Thursday, November 30, 2017

Topline: Tribalism v. Democracy

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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Tribalism Versus Democracy 
Manhattan Institute — Nov. 15, 2017
Jonathan Haidt, a well-known social psychologist and author, discusses the dangers of tribalism. He warns that the current trend of campus liberalism to divide people based on ethnicity, religion, and gender is ultimately a threat to the fabric of a democratic society, and encourages broader awareness of our responsibilities as citizens.

Citizenship  

The Death of News 
Public Books — Nov. 28, 2017
Victor Pickard argues that news is a public service, yet is treated largely as a private commodity. He explains why this is a dangerous phenomenon, and how it leads to a poor incentive structure that does little to inform voters on the actual issues. In his view, we are primed more for culture war than for maintaining a democratic system.

Governance  

Sabotaging American Influence 
The New York Times — Nov. 27, 2017
As the administration continues its assault on the State Department and the Foreign Service, the NYT reflects on the cost to American soft power around the world. We need a robust State Department to promote and defend democracy around the world, especially when authoritarian movements are on the rise.

Russia  

Tsar Donald I 
The Atlantic — Nov. 27, 2017
Masha Gessen talks about Donald Trump, Vladimir Putin, and the similarities between the two men and their styles of governing. She points out that both rally support through appeals to an “imaginary past,” while trying to dominate their societies by dominating and exploiting that culture.

Technology  

Social Media’s False Promise 
Buzzfeed News — Nov. 28, 2017
Social media promised to be the great equalizer. What we didn’t realize was that it would also enable malicious entities to blend in and influence our public discourse to an unprecedented degree. The format tends to encourage outrage and partisanship, which can only poison our already toxic political environment.











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Friday, November 17, 2017

Topline: Looking for Leadership

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   

Trumpism Must Lose at the Ballot Box 
The Atlantic — Nov. 15, 2017
Following Democratic victories in Virginia and New Jersey, many Republican leaders blamed “disloyalty” from so-called “Never Trumpers” for the loss. Kori Schake refutes this idea, reminding us that the purpose of governing is to serve the interests of the public, not a political party.

Governance  

Roy Moore as Rock Bottom 
Washington Post — Nov. 13, 2017
Conservative columnist George Will reiterates the unequivocal fact that Roy Moore’s candidacy should be a source of deep shame to a Republican Party that has clearly lost its way. If it takes a Democratic victory in the Alabama Senate race to cure the GOP of the fringe movement that has taken it over, Will asserts that it will ultimately be better for all involved in the long term. Moore’s cynical embrace of the culture war stands in stark contrast to Jones’ focus on actual policy issues, which is the entire point of government.

Ideas  

Politics of Ideas, or Identity? 
Vox — Nov. 9, 2017
Ezra Klein reviews some recent political science literature, which concludes that voters are driven not so much by ideology as by a sense of loyalty to their political team. This would indeed explain a great deal of the past few years, as a former Democrat won the presidency after taking over the Republican Party, molding it into a populist machine geared toward the undermining of American institutions and welcoming of foreign aid in doing so. Voters often take their cues from leaders, and the dearth of leadership in the GOP has had tremendous consequences for the country.

Rights and Freedoms  

China Welcomes the Trump Dynasty 
The New Yorker — Nov. 14, 2017
Donald Trump’s disturbing fondness for foreign dictators has been frequently noted, but Nick Frisch explains just why this is significant in terms of Sino-American relations. China sees democracy as nothing but a sham, and recognizes the corrupt patronage of the Trump administration as far more similar to their own system than to previous American administrations. If we want to build a world order based on the rule of law and basic human rights, we must be willing to confront China and the authoritarian worldview its leaders espouse.

Rule of Law  

Fox News Reporting Debunks Fox News Conspiracy 
The Hill — Nov. 14, 2017
Shep Smith recently debunked the idea of a “Uranium One scandal” involving Hillary Clinton. This “scandal” has been encouraged by many of his fellow Fox News employees as a means of providing alternative talking points to a Trump base that is not particularly eager to face the reality of the myriad of actual scandals consuming the current administration. The Hill provides the video and an overview of Smith’s cogent explanation.

Russia  

This is the Literal Definition of Collusion 
The New York Times — Nov. 13, 2017
Donald Trump, Jr., had contact with WikiLeaks throughout the 2016 campaign, taking advice and sharing information provided by its illicit espionage activities. As WikiLeaks has been identified as an organization directly affiliated with the Kremlin, this confirms two things: 1) WikiLeaks is definitely not the independent transparency advocate they insist themselves to be, and indeed, aligned themselves directly with Trump in 2016, and 2) The Trump campaign coordinated its messages with an organization working on behalf of Russia. This is also known as "collusion."











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Wednesday, November 15, 2017

STARTING NOW: Dinesh D'Souza speaks at UW

Dinesh D'Souza is in Seattle right now preparing to take the stage at University of Washington and debunk the Left's biggest lie of all.




Saturday, November 11, 2017

JUST ANNOUNCED: D'Souza Christmas book sets [LIMITED STOCK]

This Christmas, give the patriots on your list a signed and personalized set of books that holds up America as a shining city on the hill, glorifies God and defends the faith, and exposes the darkest secrets of those working to subvert our culture from within.




Thursday, November 9, 2017

Topline: A rebuke of Trumpism?

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   

The Politics of Fear Must Be Defeated at the
Ballot Box
 
The Hill — Nov. 8, 2017
Evan McMullin, the co-founder of Stand Up Republic, argues that Ed Gillespie’s loss will ultimately serve the Commonwealth of Virginia, the country in general, and even the Republican Party in the long-term. If Gillespie’s example shows that promoting fear and division is not a path to victory, GOP leaders may begin to reconsider their promotion of populist and nationalist ideas.

Governance  

Virginia and New Jersey Dump Trump 
New York Magazine — Nov. 7, 2017
The electoral consequences of GOP leadership’s embrace of Trumpism became apparent this week, as Democrats crushed state elections in Virginia and New Jersey. This is significant, as the tradeoff for becoming the party of Trump thus far has been cashing in values and sound policy in exchange for electoral victory. If sham populism and nationalism produce such dismal electoral results, moderate Republicans must ask themselves: is it worth it?

Russia  

Lies Versus Lies 
Bloomberg — Nov. 6, 2017
Donald Trump, Jr. has shifted his account of the meeting with Kremlin representatives so many times, it’s difficult to keep track. Now, the Russian lawyer at the heart of the meeting is contradicting his latest story. Since the Trump administration has generally been in lockstep with the Kremlin’s narrative, this is a curious account indeed, which raises more questions than it answers.

A Page from the Kremlin's Playbook 
Politico — Nov. 6, 2017
Carter Page, a bizarre figure even by the standards of a notably bizarre Trump campaign, gave his testimony on Russia connections to the House Intel Committee this past week. Politico offers a helpful summary. The upshot: Trump campaign officials were lying (surprise!), the campaign made a direct effort to remove anti-Russia stances from the party platform in 2016, and Page's rambling, contradictory account inspires a laundry list of questions revolving around his trips to Moscow and his interactions with Russian government officials.

Technology  

Social Media, Social Responsibility 
The Economist — Nov. 4, 2017
The Economist discusses the debate at the heart of modern democracy – how can we balance the changes wrought by social media with the necessity of a robust and informed public discourse? The future of representative government likely depends on solving this issue, but it isn't clear that many of the relevant companies are fully aware of what their platforms are doing to exacerbate societal divisions and spread disinformation.

From Russia to Facebook, with Love 
The New York Times — Nov. 5, 2017
The Paradise Papers brought to light a few embarrassing secrets for society’s wealthiest individuals. Yuri Milner, a Russian billionaire with hundreds of millions of dollars underwritten by the Kremlin, was also revealed to have used that money to purchase large stakes in Facebook and Twitter. This certainly raises further questions about tech companies’ objectivity in combatting Russian disinformation online.











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Wednesday, November 8, 2017

a year since Trump’s election, what’s next?

A year ago today, our presidential campaign to provide a new generation of leadership committed to liberty and equality came to an end. As a part of that effort, we sounded the alarm about unaccountable leaders and Donald Trump’s disregard for our Constitution and democratic norms.

 

Friend,

A year ago today, our presidential campaign to provide a new generation of leadership committed to liberty and equality came to an end. As a part of that effort, we sounded the alarm about unaccountable leaders and Donald Trump’s disregard for our Constitution and democratic norms. We knew that he lacked basic commitment to American ideals and feared his attacks on the rule of law, minorities, and our institutions wouldn’t be the end of his excesses.

That’s why our work didn’t end last November; it became more critical. In the year since Trump’s election, we’ve shined a spotlight and defended against his efforts to consolidate power, stoking of racial division, lavish corruption throughout the administration, and mounting evidence of aiding the Kremlin’s interference with our democracy.

Friend, it’s only been one year since Donald Trump’s election as president. It is already clear that his legacy will be a black mark in the history of the Republic. We don’t know what President Trump will do next, or how he will react as the Mueller investigation presses on. Regardless of his actions, it’s imperative that we renew our commitment to the Constitution and the ties that bind us together in a free and open society. We must continue to be vigilant in defending the ideals of liberty, equality, and truth.

Stand Up Republic is on the rise, and we need your support to keep shining a light on the administration’s corruption and the continued threats to our ideals, norms and institutions, both foreign and domestic. We need your help in this fight!

Over the next few days, weeks, and months, you’ll have the opportunity to join our grassroots team, organize in your own communities, help us spread the word on social media, and contribute to fund our efforts.

Can you chip in $5 right now to help the Stand Up Republic network continue fighting?

With such a volatile and compromised administration, we must be prepared for anything. Our constitutional republic may face increasing pressure as this administration's Russian connections and family corruption become public. In the face of these threats, and any others that might be forthcoming, we must stand strong.

Time is of the essence; we hope you’ll stand up with us today.

Sincerely,
Evan and Mindy


  HELP US FIGHT »  

PS: Help us continue fighting with a gift of $5 or more before midnight tonight to claim a limited-edition Stand Up Republic sticker before they’re gone. Thanks!












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Thursday, November 2, 2017

Topline: Meet Bob Mueller, Swamp Drainer

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   

The Russia Investigation Enters a New Phase 
Observer — Oct. 31, 2017
John Schindler, a former NSA analyst and counterintelligence officer, walks us through this week’s criminal charges against three Trump campaign officials, and what the implications are for the future of the Russia investigation. The upshot: this is only the beginning, and there will be much more to come.

Rule of Law  

Kleptocracy in America 
The Atlantic — Oct. 31, 2017
Franklin Foer sketches a picture of Paul Manafort’s money laundering and advocacy for some of the most corrupt regimes on the planet. As kleptocracy creeps into the White House, the Manafort indictment is a welcome sign that we will not accede quietly to the absolute corruption of American politics.

Russia  

What is FARA? 
Sunlight Foundation — Aug. 25, 2017
The Sunlight Foundation gives a brief explainer on the Foreign Agents Registration Act, or FARA, a legislative act intended to shed some light (pun intended) on which American citizens are working for which foreign governments. FARA has played a significant role in the Manafort and Gates indictments, due to their failure to disclose their operations on behalf of hostile foreign powers.

Technology  

Tech Execs Offer Few Solutions to Misinformation 
The New York Times — Oct. 31, 2017
Somewhat overshadowed by the Russia investigation bombshells this week, the Senate held a hearing with tech executives from Facebook, Google, and Twitter. This was intended to be a forum for explaining how their platforms were used by foreign governments to manipulate the American electorate, and how we can prevent future abuse of this kind. Their answers, as the Times notes, offered few solutions for upcoming elections in 2018 and 2020.











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