The Russians have been at it for some time…and will continue to do so. The United States cannot stop Russian interference any more than Americans can stop its own government from meddling in the economies and elections of other countries or from spying on its own citizens. The important thing, is to cultivate an informed electorate that is able to distinguish between logical, reasoned argument and bullshit. Given the unequivocal nonsense coming from both Republicans and Democrats, this, I fear, is the harder task. Common sense is in very short supply.

There are signs of hope coming from Florida students and the #MeToo movement. If they can both avoid the fate of the Occupy movement, there is a chance that politicians can be forced to engage in real policy debate, and even the possibility that the sway of that domestic terrorist organization which goes by the initials NRA will be diminished (ultimately, divestiture may be the answer to the NRA threat…it worked in South Africa).

The Student (#NeverAgain) and #MeToo movements would be wise to study the tactics used by the U.S. government against Occupy. It is now well documented that the Obama administration used several pages from Nixon’s play book to bring down the Occupy movement. Both the FBI and Homeland Security were used to infiltrate and inform against Occupy members. Obama also abused the Espionage Act to put “a record number of reporters’ sources in jail.” In fact, Obama used the Espionage Act more than any other administration combined, and this includes Nixon. Do the Russians really need to interfere in American internal affairs when our government has become increasing authoritarian and a threat to personal freedoms?

The 1984 (ironically) election slogan “Reagan Means War,” was a Russian (then the Soviet Union) plant. The Russians also didn’t go for Nixon and offered to finance Hubert Humphrey’s campaign. Well, you know what they say, if at first you don’t succeed…at least the Russians showed some bi-partisan spirit this time by backing a Republican candidate…

Perhaps the most audacious operation the Russians undertook was something called Operation Snow. Both Churchill and Stalin hoped the United States would enter World War II. Whereas Churchill used the overt mechanisms of diplomacy, Stalin covertly relied upon an agent within FDR’s administration to influence American foreign policy.

Harry Dexter White was a senior official at the US Treasury and was sympathetic to the Soviet Union. He was among the many who were fooled by Stalin, including FDR who fondly referred to Stalin as “Uncle Joe.” White became the pawn used by the Soviets to provoke the Japanese to attack the United States. You can read the detail in the links. Inevitably, the Japanese were going to attack America regardless of any Soviet provocation. But the point is, the Russians were inside Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s administration lobbying their own interests.

One benefit of having an idiot as president is that it draws the curtain back on the office. Those who run the country are not endowed with super-intellects or knowledge. Members of Congress, for the most part, are not smart. They only know what they are told by lobbyists and are bereft of the ability to critically appraise or analyze their own intelligence briefings. Pay no attention to what those men and women behind the curtain tell us to believe. Remember that they work for US. We, the people, will decide when it is appropriate to talk policy about gun control, the systematic abuse of women by the powerful, or whatever…

“Suppose you were and idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself.” – Mark Twain

Spasibo!