Obama Ignores Evidence That the Russians Didn't Hack the DNC

[Running Gator]

5 minutes ago, Steve_S said:

Okay, so then wikileaks is comparable to just taking their friends car to the grocery store often, without permission, while the mainstream media is guilty of just doing it occasionally. It being the same offense requires there to be a direct equivalency drawn in the offense, intellectually speaking, just not the frequency. Otherwise, it's all irrelevant and nobody is a fence, car thief, jaywalker, or murderer. 

Not so.  Wikileaks has no legitimate purpose, all they do is trade in stolen merchandise, like the guy that steals 7 cars a week.  Other new agencies have a legitimate purpose out of the occasional taking of the car to make a grocery run. 

You are also ignoring that frequency matters. 

[Steve_S]

2 minutes ago, Out of the Shadows said:

Not so.  Wikileaks has not legitimate purpose, all they do is trade in stolen merchandise, like the guy that steals 7 cars a week.  Other new agencies have a legitimate purpose out of the occasional taking of the car to make a grocery run. 

You are also ignoring that frequency matters. 

Just so you know, my kid spit up when i read your post, so i think he agrees with me! lol

But anyway, I disagree. Trading in stolen merchandise out of the back room of your storefront is going to get you in just as much trouble as doing it from an abandoned warehouse. Justice is blind on that sort of thing. If the cops can prove that the guy out of the warehouse does it more often with more merchandise, he will have more charges, but he will nonetheless be charged with the exact same things.

[Running Gator]

Just now, Steve_S said:

Just so you know, my kid spit up when i read your post, so i think he agrees with me! lol

But anyway, I disagree. Trading in stolen merchandise out of the back room of your storefront is going to get you in just as much trouble as doing it from an abandoned warehouse. Justice is blind on that sort of thing. If the cops can prove that the guy out of the warehouse does it more often with more merchandise, he will have more charges, but he will nonetheless be charged with the exact same things.

Let's try this example.  

Person A goes to work every day and once a month or so they take a pen home from work.  They know they shouldn't, but they do it anyhow.

Person B goes to work every day and every day they take home a box of pens.  They know they shouldn't, but do not really care as that is the only reason they are going to work.

The company finds out about both of these people, do you believe they will be viewed the same or receive the same consequences for their actions?

[Steve_S]

2 minutes ago, Out of the Shadows said:

Let's try this example.  

Person A goes to work every day and once a month or so they take a pen home from work.  They know they shouldn't, but they do it anyhow.

Person B goes to work every day and every day they take home a box of pens.  They know they shouldn't, but do not really care as that is the only reason they are going to work.

The company finds out about both of these people, do you believe they will be viewed the same or receive the same consequences for their actions?

I don't think this is a reasonable example. You compared this to fencing, a much more serious offense than this. If a guy were going to work and stealing a computer every day versus a computer every month, would the consequences be different?

[other one]

45 minutes ago, Steve_S said:

Russia knows what a lot of others know, including Israel, that they just have to wait obama out. The administration knows they know this and I would be shocked if it wasn't irksome. They are probably gonna do a lot more between now and the 20th and there are no absolute guarantees that trump will be favorable to israel in the long term or that he will be able to hammer out some sort of reconciliation with russia. I do know this, though, there is nothing the current administration can really do to affect any of that in the future once they are out of office. Their biggest would-be sledgehammer, the media, is something trump doesn't care about and neither do his supporters.

The democrats are defending 25 seats in 2018 and 10 of those are winnable. Having protracted floor fights against trump over the very policies that he ran on is not going to endear his constituency to the democratic candidates in the 10 states that he won in which they have to defend seats. Schumer is no fool and he's not the ideologue harry reid is. I would be mildly shocked if he didn't come to the table on some things.

Just included tagged onto the NDAA that Obama signed into law last Friday:::::::

 

Text: H.R.5181 — 114th Congress (2015-2016)All Bill Information (Except Text)

There is one version of the bill.

Text available as:

• XML/HTML
• XML/HTML (new window)
• TXT
• PDF (PDF provides a complete and accurate display of this text.) Tip?

Shown Here:
Introduced in House (05/10/2016)

 

114th CONGRESS 2d Session

H. R. 5181

 

To counter foreign disinformation and propaganda, and for other purposes.

---

IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

May 10, 2016

Mr. Kinzinger of Illinois (for himself, Mr. Ted Lieu of California, Mr. Fitzpatrick, Mr. Lipinski, Mr. Lamborn, Mr. Takai, Mr. Young of Indiana, Mr. Cicilline, Ms. Stefanik, Mr. Quigley, Mr. Guthrie, and Mr. Brendan F. Boyle of Pennsylvania) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs

---

A BILL

To counter foreign disinformation and propaganda, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,

SECTION 1. Short title.

This Act may be cited as the “Countering Foreign Propaganda and Disinformation Act of 2016”.

SEC. 2. Sense of Congress.

It is the sense of Congress that—

(1) foreign governments, including the Governments of the Russian Federation and the People’s Republic of China, use disinformation and other propaganda tools to undermine the national security objectives of the United States and key allies and partners;

(2) the Russian Federation, in particular, has conducted sophisticated and large-scale disinformation campaigns that have sought to have a destabilizing effect on United States allies and interests;

(3) in the last decade disinformation has increasingly become a key feature of the Government of the Russian Federation’s pursuit of political, economic, and military objectives in Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, the Balkans, and throughout Central and Eastern Europe;

(4) the challenge of countering disinformation extends beyond effective strategic communications and public diplomacy, requiring a whole-of-government approach leveraging all elements of national power;

(5) the United States Government should develop a comprehensive strategy to counter foreign disinformation and propaganda and assert leadership in developing a fact-based strategic narrative; and

(6) an important element of this strategy should be to protect and promote a free, healthy, and independent press in countries vulnerable to foreign disinformation.

SEC. 3. Center for Information Analysis and Response.

 

(a) Establishment.—Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and other relevant departments and agencies, establish a Center for Information Analysis and Response (in this section referred to as the “Center”). The purposes of the Center are—

(1) to lead and coordinate the collection and analysis of information on foreign government information warfare efforts, including information provided by recipients of information access fund grants awarded under subsection (e) and other sources;

(2) to establish a framework for the integration of critical data and analysis on foreign propaganda and disinformation efforts into the development of national strategy; and

(3) to develop, plan, and synchronize, in coordination with the Secretary of Defense, the Director of National Intelligence, the Broadcasting Board of Governors, and other relevant departments and agencies, whole-of-government initiatives to expose and counter foreign information operations directed against United States national security interests and proactively advance fact-based narratives that support United States allies and interests.

(b) Functions.—The Center shall carry out the following functions:

(1) Integrating interagency efforts to track and evaluate counterfactual narratives abroad that threaten the national security interests of the United States and United States allies.

(2) Collecting, integrating, and analyzing relevant information, including intelligence reporting, data, analysis, and analytics from United States Government agencies, allied nations, think-tanks, academic institutions, civil society groups, and other nongovernmental organizations.

(3) Developing and disseminating fact-based narratives and analysis to counter propaganda and disinformation directed at United States allies and partners.

(4) Identifying current and emerging trends in foreign propaganda and disinformation, including the use of print, broadcast, online and social media, support for third-party outlets such as think tanks, political parties, and nongovernmental organizations, and the use of covert or clandestine special operators and agents to influence targeted populations and governments in order to coordinate and shape the development of tactics, techniques, and procedures to expose and refute foreign misinformation and disinformation and proactively promote fact-based narratives and policies to audiences outside the United States.

(5) Facilitating the use of a wide range of technologies and techniques by sharing expertise among agencies, seeking expertise from external sources, and implementing best practices.

(6) Identifying gaps in United States capabilities in areas relevant to the Center’s mission and recommending necessary enhancements or changes.

(7) Identifying the countries and populations most susceptible to foreign government propaganda and disinformation.

(8) Administering the information access fund established pursuant to subsection (e).

(9) Coordinating with allied and partner nations, particularly those frequently targeted by foreign disinformation operations, and international organizations and entities such as the NATO Center of Excellence on Strategic Communications, the European Endowment for Democracy, and the European External Action Service Task Force on Strategic Communications, in order to amplify the Center’s efforts and avoid duplication.

(c) Composition.—

(1) COORDINATOR.—The Secretary of State shall appoint a full-time Coordinator to lead the Center.

(2) STEERING COMMITTEE.—

(A) COMPOSITION.—The Secretary of State shall establish a Steering Committee composed of senior representatives of agencies relevant to the Center’s mission to provide advice to the Secretary on the operations and strategic orientation of the Center and to ensure adequate support for the Center. The Steering Committee shall include the officials set forth in subparagraph (C), one senior representative designated by the Secretary of Defense, the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Director of National Intelligence, the Administrator of the United States Agency for International Development, and the Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors.

(B) MEETINGS.—The Steering Committee shall meet not less than every 3 months.

(C) CHAIRMAN AND VICE CHAIRMEN.—The Steering Committee shall be chaired by the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs. A senior, Secretary of State-designated official responsible for digital media programming for foreign audiences and a senior, Secretary of Defense-designated official responsible for information operations shall serve as co-Vice Chairmen.

(D) EXECUTIVE SECRETARY.—The Coordinator of the Center shall serve as Executive Secretary of the Steering Committee.

(E) PARTICIPATION AND INDEPENDENCE.—The Chairman of the Broadcasting Board of Governors shall not compromise the journalistic freedom or integrity of relevant media organizations. Other Federal agencies may be invited to participate in the Steering Committee at the discretion of the Chairman of the Steering Committee and with the consent of the Secretary of State.

(d) Staff.—

(1) IN GENERAL.—The Chairman may, with the consent of the Secretary and without regard to the civil service laws and regulations, appoint and terminate a Director and such other additional personnel as may be necessary to enable the Center to carry out its functions. The employment of the Director shall be subject to confirmation by the Steering Committee.

(2) COMPENSATION.—The Chairman may fix the compensation of the Director and other personnel without regard to chapter 51 and subchapter III of chapter 53 of title 5, United States Code, relating to classification of positions and General Schedule pay rates, except that the rate of pay for the executive director and other personnel may not exceed the rate payable for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that title.

(3) DETAIL OF GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEES.—Any Federal Government employee may be detailed to the Center without reimbursement, and such detail shall be without interruption or loss of civil service status or privilege.

(4) PROCUREMENT OF TEMPORARY AND INTERMITTENT SERVICES.—The Chairman may procure temporary and intermittent services under section 3109(b) of title 5, United States Code, at rates for individuals which do not exceed the daily equivalent of the annual rate of basic pay prescribed for level V of the Executive Schedule under section 5316 of that title.

(e) Information access fund.—

(1) AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.—There is authorized to be appropriated to the Secretary of State for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 $20,000,000 to support the Center and provide grants or contracts of financial support to civil society groups, journalists, nongovernmental organizations, federally funded research and development centers, private companies, or academic institutions for the following purposes:

(A) To support local independent media who are best placed to refute foreign disinformation and manipulation in their own communities.

(B) To collect and store examples in print, online, and social media, disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda directed at the United States and its allies and partners.

(C) To analyze tactics, techniques, and procedures of foreign government information warfare with respect to disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda.

(D) To support efforts by the Center to counter efforts by foreign governments to use disinformation, misinformation, and propaganda to influence the policies and social and political stability of the United States and United States allies and partners.

(2) FUNDING AVAILABILITY AND LIMITATIONS.—All organizations that apply to receive funds under this subsection must undergo a vetting process in accordance with the relevant existing regulations to ensure their bona fides, capability, and experience, and their compatibility with United States interests and objectives.

SEC. 4. Inclusion in Department of State education and cultural exchange programs of foreign students and community leaders from countries and populations susceptible to foreign manipulation.

When selecting participants for United States educational and cultural exchange programs, the Secretary of State shall give special consideration to students and community leaders from populations and countries the Secretary deems vulnerable to foreign propaganda and disinformation campaigns.

SEC. 5. Reports.

Not more than one year after the establishment of the Center, the Secretary of State shall submit to Congress a report evaluating the success of the Center in fulfilling the purposes for which it was authorized and outlining steps to improve any areas of deficiency.

SEC. 6. Termination of Center and Steering Committee.

The Center for Information Analysis and Response and the Steering Committee shall terminate ten years after the date of the enactment of this Act.

---

[other one]

our own intelligence people will be able to come down on anyone they consider not being truthful in the Media.....

What is truthful.....   well they get to decide that for themselves.....   

[ayin jade]

21 minutes ago, other one said:

our own intelligence people will be able to come down on anyone they consider not being truthful in the Media.....

What is truthful.....   well they get to decide that for themselves.....   

I would love to know who voted for this.

[Running Gator]

1 hour ago, ayin jade said:

I would love to know who voted for this.

Pretty much everyone.  Passed the Senate 92-7. 4 Dems, 1 Ind and 2 Repbs voted against it. 

Here are the no votes...

Gillibrand (D-NY) Lee (R-UT) Markey (D-MA)

Merkley (D-OR) Paul (R-KY) Sanders (I-VT)

Wyden (D-OR)

[Churchmouse]

2 hours ago, Out of the Shadows said:

A fence receives stolen goods and redistributes them to legitimate sources.  That is exactly what Assange and Wikileaks does. 

No it doesn't. it releases information attained in order to attack the parties it is directed at.

 

You really need to wake up and come off this partisan mindset because what is happening is far broader than you realize. This has nothing to do with Trump, Putin or the Republican party. This took out more than just Hillary Clinton, This took out the entire top of the DNC and when a flunky was installed after Debbie Wasserman Schultz stepped down she was taken out in a very short time.

 

Stop looking where the puttetmasters are directing you or you'll have your entire party taken out from under you! This is not about the right. This is about the heart and soul of The Democratic Party and the leaks were orchestrated by the far left because Hillary Clinton was far left enough. She wasn't their candidate. Sanders wasn't even that far left, but he was far more left than Hillary ever was.  President Obama took this counrty as far to the left as he could. Do you really think that the far left wanted a fostel of the ninties to head the party when they had Sanders setting there, who was even farther left than Hillary?

 

The issue was the top of the DNC wanted Hillary and guess who was taken out along with Hillary? Everyone of influence that wanted her.  You really have to look at how the world looks at the Democrats in our country. They think the entire country is too far to the right and to them, The Democratic party in America is simply Republican lite.  Believe me, more things are going on in the background that Putin, whose probably hasn't had nothing to do with this, what-o-ever.

[other one]

1 hour ago, ayin jade said:

I would love to know who voted for this.

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/114-2016/h600     for the NDAA in the house

https://www.govtrack.us/congress/votes/114-2016/s159  in the Senate.                  

But the problem is, did they know this was attached to the bill.   I say they should have...