bwfoster.bsky.social
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"To the extent that protests or acts of violence directly inhibit the execution of the laws, they constitute a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States."
Isn't that a perfect description of what the Trump mob did on 1/6/21 at the Capital?
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The father of Elon was given, you see
A ticket to Moscow on a Kremlin backed spree
To speak from the heart of his philosophy
About apples that never fall far from the tree
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Concurrent news that, after allowing DOGE to gut staff (cut 75%) from a DHS unit focusing on threats of domestic violence posed by extremists, Trump appointed a 22y.o. w/zero experience in management, or military, or intelligence, or counterintelligence to head that unit. All after the Jan6 pardons.
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This or another article noted that the number of staff at the
Center for Prevention Programs and Partnerships has gone from 80 to 20, i.e. a 75% cut in staff, thanks to DOGE. Another action which speaks loudly about what this Administration thinks about "combating violent extremism."
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Actions speak louder than words. The action: "Thomas Fugate is...tasked with overseeing the government’s main hub for combating violent extremism." Age: 22. Management experience: None. Counterintel' experience: None. Gov't experience: None. What is Trump saying about "combating violent extremism?"
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.. Strong likelihood, and most would, I think, agree that what we are witnessing today globally in politics is as suspected. Deeply and inextricably interwoven into the virtual public square of social media like what I'm using at this moment to share these thoughts. We must get a handle on it.
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..society in general as rate of change seemed to be accelerating and likely to worsen with the upcoming boom in Internet. What was certain is that mass media affects attitudes, perceptions, behaviors, and neurological development. And science would always be years behind.
That was 35-40 years ago..
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First significant research into effects of media I recall was 1980's. People watching TV over 30 hrs/wk were more likely to express many opinions than those watching less. Certain biases, misconceptions, levels of violence, likelihood of being a victim. Researchers cautioned they were 3yrs behind...
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Peter Navarro is what I call a functional paranoid. Functional in that he has academic and professional achievements and, until recently, stayed out of jail or other mandated institutional setting and avoided inflicting harm on self or others. Otherwise, his ideas are bonkers. Packers Sweep? Really?
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Good News-Bad News
Good news? Some essential staff, who were essential when they got fired, might get hired back, assuming they have not relocated and/or found other employment, and feel they can trust the employer that fired them capriciously in the first place.
Bad news? Same. It's all bad news.
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..opportunities for Russia, Russia might see benefits to keeping more cordial relations with the rest of Europe. Putin had the option. But Putin's grandiose illusions/delusions of restoring an imperial Russia won the day. As with all paranoid delusions, his delusions became everyone else's reality.
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Key things to remember. 1) Trump applies no more intellectual sophistication to international relations than a 12y.o. applies to a board game. Roll the dice. Spin the wheel. Make your move. 2) For a decade or two, after the Berlin Wall came down that NATO countries hoped by increasing economic..
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The power of indifference. Those who control what does or does not happen to all that food and medicine, all those lives that could be saved, likely don't care. At best, they are enraptured by some delusion of some great cause by which they excuse their malice. More likely, they simply don't care.
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Along with Ruth Ben-Ghiat, read Timothy Snyder, Anne Applebaum, Jason Stanley, Kathleen Belew, Kurt Andersen, Rachel Maddow to get a fuller picture of what we are witnessing at this moment. In the who, what, when, where & why, Ben-Ghiat gives us the who.
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DOGE was a dodge. It was pretext, with Trump's blessing infiltrate federal computers & data systems and harvest as much as humanly/technologically possible before the law can catch up. A heist. The robbers used a stolen armored truck & guard uniforms to walk in, take the money, and drive away.
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Contradicting the cynical "history is written by the victors" is the reality history is written by those who write it. Literacy is a form of power. Prior to universal education, literacy was mostly the province of the rich and powerful. That is no longer true. We must use the power we have.
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New words to meet the moment. I propose:
1) piratocracy: rule by pirates, or by the code of pirates
2) Nixonocracy: rule by the principle “if the president does it then it’s not against law”
3) bullshitocracy: rule by the principle “fake it ‘til you make it”
Also: piratism, Nixonism, bullshitism
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Dir. Patel be trusted to oversee impartial investigations? Prosecutions? Can GOP in Congress be trusted with impartial investigations? Or fair reparations?
What happened to USIP is an alarming symptom of threat to democracy in the way a momentary lapse of consciousness might be warning of a stroke.
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Mr. Foote is being stalwart, a requirement of the work he does. But what are the agency’s options for real justice? Roberts Court has exempted POTUS from criminal prosecution, but not agents of POTUS. But POTUS has plenary power to pardon. Lawsuit will take years, cost $$. Can AG Bondi or…
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Notable people are seldom accurately described or represented in fleeting articles, news bits, etc. More often than not, they are misrepresented. Like everything, timing seems to have capricious impact on what we do, how others see us. As it is, for generating debate, your timing was impeccable.
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Homework assignment:
1) Explore the seductive power of populism, starting with that of Orbán, whom Trump and CPAC consider the prototype to emulate.
2) Explore the role of modern mass media & social media in enhancing seduction and interfering with or disrupting critical thinking skills of voters.
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Successful? Short-term, yes. Often destructively so. Huey Long, America's most notorious populist prior to King D, became governor then senator, lasted 5 yrs until he was assassinated. Trump is in his 10th year w/rabid support & raking in billions. Hopefully Poland does better than 1930's Louisiana.
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..& adversaries.
Access top secret contracts.
Gather inside information for future contracts for his businesses.
Gather foreign intelligence.
Plant spyware who knows where.
Sabotage programs, data bases.
Musk could see 10:1, 20:1, 100:1 ROI on that $300M, so long as Trump Inc. gets its share.
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..and adversaries. Access top secret contracts. Gather inside information for future contracts for his businesses. Gather foreign intelligence. Plant spyware who knows where. Sabotage programs, data bases. Musk could see 10:1, 20:1, 100:1 ROI on that $300M, so long as Trump Inc. gets its share.
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DOGE was about efficiency in the same way the Democratic People's Republic of North Korea is about democracy. It was pretext. Musk paid $300M for the privilege. Access the data systems of the entire national government. Sabotage investigations against him. Gather intelligence on competitors...
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Shouldn't take getting beaten or repeatedly apprehended w/o cause or wrongfully jailed or repeatedly fired w/o cause or denied employment w/o explanation to qualify as persecution for asylum seeking purposes. Evidence of discriminatory laws should be sufficient. Religion, gender, race, ethnicity.
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May I suggest a pre-written request for air traffic control towers to request cleaning?
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"While federal courts and a plain reading of constitutional text suggest [WH spokesperson]'s wrong, that was the White House’s line."
How many times must we to do this before we admit as a united country that this Administration is hell-bent on defying our common understanding of our Constitution?
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Beginning of the end? Yes. If we allow it to continue without universal and effective resistance. The Executive Branch was given management responsibilities, not sovereignty over our National Parks. Twisting our understanding of our Constitution does not change it, just obscures it. Time to untwist.
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So rudimentary we don't consciously think of it unless reminded. Like breathing or having a pulse. Money is simply a universal form of power. Most of us don't have much. A scant few have way too much.
Some, like big law firms with way too much, unwittingly become enslaved by it. Free yourselves.
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Calling out how the actions of the Trump Administration correspond item by item, action by action with what we understand to be fascism is like yelling at people wearing airport tarmac grade ear protection. Ideological earplugs, as-it-were. We need to come up with flashing lights and handsigns.
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Have said and repeated same. The claim money is speech, at many levels, is absurd. The claim unlimited spending furthers free speech and does not corrupt our politics, given clear & convincing evidence, is absurd. Most absurd? exempting POTUS from criminal prosecution if claiming "official duties."
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Merlin was a trying to make it as a venture capitalist in what is now Northern Wales but getting nowhere. He had an epiphany. Maybe, just maybe, he was 1500 years ahead of his time. So he turned another interest of his, the magical arts, and found a more steady livelihood for the time he was in.
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Judge Luttig has become a lighthouse, a beacon of warning for those hoping to continue the Great American Experiment in Democracy. He speaks truth to power. Unfortunate for Rule of Law in the United States he was not appointed to our Supreme Court.
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..Federal employees
Federal judges
IG's
CIA administrators
FBI administrators
unsuspecting foreign travelers
NATO
Five Eyes
telecommunications industry
heads of state of allied countries
EU
China on-and-off
all Republicans who criticize Trump
all celebrities who criticize Trump
all in 134 days
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So far the Trump Admin has gone after:
immigrants, documented & undocumented
naturalized US citizens
universities receiving federal $$
community programs receiving federal $$
the free press
DEI programs
books in schools
Democratic governors
AMA
CDC
NIH
many Congressionally mandated agencies...
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Poland must choose between pursuing what our Founders called "a more perfect union" or retreat toward the fools gold of Viktor Orbán like illusion of stability. Donald Trump & Trumpism not only befoul our own elections but elections around the world, esp. the Americas and Europe. Choose wisely.
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It irks me that notable news organizations continue to refer to CPAC as "conservative." CPAC has no more to do with conservative democracy than the German Democratic Republic was democratic. CPAC is reactionary, or neofascist, or pro quasi-theocratic-plutocratic oligarchy. Not conservative.
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..Courts, judges, DOJ lawyers. Trump &CO get a bonus. Publicity. Free wall-to-wall media coverage.
Another sinister aspect is this. It doesn't matter if they win or lose. It's all about stirring the pot. Feeding the chaos, the doubt, the uncertainty. Classic authoritarian takeover stuff.