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What's up with progressives going hard after the Russia investigations?

Discussion in 'BBS Hangout: Debate & Discussion' started by jiggyfly, May 16, 2020.

  1. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    Can somebody explain the deal with Glenn Greenwald and some on the far left going after the Obama admin and Dems about the russia investigation and now the Flynn thing and trying to tie it to Biden?

    They also seem to be going hard after the MSM?

    This was kind of background noise before the primaries and now seems to be a consistent theme currently.

    What did Obama do to piss them off so much?

    I understand that there is a reasonable debate about if Trump was in co-hoots with Russia during the election but IMO there is no doubt about the phone call with Ukraine but I hear some question even that.

    Is this just a money play to cater to the angry Bernie supporters?

    Is it opposition to government surveillance?

    Is it just trying to carve out a niche like Fox news with progressives who just want to burn it all down?

    I seriously do not understand can somebody explain this?
     
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  2. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    I would like to hear from @ThatBoyNick or @fchowd0311

    I am not calling you out just trying to understand the argument/
     
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  3. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Member

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    I had actually never heard of Glenn Greenwald before today oddly enough but checked out his Twitter feed. Reminds me alot of the MSNBC commentator Anand Giridharadas who is a Bernie guy as well.

    What I find with these guys is that they are often the most negative people in media and politics in the fact that everyone is dumb, corrupt, and there is no nuance to decisions made on any side. Theres only righteousness, and everyone not on the purity bandwagon is some how only in it for money, power, and to kill people of color.

    The fact is people like Anand just haven't been around long enough to have dirt on them as well. They are only able to claim righteousness because people don't know their skeletons in the closet yet. Even their gold standard politician... Bernie.. is a human freaking being who I'm sure if he was the nominee right now would have skeletons coming out of the closet like crazy.

    The Obama admin was not perfect, and guess what.... Joe Biden's admin will not be perfect either if they can win. However this whole righteous (they are just as bad) purity test that these guys like I guess Greenwald and Anand I believe is an unfair way for them to step on others unfairly in order to launch their careers in progressive MEDIA, and the same MainStream Corporate Media they bash is the same one they are trying to get attention from to boost their own careers and voices in politics.

    However, they are showing that they are selfish in the way that they know for a fact (both guys seem smart as hell) that they will be hoisted as tools for propaganda for Trump and the Right Wing Billionaires that fund this propaganda in order to suppress Democratic votes. Anand specifically talks in a very very Sanctimonious tone that I know for a fact is used by the right to paint a picture of liberals to lower educated folks that might vote Democratic, but can be turned off by this type of tone that says "Liberals look down on you because you don't have a Harvard education and use big words."

    Plain and simple, this self righteous media whining is self serving and is a powerful tool for the Right Wing Billionaires that they seem happy to provide to launch their careers in the same main stream media they are bashing.
     
    #3 dobro1229, May 16, 2020
    Last edited: May 16, 2020
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  4. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

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    I’m not into any of the Russia stuff.

    This post is pretty scrambled, you asked multiple questions like what about Ukraine/Biden, why don’t progressives like MSM, why don’t they like Obama too.

    “Progressives” are a broad group of people and I wouldn’t classify them as inherently disliking Obama, not thinking Trump was strongly tied with Russia etc, although many do.

    Im interested in seeing our country develop at a rapid pace across many areas I value, like complete healthcare, education, childcare acesss for all, strict environmental protections, a green energy overhaul, campaign finance reform, criminal justice reform, and overall, creating a less corrupt, less corporate focused government, moving away from plutocracy, moving towards a stronger democracy that focuses on the poor, the working class, the children, the elderly and the sick/disabled.

    That’s what progressiveness is for me, I don’t hate Biden, Hillary or Obama, but I’m just not interested in the incremental improvement centrism that they represent, I’m not interested in the business as usual that they represent in a system that puts the wealthy 1st, actively works against the interest of the average Americans.
     
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  5. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    Yeah it was pretty scrambled but all of those things seem to be tied into each other for those that are into the Russia stuff.

    I am not classifying all progressives and that's why I wanted your opinion because you don't seem to hate anyone and just have an idea of what you want for the country and I respect that.

    I just would like some insight on what Greenwald, Ball, Senjik and TYT or getting at and what you think there motivations are.

    I know Ball and Greenwald where let go by MSNBC and seem to have a real axe to grind but this defense of Flynn is a real head scratcher especially their trying to tie Biden to it.

    It seems like pandering instead of actually talking about real issues.
     
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  6. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    This is not about calling out Bernie supporters so please don't go there.

    What I am really doing is trying to understand the rationel for attacking Obama and still going after Biden.

    I am beginning to wonder if they are not getting paid off to ferment frustration and drive down turnout.

    Shouldn't they be talking about getting down ballot progressives elected or platform changes so they can get the changes they want?

    I just wonder if anybody else finds this strange.
     
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  7. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    Anybody who does not understand what I am talking about take a look at these videos.

    I know this is one source but if they always talk about it there has to be an audience for this.

    Saagar Enjeti: BOMBSHELL reveals Biden at center of Obamagate, media ignores









    After watching some of these in detail it seems there beef is more with the MSM and what they will and will not report.

    They come off very sanctimonious and smug but there has to be an audience for this I guess.
     
    #7 jiggyfly, May 16, 2020
    Last edited: May 16, 2020
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  8. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

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    I don’t follow any of those people sorry, perhaps hit up their followings on twitter, YouTube or reddit.
     
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  9. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    I posted some clips when you get a chance let me know what you think?
     
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  10. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

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    Legitimately lost when I skimmed the clips. I’m not into any of the Russia stuff, or obamagate or whatever is going on right now, never have been. I followed the election closely, I follow the macro picture of where our country is, I following these issues I mentioned earlier very closely, I don’t have an opinion on Michael Flinn and barely recognize his name.

    Your going to have to find someone who legitimately follows those people closely to get the conversation your looking for.
     
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  11. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    It's a pretty simple question, what do you think their motivation is?

    Do you think this stuff helps the progressive cause?
     
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  12. ThatBoyNick

    ThatBoyNick Member

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    For the 3rd time friend, I don’t follow those people or the issues they are discussing. How would it be possible for me to know the motivation?

    Do I think it helps the “progressive” cause? Again, don’t know anything about it, I’ve defined what progressivism is to me, it doesn’t involve any of the YouTube personalities your bringing up, or obamagate, Michael Flinn or Russia.

    You are looking to have a discussion about these peoples opinions on these topics, go to their twitters or reddit subs and ask people who can have that discussion. I simply can’t.
     
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  13. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    Yo calm down.

    I am not trying to badger you I just wanted to know what you thought.

    No I am not trying to have a discussion about these people opinions, I wanted to know if you thought they were helpful to the cause you believe in.

    Yeesh, my bad.
     
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  14. rocketsjudoka

    rocketsjudoka Member

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    I don't think ThatBoyNick or Fchowd need me or anyone to defend them but from what I've seen of their posts I don't think they are going after Biden or Obama regarding Russia or Flynn. If I recall I think Fchowd has been very vocal that there is good reason for going after Flynn and that it is a miscarriage of Justice for the DOJ to drop charges.

    As far as Krystal Ball and Saagar Enjeti I've seen some of their stuff and am not impressed. If they are considered as standard bearers for progressives their are people here on D&D who do a much better job. I agree they seem self-righteous but that's not as big of a problem as a lot of their stuff seems based on conjecture, exaggeration and sensationalizing. Most of their punditry seems more in line with the Jeanine Pirros of the world and I find it fitting that they seem to agree with people like her often.

    Obviously they're not alone in style and certainly MSNBC, CNN and other MSM outlets have people guilty of the same but they use the frequent justification we hear often on these pages that just because they are the outsiders and against the MSM that makes them right.

    The impression I get from them is that they feel that they are being railroaded by centrists in the DNC and MSM and Joe Biden is the latest thing foisted on them. As such they are against him and also Obama as Biden closely associates with Obama. To them the DNC is as bad or worse than Trump. This isn't a view they have and I know some posters here have cited Ball, Enjeti, Greenwald and Uygur to support the similar arguments.
     
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  15. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    I agree about Nick and FC and it's why I wanted their opinion. there is no reason to defend them no one is being attacked.

    I agree with all of this and I did not really know any of these except Ball and she has done a 180 since she had a show on MSNBC.

    I have no issue with calling out the DNC or MSM but like you say there arguments are not logical and yes some posters make better arguments.

    These are not dumb people which makes there arguments all the more confusing.
     
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  16. Invisible Fan

    Invisible Fan Member

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    Glenn greenwald has been a largely consistent voice for free speech and transparency in government for more than twenty years. I'll give him a pass on self righteousness when he's risked his career over things the government didn't want the public to know.

    I've started reading his articles in this board during bush era Patriot Acts and how we slowly gave away our speech and privacy freedoms in the name of an unending war through courts deliberately set to be invisible through the public.

    I don't like cable shills so i have not nor am interested in watching those clips, but Glenn is consistent and worth reading even if he's not 100% go America, which is the problem in of itself.

    People might magnify the one story Glenn or his Intercept reports against Biden, only to ignore the many others describing Trump's constant push for turn key authoritarianism. It almost confirms the complaint that people generally avoid nuance and looks for the binary matter in issues.

    Dem leadership is ugly and incredibly flawed. It's not even a Bernie matter. It's just that the other side is scared shitless of another Trump presidency so they're trying to circle the wagons like the repugs have done.

    That clearly doesn't solve anything except more old candidates who aren't the perfect fit in anyone's imagination.

    So I'll vouch for greenwald and say that what he writes for the last fifteen years has not been a waste of time. Try to ignore his finger waving and focus on the content he's breaking.

    ...Or not if you don't want your day ruined.
     
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  17. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Member

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    Not sure if you really read what I wrote but I gave my 2 cents on what’s going with your question. Had nothing to do with calling out Bernie “supporters”. It’s about the SELECT media progressives who have been going hard after the Democrats and have criticism that could be twisted to fuel the Obamagate nonsense the right is going to be propagating for the next 6 months.

    I doubt they are being paid but they are going to be used by the rights media to feed a political agenda to split the party and help suppress voters in November.

    People like Anand believe very strongly in their ideals and will not compromise. That’s not necessarily a bad thing but that does lead to fractures in the party and fractured narratives coming from the progressive and mainstream media. On the other end when someone like Bill Kristol called out Trump back in 2016 because he’s not really a Conservative the left leaning media seized on that stuff too.

    It is what it is, and in the end Biden just needs to do what he can to keep Bernie and AOC by his side to avoid the fractures with the purists to get out of control.
     
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  18. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    I have no real issue with Greenwald and his reporting on transparency but how do you do that and then use Fox as the platform to broadcast that message when you know it will be used for propaganda?

    I also don't see him trying to tie things to Biden like the rest and I don't know if he is a Bernie advocate which I should not know if you are a journalist.

    He does have an axe to grind with MSNBC and he likes to get up on a soapbox but unlike these other people he has not changed from his past track record.
     
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  19. jiggyfly

    jiggyfly Member

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    I did read it and it readiness going at Bernie supporters but that just might be me not wanting to piss anybody off and we see how that played out.

    I think there has to be monetary incentive to spew things that you you are not true and to do it more times than not.

    Who in there right mind actually thinks Sanders would be the choice if you just get rid of Biden and how does that help with the national election.

    Trump was and is not a Conservative that way different than these people stannning for Reade and Obamagate IMO.
     
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  20. dobro1229

    dobro1229 Member

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    My wife is a Bernie Bra and I came pretty close to voting for him myself so obviously I’m good with Bernie supporters.

    I think something big would need to happen to knock Biden out between now and when his VP pick is announced. That’s basically the short window to Bernies path to the nomination. After that pick is made it’s the VP who likely gets all of Biden’s delegates transferred over to her.

    It’s anyone’s guess what the motivation for Greenwald or others to step in and create propaganda for the rights media tactics to help Trump. Even Bernie and AOC understand pretty clear that it’s important that they don’t allow themselves to be used like that. I really just don’t know but one clue is that I had never heard of Greenwald before today and now I do. So maybe that right there is a good enough motive.

    Most people understand this so I guess we need to see if there’s a bigger pattern that emerges that could be an issue with deepening the fractures we already know are a vulnerability. The propaganda tactics are about to start hitting fast and hard here soon.
     
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