(Thread) Get Your Raincoats Ready🌧️
In Nov, Fiona Hill testified that Russia was gearing up to attack the 2020 election. cnn.com/politics/live-…
Today we learn Russia is backing Trump’s re-election—and Trump was furious lawmakers were briefed about it.
nytimes.com/2020/02/20/us/…
In Nov, Fiona Hill testified that Russia was gearing up to attack the 2020 election. cnn.com/politics/live-…
Today we learn Russia is backing Trump’s re-election—and Trump was furious lawmakers were briefed about it.
nytimes.com/2020/02/20/us/…
1/ Just yesterday @alexzfinley, @john_sipher, and @AshaRangappa_ published this fabulous piece:
justsecurity.org/68728/why-the-…
Here’s what we can expect⤵️
This time around, the Republican Party is “working in parallel with Russian intelligence. . . “
(Um, #RussianCollusion)
justsecurity.org/68728/why-the-…
Here’s what we can expect⤵️
This time around, the Republican Party is “working in parallel with Russian intelligence. . . “
(Um, #RussianCollusion)
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ 2/ No, the GOP is not working in tandem with Russia because Putin is blackmailing them all.
The GOP is working in tandem with Russia because their goals are aligned.
And because they'd rather have Russia-style oligarchy than true liberal democracy.
The GOP is working in tandem with Russia because their goals are aligned.
And because they'd rather have Russia-style oligarchy than true liberal democracy.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ 3/ The GOP is aligned with Russia because the GOP has morphed into a reactionary party.
To take us back to the ‘good old days’ when [white] men could do as they pleased, they have to destroy our institutions and dismantle the government.
To take us back to the ‘good old days’ when [white] men could do as they pleased, they have to destroy our institutions and dismantle the government.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ 4/ Russia also wants to destroy our institutions and dismantle our government.
Hence Trump-Fox-GOP + Russia =💕
I agree with this conclusion⤵️ (From the @just_security article linked earlier)
Hence Trump-Fox-GOP + Russia =💕
I agree with this conclusion⤵️ (From the @just_security article linked earlier)
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security 5/ They just have to undermine public confidence in the outcome of the election.
I’ve been taken to task for suggesting that it’s far easier to sabotage an election through a disinformation campaign that undermines confidence than by manually flipping votes.
I’ve been taken to task for suggesting that it’s far easier to sabotage an election through a disinformation campaign that undermines confidence than by manually flipping votes.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security 6/ Fact: It’s less risky and more efficient to undermine an election through a disinformation campaign.
@selectedwisdom explains that a goal of active measures is to “undermine democracy, to make Americans lose confidence in democratic institutions. . .”
pbs.org/newshour/show/…
@selectedwisdom explains that a goal of active measures is to “undermine democracy, to make Americans lose confidence in democratic institutions. . .”
pbs.org/newshour/show/…
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom 7/ From the @just_security article, “The only way to neutralize this threat is through public awareness of Russia’s tactics and increased civil participation.”
That's what Obama meant by “citizenship.”
I wrote about that here⤵️
That's what Obama meant by “citizenship.”
I wrote about that here⤵️
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom 8/ “Increased public awareness” is also what the Rand Corp, in this essay, called “putting raincoats on the population.”
rand.org/pubs/perspecti…
If we expect to be drenched with a "firehose of falsehoods," we won’t be caught by surprise.
rand.org/pubs/perspecti…
If we expect to be drenched with a "firehose of falsehoods," we won’t be caught by surprise.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom 9/ Also from the @justsecurity article: Don’t "overreact" to the outrage. . . ⤵️
[Isn’t that just what your Twitter Mom has been telling you? Now you can see she’s backed up by very smart people.]
[Isn’t that just what your Twitter Mom has been telling you? Now you can see she’s backed up by very smart people.]
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity 10/ To put the matter bluntly, the US President—with the help of a major political party and in tandem with Russia—will wage a Russian-style disinformation war against the citizens of the US.
Let that sink in.
So expect lots more crisis and spectacle ⤵️
Let that sink in.
So expect lots more crisis and spectacle ⤵️
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity 11/ One of the ways a disinformation campaign kills democracy is by destroying what social scientists call the public sphere.
oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/…
The antidote is to strengthen the public sphere through community organization.
oxfordbibliographies.com/view/document/…
The antidote is to strengthen the public sphere through community organization.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity 12/ When you reach out to potential voters, talk to them about the disinformation blitz that's coming and the cycle of outrage.
People have been asking about how to reach out to MAGA people.
For the 2020, ignore them.
Jennifer Rubin is correct⤵️
People have been asking about how to reach out to MAGA people.
For the 2020, ignore them.
Jennifer Rubin is correct⤵️
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity 13/ Jennifer Rubin’s conclusion dovetails with what @RachelBitecofer been saying: The 2020 election will be won or lost depending on who turns out to vote.
Swing and persuadable voters are fewer in number and less important than people realize.
Swing and persuadable voters are fewer in number and less important than people realize.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer 14/ MAGA people are entrenched in the lies, and they're unwilling to give them up⤵️
If you’ve canvassed for a campaign you know the campaign sends you to likely or possible voters.
They don’t wear you out by sending you to people "marinated in Fox News"
If you’ve canvassed for a campaign you know the campaign sends you to likely or possible voters.
They don’t wear you out by sending you to people "marinated in Fox News"
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer 15/ A long term solution is fixing the separate media bubbles.
The short term goal is winning the 2020 election by a comfortable enough margin to leave no doubt about the outcome.
This should get you started:
terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
The short term goal is winning the 2020 election by a comfortable enough margin to leave no doubt about the outcome.
This should get you started:
terikanefield-blog.com/things-to-do/
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer Exactly ⤵️
We know so much more now. I personally remember feelings shocked by how many "people" fell for stupid ploys. Now I know they weren't people.
The Mueller Report taught us what to expect.
We know so much more now. I personally remember feelings shocked by how many "people" fell for stupid ploys. Now I know they weren't people.
The Mueller Report taught us what to expect.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer Yes. It's heart-breaking and gut-wrenching. We have our work cut out for the November election and beyond.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer I didn't include "privilegd" because when the frontier was open, non-privileged ordinary white men had a place they go to pillage and grab. I know about this. I wrote a biography of Andrew Jackson.
The land stolen from the Indians was often . . .
The land stolen from the Indians was often . . .
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer . . . ordinary men with rifles.
Moreover, all white men benefitted from the subjugation of women.
During the age of Empires, rule breakers could go to the colonies.
One theory is that when the age of Empire ended, and the American frontier closed, the rule breakers . . .
Moreover, all white men benefitted from the subjugation of women.
During the age of Empires, rule breakers could go to the colonies.
One theory is that when the age of Empire ended, and the American frontier closed, the rule breakers . . .
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer . . . had no place to go where there were no rules.
The wild west really was lawless. (You know how Trump's grandfather first made his money, right? See: )
All those regulatory agencies make it very difficult to be a rule breaker anywhere . . .
The wild west really was lawless. (You know how Trump's grandfather first made his money, right? See: )
All those regulatory agencies make it very difficult to be a rule breaker anywhere . . .
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer So now the rule breakers have taken over our government.
I rest my case.
And I yield back the remainder of my time.
I rest my case.
And I yield back the remainder of my time.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer It looks like the tweet before this one is missing. Here's a screen shot.
Sometimes Twitter doesn't like me.
Sometimes Twitter doesn't like me.
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer All my threads are also blog posts. This one is here: terikanefield-blog.com/get-your-rainc…
@alexzfinley @john_sipher @AshaRangappa_ @just_security @selectedwisdom @JustSecurity @RachelBitecofer Well, in that case, maybe I should post it again:
