Justin Hendrix
@justinhendrix
One of the most dangerous assumptions those concerned with the rule of law and the Russia investigation can make is that the facts are all that matter.
Right now many on the left are relishing the response to the Nunes memo. The Meh-mo. And they are right, in the context of the factual universe. Here, the memo backfired. The memo made Donald Trump and the GOP look bad. The memo did nothing to vindicate the President.
But that's not the only context that matters. There is also the upside down. The alternate universe where Nunes is a hero. "Let's release the memo, Mr. President." "Don't worry, 100%".
It's that alternate universe where this is happening. "President Trump's attorneys have already approved the idea of appointing a second special counsel to investigate the FBI and Justice Department's actions during the 2016 presidential campaign."
www.axios.com/white-house-trump-lawyers-approved-of-a-second-special-counsel-6edafd54-c4d7-4ae6-80b7-c7c312b8ca51.html
In this world, investigating the investigators makes sense. Mueller is suspect. The FBI, the entire DOJ is suspect. Sure, there aren't any facts. But there are questions.
And questions are all that you need. Read: "Conspiracism is not new, of course, but the conspiracism we see today does introduce something new—conspiracy without the theory. And it betrays a new destructive impulse: to delegitimate the government."
www.dissentmagazine.org/article/conspiracy-theories-politics-infowars-threat-democracy
.@EJDionne sees it clearly. "The autocratic leader lies and then falsely charges his opponents with lying. He politicizes institutions that are supposed to be free of politics by falsely accusing his foes of politicizing them."
<a class="break-all" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/opinions/nunes-paves-trumps-road-to-autocracy/2018/02/04/856a6a8a-0860-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html#click=t.co/f34Y4XhNr3" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/opinions/nunes-paves-trumps-road-to-autocracy/2018/02/04/856a6a8a-0860-11e8-b48c-b07fea957bd5_story.html#click=t.co/f34Y4XhNr3
So, by all means, let's fact check the hell out of Devin Nunes. But let's not pretend that it's all that is necessary to win. To believe that is to surrender to the autocrat, who has arrived. He is here. It is now.
Robert Reich
@RBReich
This is bonkers. Can you imagine if Nixon had appointed a Special Prosecutor to investigate the Special Prosecutor who was investigating Nixon?
Justin Hendrix
@justinhendrix
Reich is right- this is perilous.
I've come around to this point of view:
Oliver Willis
@owillis
Treat the average republican elected official like a 9/11 truther or ufo fanatic and suddenly you’ll get why these nerdy responses are completely wasted
Justin Hendrix
@justinhendrix
Data:
<a class="break-all" href="http://thehill.com/homenews/administration/372460-most-republicans-believe-fbi-doj-trying-to-delegitimize-trump-poll?amp#click=t.co/llnLqaqdmJ" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">thehill.com/homenews/administration/372460-most-republicans-believe-fbi-doj-trying-to-delegitimize-trump-poll?amp#click=t.co/llnLqaqdmJ