The Moscow Connection

[Lafayette]

Americans once had "good government", but it was before BigMoney poured in to warp campaigns on TV, to which the average American family is hooked like a life-line. The American family watches 282 minutes (11.24 hours) of TV per day, the most of any country. (See that data-fact from here.)

Moreover, Civics Classes, though more often a requirement for the High School diploma, is not yet prevalent. See here:
Why Civics Is About More Than Citizenship - excerpt:

“The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be civically engaged,” the Fordham Foundation’s Robert Pondiscio said in a recent seminar with education reporters. It seems that the country’s public schools are failing to fulfill one of their core founding missions: to foster and maintain a thriving democracy.

SO, WHAT DEMOCRACY?

One sees why the BoobTube is the singular most important electoral tool for anyone seeking office. And most candidates are sold like clothes-washing powder because, of course, they all "wash whiter than white!"

Or, "Make American Great Again", the kind of baseless claim that is employed to merchandize on TV to people attached viscerally to the BoobTube. So what they will get is merchandized governance that takes them to the cleaners - like the one they just elected.

Given that the Trump Empire is deeply in debt, what's a guy to do? He didn't have much choice. Running for PotUS was a good bet. But, there is risk involved - see this Newsweek article: How the Trump Organization's Foreign Business Ties Could Upend US National Security - excerpt:

If Donald Trump is elected president, will he and his family permanently sever all connections to the Trump Organization, a sprawling business empire that has spread a secretive financial web across the world? Or will Trump instead choose to be the most conflicted president in American history, one whose business interests will constantly jeopardize the security of the United States?

Throughout this campaign, the Trump Organization, which pumps potentially hundreds of millions of dollars into the Trump family’s bank accounts each year, has been largely ignored. As a private enterprise, its businesses, partners and investors are hidden from public view, even though they are the very people who could be enriched by—or will further enrich—Trump and his family if he wins the presidency.

A close examination by Newsweek of the Trump Organization, including confidential interviews with business executives and some of its international partners, reveals an enterprise with deep ties to global financiers, foreign politicians and even criminals, although there is no evidence the Trump Organization has engaged in any illegal activities. It also reveals a web of contractual entanglements that could not be just canceled.

THE MOSCOW CONNECTION

Here's what could happen:
*Some call it the Moscow Connection and it is key to getting the Trump Empire out of the deep doodoo in which it finds itself financially at present.
*Why did the Tsar Vladimir send so much praise the Dork's way? Because Putin is as much a plutocrat as is Trump. With Russia on the downslope since the destruction of petrol-prices, he can barely pay the war in Syria.
*Two years ago, when the Donald visited Moscow to promote his real-estate business, Putin refused to see him - but the situation has changed. Putin is an immensely rich man - his daughter is worth billions (all of a sudden) and is likely overlooking the family fortune.
*But there is a visible crack in the internal Russian facade, brought about by the free-fall in oil-prices; and many Russian plutocrats have put their money abroad or are desperately trying to recuperate it.
*Unfortunately, after Putin's mistake in Crimea, Western Powers (led by Obama) blocked their accounts.
So, what's a guy to do except promote the rise of the one man who can undo the blockage?
*By enticing the Donald (who has immense debts of his own), to set up an office in Moscow and try to launch property investment projects there. Both investing in local real-estate projects, but also selling American real-estate to eager Russian plutocrats who want to live in the US.
*Watch for this next step: The announcement (on TV, of course) of the Trump Enterprises office-opening in Moscow.

Show me how I got it all wrong, wrong, wrong - and the Donald is not making America an adjunct to Trump Enterprises ...

 

[Lafayette]

Why did the Tsar Vladimir send so much praise the Dork's way?

And Putin's help was far more than "praise" - it was also a great deal of help by means of Internet shenanigans.

Who hacked the DNC email system to purloin facts about campaign strategy. See here: US officially accuses Russia of hacking DNC and interfering with election - excerpt:

The US government has formally accused Russia of hacking the Democratic party’s computer networks and said that Moscow was attempting to “interfere” with the US presidential election.

Hillary Clinton and US officials have blamed Russian hackers for stealing more than 19,000 emails from Democratic party officials, but Friday’s announcement marked the first time that the Obama administration has pointed the finger at Moscow.

“We believe, based on the scope and sensitivity of these efforts, that only Russia’s senior-most officials could have authorized these activities,” said the office of the director of national intelligence and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in a joint statement.

Now why in heaven's name should the Russian government want to hack the emails of an American political party if not to "interfere" in the election ... ?

 

[LowDown]

Americans once had "good government", but it was before BigMoney poured in to warp campaigns on TV, to which the average American family is hooked like a life-line. The American family watches 282 minutes (11.24 hours) of TV per day, the most of any country. (See that data-fact from here.)

Moreover, Civics Classes, though more often a requirement for the High School diploma, is not yet prevalent. See here:
Why Civics Is About More Than Citizenship - excerpt:

SO, WHAT DEMOCRACY?

One sees why the BoobTube is the singular most important electoral tool for anyone seeking office. And most candidates are sold like clothes-washing powder because, of course, they all "wash whiter than white!"

Or, "Make American Great Again", the kind of baseless claim that is employed to merchandize on TV to people attached viscerally to the BoobTube. So what they will get is merchandized governance that takes them to the cleaners - like the one they just elected.

Given that the Trump Empire is deeply in debt, what's a guy to do? He didn't have much choice. Running for PotUS was a good bet. But, there is risk involved - see this Newsweek article: How the Trump Organization's Foreign Business Ties Could Upend US National Security - excerpt:


THE MOSCOW CONNECTION

Here's what could happen:
*Some call it the Moscow Connection and it is key to getting the Trump Empire out of the deep doodoo in which it finds itself financially at present.
*Why did the Tsar Vladimir send so much praise the Dork's way? Because Putin is as much a plutocrat as is Trump. With Russia on the downslope since the destruction of petrol-prices, he can barely pay the war in Syria.
*Two years ago, when the Donald visited Moscow to promote his real-estate business, Putin refused to see him - but the situation has changed. Putin is an immensely rich man - his daughter is worth billions (all of a sudden) and is likely overlooking the family fortune.
*But there is a visible crack in the internal Russian facade, brought about by the free-fall in oil-prices; and many Russian plutocrats have put their money abroad or are desperately trying to recuperate it.
*Unfortunately, after Putin's mistake in Crimea, Western Powers (led by Obama) blocked their accounts.
So, what's a guy to do except promote the rise of the one man who can undo the blockage?
*By enticing the Donald (who has immense debts of his own), to set up an office in Moscow and try to launch property investment projects there. Both investing in local real-estate projects, but also selling American real-estate to eager Russian plutocrats who want to live in the US.
*Watch for this next step: The announcement (on TV, of course) of the Trump Enterprises office-opening in Moscow.

Show me how I got it all wrong, wrong, wrong - and the Donald is not making America an adjunct to Trump Enterprises ...

Let's see if I've got this straight:

The American people are stupid and easily led by what they see on TV.

Trump owns an international business, so therefore...

Russians!

That about it?

 

[Lafayette]

Let's see if I've got this straight:

The American people are stupid and easily led by what they see on TV.

Trump owns an international business, so therefore...

Russians!

That about it?

Yes, for those brainless enough such that they cannot connect the dots.

Sarcasm becomes you so ...

 

[Glowpun]

And Putin's help was far more than "praise" - it was also a great deal of help by means of Internet shenanigans.

Who hacked the DNC email system to purloin facts about campaign strategy. See here: US officially accuses Russia of hacking DNC and interfering with election - excerpt:


Now why in heaven's name should the Russian government want to hack the emails of an American political party if not to "interfere" in the election ... ?

Smart people will get the picture. The problem is that 40% who are not capable of thinking for themselves and prefer someone do the thinking for them, like Trump. Trump makes no secret that he loves these low educated people. They are so easy to manipulate.

 

[Lafayette]

Smart people will get the picture. The problem is that 40% who are not capable of thinking for themselves and prefer someone do the thinking for them, like Trump. Trump makes no secret that he loves these low educated people. They are so easy to manipulate.

Well, you go that right. He's a manipulator, and has expertly manipulated the American Tax Code such that he hasn't paid taxes in a donkey's age. Of course, he'll never get a real investigation of his taxes now.

Which is why he did not want to divulge them in the first place and likely why he wanted to run for President - a position for which he is wholly incompetent ...

 

[Lafayette]

Smart people will get the picture. The problem is that 40% who are not capable of thinking for themselves and prefer someone do the thinking for them, like Trump. Trump makes no secret that he loves these low educated people. They are so easy to manipulate.

Smart people is not enough, because they are not sufficient. The percentage of Americans with a post-secondary degree is very low - only 23%.

Things will get better, but not enough in my lifetime - so I am staying in Europe.

Trump loves anyone whom he thinks he can manipulate. Hillary was the perfect competitor for a man who takes women to be great as sex-objects. She got up his left-nostril. Good stuff, he deserved it.

Some men will kiss anybody's ass just for the muney. Now an entire country has proven it can do the same ...:roll:

 

[Port & Starboard]

Yes, for those brainless enough such that they cannot connect the dots.

Sarcasm becomes you so ...

You went off the rails in your first sentence, and then continued on to fill the rest of your initial post with conjecture, assumptions, and gossip.

 

[Lafayette]

You went off the rails in your first sentence, and then continued on to fill the rest of your initial post with conjecture, assumptions, and gossip.

Your opinion, not mine.

That's what makes for good debate.

Btw, have you got anything more cogent for a rebuttal?

Thought not ...

 

[Port & Starboard]

Your opinion, not mine.

That's what makes for good debate.

Btw, have you got anything more cogent for a rebuttal?

Thought not ...

Facts are needed to contest a honest debate, and they are missing in your initial post.

 

[Lafayette]

Facts are needed to contest a honest debate, and they are missing in your initial post.

Oh, really? Was it too much to ask you to click on the link and read the first paragraph? Too much for your tired fingers?

Ok, herefollow "some facts" from that link that you were obviously too tired to read, Why Civics Is About More Than Citizenship.

Excerpt:

Only one in five Americans aged 18 through 29 cast a ballot in last year’s elections, marking 2014 as having the lowest youth voter-turnout in 40 years. Some reason that young Americans are apathetic about public affairs. Others argue that cynicism about the electoral process is what’s keeping young adults from the polls: They’re so disillusioned with politics they’ve simply given up on it.

“The more educated you are, the more likely you are to be civically engaged,” the Fordham Foundation’s Robert Pondiscio said in a recent seminar with education reporters. It seems that the country’s public schools are failing to fulfill one of their core founding missions: to foster and maintain a thriving democracy.

As with standardized tests in general, the NAEP exam certainly isn’t the ideal way to gauge proficiency but it’s the only source of nationwide data. And ultimately, surveys of American youth suggest that these test scores paint a pretty accurate picture of their civic literacy: A 2010 Pew Research study* found that the vast majority of young adults struggle with basic questions about politics—who the next House speaker would be, for example. On a day like today—national Constitution and Citizenship Day—that makes for an especially discouraging reality.

Tufts University’s Center for Information and Research on Civic Learning and Engagement ... suggests that these low proficiency levels correlate with turnout stats. According to a 2013 ... survey of young adults, about 60 percent of the respondents who said they’d studied voting in high school cast ballots in the 2012 election, compared to only 43 percent of those who said they hadn’t; just 21 percent of the respondents said they knew their state’s voter-registration deadline.

How about them "facts" ... ?

*Excerpt: "Fewer than half (46%) know that the Republicans will have a majority only in the House of Representatives when the new Congress convenes in January, while 38% can identify John Boehner as the incoming House speaker." And even fewer understood that the Replicants stonewalled further stimulus-spending that had already spiked an exploding unemployment rate at 10% and was necessary to further create jobs, which is why none where created from 2010 to 1014.