Thursday, October 26, 2017

Topline: Choosing Country Over Party

Life is busy and filled with distractions. We wanted to make sure you saw these articles about the pressing issues facing our country.

Stand Up Republic
 

Life is busy and filled with distractions. We wanted to make sure you saw these articles about the pressing issues facing our country.

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Enough is Enough 
The Washington Post — Oct. 24, 2017
In a fine example of putting country before party, Jeff Flake warns the nation of the threat Trumpist populism poses to democracy. Resentment and anger, he reminds us, are not a strategy for governing. As another member of the GOP stands up for the good of the country, one must wonder: how long until the others begin to follow?

Future of Work  

Optimism on Automation 
The Brookings Institution — Oct. 19, 2017
Zia Qureshi offers a somewhat optimistic take on automation’s effect on the future of work. Though many have warned of automation displacing human labor, Qureshi is hopeful that new technology will generate opportunities alongside those challenges. Even so, we must prepare for the disruption in employment that will likely occur in the short- to mid-term, and ensure we are ready for the inevitable repercussions in our existing labor force.

Russia  

Closing in on Collusion 
The Daily Beast — Oct. 25, 2017
Betsy Woodruff reports that the head of Cambridge Analytica, a data analytics firm which worked for the Trump campaign, had reached out directly to Julian Assange in an attempt to obtain Hillary Clinton’s hacked emails. As Assange and WikiLeaks are affiliated with Russian intelligence, this is yet more troubling evidence of the Trump team’s close relationship with the Kremlin.

A One-Sided Information War 
The Cipher Brief — Oct. 25, 2017
Mackenzie Weingar reminds us that the Trump administration has completely failed to address the national security threat posed by the ongoing Russian disinformation campaign. While we would rather move on from the Cold War, and tried to do so for decades, Russia’s consistent efforts to undermine American democracy cannot be overlooked or ignored any longer.

Technology  

Tech's Threat to Democracy 
Justin Hendrix, David Carroll — May 4, 2017
Justin Hendrix and David Carroll discuss the implications of personal data being used to target specific demographics to influence their vote. They offer a few recommendations for future elections, including a more active role for major tech companies in preserving fair and transparent public discourse.











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Thursday, October 5, 2017

Topline: Moscow meddling continues...

Life is busy and filled with distractions. We wanted to make sure you saw these articles about the pressing issues facing our country.

Stand Up Republic
 

Life is busy and filled with distractions. We wanted to make sure you saw these articles about the pressing issues facing our country.

  Sort By: Importance   

Senate Intelligence Heads Warn That Russian Election Meddling Continues 
The New York Times — Oct. 4, 2017
In a bipartisan statement, the Senate Intelligence Committee confirms Russia's efforts to subvert American democracy. The group warns that Russia's campaign did not stop at the 2016 election, and it will continue to threaten the United States until a serious, non-partisan effort forms to secure our institutions and electoral process against foreign interference.

Ideas  

The Philosophical Assault on Trumpism 
The New York Times — Oct. 3, 2017
Under its current leadership, the Republican Party has devolved into nativist populism. David Brooks argues that the best way to push back against this trend is to put forward a dynamic vision for America, to discard fear and division in favor of hope and unity, to break down barriers and let the strength of our ideas reanimate the American spirit.

Governance  

How Ivanka Trump and Donald Trump, Jr., Avoided a Criminal Indictment 
The New Yorker — Oct. 4, 2017
The Trump administration is no stranger to nepotism or corruption. The New Yorker reports that the first family — many members of which are now directly involved in government — share the president's ambivalence toward ethics and the rule of law.

The Supreme Court Takes Up a Major Gerrymandering Case 
The New Yorker — Oct. 3, 2017
Gerrymandering essentially allows politicians to pick their voters by drawing their own districts, contributing to an increase in political polarization and a decrease in the mechanisms of electoral accountability. A case currently before the Supreme Court may decide the constitutionality of gerrymandered electoral districts.

Russia  

New Manafort Emails Offer Stronger Evidence of a Quid Pro Quo with a Russian Oligarch 
Business Insider — Oct. 3, 2017
As more information comes out of the ongoing investigation into the Trump campaign’s Russia connections, scrutiny increases around Paul Manafort’s role. Manafort’s email correspondence shows a willingness to leverage his position as Trump’s campaign chairman in exchange for favor with Putin-aligned oligarchs.

Technology  

Google and Facebook Failed Us 
The Atlantic — Oct. 2, 2017
Major tech companies still struggle with the role they play in distributing fake news and misinformation. Blurring the line between fact and fiction may get more clicks, but it’s certainly not healthy for a democratic public discourse.




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