A republic, if you can keep it” — Benjamin Franklin
Anyone for tyranny?
Trump is plotting to stay president past his January 20, 2029 expiration date. His plan B is to have Junior or daughter-in-law Lara in the Oval Office doing his bidding. Plan C is JD, or some other eager ass-licker. Either way, he is not interested in free elections. To that end, he’ll accept anyone’s help. A spineless Congress, a compliant judiciary, foreign interference? Whatever it takes. It’s all the same to him.
Florida woman kisses orange ass.
On Wednesday, Trump’s new Attorney General Pam Bondi did her bit to enable the wannabe autocrat’s aspirations. She announced the closure of the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force. In effect, the eager-to-please Pam sent a message to Russia, China, and all global tyrants that the US would no longer interfere with their ability to fix American elections. It was both a big wet thank you to Vladimir Putin from the man who owes his political career to the Russian dictator — and an invitation to do more of the same.
Bondi explained her ‘reasoning’ in a memo. She had done what she did:
“To free resources to address more pressing priorities, and end risks of further weaponization and abuses of prosecutorial discretion, the Foreign Influence Task Force shall be disbanded,”
American democracy is an endangered species
To Americans who love the country's constitutional system, preserving democracy is the most pressing priority. To Trump and his enablers, everything else is a more pressing priority. Let’s also consider “ending risks of weaponization and abuses of prosecutorial discretion.” In Trump-speak, that means no more investigation of the campaigns of GOP candidates with foreign sponsors.
There is only one reason for someone to disband a task force working to ensure fair elections. That someone does not want free elections. And if that someone owes her job to a man who benefits from fixed, or no, elections, those are two fat dots that connect themselves.
Ironically, Trump’s poodle is not tearing down a Democratic temple. It was a Trump guy who had created the FBI’s Foreign Influence Task Force in the first place. CNN reports:
The special task force was established by former FBI Director Christopher Wray in 2017 following a wave of foreign influence operations targeting the US electoral process, including Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 presidential election that Trump won.
Wray previously said the purpose of the team was “to identify and counteract the full range of malign foreign influence operations targeting our democratic institutions and our values. The task force now brings together the FBI’s expertise across the waterfront — counterintelligence, cyber, criminal, and even counterterrorism — to root out and respond to foreign influence operations.”
The root of the issue
In 2016, Russia’s propaganda bureau unleashed its well-oiled disinformation apparatus on the American electorate. Putin knew Clinton would not sell America’s soul for a pat on the head. Russia’s strong man wanted a weak American President. He got one. His choice, the traitor Trump, dismissed the claim the Russians had coordinated with his campaign. For once the liar was telling the truth. The Russians didn’t involve Trump. Why would they? They knew what they were doing. The last thing they needed was a moron messing with their operation.
Surprisingly, Christopher Wray, Trump’s pick to replace James Comey as the FBI Director, proved to have an independent streak. Ignoring his boss’s “Russia Russia, Russia” rant, he did his job. Wray created a group of FBI agents whose mission was to protect American democracy. No wonder Trump wanted him gone. And gone he is — with democracy close behind him — unless the Democrats can get their shite together.
The response
Where is the opposition? If an “aroused” Schumer is the Napoleon of the anti-Trump forces, they might as well quit now. The man is the personification of paint drying. Perhaps Hakeem Jeffries is the man. If he is, will he stop explaining how he will fight and start fighting? Is the new DNC Chair, Ken Martin the guy? No clue. Is AOC the woman? If so, can the Democrats stop marginalizing her, reverse course, and give her ranking member status on the House Oversight Committee?
if it’s someone else, let them step up and get going. I have no idea what could be more important.
