Early Warning Signs of Fascism in West | 47 comments (47 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)

Before MAGA Crippled Europe (none / 0)

A post to my diary by Zwackus ...

Re: Stop Blaming Outside Forces For Our Ills (4.00 / 4)
Being filled with deep seated self-destructive impulses as I am, I remain a regular reader of Daily Kos. I have to agree, the obsession with Russia is bizarre. Were they involved in some shady stuff? Yes, surely. Were they propping up Trump's early campaign? Yes, surely. Do they have a bunch of annoying trolls hell-bent on destroying any chance of rational online discourse? Yes, but they're one of many.
All that stuff is bad ... but it didn't win the election for Trump. I've yet to see strong evidence to the effect that the various illegal ads actually pushed the needle anywhere -- just because people saw a thing online doesn't mean much, or I'd have a closetful of clothes appropriate for a young Asian woman. Online advertisers remain fundamentally confused about my demographic identity.
Trump rode white racist resentment to victory, and he's stoked the flames of white nationalism ever since. It's convenient to blame it on Russia, but Russia is a third-order factor at best. The real problem is that an electoral majority of America is spiteful and insane. The real problem is that an electoral majority of America thinks a fascist dictatoryship would be great, and will volunteer for death squads in a heartbeat.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Nov 7th, 2024 at 10:26:19 AM EST

Re: Before MAGA Crippled Europe (none / 0)

Re: Stop Blaming Outside Forces For Our Ills (4.00 / 2)
Historically, DKos has had a collection of "old Russia hands" who mercilessly harass anyone who crosses them. That could be part of it. And they went full Hilbot in 2016 and need an excuse.
by rifek on Tue Dec 17th, 2019

Glad I wasn't the only one and got downrated by the new crowd @BooMan in 2018 on forward.

'Sapere aude'

by Oui (Oui) on Thu Nov 7th, 2024 at 10:27:35 AM EST
[ Parent ]

Re: Before MAGA Crippled Europe (none / 0)

Stop Blaming Outside Forces For Our Ills
Perhaps I'm just from an older generation who experienced the Cold War rhetoric and propaganda and misinformation of all sides. The fall of the Iron Wall (ehh .. Curtain 😉) separating East and West gave many hope. The turn of events spurned by 9/11 brought war across the globe and a new role for NATO. That wasn't change for good. An expansive NATO brought US a New Cold War with the Russian Federal Republic.
The advances in Internet technology and the role of social media brings intrusion into our private lives, manipulation and political propaganda. The principles of Democracy and the U.S. Constitution have been undermined. The role of the United Nations to bring peace has been minimized.
[...]
During the Cold War era, the CIA overrated the might of the Soviet Union in terms of its economy and military power. This was not unintentional as U.S. Congress kept funds growing for the Intelligence community and the military leadership in the Pentagon.
Recent reports released after FOIA requests makes clear nothing has changed in the American 21st Century.

Stunning. The new Pentagon papers describe 'explicit and sustained efforts by the U.S. government to deliberately mislead the public ... to distort statistics to make it appear the United States was winning the war when that was not the case.' [_link]
— Lulu NYT (@LuluGNavarro) December 9, 2019

Afghanistan papers reveal US public were misled about unwinnable war | The Guardian - 9 Dec 2019 |

Believe me, it's an Inside Job of the Right-wing machine funded by the very rich Americans, a policy rooted in the days of Richard Nixon and Barry Goldwater. Don't put blame on Russia, Ukraine or Vladimir Putin.