Senate Intel Report: Russia 'exploited the seams' in US election security defenses in 2016

a reply to: Liquesence

I didn't ask the report, instead I asked you. Its not that I don't care, the facts are that those who are in a position to do something about it don't care. This interference is not the first and only time it has occurred. Congress is aware or should be, yet they have never addressed this issue before which leads me to believe that it is not as big a problem as the latest report reads, afterall no votes were changed according to the report. Not acceptable to me, but to those in charge are blaise until in front of a camera and still no meaningful effort to tackle the problem from either side.

I am also a realist, and believe that in the open and free society we all cherish that without restricting everyone that there is little we can do. If we are honest, we need to admit that our own domestic efforts to influence elections and the minds of voters is more of a danger than the outside influence, and it has been for a very long time. No matter our chosen sides, we must admit that the extreme amounts of monetary influence is an almost insurmountable problem be it corporate, elite insiders access or the birth of super pacts dark money flooding our politicians pockets which harbor more influence, without ever touching the hearts or minds of the average voter, the issues brought and paid for before any votes are taken.

Both sides need to at least consider campaign finance reforms to stop the flow of what are essentially monetary bribes to our political figures, but neither side are intrested in stopping that gravy train. Domestic influence in the form of media coverage is another danger which is quickly spinning out of control with misinformation, and dare I say it, collusion between the media and individual candidates whether it be skewered coverage, carefully worded polls, or exclusion of certain candidates ideas or accomplishments, if they don't report it, nobody will beware of it.

Proposals have been suggested to help address voter irregularities domestically but are considered racist by one side or the other. Voter ID laws are one step we could take. How the requirements of presenting a picture ID, the very same ID that must be presented to travel on a bus, an airline or train, the same that must be presented to enter any Federal building or the same ID that is presented to apply and recieve Federal assistance, how it is racist is beyond my personal comprehension I don't purport to know, but seems like a very common sense idea to at least tackle the problem at the polling place itself. Instead of 50 plus sets of laws and regulations which currently govern our election process, why not agree to one set of uniform laws and regulations to govern the process instead.

Instead of the rush toward electronic voting which can be manipulated at so many levels, why not stick with paper and pencil ballots, that which has us at this point? Oh, that's right, because its racist, especially if we do not print our ballots in as many as 11 different languages in some states. English is a requirement for citizenship, why is it not required to participate in the election process ? Interestingly enough, in one state ballots must be printed in Russian and this requirement is federal law. The time differences between each of our coast lines has long been an influence in our elections process, our media often declares winners before some have even participated in the voting process, a very strong influence over some, why vote or why vote for my guy when the other has already won.

Our own domestic influences are more dangerous to the democratic process of our elections than any outside agitators. You claim I don't care, but it's the real influencers that don't care, those whom spend two years writing a report and use that report to influence our votes against one side or the other instead of concrete steps, legislative action against all influence. It's a weapon that the real influencers use against the voting process, it is they that don't care as long as they continue to benefit by maintaining power and yes, influence. That is why we will not see any viable reforms as a result of what is essentially a double partisan effort in this report, whose only means is to maintain the status quo and their incredibly powerful influence over us all.

a reply to: Liquesence

The question is why did the previous administration do nothing to protect us.

a reply to: OccamsRazor04

They failed, for a few reasons (one being resources directed improperly, as noted in the OP and the report, not knowing the extent to which it was occurring, and another being this , and this).

That said, what does that have to do with failure to protect us now. Nothing.

a reply to: Liquesence

We will see what Trump does in the 2020 elections. This report is about 2016.

originally posted by: OccamsRazor04
a reply to: Liquesence

We will see what Trump does in the 2020 elections. This report is about 2016.

"Trump" won't do a thing. He needs to remain in power. This report is about the 2016 elections, and the current, ongoing effort by foreign entities to undermine our electoral process as mentioned by Mueller, the IC community, and others, and which few are doing anything about, as evident in the election security bills passed by the House on which McConnell will not allow a vote even as Russia is actively interfering. Why?

That is failure to even care about protecting us now. Why?

To show how evil and Anti-American our News Media is, only a few outlets reported this 2018 statement from Obama's Cyber chief, Michael Daniel.

WASHINGTON — The Obama White House’s chief cyber official testified Wednesday that proposals he was developing to counter Russia’s attack on the U.S. presidential election were put on a “back burner” after he was ordered to “stand down” his efforts in the summer of 2016.

Full Article at: www.yahoo.com...

Of course, NONE of the news media outlets/pundits are mentioning Obama's "stand down" order, when they're whining about probable Russian interference in the upcoming 2020 election.

ALSO, during a fall 2016 press briefing, a reporter asked President Obama what he was doing to fight Russia's attempts to hack into the U.S. election process. Obama's response: "I told them to cut it out!".

The News Media doesn't mention this either!

Maintsream Media = ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE (That's ALL OF US!)

Note: To this day, REPUBLICAN LEADERS are so afraid of being called "racist", very few of them have pointed out any of President Obama's negligence in the area of Russia meddling, or anything else for that matter.

a reply to: carewemust

What you're missing, or ignoring, is this:

Obama officials chose another course of action after becoming frustrated that Republican leaders on Capitol Hill would not endorse a bipartisan statement condemning Russian interference and fearful that any unilateral action by them would feed then candidate Donald Trump’s claims that the election was rigged.

While their course of action might not have been the best, they (the Obama admin) knew how it would be spun after going to Republican leadership (McConnell). Republican leadership didn't care that it was happening (and still don't care). Did they do the best or right thing, who knows, but they looked at the best possible course of action because they didn't want to be accused of trying to influence or rig the election themselves, by Trump and Co.

Maintsream Media = ENEMY OF THE PEOPLE

Nope, the press is the foundation of the First Amendment, you know, the Constitution.

Note: To this day, REPUBLICAN LEADERS are so afraid of being called "racist",

Note: Republican leaders are scared to put country first and stand up to Trump or Russian threats.