Nexus2
Nexus2's JournalMike Lindell's Plot to Destroy America - The Atlantic
The guy would be funny if he wasn't real, but he's genuinely frightening. He's a zealous True Believer, not cynical, not a grifter, former crack addict now a fanatic gifted with drive a convert to the Trumpian Mythology.
In the time I spent with Mike Lindell, I came to learn that he is affable, devout, philanthropic—and a clear threat to the nation.
By Anne Applebaum
When you contemplate the end of democracy in America, what kind of person do you think will bring it about? Maybe you picture a sinister billionaire in a bespoke suit, slipping brown envelopes to politicians. Maybe your nightmare is a rogue general, hijacking the nuclear football. Maybe you think of a jackbooted thug leading a horde of men in white sheets, all carrying burning crosses.
Here is what you probably don’t imagine: an affable, self-made midwesterner, one of those goofy businessmen who makes his own infomercials. A recovered crack addict, no less, who laughs good-naturedly when jokes are made at his expense. A man who will talk to anyone willing to listen (and to many who aren’t). A philanthropist. A good boss. A patriot—or so he says—who may well be doing more damage to American democracy than anyone since Jefferson Davis.
SNIP...
Even in this group, Lindell stands out. Not only is he presumably much richer than Garland Favorito and Willis @treekiller35; he is willing to spend his money on the cause. MyPillow has long been an important advertiser on Fox News, so much so that even Trump noticed Lindell (“That guy is on TV more than I am”), but has since widened its net. MyPillow spent tens of thousands of dollars advertising on Newsmax just in the week following the January 6 attack on the Capitol.
And now Lindell is spending on more than just advertising. Last January—on the 9th, he says carefully, placing the date after the 6th—a group of still-unidentified concerned citizens brought him some computer data. These were, allegedly, packet captures, intercepted data proving that the Chinese Communist Party altered electoral results … in all 50 states. This is a conspiracy theory more elaborate than the purported Venezuelan manipulation of voting machines, more improbable than the allegation that millions of supposedly fake ballots were mailed in, more baroque than the belief that thousands of dead people voted. This one has potentially profound geopolitical implications.
That’s why Lindell has spent money—a lot of it, “tens of millions,” he told me—“validating” the packets, and it’s why he is planning to spend a lot more. Starting on August 10, he is holding a three-day symposium in Sioux Falls (because he admires South Dakota’s gun-toting governor, Kristi Noem), where the validators, whoever they may be, will present their results publicly. He has invited all interested computer scientists, university professors, elected federal officials, foreign officials, reporters, and editors to the symposium. He has booked, he says variously, “1,000 hotel rooms” or “all the hotel rooms in the city” to accommodate them. (As of Wednesday, Booking.com was still showing plenty of rooms available in Sioux Falls.)
More at link
https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2021/07/mike-lindells-plot-destroy-america/619593/
Louisiana man says he would choose another COVID hospitalization over vaccine
Even after a hospital stay from COVID-19, a Louisiana man told a reporter he still refuses to get the vaccine.
The CBS interview with Scott Roe, who was still plugged into machines as he recovered from pneumonia, went viral on Twitter this week. Roe said he still wasn't convinced the life-saving coronavirus vaccines were effective, and even in hindsight, would choose to be in the hospital over getting inoculated prior to his sickness.
https://twitter.com/CBSNews/status/1417901085788880896?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1417901085788880896%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nola.com%2Fnews%2Fcoronavirus%2Farticle_25ba4b7c-eb25-11eb-8f75-138009b3b825.html
"Here I am recovering, getting out of here finally tomorrow," Roe, a business owner and father, told CBS reporter David Begnaud, a native of Lafayette. "Am I going to get a vaccine? No."
He added that he was tired of government officials shoving the news down his throat. During the interview, Roe, a Republican, learned that U.S. Rep. Steve Scalise, R-Metairie, got the shot this week, as COVID-19 cases surge due to the more contagious delta variant making its way across the state.
He still refused.
"Don't shove it down my throat," Roe said. "That's what local, state and federal administrations are trying to do is shove it down your throat."
Humans are some odd monkeys...
I think most if not all of these 'negotiations' are a waste of time.
A purposeful one, an attempt on the part of Republicans to run out the clock since they feel, not without that they will regain the majority in one and other parts of congress at the midterms.
The August recess
Given there is so much going on in the US and abroad along so much important legislation being worked on, do anyone think that the August congressional recess should shorted, postponed or even skipped all together?
Joe Biden is being pressed to 'Do more' on voting rights aside from giving a speech
which Tiffany Cross summarized as "Please let the black and brown people vote? Come on, guys..."
What more can he do? Some seem like they think he can command the Senate or at least the Democratic members directly or something similar. What options isn't he using?
Sen. Joe Manchin said he wouldn't carve out an exemption to the chamber's filibuster rule for voting
effectively dashing chances that Democrats could maneuver around Republican opposition to overhauling the nation’s elections laws. The West Virginia Democrat made the remarks after meeting with a group of Texas House Democrats who left the state to stall a vote on Republican-backed legislation that they say would restrict voting. More at link...
Bloomberg
What the Hell is this guy's issue?
Its starting to feel like "Voting rights" is becoming the new "thoughts and prayer" topic.
But the way things currently are its now big wonder. Every path seems to hit a road block. Machin and Sinema (and who ever they're providing cover for) seem to feel that an obscure Senatorial process is worth more than access to the vote for large numbers of citizen and/or convinced that the best to fight a fire is negotiate a way the arsonists.
There's ony so much Biden can do with executive orders and 'bully pulpit'. There are some small levers congress can pull but while the GOP is ruthless and shameless when using its powers, the Democratic part Party seems hesitant and tentative about fully employing its. They have a sense of shame and honor, recognizing the spirit as well as the letter of rules, something that just draw confused look for rules lawyers likes of Mitch "Technically by the rules is the best way to follow them" McConnell.
And to top it all off, the Supreme Court appears ready to to tear whatever accomplishments are won as soon as someone concots a case that things them befoe them.
89% of Black voters support voter ID.
So says a recent GOP commercial (it also complains that Democratic Party 'stole' the NBA finals from its original location). Does anyone know the source of this statistic and its veracity?
Cybernijas are coming for you.
If you live in certain parts of Arizona. The 'aduiters' are asking to directly question voters door to door. The DoJ has voiced that this could be considered voter intimidation. Yet its apparently being consider to see if new rules will be needed for the next election...
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