US intelligence officials are being quoted in the Washington Post today as confirming a major investigation ongoing “looking very closely at” allegations, which appear to primarily be driven by top Democratic Party officials, that Russia might be trying to “influence” the US election.
The allegations date back as far as the Democratic National Convention, during which party officials tried to change the focus on WikiLeaks releases of hacked emails by claiming the Russians did it as a plot to get Republican nominee Donald Trump elected.
This talking point has since been at the fore in the campaign ever since, and Senate Minority Leader Harry Reid (D – NV) asking the FBI for a formal investigation, claiming that there is “extensive” evidence of a Russian plot to falsify election results.
Interestingly, while officials confirmed that Director of National Intelligence James Clapper is now heading such an investigation, they also conceded that the evidence really isn’t there, saying that they not only lack “definitive proof” of any Russian tampering, but lack evidence of any Russian intent to even attempt to do so.
The comments from the officials center primarily on sheer supposition, that if Russia wanted to intervene in the vote, and if they actually attempted to do so, it might not so much be to change the results as to raise doubts about the vote’s credibility in general.
Congressional officials, and their aides, keep talking about this plot as though it’s an actual thing, forming an echo chamber in which they can claim “everyone knows” the plot is real, because they keep telling one another that.
Ironically, this is going to end up meaning that doubts will be raised about the vote, because of the “Russian plot,” even if the plot itself doesn’t actually exist, and if nothing was ever attempted. It also likely means the probe outcome will be less a matter of evidence, but much like the probe itself more a question of political expediency.
Anything to try and keep the public’s mind off the lies, scandals, etc., surrounding Lady McDeath How low will they sink?
A feeble deflection of the growing Clinton Foundation email problem. The 50% rise in health care premiums. And growing evidence of chronic health issues.
“…major investigation ongoing…”
So, instead of doing something important, they’re investing the time and energy of our intelligence agencies into chasing shadows in a closet – all because someone got caught being stupid/ignorant of our laws – or arrogant.
Soapbox time: Here’s the view from the hinterlands. Politics has become more of a burden than a tool. It has dragged our society down into the cesspool where many of the politicians naturally live. So, let’s fix the system.
How about this: This year we have 2 candidates who are, generally speaking, unfit to be President – a prevaricator and a buffoon. And their “undesirables” are off the chart. And the alternatives are meager choices – and that is the problem.
So, let’s change the system:
1. First, every ballot MUST have a default choice of “NONE OF THE ABOVE.”
2. Second, change the election law such that a candidate MUST secure a majority of those who cast votes. In other words, they MUST get 51% of the vote.
3. If no one gets the required 51%, no one wins and we get to start over BUT, the candidates who ran are no longer eligible to run in the current cycle – they’ve already proven they are undesirable to the majority of voters.
We’re already in a permanent state of campaigning, starting the day after the last election so it might be nice if we change the laws stating that campaigns will have 30 days and only 30 days in which to bombard the masses with TV advertising. 30 days. If they can’t get their message across in 30 days then they lose.
Changing the laws regarding campaign financing should also be done but that’s not my problem. I really don’t care how these people spend their money because their advertising doesn’t sway how I vote. It’s all about the message – and if the message is garbled and ambiguous – as in non-answers to specific questions, then they lose.
I figure it might take 2-3 iterations before anyone gets the required 51%. In that time, the non-voting public might just understand that in this new system, their vote might really count – and vote. Maybe. It also might entice respectable, sincere persons to run for office. Maybe. But we have to start weeding these undesirables out of the system. Otherwise the system will never change because they, the undesirables, don’t want it to change and the current system does NOT work in the interest of Americans or America.
Interesting proposal. But as far as changing the laws to only allow 30 days of campaigning goes, the law that would have to be changed would be the First Amendment. I’d rather not see that one tinkered with.
Yes, the corporations now have the 1st Amendment rigged such that it protects them (but no one else …. say something mean about a cop online and see how protected your speech is).
We’ve gotten the totally rigged BS that “money=speech” in an election. And of course, making sure that this is inviolate apparently trumps the notion of having a free and fair election that represents the wishes of the American people.
What’s most important in a democracy is that an election truly represent the wishes of the people. An election campaign featuring the two most hated, disliked and opposed candidates in history shows that this is not the case in modern America.
You’re probably right – it was just something that, for me, would be nice not to be inundated with their BS for more than 30 days.
I think the easiest way to solve that is to just tune it out. That is easier said though, with how easy it is now for news to be reported.
“So, instead of doing something important, they’re investing the time and energy of our intelligence agencies into” assisting a current theme of the Hillary Campaign.
Simple solution: Paper ballots counted by election officlals, and kept for possible recounts on close results. The old-fashioned way.
I hope its actually true. We need Russia’s help to pick the president who won’t destroy us all.
W T F is wrong with you.??!
We Need Russia’s Help to pick the USA’s next president.!!
It’s time for you to S T F U.!!!
Ever get the feeling you’ve been “probed”?
Notice of course that there is ZERO official investigation to the fact that the top people in the DNC have admitted disrupting and rigging the Dem primary process into Hillary’s favor.
We know that happened. We saw the signs of it while it was occurring. And then we got confirmation of it when the DNC emails were released.
So, we “investigate” the smoke-screen that Hillary and the DNC-crooks have thrown up to cover their crimes, but the crimes of rigging an election are not investigated.
It’s an insurance
1) Trump win
2) Vote was rigged!!11OMG Russia! Here is the prrof etc. Better than hanging chads.
3) Trump is kicked to the kerb, new voting announced (or not)
4) Hillary declared victor eventually
The same thing occurred to me.