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

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Taylor Swift-Kanye West-When Artists Pick Sides-Podcast 765

Taylor Swift gets involved in a senate race. Kanye West endorses the president. These days when emotions run high, do artists risk their fan base when they pick a side? Find out in Taylor Swift-Kanye West-When Artists Pick Sides-Podcast 765.

Influencers Who May Not Be Influential

Moreover it’s not just artists. Comedians, actors and music stars get publicity for choosing sides too. Especially relevant are political bloggers and other influencers who think they can pick winners in national political events.

Religious You Tubers On Crack

In addition religious broadcasters spend a lot of time back pedaling from predictions of the end of the world. Why would those who are about transcending the world choose to endorse a political viewpoint in the world? We’ll talk about it in Taylor Swift-Kanye West-When Artists Pick Sides-Podcast 765.

Image Versus Free Speech

This isn’t about free speech. The seed of thought here is about image. I think artists are bigger than the slimy and messy world of politics. Finally, even political commentators ruin themselves when they feel the need to rush out and endorse a political ‘hero’ of the moment. The goal is usually relevance. Or, is it ego?

When Idealists and Artists Fall Into The Oily Political Pit

In the end, it’s my experience politicians never do what they promise. Finally the seedy world of politics especially in Washington DC is no place for idealists. Truth is, the best artists can channel their frustration or anger into…art! Real art.

Memes Videos and Rants

Unfortunately it seems like local artists and commentators as well as a few national artists who should know better, feel compelled to fill their social media feeds with memes, videos and rants. I am sure most of them would hope those will someday be forgotten. As a result I tentatively suggest artists and commentators use our talent and our tools rather than overt rants and social media.

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Taylor Swift-Kanye West-When Artists Pick Sides-Podcast 765

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Back To School 2017-Culling The Social Media Herd-Podcast 659

State Fair Time in Minnesota. A change in the weather. Time for Back to School. Back in the studio after summer traveling. An afternoon with FaceBook convinces me it’s time to start culling the social media herd. In Back To School 2017-Culling The Social Media Herd-Podcast 659.

Back In The Studio

These days all of my travel is on America’s back roads. Summer 2017 saw thousands of miles of travel for The Bob Davis Podcasts. All of it on two lane state and US highways. You see a different United States from the two lane highways. Whether it was Joliet, Illinois or Rapid City, South Dakota or traveling through rural Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, West Virginia or mining towns in Ohio. I did not see Americans consumed with politics.

Backroads Education

When you travel the backroads you see people doing what they do every day. Getting up and going to work. Running their businesses. Taking kids to baseball, football soccer and hockey games. This is not a country of feral political beasts. It is not a country of angry supporters of either political fringe. Looks pretty much the same as it did when my family toured the country by the same highways, back when I was a kid.

Social Media Cesspool

On social media though, it is a different world. In Back To School 2017-Culling The Social Media Herd-Podcast 659 it’s time to cull the social media herd. Unfollowing those dear friends who post links to articles and demand your support or comment on the latest political and usually nonsensical missive from someone who exhorts you to think and act a certain way.

Where’s The Vision?

Back to School also means reengaging in a political process gone mad. Vision? Concrete plans for the future? Political organization? Those are relics of the past. What’s left are screaming matches, memes, reposts and going ‘live’ on FaceBook to grind your political axe. How does a podcaster add to this cacophony of ignorance and advance the story at the same time? In Back To School 2017-Culling The Social Media Herd-Podcast 659.

No Good Citizens

Neither mainline political party serves the interests of its adherents anymore. Part of the reason is demographic. Much of the reason is people seem to think negatively commenting on a congressman’s FB Live post or protesting is the same as involvement. There are no political movements to convince legislators to take a course of action because no one wants to do that work anymore. Maybe the reason people have turned away from politics are the loud mouths and those who fill their social media feeds with partisan posts, and demand reaction.

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