erik lundegaard

 RSS
ARCHIVES
LINKS

Sunday December 11, 2016

The Russian Hacking Scandal Makes Everything Worse

The big news on Friday—that the CIA and other U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded that Russia hacked the Democrats to aid the Republicans and the election of Donald Trump—isn't exactly news to anyone who was half-paying attention to the 2016 election. But it does make almost everything worse:

  • U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) put himself and his party above country by disagreeing with the intelligence reports in Sept., and refusing to go along with a planned bipartisan condemnation of the attacks. He should resign immeidately. He won't. 
  • Pres. Obama comes off as weaker. He wanted bipartisan support for his announcement, didn't get it, didn't make it. Or didn't make it in a grand way. The news was certainly out there but in dribs and drabs. He should've held a press conference about it while condemning Sen. McConnell, who hasn't done this country any favors, but of course he didn't want to be accused of trying to influence the election. Lord no. Instead, it was McConnell who influenced the election. It was McConnell who was again the partisan hack. 
  • FBI Director James Comey comes off preposterously, shockingly moronic. He knew. He knew about all of it. And he did nothing, said nothing. And yet 10 days before the election he still made the announcement he made, about Hillary's emails, about the possibility that in a separate investigation into Anthony Weiner, maybe the FBI might find more emails from Hillary staffer, and Weiner ex, Huma Abedin, on Weiner's computer. That slim possibility of nothing, yeah, that needed to get out there 10 days before the election. But Russian hacking the DNC? And aiding and abetting Trump? Pish posh. 
  • The American electorate. What can I say? You guys were played by Trump and played by Putin. Both. Are any of the yahoos out there who voted for Trump second-guessing themselves yet? You did what Russia wantedYou bought into the lies and the propaganda. Back in October, Louis CK said Hillary voters were adults, Trump voters were suckers and people who didn't vote were assholes, and that assessment looks truer than ever. Particularly the suckers. You people are harming America.
  • Donald Trump. The CIA concludes that Russia interfered in the 2016 election, and the President-Elect of the United States attacks ... the CIA. But of course. That's all he's ever done—attack those who damage his worldview. Expect more of the same. Expect worse. There's a reason Russia wants him in charge of the U.S. government. He will make us much, much weaker. Every day. In every way. 

 The only way any of this gets better is if it leads to change.

Posted at 07:57 AM on Sunday December 11, 2016 in category Politics