Even that's not true, we almost had the civil war right then and there, over multiple issues, and social class conflict was common, even rebellions (Shay's rebellion). And some of the Revolutionary War divides were definitely class based (a number of working class American sided with the Crown especially in the Carolinas believing that the rhetoric of prosperity and freedom didn't really apply to them and this was just the local elites wanting to grab even more power for themselves).Good old Heritage Foundation
Except for the slaves and the tradesmen and the women and the native Americans, the US was not divided by class in the 18th century. It was an egalitarian utopia – for well-to-do white male landowners.
Though, what I think he means by "divided" is that there was not this big kerfuffle over the issue. People knew their place and the upper class were really good at keeping the lesser people under control. There was resentment and frustration in the lower classes, but they kept quiet about it because speaking out was just asking for trouble.
Good old Heritage Foundation
Except for the slaves and the tradesmen and the women and the native Americans, the US was not divided by class in the 18th century. It was an egalitarian utopia – for well-to-do white male landowners.
Though, what I think he means by "divided" is that there was not this big kerfuffle over the issue. People knew their place and the upper class were really good at keeping the lesser people under control. There was resentment and frustration in the lower classes, but they kept quiet about it because speaking out was just asking for trouble.
www.dailydot.com
Media start-up from Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin was secret Russian influence campaign, indictment alleges
Famous pro-Trump commentators may have been unwittingly duped.
“unwittingly duped” - witless they may be, but if duped, duped by choice
While this could’ve equally fit in the Russian-Ukraine War thread, in some sense it fits better here. This is who has much of the clout in the Republican Party. Even the ones who try to support Ukraine will support Trump, and by extension these assholes, first.
Yup and further than that no doubt"This is like the Avengers of online grifters"
Media start-up from Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin was secret Russian influence campaign, indictment alleges
Famous pro-Trump commentators may have been unwittingly duped.
“unwittingly duped” - witless they may be, but if duped, duped by choice
While this could’ve equally fit in the Russian-Ukraine War thread, in some sense it fits better here. This is who has much of the clout in the Republican Party. Even the ones who try to support Ukraine will support Trump, and by extension these assholes, first.
That's what his audience *wants* though ... remember when Fox News temporarily vacillated on Trump post Jan 6th, they lost viewers to OANN and the other one whose name escapes me. Pool and the others in TENET are giving their audience exactly what they crave and the more he gives it to them, the more they want of it and the more extreme they want it. They don't care and neither does he. He may even believe it himself and probably does to some extent.
Yeah exactly, it's not really a question of being "tricked". Not in the classic sense. The RW influencer sphere is filled with dark money that no one knows where it comes from. It isn't that they are fooled into taking the money. They just don't care and in fact it is worse to check, that could stop the money flowing in. The Russians simply took advantage of an ecosystem that is already highly corrupt to let them do more of what they already doing. That's not really duping anyone. Not to me.
Media start-up from Benny Johnson, Tim Pool, and Dave Rubin was secret Russian influence campaign, indictment alleges
Famous pro-Trump commentators may have been unwittingly duped.
“unwittingly duped” - witless they may be, but if duped, duped by choice
While this could’ve equally fit in the Russian-Ukraine War thread, in some sense it fits better here. This is who has much of the clout in the Republican Party. Even the ones who try to support Ukraine will support Trump, and by extension these assholes, first.
DOJ: Russia Aimed Propaganda at Gamers, Minorities to Swing 2024 Election
Newly unsealed court documents reveal in unprecedented detail a campaign called the Good Old USA Project, which Russian authorities believed could impact the US election.www.wired.com
Wired does a deeper dive into the extensive Russian influence campaign to support Trump and peel support from Biden (now Harris). I’m reminded a bit of the Jugurthine War in which the titular King of Numantia staved off defeat from the Roman Republic through corruption and bribery. He is said to have remarked: “City for sale and doomed to quick destruction, if it should find a buyer!” He eventually lost. But still, his analysis of the corruption and rot were accurate enough in time as Republic transitioned to Empire.
Putin appears to be betting on the same thing: that the conservatives if not being able to be turned towards Russia en masse, for now, can be manipulated into at least abandoning Ukraine. They are targeting other groups as well all designed to heighten "Me first". They know us well, but hopefully as with Jugurtha it won't be enough.
www.latimes.com
