by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 02/15/2017 at 09:19
by "ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
Published 02/15/2017 at 09:19
No Tags
STARS: 9
You should be. Go ahead and pay for a subscription to the NYT or WaPo. Or read the BBC for free. The situation with Russia is only getting deeper, and Michael Flynn’s resignation may only be the tip of the iceberg.
"Wheelerguy" (wheelerguy)
02/15/2017 at 09:32, STARS: 0
All the more reason to send my best hacker off on a mission to launch North Korea’s nukes to Beijing and the Kremlin, as well as activate my sleeper agents and contacts to being the communist infighting.
My plans are falling in to place. Soon, I will be the ruler of the Second World.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
02/15/2017 at 09:33, STARS: 0
a subscription to the NYT or WaPo
Pass. Invective omitted.
"fintail" (fintail)
02/15/2017 at 09:33, STARS: 2
Is that the new presidential state car?
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 09:35, STARS: 4
The current presidential limo is a disaster! We need a Russian limo. Excellent car! So reliable!!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 09:36, STARS: 5
The NYT is the paper of record. And the WaPo has connections to the District that nobody else has. Read what you want, but read something.
"RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht" (ramblininexile)
02/15/2017 at 09:47, STARS: 2
The paper of Duranty, Reich, and Krugman doesn’t get a thin dime from me, and the WaPo... well, I’m going to reserve comment. I can get everything they provide without any contribution to them, so I do.
"fintail" (fintail)
02/15/2017 at 09:48, STARS: 1
The classiest limo ever, made by good people. Believe me!
"RutRut" (RDR)
02/15/2017 at 09:50, STARS: 0
Yep, this is where you lost me. Should be reading a variety of news sources who lean right and left to form a composite image of what is actually going on.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 09:52, STARS: 2
Fine. I’m just encouraging people to stay informed, and hopefully, from different sources. AP, UPI, BBC, European or Canadian sources, all of it.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/15/2017 at 09:55, STARS: 0
Not a Trump fan by any means, but I really don’t get what the big deal is with this Flynn story. I’m seeing alot of editorializing and conejcture, but as of now it looks like there was no deal regarding sanctions during Flynn’s call. As for why he would lie to Pence (who I am more afraid of than The Donald), I don’t know or care really. The way I see it, the more in the dark that medieval prick is, the better.
"fintail" (fintail)
02/15/2017 at 09:58, STARS: 1
Definitely find sources not based in Murka.
"unclevanos (Ovaltine Jenkins)" (unclevanos)
02/15/2017 at 10:02, STARS: 1
A lot of very smart people tell me Cadillac is crooked. Very unfair to me. GM bigly SAD!
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 10:06, STARS: 3
The Flynn resignation/firing (it’s one or the other, depending on which day you ask this monumentally dysfunctional administration) is only one case of Trump’s people contacting Russia during the election. While nobody has come right out and said it, the serious implication is that Flynn contacted Russia (numerous times) on the day that the Obama administration levied sanctions on Russia for their hacking of the DNC and others and encouraged Russia not to retaliate, saying that the sanctions would be looked at (lifted?) under a Trump presidency. Russia chose not to retaliate.
Of course, there is conjecture. The press is still working on finding the details, and the FBI investigation is, understandably, not a matter for public dissemination yet. Yes, there are editorials out there, but they are just that—editorials. The news is the news, and just because it looks bad for the administration, that doesn’t make it an editorial. Of course, any news organization can slant the news by what they choose and what they choose not to report. That’s why I encourage people to read as many different sources as possible.
"davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com" (davesaddiction)
02/15/2017 at 10:06, STARS: 2
The latest:
“The furor intensified after reports, including from The New York Times, that members of Trump’s campaign and other allies had multiple contacts with senior Russian intelligence officials during the election season.
The revelations of potentially inappropriate contact with Russian officials is not only creating negative headlines, but also pushing some Republicans to call for investigations into Trump’s White House.
Several Republican senators are pressing for a deeper look into Flynn’s actions, suggesting Congress could call him to testify as well as examine the transcripts of his calls with the Russian ambassador to the U.S.”
"Highlander-Datsuns are Forever" (jamesbowland)
02/15/2017 at 10:14, STARS: 2
I maintain to my circle of friends that this Russian involvement is the biggest treason committed against the USA maybe ever. This is not playground politics this is serious business.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 10:17, STARS: 2
I think you may be right. The question is, however, whether or not the Americans acted willingly or were sucked in by their own vanity and greed. The Republicans are only just starting to stir on this issue. I have often railed against all the Old White Men™ in our government, but all those old men remember the Cold War, and that Russia is still our enemy. To paraphrase Jake Blues, Putin is putting the band back together, and trying to reclaim all those eastern European states. And he’s got Trump eating out of his hand.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/15/2017 at 10:21, STARS: 3
The news I’m seeing though (ie - the ones stating hard facts as opposed to passing off an editorial as something other than an editorial) are all stating that the call was monitored by the FBI, and that while the sanctions came up, there was no deal. I imagine that if it were otherwise, leaks would have happened even before the inauguration since it was known to the prior administration at that time, but certainly in the aftermath as the administration begins to battle with career civil servants . I’m not sold on the “it’s so bad that the Republicans are fighting it” narrative. Those people never wanted The Donald in the first place, and one of the major stories during the election itself was about the GOP and the campaign being generally at odds and the GOP working
against
The Donald at times. This administration is dysfunctional, yes. I see potential for them to all be robber barrons, but that to me is more embarrassing then significantly detrimental socially. The GOP want Pence. While impeaching The Donald is a huge liability becase of his own base, if there’s enough mud to fling they might be able to get away with it. This to me is more disastrous than the incompetence of the current administration. The last thing I want is a competent religious right.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 10:29, STARS: 0
Would you post a link? I’d be interested in reading your source. The more sources the better.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/15/2017 at 10:42, STARS: 2
The Obama advisers grew suspicious that perhaps there had been a secret deal between the incoming team and Moscow, which could violate the rarely enforced, two-century-old Logan Act barring private citizens from negotiating with foreign powers in disputes with the United States.
The Obama officials asked the F.B.I. if a quid pro quo had been discussed on the call, and the answer came back no, according to one of the officials, who like others asked not to be named discussing delicate communications. The topic of sanctions came up, they were told, but there was no deal.
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/02/14/us/politics/fbi-interviewed-mike-flynn.html?_r=0
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 11:02, STARS: 0
Here’s an imaginary scenario:
Flynn : Hi, Kislyak, how’s it going? Sorry to hear about that plane crash. Oh, and Merry Christmas. Yeah, those Obama sanctions. Those are a bitch, huh? Well, there’s a new sheriff in town at the end of January. A new administration [that is demonstrably pro-Russian]. You’re reactions to Obama’s sanctions could have an affect on future dealings with the incoming administration. You might want to keep that in mind. I’m not saying we’ll drop them. But if you react harshly, it will be more difficult politically for us to remove them next year. Give my best to Mrs. Kislyak. Talk to you soon.
No quid pro quo, but certainly an understanding that things could change. I think it would be naive to say that just because there was no distinct wording that said, “We will rescind the sanctions if you do xyz” that there wasn’t an understanding reached between the parties. We won’t know for sure until we have the transcripts. Only a Congressional investigation will make that happen.
"MrDakka" (mrdakka)
02/15/2017 at 11:05, STARS: 1
Things are now in motion that cannot be undone.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/15/2017 at 11:22, STARS: 1
True, but a member of an incoming administration talking to their counterpart about issues that affect them still sounds like a pretty standard call even if it does technically violate the Logan Act. As of now, there’s no evidence that The Donald’s campaign actually conspired with the Reds on the DNC hack. The sanctions are also still in place. That could change and I wouldn’t be surprised if it does, but until that comes out and/or someone leaks something more solid than “The Donald’s associates talked to Soviets,” there’s not really any evidence of wrongdoing. I feel like this is crying wolf still and that here won’t be outrage left when something real happens.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 11:26, STARS: 1
We shall see. But, where there’s smoke.....
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/15/2017 at 11:30, STARS: 0
....there are people who will be willing to pay admission to watch the fire? The outrage industry that the media has turned into over the last few years kind of disturbs me as much as The Donald’s ascent.
"yamahog" (yamahog)
02/15/2017 at 11:34, STARS: 2
And on the domestic front, we’ve got these assholes:
http://www.salon.com/2017/02/14/neo-nazis-blame-the-jews-for-michael-flynns-resignation_partner/
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 11:38, STARS: 0
I know that there are many here, one of whom chimed in on this post, who dislike the NYT and WaPo. The thing is, there is very solid reporting and research going on at these two papers. What is very interesting is to see how the narrative is being played out. Over on Breitbart and Fox, they are blaming the leakers for attacking the administration while downplaying the meat of what the leaks are telling us. More traditional media outlets are, I believe, doing a better job of just telling us what is known now. Just because what we know now isn’t good for the Trump Administration doesn’t mean that it’s a biased hit job.
Yes, some elements of print and video media have become outrage machines, to the detriment of our Republic. I have often said that the media is neither Liberal or Conservative—it’s Capitalist. They’re only interested in ratings and numbers. But there is also a lot of excellent, fair, level-headed reportage taking place.
"ttyymmnn" (ttyymmnn)
02/15/2017 at 11:38, STARS: 0
If I click the link I’ll have to go wash my hands. But of course, I’m not at all surprised.
"SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie" (sidewaysondirt)
02/15/2017 at 11:50, STARS: 2
Yes, there are still good stories from The Washington Post and The Times (especially the Post), and when I can find them they’re great. They’re getting harder to find though since the editorials seem to outnumber them and the distinction between a news story and an editorial seems to be becoming blurry. Personally, my favorite sources are still The Hill and The Economist, the latter of which I read cover to cover pretty much every week. I feel like they do a good job of leaving emotion out of they analyses. I’m totally stealing that line about the media being capitalist. Pretty much sums up my opinion.
"someassemblyrequired" (someassemblyrequired)
02/15/2017 at 13:44, STARS: 0
I’d actually say the NYT has been really weak on this, and some of its stories around election day were clearly wrong and/or misleading. WaPo is better, but the Financial Times has had the strongest reporting on the Russia connections in the pre-election period. John Schindler at the New York Observer is worth following too.
"someassemblyrequired" (someassemblyrequired)
02/15/2017 at 13:46, STARS: 1
Note also the Christmas thing was BS - Orthodox Christmas is later.
"Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo" (rustyvandura)
02/16/2017 at 20:20, STARS: 1
It’s all fake.