The Russian Hack

Thursday, June 29, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

For the next meeting, we will return to the Russian Hack of the 2016 presidential election. Earlier this months, new leaks revealed that several state election sites were under attack, and last Friday the Washington Post published new information on how Obama responded to the attack. Here are the videos for the meeting:

• The Trump Administration Gets A 'Reality' Check
• Jeh Johnson testifies his offers to protect voting systems were ignored
• Inside Obama’s secret struggle to punish Russia
• Ex-Obama official to WaPo: We choked on Russia
• Trump criticizes Obama over handling of Russia election hack

------------------------------------ Updated 6/29/17 ---------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• Punishment Urged for Russian Election Hacking
• How (and why) Russia hacked the US election
• The rise of Vladimir Putin

Elections Here and There

Thursday, June 22, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

This year we have all learned that elections truly have consequences. Trump definitely knows this and can't stop talking about his election victory. But other elections, here and abroad, have had impacts of their own. Elections in the UK, France and South Korea have all had major consequences that are still playing out. We are also aware of that special Congressional elections in this country can for shadow the 2018 midterms.

As of this writing, the most expensive Congressional election ever is taking place in the Georgia 6th district. This race is close and is viewed as a test for Trump support. Another race, South Carolina 5th, is considered a sure win for the Republicans, but the margin of victory may still be important.

For our next meeting, we will discuss these local and foreign elections. Here are the videos:

• Greg Palast: Voter Suppression
• John Oliver: UK Snap Election
• Morning Joe: Macron's Rising
• Al Jazeera: South Korea's new president

--------------------------------- Updated 6/22/17 ----------------------------------

Because of the additional videos about the special Congressional elections, the John Oliver video about the UK snap election was not shown. It may be shown at a future meeting about Brexit negotiations. Here are the others videos that were shown at the meeting:

• If Jon Ossoff Wins… or Loses
• Political fallout from Karen Handel's special election win
• Republican Karen Handel wins key Georgia election
• Parnell TV ad - "Know How"
• Archie Parnell- A Matador For You
• The Dutch Ditch Their Own Crazy-Haired Populist

Trump Week in Review

Thursday, June 15, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

No matter how hard I try, I cannot ignore Trump. Last week was suppose to be about Infrastructure but Trump's tweets caused problems with the London mayor, his travel ban case, and the Pentagon over Qatar. All this before the Comey testimony. Here are the videos for the meeting:

• Trump's Infrastructure Week
• Week in Review: Comey Chaos
• Trump answers Comey testimony with denials
• Trump Attacks Comey, Makes Cabinet Praise Him
• ‘A Leak Is a Leak’

------------------------------------------ Updated 6/15/17 -----------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown a the meeting:

• Colbert on Baseball Shooting
• Jeff Sessions in the Senate Hot Seat
• Lawsuit Announced Against Donald Trump For Constitutional Violation
• Donald Trump's conflicts of interest span the globe

Trump Against the World

Thursday, June 8, 2017, 10am to 11:30 in the Meeting Room (behind the fireplace)

A few hours after our last meeting on Thursday, Trump announced that he would pull out of the Paris Climate Accord. This was not a surprise, but the way he did it, the timing and his justification, strengthened the resolve of the opposition. He made his announcement right after he returned from a disastrous trip to Europe, where he alienated fellow members of NATO and the G7. The leaders of Germany and France were already showing their contempt for Trump, and his climate announcement solidified and broadened the opposition. On the following Saturday, in France, India's leader Modi used the previously scheduled trade meeting to show his solidarity with Europe on Climate.

Trump's justification for the withdraw showed that he had no comprehension of what was in the Paris agreement and his position on climate change seemed contradictory. On the following Friday, Trump's handlers refused to comment if Trump no longer thought Climate Change was a hoax. By the weekend, they finally said that Trump believes that the climate is changing and pollution plays a role but elaborated no further. The attempt to make sense out of Trump's nonsense echoes his recent 'covfefe' tweet.

Here is a video by John Oliver which we will use to start the conversation:

• Paris Agreement

If we have time we can ponder the deeper meaning of the word COVFEFE.

----------------------------------- Updated 6/9/17 --------------------------------------------

Here are the other videos shown at the meeting:

• President Trump's First Overseas Trip
• Macron takes a stand against Trump
• France & India Cooperate In Fighting Climate Change
• Corbyn accuses May of 'subservience to Donald Trump'
• Why Theresa May didn't sign letter condemning Donald Trump over Paris Climate agreement