#russian collusion

[rejectingrepublicans]

[republikkkanorcs]

[socialjusticeinamerica]

When will deplorables wake up and realize that Televangelists are charlatan pick pockets that work for Republican grifters…

🤢🤮

[makingdonalddrumpfagain]

[thefreethoughtprojectcom]

If you can read this and still have trust and faith in corporate media and their attack dog "fact-checkers," you're suffering from a level of indoctrination that would make Goebbels proud!

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Daniel Boris, Vladimir Putin's Nesting Dolls

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LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

April 8, 2024

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 09, 2024

On Sunday, Representative Michael R. Turner (R-OH), chair of the House Intelligence Committee, said it is “absolutely true” that Republican members of Congress are parroting Russian propaganda. “We see directly coming from Russia attempts to mask communications that are anti-Ukraine and pro-Russia messages, some of which we even hear being uttered on the House floor,” he said on CNN’s State of the Union.

Turner was being questioned about an interview in which Representative Michael McCaul (R-TX), chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, told Russia specialist Julia Ioffe that “Russian propaganda has made its way into the United States, unfortunately, and it’s infected a good chunk of my party’s base.” McCaul blamed right-wing media. When asked which Republicans he was talking about, McCaul answered that it is “obvious.” 

Catherine Belton and Joseph Menn reviewed more than 100 internal Kremlin documents from 2022 and 2023 obtained by a European intelligence service and reported in the Washington Post today that the Russian government is running “an ongoing campaign that seeks to influence congressional and other political debates to stoke anti-Ukraine sentiment.” Kremlin-backed trolls write fake “news articles, social media posts and comments that promote American isolationism, stir fear over the United States’ border security and attempt to amplify U.S. economic and racial tensions” while claiming that “Biden’s policies are leading the U.S. toward collapse.”

Aaron Blake pointed out in the Washington Post that Republicans are increasingly warning that Russian propaganda has fouled their party. Blake notes that Russia specialist Fiona Hill publicly told Republicans during the 2019 impeachment inquiry into Trump that they were repeating “politically driven falsehoods that so clearly advance Russian interests,” but Republicans angrily objected. 

Now Senators Mitt Romney (R-UT), Thom Tillis (R-NC), and John Cornyn (R-TX) and a top aide to Senator Todd Young (R-IN), as well as former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and even Trump’s vice president Mike Pence, have warned about the party’s ties to Russia. Former Representative Liz Cheney (R-WY) has said the Republican Party now has “a Putin wing.” 

Trump has hinted that he has a plan to end Russia’s war in Ukraine in 24 hours. Yesterday, Isaac Arnsdorf, Josh Dawsey, and Michael Birnbaum reported in the Washington Post on the details of that plan: he would accept Russian annexation of Ukraine’s Crimea and the Donbas region. He refuses to say how he would negotiate with Ukraine president Volodymyr Zelensky, who has been adamant that Ukraine will not give up its territory to an invader, or Russia president Vladmir Putin, who has claimed all of Ukraine, but after meeting with Trump last month, Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orbán said Trump told him he would accomplish “peace” by cutting off funds to Ukraine.

Trump’s team said Orbán’s comment was false, but it is worth noting that this plan echoes the one acknowledged by Trump’s 2016 campaign director Paul Manafort as the goal of Russian aid to Trump’s campaign.

Fiona Hill told the Washington Post reporters that Trump’s team “is thinking…that this is just a Ukraine-Russia thing…rather than one about the whole future of European security and the world order.”

Trump’s MAGA loyalists in the House of Representatives have held up funding for Ukraine for six months. Although a national security supplemental bill that would fund Ukraine has passed the Senate and would pass the House if it were brought to the floor, House speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) refuses to bring it to the floor. The House returns to work tomorrow after a two-week recess but is so backed up on work that Johnson is not expected to bring up the Ukraine measure this week.  

Clint Watts, the head of Microsoft’s Threat Analysis Center, told the Washington Post’s Belton and Menn: “The impact of the Russian program over the last decade…is seen in the U.S. congressional debate over Ukraine aid…. They have had an impact in a strategic aggregate way.” 

The Trump loyalists echoing Russia who have taken control of the Republican Party appear to be hardening into a phalanx around the former president, but even as they do so, Trump himself appears to be crumbling. 

In the week since Trump posted a $175 million appeals bond, halting the seizure of his properties to satisfy the $454 million judgment against him and the Trump Organization, multiple problems with that bond have come to light. It is possible the bond isn’t worth anything at all, and New York attorney general Letitia James has filed papers to require Trump’s lawyers or the bond underwriter to show that it’s good within ten days. A hearing is set for April 22.

Meanwhile, Trump’s trial for election interference in 2016, when he paid people with damaging information to keep quiet before the election and falsified business records to hide those payments, is set to begin on April 15. Evidently very worried about this trial, Trump has already tried eight times to delay it until after November’s election, and today his lawyers tried yet again by requesting a delay so he could fight to get the trial moved to a different venue, but an appeals judge rejected the attempt.

Aside from Trump’s personal problems as a presidential candidate, the Republicans face strong headwinds because of their deeply unpopular opposition to abortion rights. Trump has openly bragged about being the instrument for ending the rights recognized in the United States since the 1973 Roe v. Wade Supreme Court decision. Since then, abortion bans are galvanizing opposition, and the Republicans are trying to find a message that can bring back angry voters without antagonizing the antiabortion white evangelicals who make up their base. 

After months of waffling on the issue, Trump today released a video trying to thread that needle by echoing the Supreme Court’s Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision that overturned Roe v. Wade. Trump said in the video that states will decide the issue for themselves, a statement that simply reflects the Dobbs decision. 

This was a dodge. In the video, Trump appealed to the antiabortion loyalists by telling the ghoulish lie that women are “executing” their babies even after birth. He also ignored that Republicans are already calling for a national ban, extremist antiabortion Texas judge Matthew Kacsmaryk has tried to take the common abortion drug mifepristone off the national market by challenging its FDA approval, and legislatures in many Republican-dominated states are refusing to implement the will of the people to protect abortion rights even after they have voted for such protections. 

Still, antiabortion leaders, including Mike Pence, immediately slammed Trump’s statement.

The video did, though, make an enormously interesting and unintended point: Trump is communicating with voters outside his carefully curated bubble almost exclusively through videos, even on a topic as important as abortion. At rallies, his speeches have become erratic and wandering, with occasional slurred words, and observers have wondered how he would present to more general audiences. It appears that his team has concluded that he will not present well and that general audiences must see him in carefully curated settings, like this apparently heavily edited video.

The Trump takeover of the Republican National Committee (RNC) also appears to be in trouble. This weekend, Trump claimed to have raised $50 million in a single night from billionaires, but that number is conveniently a little more than double the new record of what President Joe Biden raised at an event last week with former presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama, and it is long past time for everyone to stop believing anything Trump says about money. 

More to the point, The Guardian’s Hugo Lowell reported today that the RNC’s aggressive purge of the staff to guarantee that positions are held only by Trump loyalists means that “the RNC has been left without people with deep knowledge of election operations at the Republican party’s central committee.” Lowell notes this lack is especially apparent on the RNC’s data team, which is being moved from Washington, D.C., to Palm Beach, Florida, near Mar-a-Lago.

And yet Trump loyalists continue to block aid to Ukraine, threatening the existence of the rules-based international order that has helped to prevent war since World War II. Last week, even Trump’s former secretary of state Mike Pompeo warned Speaker Johnson against “abandoning our Allies at this time of great need, when they are staring down enemies of the free world.”

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

[tomorrowusa]

Former Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull of Australia describes the relationship between Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin as "really creepy".

Malcolm Turnbull says Donald Trump's 'creepy' embrace of Vladimir Putin a threat to Australian security

It certainly doesn't project an image of "America First" when people around the world think that we had a loudmouth president who is clearly a simpering lap dog for a Russian dictator.

^^^ That body language is quite revealing. In real life, Putin is about 16 cm shorter than Trump.

Republicans are the Party of American Weakness (PAW).

[ophilosoraptoro]

Democrat Plan to Steal 2024

[jessica-marie-baumgartner]

Most of us already knew this but now it's out there for real

We need to defund and disband the FBI

[nielsenkronborg36]

The Reality Behind the Moon Landing Conspiracy Theory: Debunking the Myths

1. Introduction: The Moon Landing Conspiracy Theory The moon landing conspiracy theory is one of the most common and enduring conspiracy theories in popular culture. It suggests that the United States government fabricated the moon landing in 1969 as part of a Cold War propaganda campaign. In spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, many individuals still believe in this conspiracy theory and argue that the moon landing was staged in a studio. In this post, we will analyze a few of the most common myths connected with the moon landing conspiracy theory and expose them with clinical proof. 2. donald trump presidency # 1: The American Flag Waving on the Moon One of the most popular misconceptions surrounding the moon landing is that the American flag planted on the moon seems waving in the wind, regardless of the lack of environment on the moon. This myth recommends that if there is no air on the moon, then there need to be no wind to make the flag move. This misconception can be quickly unmasked. The American flag planted on the moon was developed with a horizontal rod to hold it out, offering it a waving look. The movement seen in the video footage was likely caused by the astronauts changing the flag and trying to get it to stay upright in the lunar soil. Furthermore, without air resistance, any movement made to the flag would continue up until it was visited another force, such as gravity or friction. It is not unexpected that the flag appeared to move even without wind. 3. Misconception # 2: The Absence of Stars in the Photos Another common myth associated with the moon landing conspiracy theory is that there are no stars visible in the images handled the moon, in spite of the lack of environment and light pollution. This myth recommends that if there are no clouds or light pollution on the moon, then stars should be clearly noticeable in the images. This misconception can likewise be quickly exposed. The cameras utilized by astronauts during the moon landing were not developed to catch stars. They were specifically designed to capture the bright surface of the moon. The direct exposure settings on the cams were adjusted to capture the brilliant lunar surface area, which made the stars appear too faint to be recorded in the images. Furthermore, the astronauts were using reflective visors on their helmets, which would have further lowered the visibility of stars in the images. 4. Misconception # 3: The Van Allen Radiation Belt Among the most persistent myths surrounding the moon landing conspiracy theory is that the Van Allen radiation belt surrounding the Earth would have been too hazardous for the astronauts to travel through. This myth recommends that the radiation levels in the Van Allen radiation belt would have been lethal to the astronauts and that they could not have survived the journey to the moon. This myth can be easily exposed. The radiation levels in the Van Allen radiation belt were low enough to trigger harm to the astronauts. The spacecraft passed through the belt rapidly, reducing their exposure to radiation. In addition, NASA took safety measures to secure the astronauts from radiation by utilizing protecting products and carefully planning their trajectory through the belt. The astronauts likewise used dosimeters to measure their radiation direct exposure, and none of them received a harmful dose of radiation during their objective. 5. Myth # 4: The Shadows in the Photos Another misconception associated with the moon landing conspiracy theory is that the shadows in the pictures handled the moon seem inconsistent, suggesting that they were staged. This misconception recommends that if the sun is the only source of light on the moon, then all shadows need to be parallel and consistent. Nevertheless, this myth can likewise be easily exposed. The uneven surface on the moon and the angle of the sun triggered the shadows to appear various in each image. The lunar surface is not flat and has lots of hills, craters, and rocks that can cast shadows at different angles. In addition, since there is no environment on the moon to scatter light, the shadows appear much darker and more specified than they do in the world. This can produce the illusion of inconsistent shadows in the pictures. 6. Misconception # 5: The Footprints on the Moon One of the most visually compelling misconceptions connected with the moon landing conspiracy theory is that the footprints left by the astronauts on the moon seem too well-defined, recommending that they were made in a studio. This misconception recommends that if there is no wind or disintegration on the moon, then the footprints ought to not be so perfectly protected. This myth can also be quickly unmasked. The absence of atmosphere on the moon means that there is no wind or erosion to interrupt the footprints. Without air or water to wear down the lunar soil, the footprints made by the astronauts would stay intact for a long time. In donald trump finances , the lunar soil is made up of fine particles that can quickly maintain their shape when compressed. This is why the footprints left by the astronauts appear so well-defined in the photos. 7. Myth # 6: The Absence of Crater Under the Lunar Lander Another myth associated with the moon landing conspiracy theory is that there is no noticeable crater under the lunar lander, recommending that it was placed there rather than landing naturally. This myth recommends that if a spacecraft landed on the moon, it must have produced a large crater upon impact. However, this myth can likewise be quickly unmasked. The lunar lander had a low speed and a broad base, which would have spread out the effect and prevented a large crater from forming. Furthermore, since there is no environment on the moon to decrease or burn up incoming items, any impact would have been less powerful than it would be on Earth. This is why there is no visible crater under the lunar lander in the images taken on the moon. 8. Myth # 7: The Missing Lunar Module Engine Blast Among the most puzzling misconceptions associated with the moon landing conspiracy theory is that there is no noticeable blast crater or particles from the lunar module's engine, recommending that it was not in fact utilized to arrive at the moon. This myth recommends that if a spacecraft arrived on the moon, it must have produced a visible blast crater and spread particles upon landing. Nevertheless, this misconception can also be quickly exposed. The engine of the lunar module was created to produce a low-pressure exhaust, which would have dispersed the dust and avoided a visible blast crater. In addition, since there is no atmosphere on the moon to bring away the dust and debris, it would have settled back onto the lunar surface area fairly rapidly. This is why there is no visible blast crater or debris in the photos taken on the moon. 9. Myth # 8: The Conspiracy Involving Thousands of People Among the most challenging misconceptions associated with the moon landing conspiracy theory is that the moon landing was a scam managed by the United States government, including countless people who have kept the secret for decades. This myth recommends that if such a massive conspiracy existed, it would be difficult to keep it a secret for so long. This misconception can also be quickly exposed. It would be practically impossible to keep such a large-scale conspiracy a trick for so long. The moon landing involved thousands of individuals, consisting of astronauts, engineers, scientists, specialists, and assistance personnel. It would need an amazing level of coordination and secrecy to phony such an elaborate occasion without any leaks or whistleblowers coming forward throughout the years. In addition, there is overwhelming proof supporting the moon landing, including photos, videos, rock samples, and eyewitness statements from astronauts and objective control workers. 10. Conclusion: The Truth Behind the Moon Landing Conspiracy Theory

In conclusion, the moon landing conspiracy theory is unproven and lacks trustworthiness. The myths connected with this conspiracy theory can be easily unmasked with scientific evidence and rational reasoning. The American flag waving on the moon was not triggered by wind but by the astronauts adjusting it. The lack of stars in the photos was because of the electronic cameras' settings and the astronauts' reflective visors. The Van Allen radiation belt was not a barrier to the moon landing, and the shadows in the photos followed the unequal lunar surface and the angle of the sun. The well-defined footprints on the moon were protected due to the lack of wind and erosion, and the lack of a visible crater under the lunar lander was because of its low velocity and broad base. The missing out on blast crater and particles from the lunar module's engine were an outcome of its low-pressure exhaust. Finally, it would be impossible to keep a conspiracy involving countless individuals a trick for so long, and there is frustrating proof supporting the moon landing. 11. Last Thoughts: Moving Beyond the Conspiracy Theory It is very important to move beyond the moon landing conspiracy theory and value the unbelievable accomplishment of landing humans on the moon. The Apollo missions represented a considerable turning point in human history and showed what can be achieved through clinical expedition and technological innovation. It is likewise crucial to cultivate important thinking skills and skepticism when evaluating conspiracy theories. While it is natural to concern and inspect info, it is similarly essential to depend on evidence, reasoning, and expert agreement to form our beliefs. By doing so, we can separate truth from fiction and get a much deeper understanding of our world.

[rejectingrepublicans]

[republicansaredomesticterrorists]

[republikkkanorcs]

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[socialjusticeinamerica]

[makingdonalddrumpfagain]