Darkness Descending

OK. I admit it.

I am a conspiracy junkie.

I love spy stories and hero stories.

'Designated Survivor', James Bond, minor BBC spy stories from the 1960's, 'Homeland', 'The Americans' ...I love it all.

After all, I grew up in the 1950's and 1960's when there was a real contest between Free Market Heroes and Socialist demons ....

I kinda miss those days. There was a nobility about the struggle between opposite world views. The causes were great and no man or woman could claim a greater calling than to serve in one or the other competing cause. People literally sacrificed themselves for the greater good.

Sadly, those days are long gone.

The revolution has happened already.

But, the only cause was the cause of creepy assholes to continue raping children and stealing money from poor people.

There was no secret to it. It was really, really boring and absolutely not noble.

And the two sides fighting were the creeps who banded together and the rest of us who just did not even see it.

It was not a secret and it was not hard. They just walked in the front door and took what they wanted - 13 year old girls as sex slaves, all the money they wanted and whatever else their whims dreamed up.

trump conned American voters by telling them what they wanted to hear. He took their votes while raping their children. Now he installs his own children in the seat of power and collects tribute from the world while disregarding the laws of the country he is defiling. All the while he plans to steal whatever the voters have left. He does so while knowlingly breaking every promise made to voters.

He won the election narrowly with the help of other creepy thugs like Russia's Putin. Putin used his power to amass wealth and his money to help trump buy America.

But, there is no cause, there is no greater good, there is no nobility.

There is only debauchery and greed. There is not even shame.

There is just more.

For God's sake, there isn't even any conspiracy.

Some music by Leonard Cohen: [copy and paste to hear the song] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0nmHymgM7Y

Resist

You probably know that I think trump is a danger to the republic and that Congress should hinder his agenda with all possible effect. I will try to make fewer comments about him here and will support resistance to him and his agenda. McKeever

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trump's Treason

Although Treason has been mentioned historically for political purposes, both the law and trumps's actions appear to meet the definition of treason as specified in the Constitution.

Here is the law:

Unites States Constitution, Article 3 Section 3

'Treason against the United States, shall consist only in levying War against them, or in adhering to their Enemies, giving them Aid and Comfort. No Person shall be convicted of Treason unless on the Testimony of two Witnesses to the same overt Act, or on Confession in open Court.

The Congress shall have Power to declare the Punishment of Treason, but no Attainder of Treason shall work Corruption of Blood, or Forfeiture except during the Life of the Person attainted.'

Further court rulings:

'Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

(June 25, 1948, ch. 645, 62 Stat. 807; Pub. L. 103–322, title XXXIII, § 330016(2)(J), Sept. 13, 1994, 108 Stat. 2148.)'

Here is one relevant section: '...adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere....' He appears to be planning to give comfort to our enemies in the form of changing our National Security policies against Russia to favor Russia at the expense of the United States and our interests. See RUSSIA SANCTIONS below.

Here are trump's recent actions

TURKEY

trump's failure to separate his personal fortune from his Presidential duties have already created a treasonous conflict of interest, even before he takes office.

Turkey's President wants a Muslim cleric in the United States extradited to Turkey. The Obama administration has required proof from Turkey of evidence for a cause to extradite, which has not been forthcoming.

Now, Turkey has imprisoned trump's Turkish business partner - a partner who pays trump's family millions of dollars anually. It is likely that trump will face pressure to trade the U S resident for his Turkish partner. Such an act would be a clear violation of the Consitution.

There are possible additional conflicts between trump's personal interests and the National Security of the United States in the Middle East, expecially since Turkey borders Syria.

DISCLOSURE

trump has delayed an announcement of how he will separate his personal financial interests from his official acions.

It is likely that he has failed to do so because he will not separate his personal actions from his official actions.

RUSSIA

United States intelligence agencies have concluded that Russian interests have interfered in the recent election. It is likely that Russian business interests have contributed substantially to trump's fortunes and his campaign for President.

RUSSIA SANCTIONS

The United states has imposed sanctions on Russia and has specifically named certain Russian citizens as undesirable. These actions were taken to attempt to stop Russia from pursuing wars in Ukraine, Georgia and other places.

trump has indicated that he will remove those sanctions, thus giving Russia a green light to pursue aggression against peaceful people.

SECURITY COSTS

The United States will be required to defend trump's personal property against terror attacks in many countries because an attack on his property will be construed as an attack on the United states.

INQUISITION 17: Political Debate in the Post-Truth World

It has become apparent that political debate in the United States has changed fundamentally.

The flutter around the trump Presidential campaign included many false news stories which appeared to confirm the opinions of some voters.

Additionally, trump himself has consistently denied the reality of some well established facts. All 17 United States intelligence agencies have stated that Russia interfered in the Presidential campaign.

President-elect trump denies it.

This is the new political debate.

And yet, some politicians and commentators still rely on the idea that once the truth is revealed, their argument will be sustained, even in the face of relentless false news claims to the contrary.

That is no longer the case, if it ever was. It is no longer sufficient to prove that an assertion is false. By the time the proof is offered, there will be many other, equally absurd allegations.

The only successful argument against an onslaught of false information in today's world is a bigger onslaught of false information on the other side.

Relying on 'truth' or 'facts' to support your position will not be successful since the oppostion will consistently deny the veracity of your facts and point to the flood of counter factual information which supports their arguments.

Therefore, when the Senate offers its 'advice and consent' on Cabinet nominees, a successful strategy of denying consent to a nominee requires that voters in a Senator's district are subject to a negative flood of fake news stories about the nominee. Then, and only then, are voters likely to call their Senator and request the Senator to deny confirmation.

For example, imagine that 24 hours before the confirmation hearing for Secretary of Labor Nominee Andrew Puzder, some 'news' stories are released on several 'news' websites and circulated via social media:

1. BREAKING NEWS - 12 year old girl charges Puzder with forcible rape!!

2. Labor Secretary Nominee Puzder won't release tax returns because they will show Mob ties in NYC!!

3. Homeless teens have video of Carl's employees forcing them to perform fellatio inside a Hardee's restaurant!!

4. Puzder caught cheating on college exams while still a student!!

5. KKK cheers Puzder nomination!!

6. Puzder funds pedophile ring in Las Vegas!!

7. Puzder fails to deny allegation of 'love child'!!

8. Puzder seen at gay bar!!

9. Puzder has cocaine problem!!

Etc., etc., etc.

Here's the wonderful thing about these 'news' items: it make no difference whether or not they are true.

The damage is done by releasing them.

Like it or not, this is the world now.

It would appear that to serve our country we may have to step in the sewer.