Russian bots interfering in elections...
In the summer of 2015, Internet conspiracy theorists and talk radio hosts promoted the idea that a U. S. military training exercise, Operation Jade Helm, was really a prelude to an invasion by President Obama with dissidents on the political right in Texas being rounded up and sent off to FEMA prisons operating out of vacant Walmarts. Really!
But instead of calling out this nonsense for what it was, several Texas politicians actually lent credence to the rumors by pandering to their base who believed this bunk. Congressman Louie Gohmert expressed his “concern,” Senator Ted Cruz said he had “reached out” to the Pentagon, and Governor Gregg Abbott even deployed the Texas State Guard to “monitor” the exercise. Sheer lunacy!
Former CIA Director, Gen. Michael Hayden, appointed by President George W. Bush, revealed the hysteria surrounding Jade Helm was the handiwork of Russian bots. He also concluded that based upon their perceived success, the Russians “…were going to go big time…and play in the electoral process.” History of the 2016 election proved the good General was correct.
Russia is currently running a disinformation operation aimed at European elections. Given the gullibility of too many in our own electorate, the lack of political courage of our leaders to speak truth to their base or their tacit approval, and combined with too little response to the meddling in our 2016 election, we can expect the Russians will be back in our next election, bigger and badder than before.
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