Keep this in mind when you see brand new accounts spewing out random news sites you’ve never heard of.
Russia has received a truly outstanding return on investment with their American influence campaigns.
Dougan is a former deputy sheriff from Florida who gained political asylum in Moscow in 2016, and is allegedly a disinformation purveyor supported by the Kremlin. His phony media outlets have been cited in news articles or social media posts thousands of times, and both the US Treasury and Washington Postallege connections between Dougan, the Moscow-based Center for Geopolitical Expertise (CGE), and the Main Directorate of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation (GRU).
Florida man.
Fascinating stuff.
As a thought experiment it would be interesting to send this info through time to the US leadership in the 70s or 80s (let alone 50s). I wonder what they would think about the current direction of their country.
That being said there is a silver lining to all of this. For the rest of us (who support humanism, believe in democracy, believe in a just, fair and compassionate society) this is a good signal that the American model (in it’s current form on a medium/long term basis) is coming to a dead end from a political, social (and even economic) perspective.
This sort of degenerate behaviour (supporting your direct adversary and the spread of fake news under the auspices of “freedom of speech” or “economic freedom [for oligarchs that enable fake news]” will have a caustic effect on American society. One would have to be a complete idiot to think that America (or your own country) is somehow immune to the realities of human societies.
I have always supported the US in a pragmatic manner, but it is time to admit that American society lacks the capability to implement meaningful political and criminal/judicial reform to address the challenges outlined by the article.
I pray to god (and I am an atheist) that I am wrong, US becoming an authoritarian/nihilist mafia state is not good for global democracy. But that doesn’t mean one should engage in delusions about the capability American society to address it’s current challenges. The country is simply too well off and American society (including sane Americans) is too risk averse to make scary, difficult choices to protect their own freedoms.
P.S. I am not American, but I’ve lived there, travelled extensively and I have very good American friends (both far right leaning and centre right).
…but it is time to admit that American society lacks the capability to implement meaningful political and criminal/judicial reform to address the challenges outlined by the article.
That’s by design. Friends across the pond talk about mass protest as a solution, but not only is the US akin to a bunch of countries loosely allied together (300M people), but we do not have the job/civil rights protections necessary such that everyone can protest safely. If you get injured during a protest (or worse), you have to pay a lot of money to get treatment. If you “say something the wealthy don’t like,” you can lose your job, get smeared all over social media, and be blacklisted from future employment. If you snicker at a public event or sit quietly on a campus, you could wind up in jail or in front of a judge who will be more than happy to take cops’ words for it that you are a public nuisance or were resisting. Our “right” to protest is functionally a guideline, in practice.
US becoming an authoritarian/nihilist mafia state is not good for global democracy
I have some bad news. We’re already there. This is already a Mafia State, and although the lower courts still seem to be on the side of the people, the Supreme Court has been handing the Executive Branch more and more power when asked.
…and I have very good American friends (both far right leaning and centre right).
You should reconsider those friendships, because they are the reason we are here at all. They are the problem, and befriending the American far right is just befriending fascists. If you care about the future of global society and democracy, you cannot also hold space for the far right.
That’s by design. Friends across the pond talk about mass protest as a solution, but not only is the US akin to a bunch of countries loosely allied together (300M people), but we do not have the job/civil rights protections necessary such that everyone can protest safely. If you get injured during a protest (or worse), you have to pay a lot of money to get treatment. If you “say something the wealthy don’t like,” you can lose your job, get smeared all over social media, and be blacklisted from future employment. If you snicker at a public event or sit quietly on a campus, you could wind up in jail or in front of a judge who will be more than happy to take cops’ words for it that you are a public nuisance or were resisting. Our “right” to protest is functionally a guideline, in practice.
With all due respect (and apologies for the overly polemical statement), but freedom is a complex thing and it is scary and painful. What you’ve outlined (I believe you’re exaggerating a little bit) is modest stuff compared to what you experience in other countries for protesting.
I will speculate that if 60-70 million Americans start daily nationwide protest while partially undermining government authority (taking over parts of major urban areas) and showing the country they will not back down no matter what, the issues you outline will become less relevant. You will have people donating to protest camps, field hospital with doctors and medical personnel who are joining the protest. Camps and living quarters.
This is not a fantasy (I recognize how this might have sound if I was saying this while I was living in the US), this is real historical action taken by people from different continents of the world. Look at the global history of protest movement (particularly the successful ones).
The real problem is that unfortunately as things stand today, American society is fundamentally disconnected from an understanding of freedom (beyond comical, childish polemics about freedom of this and freedom of that, “I am free speech absolutist”).
I have some bad news. We’re already there. This is already a Mafia State, and although the lower courts still seem to be on the side of the people, the Supreme Court has been handing the Executive Branch more and more power when asked.
I would disagree that the US is fully a mafia state (or a fascist state). With respect to global comparisons and history, it’s currently a proto-fascist oligarch state that nevertheless still has a modicum of independent institutions (although this seems to be rapidly changing).
You should reconsider those friendships, because they are the reason we are here at all. They are the problem, and befriending the American far right is just befriending fascists. If you care about the future of global society and democracy, you cannot also hold space for the far right.
I have more to lose from Trump than the vast majority Americans (I am Ukrainian). they are not fully aligned with Trump and they will come about. Beating fascism is also about converting people to your side and understanding their mode of thinking.
I will speculate that if 60-70 million Americans start daily nationwide protest while partially undermining government authority (taking over parts of major urban areas) and showing the country they will not back down no matter what, the issues you outline will become less relevant. You will have people donating to protest camps, field hospital with doctors and medical personnel who are joining the protest. Camps and living quarters.
I think your speculation is right, but that is a huge if, for that many people, things will have to get noticeably far worse which unfortunately means that it will be a “First they came” situation where Americans will sit idly by while they watch others get shafted until it is their turn.
Agreed, the ramp-up is the hardest part on some level.
This might be due to the benefit of hindsight, but when the vector of protests seems to be accelerating, there is a genuine sense of energy in the air, like history being made in front your eyes (and with your participation).
I think there are also pragmatic reasons for this. Oligarchs and senior business community leader can start trying to hedge their bets or try to get an “edge” on the oligarchs who are firmly on the side of the regime. They want to get in early and not lose in the game of musical chairs so to speak.
Commoners too are influenced by the situation. People with marginal support for the regime start changing their views. No one wants to risk social ostracization and potential reputational damage.
People with moderate support for protesters can be influenced by severe actions from the regime and they become less open to compromise and supportive of direct action (in Ukraine this was the killing of protesters, that arguably radicalized much of the population, people now believed that Yanukovich must go).
Drop a Switchblade on that Dougan guy. Problem solved, problem staying solved.
It would keep on without him, but that doesn’t mean they shouldn’t be inticed not to do so.
Where are all the Raytheon Knife Missiles when you need them.
