Prigozhin was the one financing and directing the Russian troll farm disinformation enterprise and election interference to get Trump elected over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Another good summary analysis of what just happened (love Robert's title to tonight's newsletter!) is by Timothy Snyder:
Dr. Snyder has noted that Prigozhin is war lord, not a politician.
The observations about the apathy of Russian citizens and alerts to parallel apathy of voters here in the US are echoed by Jay Rosen on Twitter: @jayrosen_nyu. One of his commenters posted an apt cartoon:
Republicans’ and autocrats’ efforts to make attention to democracy pointless—and how to reframe and fix it by engaging voters—is also the point of the new book Saving Democracy: A Users Manual for Every American by David Pepper:
The cognitive dissonance in the right-wing media never ceases to amaze. Joe Biden suffers from dementia and can't dress himself. But wait! He has masterminded a coup attempt in Russia to distract from his son's legal issues. (Insert SMH emoji here.)
Jun 26, 2023·edited Jun 26, 2023Liked by Robert B. Hubbell
As long as we are quoting Winston Churchill...he countered in The House of Lords to an opposition member, "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." Surely, this can easily be applied to not only "he who would be king" but sadly to the whole of the Republican Party. They were once known for criticizing the Dems for being negative about America and its future. They claimed themselves to be the party of "positive" - the economy will grow, the middle class will prosper, equality will flourish as wealth is spread among the deserving, we will no longer need to support an underclass - while also claiming, upon election to office - to de-fund food stamps; reduce funding to the VA; create a human embargo against immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S...and on and on.
"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up", so said Paul Keating. An equally apt reference to Kevin McCarthy and his band of legislative merrymakers. Quivering charlatans who are playing with the stanchions of the very democratic system that gives permission for venal hobnobs to outdo one another with games of circular volley fire trying to out-impress their leader."Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." We await that day, the day the frauds, cheats and con artists, and that is meant literally, have finally had their day and are summarily sent home. And, when the American people achieve this, as Mark Twain said on the passing of a critic, "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it."
Thank-you again for this letter which is chock full’o information.I have a friend who is very knowledgeable and maybe a bit prescient.She called the 2016 election for Trump.I have been afraid to ask her what she thinks about 2024 but got up my nerve and did just that yesterday.She thinks the younger generation is most likely going to save us.She also stated that the only way Trump could come out victorious is for our mainstream media to keep pounding on Biden’s age and their take on his senility.Trump is only 3 years younger but you never hear the media address this.I try to not watch and listen to CNN,CBS, NBC and the rest of the media ilk but when I hear snippets of what they are fomenting ,it makes my blood boil.
I just wanted to add two additional well reasoned and written takes on Russia (see below). Bill Kristol recommended them and I found them really helpful.
One paragraph from Timothy Snyder’s stood out about w biggest threat of all-apathy.
“The euphoria suggests to me that some Russians are ready to be ruled by a different exploitative regime. The apathy indicates that most Russians at this point just take for granted that they will be ruled by the gangster with the most guns”
We are a different country with a different history, but apathy is always the enemy of democracy. So. Instead of taking the route of “not talking about politics or religion” to be polite, this moment demands polite and civil engagement with our fellow citizens about our moment of disinformation and the dangers of autocracy. On this week of the anniversary of the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and the Dobbs decision, what is at stake is very clear to us. We need to make it clear to those who aren’t paying attention.
I wish that some of these conspiracy theorists would stop spreading wild stories. Someone must bring MTG under control. This stupid woman has no idea the damage that she does.
Thank you for your observations on Bartiromo. The MAGA folks seem to have no bottom. There seems to be no end of crazy they can spew, because the crazy is really hate in disguise. I've known genuinely crazy people, and many are the salt of the earth. Trump didn't create, but unleashed the tsunami of hatred & bigotry that has always been a part of our societal DNA. And that has always been pervasive in character disordered, not crazy, individuals.
This may sound crazy—but I s there any chance that Putin and Lukashenko have conspired to neutralize Prigozhin? For all anyone knows, Prigozhin could be in prison in Belarus. Promises of amnesty are pretty worthless coming from Putin, and Lukashenko will do his bidding. I guess we’ll all learn soon enough.
Robert, I am very impressed with your mechanical skills. Who builds swing sets from scratch? No kit? Any chance you made a YouTube video? There are a couple of generations who could be impressed that such things are possible :)
Today’s is perhaps my favorite edition of your newsletter, Robert, especially the first two paragraphs, which are masterful. It is good to reflect with Shakespeare upon the vanity and futility of absolute power—we need more poetry in our schools and in our lives. Never have human pretensions looked more futile and deadly.
Judge Luttig’s comments are right on and based on Trump’s performance and illegal acts he has lost a large number of Independents and normal Republicans. The battle in 2024 will be about turnout especially Generation Z and people of color and issues around abortion first and the loss of personal freedoms and the economy. Biden has a proven record of accomplishments and Republicans have a proven record of unrestrained chaos and deception. The key is not to forget or ignore down ballot candidates and state legislator candidates to protect our freedom. We are building momentum and accountability and voters inherently know that.
Notes on the Russian insurrection by Prigozhin:
Prigozhin was the one financing and directing the Russian troll farm disinformation enterprise and election interference to get Trump elected over Hillary Clinton in 2016.
Another good summary analysis of what just happened (love Robert's title to tonight's newsletter!) is by Timothy Snyder:
https://open.substack.com/pub/snyder/p/prigozhins-march-on-moscow?r=6pp8t&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=email
Dr. Snyder has noted that Prigozhin is war lord, not a politician.
The observations about the apathy of Russian citizens and alerts to parallel apathy of voters here in the US are echoed by Jay Rosen on Twitter: @jayrosen_nyu. One of his commenters posted an apt cartoon:
https://twitter.com/PatrickAlt4/status/1673063358893813761?s=20
Republicans’ and autocrats’ efforts to make attention to democracy pointless—and how to reframe and fix it by engaging voters—is also the point of the new book Saving Democracy: A Users Manual for Every American by David Pepper:
https://bookshop.org/p/books/saving-democracy-a-user-s-manual-for-every-american-david-pepper/20075262
How can each of us scale up our footprint to help save democracy?
As Winston Churchill noted in 1939, "Russia is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma."
Some. Things. Never. Change.
The paragraph concerning the Fox infopainment clearly withstood the scrutiny of your editor-in-chief and is well spoken.
Spend the weekend being grandpa.
😉
The cognitive dissonance in the right-wing media never ceases to amaze. Joe Biden suffers from dementia and can't dress himself. But wait! He has masterminded a coup attempt in Russia to distract from his son's legal issues. (Insert SMH emoji here.)
As long as we are quoting Winston Churchill...he countered in The House of Lords to an opposition member, "He has all the virtues I dislike and none of the vices I admire." Surely, this can easily be applied to not only "he who would be king" but sadly to the whole of the Republican Party. They were once known for criticizing the Dems for being negative about America and its future. They claimed themselves to be the party of "positive" - the economy will grow, the middle class will prosper, equality will flourish as wealth is spread among the deserving, we will no longer need to support an underclass - while also claiming, upon election to office - to de-fund food stamps; reduce funding to the VA; create a human embargo against immigrants seeking asylum in the U.S...and on and on.
"He is simply a shiver looking for a spine to run up", so said Paul Keating. An equally apt reference to Kevin McCarthy and his band of legislative merrymakers. Quivering charlatans who are playing with the stanchions of the very democratic system that gives permission for venal hobnobs to outdo one another with games of circular volley fire trying to out-impress their leader."Some cause happiness wherever they go; others, whenever they go." We await that day, the day the frauds, cheats and con artists, and that is meant literally, have finally had their day and are summarily sent home. And, when the American people achieve this, as Mark Twain said on the passing of a critic, "I didn't attend the funeral, but I sent a nice letter saying I approved of it."
Thank-you again for this letter which is chock full’o information.I have a friend who is very knowledgeable and maybe a bit prescient.She called the 2016 election for Trump.I have been afraid to ask her what she thinks about 2024 but got up my nerve and did just that yesterday.She thinks the younger generation is most likely going to save us.She also stated that the only way Trump could come out victorious is for our mainstream media to keep pounding on Biden’s age and their take on his senility.Trump is only 3 years younger but you never hear the media address this.I try to not watch and listen to CNN,CBS, NBC and the rest of the media ilk but when I hear snippets of what they are fomenting ,it makes my blood boil.
I just wanted to add two additional well reasoned and written takes on Russia (see below). Bill Kristol recommended them and I found them really helpful.
One paragraph from Timothy Snyder’s stood out about w biggest threat of all-apathy.
“The euphoria suggests to me that some Russians are ready to be ruled by a different exploitative regime. The apathy indicates that most Russians at this point just take for granted that they will be ruled by the gangster with the most guns”
We are a different country with a different history, but apathy is always the enemy of democracy. So. Instead of taking the route of “not talking about politics or religion” to be polite, this moment demands polite and civil engagement with our fellow citizens about our moment of disinformation and the dangers of autocracy. On this week of the anniversary of the gutting of the Voting Rights Act and the Dobbs decision, what is at stake is very clear to us. We need to make it clear to those who aren’t paying attention.
--------
https://snyder.substack.com/p/prigozhins-march-on-moscow
https://samf.substack.com/p/that-was-the-coup-that-was
Thanks for this news roundup and especially for the Shakespeare!
I wish that some of these conspiracy theorists would stop spreading wild stories. Someone must bring MTG under control. This stupid woman has no idea the damage that she does.
Thank you for your observations on Bartiromo. The MAGA folks seem to have no bottom. There seems to be no end of crazy they can spew, because the crazy is really hate in disguise. I've known genuinely crazy people, and many are the salt of the earth. Trump didn't create, but unleashed the tsunami of hatred & bigotry that has always been a part of our societal DNA. And that has always been pervasive in character disordered, not crazy, individuals.
This may sound crazy—but I s there any chance that Putin and Lukashenko have conspired to neutralize Prigozhin? For all anyone knows, Prigozhin could be in prison in Belarus. Promises of amnesty are pretty worthless coming from Putin, and Lukashenko will do his bidding. I guess we’ll all learn soon enough.
Sounds like the swingset will be here for your grandkids' kids. Enjoy them and have a great week.
Thank you for this newsletter.
Robert, I am very impressed with your mechanical skills. Who builds swing sets from scratch? No kit? Any chance you made a YouTube video? There are a couple of generations who could be impressed that such things are possible :)
Today’s is perhaps my favorite edition of your newsletter, Robert, especially the first two paragraphs, which are masterful. It is good to reflect with Shakespeare upon the vanity and futility of absolute power—we need more poetry in our schools and in our lives. Never have human pretensions looked more futile and deadly.
Judge Luttig’s comments are right on and based on Trump’s performance and illegal acts he has lost a large number of Independents and normal Republicans. The battle in 2024 will be about turnout especially Generation Z and people of color and issues around abortion first and the loss of personal freedoms and the economy. Biden has a proven record of accomplishments and Republicans have a proven record of unrestrained chaos and deception. The key is not to forget or ignore down ballot candidates and state legislator candidates to protect our freedom. We are building momentum and accountability and voters inherently know that.