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RUSSIA IS A DIVERSION
boblonsberry.com ^ | 01/09/17 | Bob Lonsberry

Posted on 01/09/2017 5:58:23 AM PST by shortstop

Of course Russia tried to influence our election.

Russia has been trying to influence American elections since the 1920s. It has typically tried to do this through support to progressive activists, labor unions and Democrat politicians, and by the infiltration of those entities and the government by Russian agents and philosophical allies. The notion that Russians would try to influence our elections and our society can only surprise the purposefully naïve.

The recent fuss over apparent Russian hacking of the email system of the Democratic Party is little more than political posturing. It is largely meant to create a perceived delegitimization of the Donald Trump victory on election day. It is a political stunt which has an awful lot of politicians weeping crocodile tears.

In the real world, nations try to influence one another in a variety of ways all the time. They have done this through beaming propagandized broadcasts into one another’s territory for generations. They have done this through the support of political parties and movements over a similar period of time. Fear of Russian influence in American politics and governance is what gave rise to the red scare and McCarthyism and any number of genuine spies and provocateurs from Alger Hiss down to the present.

And it is not just them, it is often us. As recently as last year we know the United States tried to influence the outcome of elections in Israel. Barack Obama opposes Benjamin Netanyahu, and so the American government worked against the Likud Party of Prime Minister Netanyahu. In 2011, the United States government, in an effort directed by President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton, tried to influence Russian parliamentary elections in such a way as to weaken Vladimir Putin.

And those are just two examples. The United States has tried to determine outcomes of elections and pick leaders for various nations around the world for 100 years. It is part of the real world dynamic.

Ironically, the need to attack Trump has driven American progressives to vilify Russia, which for most of the 20th century was their favorite foreign country. The Obama progressives who love Cuba seem to have forgotten the Cuba was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Russia. It is a reversal of roles to have Democrats condemning Russia and a Republican president elect seemingly defending Russia.

Hopefully, the political posturing of the Democrats and their sycophantic friends John McCain and Lindsey Graham won’t get in the way of a common sense diplomatic approach to Russia under Donald Trump.

The Obama era was catastrophic for American relations with Russia, as it was with so many other nations. Our situation is dramatically worse today than it was eight years ago. After famously hoping for a reset and improvement of relations, the mismanagement by the Obama administration of the Russia relationship generally and the Vladimir Putin relationship specifically has empowered a belligerent Russia and exacerbated our traditionally poor relationship with that nation and people.

Donald Trump seems to be sending a message to Russia and the world that our two nations do not have to be enemies. He seems to be indicating that there are areas in which we can cooperate. That would certainly make sense. Though Russia will always be our opponent and rival, common sense does indicate that our two countries could naturally ally together against China and militant Islam. In a world dynamic in which many powers and cultures are antagonistic to the United States, gratuitous beefs with nuclear powers headed by unpredictable strongmen -- like Vladimir Putin -- don’t make sense. If American diplomacy under Donald Trump could find common cause with Russia, or at least mutual respect for one another’s priorities and spheres of influence, the world would be more stable and American interests would be more secure.

For this to happen, Donald Trump will need to do more than just demonstrate the open-mindedness towards Russia which we have thus far seen. He also needs to establish a relationship of mutual respect with Vladimir Putin. We don’t know if the Russians meddled with our recent campaign because they liked Trump or because they hated Clinton. But if the motivation was that Vladimir Putin believed Donald Trump would be good for Russia, then Donald Trump will have to early in his relationship with Vladimir Putin show who’s the boss.

If Vladimir Putin specifically tried to get Donald Trump elected, it was presumably because Putin thought that Trump would either be an incompetent opponent or would bend to Russian will. Trump must quickly show Putin that neither of those things is true. If Putin admires and respects strength, then the United States and its new president must show strength.

Realistically, it is likely that the future relationship between United States and Russia will improve. That is true in part because it would be hard for the relationship to get worse, or for it to be managed worse. Under Obama, Putin has been able to invade Ukraine, determine the outcome of the civil war in Syria, shoot down a civilian airliner, and directly weaken our ties with a variety of allies across the globe.

Things almost have to get better.

And we must do more to protect our cyber security and electoral integrity.

But we must recognize that the current posturing about Russia is merely a partisan political diversion. To the extent that people take it seriously and divert attention to it for more pressing issues, the country is hurt.

And there are a great many more pressing issues. In fact, that is the point.

While the American press and the Democratic Party are crapping their pants about Russia, the issues which drove Americans to the polls in November are being ignored. There is the issue of securing our borders, getting our jobs back, rebuilding our broken military, reestablishing our respect in the international community, lowering our ridiculously high business taxes, trying to finally save the people of inner-city America, balancing our budget and paying down our debt, restoring respect for police and bridging the gap of racial polarization.

Those are matters that truly count. Those are matters that drove people to vote. Those are issues that still directly impact our society. And those are issues that have nothing whatsoever to do with Russia and its meddling.


TOPICS: Editorial; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: putin; russia; russianhacking; trump
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1 posted on 01/09/2017 5:58:23 AM PST by shortstop
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To: shortstop

Ted (she’s still in the lake) Kennedy asked for help from the USSR to defeat Reagan in 1984.

Now every democrat is watching Red Dawn and wearing a Wolverines jacket.


2 posted on 01/09/2017 6:01:20 AM PST by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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To: shortstop

And let’s not even start on how the largest shareholder of the New York Times is Mexican, and that country has flooded ours with brand new “voters” every year since I-don’t-know-when.


3 posted on 01/09/2017 6:07:35 AM PST by A_perfect_lady
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To: All
After she lost, Hillary's campaign chair, John Podesta, was horse-whipped into action.
Podesta came charging out of the gate like Greased Lightning, galloping at breakneck speed
sweating it out, desperate to make Hillary look like a "victim."

=================================================

John Podesta Op-Ed: Washington Post post-election op-ed / FR POSTED by by ColdOne

PODESTA: The more we learn about the Russian plot to sabotage Hillary Clinton’s campaign and elect Donald Trump, and the failure of the FBI to adequately respond, the more shocking it gets. The former acting director of the CIA has called the Russian cyberattack “the political equivalent of 9/11.” Just as after the real 9/11, we need a robust, independent investigation into what went wrong inside the government and how to better protect our country in the future.

As the former chair of the Clinton campaign and a direct target of Russian hacking, I understand just how serious this is. So I was surprised to read in the New York Times that when the FBI discovered the Russian attack in September 2015, it failed to (Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...

======================================

WikiLeaks: Tax Form Reveals Hillary's campaign chair, John Podesta, Continued Ties to Russian Energy Company After Claiming He Divested

LINK http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2016/10/31/wikileaks-tax- form-reveals-john-podesta-continued-ties-to-russian-energy-company-after- claiming-he-divested/

PODESTA'S LUCRATIVE RUSSIAN CONNECTIONS--- A leaked Jan. 3, 2014 document shows that Podesta transferred more than 25,000 of 75,000 shares of Joule Technologies---a Russian-connected firm---to Leonidio Holdings LLC. Leonidio Holdings, LLC, is listed w/ an address at his daughter's Megan Rouse’s Shannon Court home in Dublin, California. Rouse operates Megan Rouse Financial Planning from that same address.

The inference is to money laundering, perhaps tax evasion. Suggests that Megan Rouse's father, John Podesta, hid stocks connected to Russia. Documents show that Podesta received 75,000 shares of Joule Unlimited Technologies......an outfit which was linked to alleged money laundering by the Russian government, according to media reports.

The Center for American Progress (CAP) was started in 2003 by John Podesta, Bill Clinton's onetime Chief of Staff; Podesta led Obama’s presidential transition team after 2008 and was Hillary’s 2016 campaign manager.

Podesta’s CRONY relationship with the Clintons goes back to 1970.

=================================================

Hillary, Soros, Podesta and the rest are idiots. That's not the Russians fault. The fools needed something to make Hillary look like a victim. The Russians are a handy bete noir.

And besides, saving his wealth, his govt perks, privileges and multiple paychecks was a powerful motivator for Podesta.

4 posted on 01/09/2017 6:13:45 AM PST by Liz (The Clinto ns' embracing humanitarian relief is like the Sopranos' embracing waste mgmt.)
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To: shortstop
But what about The Russians™ floppy disks changing the results of the election?

/s

5 posted on 01/09/2017 6:14:59 AM PST by Does so ("The Business of America is Business"--President Calvin Coolidge...)
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To: A_perfect_lady

Once Trump is firmly ensconced in the White Hut, I think his intelligence team should change the narrative about this. I would go with something along the lines of Russia wanting Hillary as the Democrat nominee so Trump could beat her.

The Russians did in fact interfere with the election, but they interfered on the Democrat side, knowing that Bernie could beat Trump, so they rigged the nomination for Hillary. This is why the hacked the DNC and caught Schultz and Brazile red handed in trying to influence a Hillary win.

That would drive the liberals apoplectic.


6 posted on 01/09/2017 6:15:10 AM PST by EQAndyBuzz (Too. Much. Winning.)
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To: shortstop
If Vladimir Putin specifically tried to get Donald Trump elected, it was presumably because Putin thought that Trump would either be an incompetent opponent or would bend to Russian will. Trump must quickly show Putin that neither of those things is true. If Putin admires and respects strength, then the United States and its new president must show strength.

Seems to me that the one hurt so far in all this is Donald Trump and not Hillary Clinton.

7 posted on 01/09/2017 6:16:24 AM PST by xzins (Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.)
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To: shortstop

0bama was born to and raised and indoctrinated by minions of the Communist Party run for decades by THE ROOSKIES!


8 posted on 01/09/2017 6:16:47 AM PST by Paladin2 (No spellcheck. It's too much work to undo the auto wrong word substitution on mobile devices.)
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To: shortstop
0bama would start a war with Russia to:
* Make life miserable for Trump.
* Make America and Russia fight each other rather than join forces against Islamic Jihad.

9 posted on 01/09/2017 6:16:53 AM PST by BitWielder1 (I'd rather have Unequal Wealth than Equal Poverty.)
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To: shortstop

There are always multiple goals to everything the socialist,libs do.

It is a diversion, away from hillary and companys computer crimes.

It is a diversion away from the democrat murder of seth rich, the guy who leaked their files.

It is a divrsionmaway from obama knowing and using hillarys private email server to communicate with her even though he lied and said he didnt know about it.

It is used by obama to go after putin for humiliating him in syria. Because obama and company created and armed isis.

It is an avenue for fedgov to takeover states rights on election security, another 9th and 10th amendment erosion. Under false pretenses and narratives contrived by fedgov.

It is used to chip away at the electoral college because it did not work in the democrats favor this time.

Always multiple goals.


10 posted on 01/09/2017 6:23:26 AM PST by Secret Agent Man ( Gone Galt; Not averse to Going Bronson.)
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To: shortstop

A link to this article should be the automatic response that millions of Trump voters use to respond to the cacophony of “Russia did it, Russia did it!” from the media and Leftists everywhere. Let them all see that we are informed about history, realistic about how nations deal with each other, and on to their diversion/deception. Maybe, maybe - when that finally gets through to them, they’ll shut up.


11 posted on 01/09/2017 6:34:56 AM PST by Ancesthntr ("The right to buy weapons the right to be free." A. E. van Vogt)
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To: knittnmom

PFL


12 posted on 01/09/2017 6:38:52 AM PST by knittnmom
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To: shortstop
News has moved so quickly, sometimes we forget to point out absurdities. Remember back a few weeks before the election? That was when that illegally taped private conversation between a member of the Bush dynasty and DJT was released. The goal was to force DJT off the ticket because it proved he said dumb-guy stuff in private conversations. It was a coup attempt. Keep in mind the father of the Bush dynasty, George 1, was head on the CIA and the CIA is STILL an out of control rogue organization making up facts as they fit their needs.

What's my point? The dems, opposition 'pubs, and the media weaponized that illegal tape when it was released and use to attempt top force DJT off the ticket.

JMHO....attempting to confront absurdity with logic and reality.

13 posted on 01/09/2017 7:08:09 AM PST by grania
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To: shortstop

It’s a diversion from this...lock her up.

FBI Document Drop: Hostile Foreign Actors Infiltrated Hillary Clinton’s Homebrew Email Server

http://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2017/01/fbi-document-drop-hostile-foreign-actors-infiltrated-hillary-clintons-homebrew-email-server/


14 posted on 01/09/2017 7:11:58 AM PST by Hotlanta Mike ('You can avoid reality, but you can't avoid the consequences of avoiding reality.")
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To: shortstop
RUSSIA IS A DIVERSION

Actually, I suspect RUSSIA IS A DIVERSION

15 posted on 01/09/2017 7:17:44 AM PST by Navy Patriot (America, a Rule of Mob nation)
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To: shortstop

1. Concentrate on the message; not killing the messenger.
2. SWMNBN was endorsed bu CPUSA.
3. Nazi collaborator Soros influenced the election.

Hammer these home in every interview until the Liberals stop their nonsense.


16 posted on 01/09/2017 7:24:23 AM PST by NTHockey (Rules of engagement #1: Take no prisoners. And to the NSA trolls, FU)
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To: shortstop

Russia diversion bump for later....


17 posted on 01/09/2017 7:35:14 AM PST by indthkr
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To: shortstop
FINALLY!!! Someone remembers their history. I did add two more infiltrated entities to the list:

Russia has been trying to influence American elections since the 1920s. It has typically tried to do this through support to progressive activists, labor unions Hollywood, the education system and Democrat politicians,

18 posted on 01/09/2017 7:36:13 AM PST by pfflier
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To: Liz

She was a victim, of her own stupidity.

red


19 posted on 01/09/2017 7:47:46 AM PST by Redwood71
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To: EQAndyBuzz
That version of Russian hacking would drive the liberals apoplectic.

I like it.....an apoplectic liberal....yummy.

20 posted on 01/09/2017 8:03:18 AM PST by Liz (The Clinto ns' embracing humanitarian relief is like the Sopranos' embracing waste mgmt.)
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