News Burst: April 04, 2017 (Patreon)

Hey Fam,

I hope you’re doing very well!

This is this week’s first News Burst; yesterday was a bit of a shitshow, and today is as well, hence why I’m posting a little later than I’d usually like to.

I want to let y’all know that I’m taking part in a Free Speech Panel at USC on Thursday, April 13th. Dave Rubin will also be there. I’ll have more information on that soon, which I’ll post here, but in the meantime, I wanted to put that on your radar in case you want to plan on coming out.

Alright, here’s the news. Be good! -Colin

Susan Rice Scandal a 21st Century Watergate?: http://www.nationalreview.com/article/446415/susan-rice-unmasking-trump-campaign-members-obama-administration-fbi-cia-nsa

My Take: “The national-security adviser is not an investigator. She is a White House staffer. The president’s staff is a consumer of intelligence, not a generator or collector of it.” That’s the crux of the whole thing, and why I think there may be fire here, since that’s enough smoke to warrant an investigation.

For those unfamiliar, Susan Rice, who was President Obama’s National Security Advisor, may have worked to so-called “unmask” people in intelligence she obtained or solicited associated with Trump, his campaign, and his business. This would be a transparent political move -- not a security move -- and would require further investigation. It’s an interesting, albeit nascent story, one with not a whole lot of information.

To Rice’s credit, she firmly denies any wrongdoing; then again, so does Trump, and yet the Russian connection investigations and coverage continues unabated, which is why I’ll be interested to see how both the government and the media respond to this over the coming days and weeks (there’s more about this in the story below).

It’s worth noting that while Susan Rice has absolutely, positively played fast-and-loose with the truth before (most notably with Benghazi), she deserves the benefit of the doubt here, as do most people who don't have a long history of committing crimes or overtly lying (maybe I just made my case as to why Trump should be investigated...). I, for one, will be interested in how this all develops, and if it ends up going anywhere. If it does, Susan Rice is in a lot of trouble, and politically, it’s the exact coverage Trump and the Republicans need, because things are looking awfully dire for them. Worse by the day, in fact.

Don Lemon, CNN Come Out Against Susan Rice Story: http://thehill.com/homenews/media/327138-cnns-lemon-calls-susan-rice-story-a-diversion

My Take: I’m super uncomfortable with this, simply because Don Lemon’s reasoning could, in many ways, be used to also protect Donald Trump. It’s the following statement, in particular, that I take issue with any respectable news organization making:

“Let’s be very clear about this: There is no evidence whatsoever that the Trump team … was spied on illegally. There is no evidence that backs up the president’s original claim. We will not insult your intelligence by pretending otherwise, nor will we aid and abet the people who are trying to misinform you, the American people, by creating a diversion.”

By this logic, Mr. Lemon, you should also refrain from reporting on Russia’s ties to Trump (and vice-versa), since we haven’t seen a single shred of hard proof of any of that, either. And I'm truly starting to wonder if we ever will (although, if it's true, I'd sure like to, so we can begin to work on what to do next, instead of blowing in the wind).

I think both the Trump-Russia connection and the Rice story should be followed up resolutely. Lemon’s bullshit stinks, and is the reason that fewer and fewer people every day trust a single, solitary word that comes from the media. Why would they when they’re so clearly in the tank? I’m not saying the Susan Rice story is real; I’m saying a lot of outlets are reporting on it, and CNN should be, too, even if it’s not politically expedient for them to do so.

As for me? I won’t be trusting Don Lemon moving forward. Add him to the ever-growing list.

North Korea Tests Another Rocket: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/north-korea-tests-missile-ahead-of-trump-xi-meeting-236890

My Take: What can be said about this country that I didn’t already say last week? The cult of personality there is insane; there isn’t a way to know what they’ll possibly do next, what trick they’ll pull.

This almost certainly has something to do with Trump’s planned meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping, however, so I wouldn’t get too distracted here. Trump meeting Jinping is going to be one of the most important events of Trump’s presidency so far, and North Korea knows that. Especially if the two men somehow hit it off, or come to further understandings and agreement about how to deal with North Korea in particular.

One thing is certain: China is likely as tired of North Korea as we are, and if the two countries didn’t share a border, and if China wouldn’t have a disastrous humanitarian crisis on their hands, they’d probably gladly sow the dissension needed for an uprising or coup to happen. They’re the only ones with any real power in the situation.

Syria’s Chemical Attacks Juxtaposed to Trump’s Stance on Syria: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/04/trump-syria-chemical-attacks-236870

My Take: This is a geopolitically tense and complicated situation. The basic rub is that the Trump administration intends on backing off of Syria, specifically when it comes to Assad, as it seems Assad is unfellable, and any peaceful resolution to the raging conflict overtaking the region will come only -- and unfortunately -- with Assad’s complicity. At least, that’s their stance. It’s a practical and pragmatic stance, but also highly unfortunate. Assad is a tyrant and a murderer. Let’s be clear.

The Syrian Civil War has been raging for like six years, now, and Assad has absolutely used chemical weapons in the past, against both the “red line” timidly set by Barack Obama, the wishes of the greater United States, and the normal course of action of international law. But with Assad’s forces overtly acting as Russian proxies, our hands are tied. We can either go in, end up in what we would hope would be a limited war with Russia and its allies, and hope for the best. Or we can back off and let a Russian-led coalition, with Assad at the helm, and find peace there.

Unfortunately, the latter seems to be the most workable option. Like with Iran’s bubbling revolution that wasn’t, we had an opening to make a difference here, and we let it slip through our hands. Now, how do we affect change? It’s becoming harder and more unlikely every day.

Amazon Worth Nearly Twice as Much as Wal-Mart: http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/04/investing/amazon-stock-900-alltime-high/

My Take: I feel like this is a valuable follow-up to the story I posted in the last Weekend News Burst. Amazon’s stock is up 20% so far this year, and is driving its cost-per-share up to nearly $1,000, which is completely insane.

There’s not too much more to add here, other than that Amazon is now utilizing similar tactics to undo Wal-Mart that Wal-Mart, for many years, used to undo smaller chains and box stores, not to mention the complete destruction it wrought on strip malls, larger malls, and individual, privately owned shops and boutiques.

I will throw in a caveat, though: Wal-Mart wasn’t that late to the game. When I moved to San Francisco in 2007, I lived for a brief time with a guy who worked at walmart.com (sadly, he died in 2008-ish, after he moved out). They were well underway, even then, in getting into online retailing; they simply haven’t been able to parlay their early entrance to the market into financial success, and I’m not sure that they will ultimately exist in the size and scope they exist in now forever. Amazon is simply a force to be reckoned with.

Noam Chomsky Thinks Trump May Create Terrorist Attack: http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2017/04/04/chomsky_will_trump_stage_a_terror_attack_to_maintain_power.html

My Take: I don’t like Noam Chomsky. I think he’s a smart guy. Educated, sharp, witty, well-read. A real intellectual force. I just don’t understand how he reaches many of his conclusions, and I suspect I never will.

This video is interesting, though. He basically says that Trump could easily perpetuate stereotypes or feed on the feelings of the disaffected as a smokescreen when things continue to not go his way, when the economy doesn’t recover for many, when jobs don’t come back, when the illusive manufacturing base that once sustained our economy doesn’t return like he promised. It’s an interesting take, and one worth watching and thinking about.

I disagree with Chomsky on one point, though: Trump doesn’t need to manufacture or create anything, which is why I find the Hitler/Nazi references so flaccid. People in this country, all over the spectrum, and for a host of different reasons, are looking for scapegoats and are looking to be angry. It wouldn’t take nearly as much as Chomsky suggests for shit to hit the fan in that regard.

Advertisers are Fleeing The O’Reilly Factor: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bill-oreilly-advertisers_us_58e3dafce4b0f4a923b29dc9?wlh&

My Take: Bill O’Reilly, who I admittedly like(d) -- he’s a Long Islander, after all -- has been under serious siege this week (and late last), as it was reported that Fox News may have settled harassment lawsuits on his behalf over the years. To be fair, O’Reilly denies the allegations.

The New York Times may have fallen from grace recently, but it’s still a respected newspaper that doesn’t typically print wildly untrue tripe. So, the allegations are coming from somewhere. And now, the market is speaking, although perhaps being politically prodded by outlets like BuzzFeed, which reached out to all O’Reilly advertisers to ask their positions. More than a few had already or are now in the process of pulling their advertising. It’s how the market works.

Is O’Reilly guilty? I have no idea. I don’t watch his show anymore, and haven’t watched it with any regularity since probably college. So, a long time ago. Still, it’s amazing how, if true, Fox News kept this quiet for such a long time, especially with all of the bullshit Roger Ailes was pulling also recently coming to light.

I suspect we’ll have more definitive answers soon, although I doubt this will do very much to hurt Bill O’Reilly, who isn’t only rich beyond belief, but who commands a committed, millions-strong audience on television, radio, and in print.