Rule Of Law-Rhetoric-Bob Davis Podcast 831

Rule Of Law Battle Cry

The latest battle cry among democrats is “We don’t follow the rule of law in this country these days”. Is the House of Representatives playing the white knight battling a lawless pretender in the White House? Find out in Rule Of Law-Rhetoric-Bob Davis Podcast 831.

Democrats and Republicans Fight Like Cats and Dogs

Especially relevant is the ongoing battle between democrats the house and the republican president. The flashpoint? Recent committee hearings on Attorney General Barr’s ‘summary’ of the Mueller report on alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election.

A Bad Divorce

Even more like a bad divorce, Mueller publicly released a letter criticizing Barr’s summary. Consequently a House committee ‘investigating’ Barr’s conclusions demanded Barr ‘testify’ again. Barr refused. As a result, the House Judiciary Committee finds Barr in “contempt of congress”.

Media Churns Up Outrage With Little Background

Hit play on the media machine and this is what you get. Gasp. Barr is in ‘contempt’. Trump is not ‘obeying’ the ‘rule of law’! Horrors! Due to this contempt of the rule of law, something must be done!

What does ‘contempt of congress’ mean?

Will Trump and Barr be cellmates in the house jail?

Time For A Midnight Walk and Talk

On a midnight walk and talk I look into this. People shouting about the ‘rule of law’ might be shocked to learn just what contempt of congress means. How does contempt of congress contrast with contempt of court? Check out Rule Of Law-Rhetoric-Bob Davis Podcast 831.

Everyone Holds All Of Them In Contempt

In addition the administration is in distinguished company when it comes to contempt of congress. Presidents back to the federalists and anti federalists have held congress in contempt and have been held in contempt by congress.

A Kerfuffle Boiled Into ‘Crisis’

Finally do people fully understand the overblown “constitutional crisis” is nothing more than business as usual in Washington? Certainly these kinds of disputes are nothing new.

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Rule Of Law-Rhetoric-Bob Davis Podcast 831

 

Russia Targets American Politics Again?-Bob Davis Podcast 809

Get ready. A sustained disinformation attack on the top democrat presidential candidates is already in progress. That’s the new story line. These days you can’t be sure. We’ll talk about it in Russia Targets American Politics Again?-Bob Davis Podcast 809.

Breaking News From Politico

Most noteworthy is a series of stories Politico has done about ‘hacking’ the US electoral process. The latest is an article which sources data analysts and other experts. Especially relevant? A new charge by experts. Russia is back to its old tricks.

We take a look at the story and the charge in In Russia Targets American Politics Again?

A Wide Ranging Effort

Natasha Korecki says her Politico story shows a wide ranging effort aimed at Kamala Harris, Beto O’Rourke, Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders. She reports certainly it is up and running with signs foreign state actors are behind some of it.

It’s Happening Again

According to Politico Weaponized Propaganda picks at the most sensitive issues in our public discourse. Furthermore that propaganda is being pushed across a variety of platforms. It’s happening again.

Wait! Not All Of It Is Organized!

Wait though. Not all the activity is organized. In contrast, a lot of it appears to be regular Joe’s sharing stuff they think is funny or relevant on their feeds.

Sources For Politico Article Include Democrat Operatives

Finally sources for this story include Brett Horvath who has worked for the Mayor of Seattle as well as other operatives who have worked for democrats including Hillary Clinton. Or companies like Storyful who spy on reporters.

No Conclusive Evidence

Even more Korecki writes researchers and others cannot conclusively point to actors behind “the coordinated activity”.

We’re All Trolls Now

Maybe I’m churlish but it seems to me the writer, sources and Politico itself are getting a lot of mileage out of this. The principles in the story are sharing the story on their own feeds. Just slightly Troll Like, don’t you think? Maybe the Russians have switched sides this time!

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Russia Targets American Politics Again?-Bob Davis Podcast 809

Trump-Russia-Comments-Media Firestorm-Bob Davis Podcast 739

President Trump’s comments with Russian President Putin in Helsinki this week kicked off a media firestorm. With stories like this it’s hard to tell which end is up, these days. We’ll talk about it in Trump-Russia-Comments-Media Firestorm-Bob Davis Podcast 739.

A Disaster For The White House

Everything was going “so well” until the President went to Helsinki, Finland to talk to Russian President Putin.

Most noteworthy were comments from Trump that contradicted US intelligence assessments saying Russia interfered in the 2016 election.

Treason?

Were Trump’s comments a mistake or intentional?

Do they constitute ‘treason’? Really?

When You Have To Say Something…

As a podcaster I do not envy people who have to be on the air everyday and react to these kinds of breaking stories. When a president as unpredictable as this one makes news with every tweet and comment what does one say?

When Press Conferences Go Bad

It’s especially relevant to note the Trump-Putin summit did not result in any signed agreements. There was a cordial discussion. It was the joint press conference that kicked off a media rampage of truly biblical proportion in the US. It certainly didn’t help that Trump was unprepared, and proud of it.

We’ll break it down in Trump-Russia-Comments-Media Firestorm-Bob Davis Podcast 739.

Telling Us What To Think

Moreover critics and supporters are busy telling all of us what to think and what will happen next. Either Trump’s a genius or a fool. He’s getting a second term or will be impeached. Academics write several hundred words supporting the so called ‘resistance’ or articulating the president’s policy for him.

Everyone On TV or Radio Is An Expert

Everything Trump does has ‘never been done before’. Former government officials are trotted out to tell us how this is the worst thing that has ever happened. Smarty Pants Professors tell us what Abe Lincoln or Woodrow Wilson would have done.

Now What?

In conclusion, are people really going to take to the streets because Trump upset the Mueller applecart in Helsinki? Is Trump in the process of destroying the Republican party? Are democrats doing the same thing on the left, by attacking everything the president does? Let’s talk about it.

(Editor’s Note: At the beginning of this podcast I say, “until Trump went to Russia”. Of course this is a joke. The president went to Helsinki, Finland for his bilateral meeting with Russian President Putin.)

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Trump-Russia-Comments-Media Firestorm-Bob Davis Podcast 739