than the personification, the “living symbol” of a greater promise? What if Republicans are attempting to protect the fact that they are in an ongoing “collusion” with Russians (and now Kansans) over the propriety of the 2016 vote and the vote going forward? What if Trump has promised, “Protect me, and I’ll have my friends protect you.”
That makes Occam happy.
Am I too far down in the rabbit hole?
Before you answer, perhaps you should consider how much you trust your current federal government and “Deep State” to address the Russian attack on our voting infrastructure, whether you trust it to keep you informed of its will and commitment, and prioritize it fairly into the future.
The other thing to consider? The only people who might protect us from a plan to steal democracy right out from under us all reside within the intelligence communities, and the agencies that prosecute those found to be actively colluding to impact the vote.
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Newsweek: Former Pentagon Official says UFOs exist, but you will need to read my latest novels to understand how they’ve caused the global economic inequality we see.