I know most people don’t see it that way. But most people are not cognizant of Russia’s and Putin’s war on democratic governments and what I believe is President Trump's assistance in that war on democratic governments.
“The Kremlin’s interference in the 2016 presidential election should have served as a wake-up call for Americans that something we took for granted—democracy—is vulnerable to attack by foreign adversaries in new and powerful ways. Instead, we’re mired in debate about whether the interference even occurred, and whether it mattered. Yet Moscow continues to exploit systemic societal vulnerabilities, including the erosion of public faith in democratic institutions, growing political polarization, and the failure to fully grasp the power of new technological tools, to mount an offensive on democratic institutions and civic debate.
Day in and day out, Russian-oriented networks use social media to inject and amplify stories that anger and provoke. Exploiting events from Charlottesville, to the Seth Rich conspiracy, to the NFL “take a knee” controversy, to terror attacks, and even natural disasters, the Kremlin’s agenda is clear—sow chaos and dissent on all sides. Fear and uncertainty are Americans’ greatest weaknesses. A distracted, inward-looking America afraid of its own shadow will allow Russia to achieve its near-term strategic goals.”
MORE AT:
Shredding the Putin Playbook
Six crucial steps we must take on cyber-security—before it’s too late.
from Winter 2018, No. 47 – 26 MIN READ
By Laura Rosenberger Jamie Fly
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"It didn’t take much of a leap of imagination to form a “Heart of Texas” group that appeared to be based in Houston, but was actually operating near Red Square. They promoted a rally called “Stop Islamization of Texas,” as if there were much Islamization to worry about. Then in a masterful stroke, the Russians created an opposing group, “United Muslims of America,” which scheduled a counter-rally, under the banner of “Save Islamic Knowledge.” The idea was to motivate actual Americans -who had joined each of the Facebook groups - to face off against each other and prompt a lot of name-calling and, perhaps, some violence."
"No one was more amazed than the young Russians in Saint Petersburg, who, as their own emails later showed, could not believe their targets were so gullible."
FROM:
The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age
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What Happened
September 12, 2017
The Perfect Weapon: War, Sabotage, and Fear in the Cyber Age June 19, 2018
by
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Trump and his cronies do so many despicable things that it can be hard to keep track. I think that may be the point—to confound us, so it’s harder to keep our eye on the ball. The ball, of course, is protecting American democracy. As citizens, that’s our most important charge. And right now, our democracy is in crisis.
I don’t use the word crisis lightly. There are no tanks in the streets. The administration’s malevolence may be constrained on some fronts—for now—by its incompetence. But our democratic institutions and traditions are under siege. We need to do everything we can to fight back. There’s not a moment to lose.
How did we get here?
Trump may be uniquely hostile to the rule of law, ethics in public service, and a free press. But the assault on our democracy didn’t start with his election. He is as much a symptom as a cause of what ails us. Think of our body politic like a human body, with our constitutional checks and balances, democratic norms and institutions, and well-informed citizenry all acting as an immune system protecting us from the disease of authoritarianism. Over many years, our defenses were worn down by a small group of right-wing billionaires—people like the Mercer family and Charles and David Koch—who spent a lot of time and money building an alternative reality where science is denied, lies masquerade as truth, and paranoia flourishes. By undermining the common factual framework that allows a free people to deliberate together and make the important decisions of self-governance, they opened the way for the infection of Russian propaganda and Trumpian lies to take hold. They've used their money and influence to capture our political system, impose a right-wing agenda, and disenfranchise millions of Americans.
Meanwhile, hyperpolarization now extends beyond politics into nearly every part of our culture. One recent study found that in 1960, just 5 percent of Republicans and 4 percent of Democrats said they’d be displeased if their son or daughter married a member of the other political party. In 2010, 49 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of Democrats said they’d be upset by that. The strength of partisan identity—and animosity—helps explain why so many Republicans continue to back a president so manifestly unfit for office and antithetical to many of the values and policies they once held dear. When you start seeing politics as a zero-sum game and view members of the other party as traitors, criminals, or otherwise illegitimate, then the normal give-and-take of politics turns into a blood sport.
EXCERPTED FROM:
Hillary Clinton
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THE PERFECT WEAPON by David E. Sanger
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“Pennsylvania, notably, had almost no paper backup for it’s voting machines. Even if a post-election audit of the vote were conducted, there was no viable way to confirm that votes were reported the way they had actually been cast. Other states had similar vulnerabilities.”
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THE PERFECT WEAPON by David E. Sanger
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THE PERFECT WEAPON by David E. Sanger
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A main area of reform should be improving and protecting our elections. The Senate Intelligence Committee has made a series of bipartisan recommendations for how to better secure America’s voting systems, including paper ballot backups, vote audits, and better coordination among federal, state, and local authorities on cybersecurity. That’s a good start. Congress should also repair the damage the Supreme Court did to the Voting Rights Act by restoring the full protections that voters need and deserve, as well as the voting rights of Americans who have served time in prison and paid their debt to society. We need early voting and voting by mail in every state in America, and automatic, universal voter registration so every citizen who is eligible to vote is able to vote. We need to overturn Citizens United and get secret money out of our politics. And you won’t be surprised to hear that I passionately believe it’s time to abolish the Electoral College.
EXCERPTED FROM:
Hillary Clinton
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THE PERFECT WEAPON by David E. Sanger
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THE PERFECT WEAPON by David E. Sanger
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