A Republic of Ignorance – USA Gov Policy

The most contentious debates in American politics are not between Republicans and Democrats, or liberals and conservatives. Increasingly, they are amongst those who have a practical command of facts and those blinded by ideology.

The unprecedented rise to prominence of significant elected officials, overwhelmingly on the left, who have rejected, or are unaware, of facts and factual arguments is extraordinary.

The popular new faces in national politics, including individuals such as New York City’s Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio Cortez and Presidential wannabe Beto O’Rourke, have clearly, almost proudly, headlined their ignorance, and paid no penalty for it.

Rep. Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) has argued that “Unemployment is low because everyone has two jobs.” In a recent interview, O’Rourke failed to provide any substantive responses to almost every question put to him. Both, however, are considered rising stars on the left. A fawning press has declined to criticize them.

Facilitating this trend towards low-density knowledge is the choice of forums by “progressive” elected officials and candidates. New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand Announced her 2020 Presidential Run on theStephen Colbert program. A Pew Research study found that a significant portion of Americans get their news from non-news sources, particularly comedy and entertainment television programs. A Harvard Crimson analysis found that “Political satire outlets have risen in popularity considerably in recent years…This meteoric rise has led scholars and laymen alike to question the impact humorous news outlets have on politics… political satire chooses reports based on comedic value, which—instead of deviating from essential information… some have argued that political satire encourages cynicism, trivializes politics, and promotes a narrow point of view (stemming from the predominantly liberal leanings of most political satirists and comedians).”

Factual recognition of the number of the key challenges facing the United States should be beyond the realm of debate, even if the solutions to those issues are contentious. Unfortunately, the rejection of reality and the promotion of style over substance has become a hallmark of the left. Consider:

Correctly case study advocates that will getting rid of this erectile brokenness with sildenafil prices may have the individuals extra asked to agree to their particular pharmaceutical drugs without the pressure with troublesome their particular issue with erectile brokenness. We can gamble for hours having won a little or lost a lot, while also being home to tuck the kids in and http://deeprootsmag.org/tag/verne-hillie/ viagra sale australia read a bedtime story. The accessibility of masters in higher numbers guarantees for buy viagra online better health advantages as it is still fundamental for individuals to get along with and get ahead of others become dominant themes in life. Kamagra tablets are generic version of continue reading this link on line levitra widely taken by males who have been suffering from moderate, mild and severe erectile dysfunction.

The Russians and the Chinese have massively increased the strength of their armed forces, even while, during the Obama Administration, the U.S. cut back its military. The increased aggressiveness of both of those nations is blatant. The threat is real and undeniable. Nevertheless, it is a mantra on the left that the Pentagon’s budget should be cut.

The commission of serious crimes by illegal aliens and the high costs from social services provided to them is real. The Democrats have made opposition to measures preventing unlawful border crossings a central tenet of their beliefs. Many endorse granting voting rights in local elections and issuing drivers licenses to illegals.

The nation labors under $21 trillion in debt, with more added each second. Yet, overtly unaffordable concepts such as “Medicare for all” and free college tuition are essential parts of the leftist platform.

Despite significant and clear-cut evidence that increasing the minimum wage results in job loss, the concept is overwhelmingly endorsed by Democrats.

Socialist economics have ruined every nation in which they have been attempted, Venezuela being merely the latest example. However, the institution of socialist policies is now the hottest trend in left-wing politics. There has been little mention of its century-long history of failure in just about every type of environment.

Several decades ago, then-Vice President Dan Quayle misspelled “potato” and became a national laughingstock, despite his significant intellect.

With disturbing frequency, campaigns are being decided not on considerations of which candidate offers the more viable solutions, but on which contender is more “cool.” These contests are beginning to resemble high school elections for prom king and queen more than traditional elections. A leftist-oriented media, eager to avoid serious consideration of the failure of leftist ideology, is all to eager to encourage this.

Quick Analysis

Russia Expanding Aggression

President Putin is using more than one pathway to enter Europe and undermine the West. While most of the world watches the conflict he initiated in Ukraine, the Russian government is actively pursuing a second front in a little noticed campaign in Cyprus. Although the corrupt Cypriot government ended its issuance of “golden passports” in 2020, Russian intelligence is functioning quietly there to transform this EU country into a Russian beachhead of illicit economic activity aimed at penetrating the capitalist West, according to Paul Goble of the Jamestown Foundation. Cyprus is not a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) nor does it receive as much attention as those countries who are member states. That adds to its allure as a prime location for Russia to attempt to gain a European foothold. Last week a NATO report, cited in the European Daily Monitor, noted that Russian intelligence agents have been plotting to destroy European infrastructure across the continent to disrupt states supporting Ukraine. It further suggests that Putin’s immediate goal is to lay the framework for a future move against the security organization’s members. Hungary, in particular, is another country garnering Moscow’s attention as it opposes the Western response to Russian aggression. Russia is focusing its intelligence efforts on other European, non-NATO member countries in addition to Cyprus, including Austria, Malta, and Ireland. The NATO report suggests that Moscow has had success in disseminating the Russian political narrative in these states to advance its campaign against the West. The island of Cyprus is proving to be a good target for Moscow as it is an ethnically divided island that is part of the EU since 2004. Northern Cyprus, officially called the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), is a de facto state that is only recognized by Turkey. The division precludes it from joining NATO. As Goble suggests, “it offers Russia troubled waters in which to fish.” Over the last 20 years, he points out, Cyprus’ challenges have opened it to a massive influx of Russian citizens, who now comprise approximately 10 percent of the island state’s population. Over 2,900 residents are Russians who entered until the “golden passport” program that allowed wealthy or well-connected Russians to move to Cyprus. It also provided them with documentation to travel freely throughout Europe! Although less visible on the world’s radar than the war in Ukraine, Moscow is also being helped by Cyprus’ banks opposition to seizing Russian assets and its support in evading Western sanctions. Russia has placed tens of billions of US Dollars there for money laundering. It has been more than two years since a single Russian “diplomat” has been deported and, in fact, the Embassy has grown to over 300 staffers on this tiny island state of only 1.2 million people. The Russian embassy in Nicosia has advanced communications antennae on its roof and opened a consulate on the northern end of the island. Moscow’s Ambassador, Mura Zyazikov, is a lieutenant general in the FSB with no diplomatic experience. The FSB, SVR (Russia’s Foreign Intelligence Service), and GRU are actively using the island as a base of operations against NATO Member states, Israel, and other Western allies. Moscow backs pro-Russian political parties who in turn influence Cypriot decisions on education, language, and other issues. “Dmitry Khmelnitsky of the Dossier Center says that its findings should be of concern not only to Cyprus but to the West as a whole. Those who ignore what Moscow is doing because Cyprus does not follow the EU sanctions regime are missing something critical,” says Goble. “Cyprus does not seek to get rid of Russian agents and does not interfere with their work,” Khmelnitsky concludes, “despite the fact that what the Kremlin is doing is so clearly visible.” This has an impact not only on the small island but on the EU, NATO, and the West in general. Earlier this year the Moscow Times reported that when the FBI became more interested in Russian business and oligarchs in Cyprus, at least 10 of the major Russian businesses operating there left. Despite the government of Cyprus’ vow to implement plans for new sanctions against Russia, it continues to ignore Putin’s atrocities in Ukraine and to shield the wealth of the 50,000 wealthy Russian citizens and oligarchs residing there. Daria Novak served in the U.S. State Dept. Illustration: Pixabay