Indivisible

[H2O Man]

Two days ago, there was an OP/thread on DU:GDP that I found particularly important. It has to do with how the Russian military intelligence/ mafia can be expected to interfere with the 2020 elections. The discussion was started by a forum member who I have great respect for, and so I took a couple of minutes to add my two cents. Below is the OP/thread:

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1287&pid=549259

Because the general topic is one that has interested me for decades, and I've spent a good amount of time studying how outside forces attempt to infiltrate and disrupt various groups, I thought I'd expand on what I said on the previous thread. Those of my generation will certainly remember some of the examples I refer to – especially those who were active in the social-political movements of the 1960s and '70s.

It is important to be fully aware of how this will effect both the primary contests and the general election. The first thing, in my opinion, is to step back from the picture frame, to take an object look. Each one of our candidates is far, far superior to Donald Trump. More, no matter who is our eventual nominee, she/he will thoroughly defeat Trump in November, so long as we all vote for our ticket. Despite Russian and republican cheating, if we vote for the Democratic candidates at all levels, we will win the White House, keep the House, and very possibly take control of the Senate.

It's only if we fall for the divisive tricks of the Russians and republicans, that we risk defeat. Obviously, that is exactly why they invest so much energy in cheating. Foe even if they invested twice that effort in winning fairly, we would crush them in November. This is, for them, the best investment of resources.

While there will be similarities to 2016 in tactics, there will not need to be Russians meeting with Donald, Jr., at Trump Towers, or Roger Stone coordinating with Russians through shadowy cut-outs. There will not be one hundred-plus contacts between Trump's campaign and Russians. Rather, they know the model to best advance infiltrating and disrupting like a rat knows a maze it is familiar with.

Now, let's take a look at an example of this model. Please refer to pages 247 to 320 of your copy of “The Senate Watergate Report,” (Chapter 2: Campaign Tactics; Section 2: 1972 Campaign). This covers the CREEP operations commonly known as “rat-fucking,” the tactics of this maze. In this example, it is important to remember that this half of the operation is geared exclusively towards dividing the opposition, although the flip-side applies to uniting the base.

Before sending individuals to infiltrate and then disrupt the opposition, those in charge identify four factors: the opposition's biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds. Those four factors are necessary in order to effectively disrupt – “divide and conquer” – the target group. Proof of this is relatively found in every operation of this type, be it the historic examples of the CIA destabilizing foreign governments in the post-WW2 era, the FBI's programs against the Black Panthers and American Indian Movement in the 1960s – '70s, and in the political campaigns of republican presidential candidates, including Nixon and every republican candidate up until 2004, then again in 2016.

Those four factors are the “fault lines” that infiltrators seek to apply pressure upon to create the cracks of division. It goes beyond having a player in the media write bullshit about Senator Ed Muskie in the '72 primary. It was having plants in each of our candidate's campaigns, people who could not only copy important documents for CREEP, but also to pass on forged documents to turn one campaign against another. (In fairness, I admit I am not 100% objective about Muskie. He was my favorite politician in the 1970s, and I was honored to get to know him post-'72.)

Food for thought: how many groups are infiltrated? Watch Michael Moore's classic “Fahrenheit 9/11.” Focus on the scene with the “radical” cookies & milk anti-war group. This was simply to monitor the group, of course. Yet, I would imagine that many of us who have been involved in anti-war, environmental, and similar groups, have had experiences with infiltrators and agitators. In Native American work, for example, I learned to easily identify those who joined, sough positions, spread rumors, and advocated militant actions. I've had some adventures.

Next, it is essential to understand that while some parts of an operation are constant, the actual goal is unique to the situation at hand. In cases such as Malcolm X (killed 55 years ago yesterday), Fred Hampton, and Martin Luther King, they executed their goal in a manner distinct from disrupting the anti-war movement. In political campaigns, the goal is always divide and conquer. Yet, it would be an error to assume that the rat-fucking done in 1972 is exact to the Russian-republican operation of 2016 or 2020. The Senate Watergate Report quotes from Patrick Buchanan, who helped CREEP identify George McGovern as the most vulnerable candidate, for a variety of reasons, including polls.

Yet today, polls show that each of our potential candidate would defeat Trump. Thus, they have identified the biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds within the Democratic Party as the fault-lines that, under pressure, can divide our party. Again, the only way Trump might defeat the eventual candidate – no matter who it is – is to divide the Democratic Party. And the sad thing is that there is fertile ground within our party for them to sow the seeds of division. All one needs to do is read DU:GDP to easily identify those biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds.

It is possible to see how those same four factors are used to arouse and united the republican base, for their four most common shared features are their biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds. Obama was an atheist Muslim, born in Africa. Hillary Clinton wanted your shotgun. “Illegal immigrants” want not only your job, but to rape your wife and daughters. Democrats are socialist – all of them. Place a short fuse to a keg of ignorance, and republicans will support the lowest of low-lives, Donald Trump.

This, of course, brings us back to the less “hands-on” role that the Russian military intelligence/ mafia needs to play in 2020. They've trained thousands of rats to run the maze, to spread the disinformation and misinformation on the internet. And some of these same rats “join” a Democratic Party campaign to plant those seeds of division, to appeal to biases and prejudices, and to capitalize on the fears and hatreds of parts of our party. I will suggest that, for but one example, the nest of retired FBI agents – the same ones that fed Rudy G information to spread in 2016 – are busy doing this today.

Be aware! Be awake! And do not allow yourself to be drawn into foolish fights with other Democrats. Each one of our candidates represents a significant group of Democrats. We need every one of us to vote for the Democratic ticket in November. Let's keep our eyes on the prize.

Peace,
H2O Man

[Turin_C3PO]

1. Yes! Thank you.

It makes me sad to see so much fighting on this forum instead of promoting one’s favorite candidate. We won’t win if we’re divided and sadly, it’s looking like the agents of division are winning.

[H2O Man]

2. Thank you!

Every one of our candidates is solid. Each one would kick the stuffings out of Trump. The only way for Trump to win is by dividing us.

I like and respect all of our candidates, and will be proud to campaign for whoever heads the ticket this fall.

[burrowowl]

3. Good analysis

[H2O Man]

8. Thank you!

[PETRUS]

4. Thank you!

I was a bit young to really appreciate what was going on in 1972, but my household was always politically involved, two of my older siblings were activists in those years (and beyond), and my family has a vigorous oral tradition, so I've heard about it again and again.

We have an interesting group of candidates with a variety of strengths. Honestly, there's never been a politician about whom I don't have at least some reservations, and in previous years I haven't been shy about detailing my misgivings but I'm trying to avoid dwelling on or sharing any negative thoughts this time around. I have a couple of favorites, but I can think of good things to say about my third and fourth choices, etc., and I've been trying to do that when it's appropriate.

So much is on the line, and there's no reason everyone who is here on DU in good faith can't pull together when it's time to do that. In fact, I think we can and should start pulling together now.

[H2O Man]

9. I agree 100%

It's time to place far more focus on what unites us in purpose, rather than argue about the minor differences. Come November, we will definitely need the support and talents of everyone, no matter which candidate they may support now.

[ancianita]

5. Helpful, thorough guide to the forces we can unite against no matter our differences. Thank you.

Support doesn't necessitate agreement.

Mutual support builds unity.

Unity builds Win Power, which is the goal.

After we win, we keep to unity.

Unity is democratic; everybody in, nobody out, rule of law.

Uniformity is anti-democratic; loyalty, obedience, purges of difference; rule of men.

[H2O Man]

10. Very good!

We are all in this together.

[KPN]

6. Great post! Thank you.

[H2O Man]

12. Thanks!

[voteearlyvoteoften]

7. Knr

[H2O Man]

13. Thank you!

[Uncle Joe]

11. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread H2O Man.

[H2O Man]

14. Thanks, Uncle Joe!

[JudyM]

15. Powerful read. Here are my highlights...

For folks who might want highlights of the above (please come back later to read in its entirety), I’m pulling out these concepts:

It's only if we fall for the divisive tricks of the Russians and republicans, that we risk defeat. Obviously, that is exactly why they invest so much energy in cheating. Foe even if they invested twice that effort in winning fairly, we would crush them in November. This is, for them, the best investment of resources. ...

Before sending individuals to infiltrate and then disrupt the opposition, those in charge identify four factors: the opposition's biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds. Those four factors are necessary in order to effectively disrupt – “divide and conquer” – the target group. Proof of this is relatively found in every operation of this type...

Those four factors are the “fault lines” that infiltrators seek to apply pressure upon to create the cracks of division. It's only if we fall for the divisive tricks of the Russians and republicans, that we risk defeat. Obviously, that is exactly why they invest so much energy in cheating. Foe even if they invested twice that effort in winning fairly, we would crush them in November. This is, for them, the best investment of resources. ...

Yet today, polls show that each of our potential candidate would defeat Trump. Thus, they have identified the biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds within the Democratic Party as the fault-lines that, under pressure, can divide our party. Again, the only way Trump might defeat the eventual candidate – no matter who it is – is to divide the Democratic Party. And the sad thing is that there is fertile ground within our party for them to sow the seeds of division. All one needs to do is read DU:GDP to easily identify those biases, prejudices, fears, and hatreds.

[H2O Man]

16. Thank you, JudyM

I think it is a topic that deserves more discussion on this forum.

[JudyM]

17. I added the link to this OP to your linked comment in the other thread. Necessary awareness,

valuable pondering.

I hope you will continue to post this concept in divisive threads as you see fit.

[H2O Man]

18. Thank you!

Much appreciated!