You will never see Obama or his administration officials brought down by “Obamagate” for the same reason Trump wasn’t brought down by the Mueller investigation: the swamp protects its own, says Caity Johnstone.
By Caitlin Johnstone
CaitlinJohnstone.com
The word “Obamagate” was thrust into mainstream attention by the concerted efforts of Trump and his surrogates after new details on the early days of the Trump-Russia collusion investigation emerged. These details include Obama officials (including Joe Biden) requesting the unmasking of a conversation between Flynn and Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak, the FBI’s then-counterintelligence director discussing trying to get Michael Flynn to lie during his interrogation about the Kislyak call, and the revelation that there was never any concrete evidence that Russia hacked the DNC.
These are important revelations that are worthy of mainstream attention, but like basically everything else in this stupid, stupid timeline this issue has instead been reduced to the stagnation of vapid partisan squabbling. Democrats and their allied media are finger wagging at Trump for using “conspiracy theories” to distract from his coronavirus failures, and “MAGA” pundits are once again beating the tired old drum that this scandal is going to bring down major Deep State players and drain the swamp once and for all.
Ever since 2016 both of America’s mainstream political parties have been taking turns screaming at the top of their lungs that earth-shattering revelations are right around the corner which are about to obliterate the other party any minute now, and if you’re still buying into this show I highly recommend you also take up watching WWE, because you’ll definitely love it.
RAY McGOVERN: New House Documents Sow Further Doubt That Russia Hacked the DNC
— Consortium News (@Consortiumnews) May 11, 2020
“By any normal standard, former FBI Director Comey would now be in serious legal trouble, as should [former Director of National Intelligence James] Clapper, former CIA Director John Brennan, et al,” Ray McGovern wrote for Consortium News the other day. “Additional evidence of FBI misconduct under Comey seems to surface every week — whether the abuses of FISA, misconduct in the case against Gen. Michael Flynn, or misleading everyone about Russian hacking of the DNC. If I were attorney general, I would declare Comey a flight risk and take his passport. And I would do the same with Clapper and Brennan.”
Indeed, this would be the “normal standard”, yet it hasn’t happened. Neither Comey nor Clapper nor Brennan are in any legal trouble at all, nor will they be, nor will any other major player responsible for leading America on a crazy collusion wild goose chase which accomplished nothing but distracting from real issues and manufacturing consent for mountains of cold war escalations against Russia.
You will never see Obama or his administration officials brought down by “Obamagate” for the same reason Trump wasn’t brought down by the Mueller investigation: the swamp protects its own. Both Obama and Trump administrations are packed full of crooks and mass murderers who could and should be imprisoned for any number of offenses, but they won’t be, because that would require a prosecutorial body that is separate from the swamp of corruption with which both of America’s mainstream parties are inexorably interwoven. You cannot use the swamp to drain the swamp.
Do you know why Trump never made good on his campaign platform of locking up Hillary Clinton? Besides the fact that their entire conflict has always been fake, I mean? The Trump administration could easily have found grounds upon which to prosecute Clinton if they wanted to, but going after a loyal establishment swamp monster would have brought the wrath of the entire swamp down upon him. As soon as he had a political opponent in office, if not before, Trump would himself be facing criminal prosecution. By collaborating with the swamp you ensure your own protection, and by attacking it you ensure your destruction.
A fundamental point that many Russiagate-peddling left pundits — including fake "adversarial" voices like @mehdirhasan — cannot process in their minds, because doing so would threaten their club membership. Russiagate helps clarify where priorities really lie. https://t.co/FQPnUCtoUc
— Aaron Maté (@aaronjmate) May 13, 2020
That’s why no serious attempt has ever been made to remove Trump from office; he’s been playing nice with existing power structures without challenging them in any meaningful way. Everyone who knew anything was aware that the Mueller collusion would never go anywhere, and anyone who could count Senate seats knew impeachment would fizzle. It was all kayfabe conflict so that Trump’s “opposition” could present the appearance of opposition without interfering in agendas they themselves support or prosecuting crimes of which they themselves are also guilty.
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It’s also why Obama never had any intention of prosecuting Bush’s heinous war crimes, citing “a belief that we need to look forward as opposed to looking backwards”. In reality Obama always understood that in order to play the “president” role (and enjoy its massive perks for the rest of his life), he’d need to collaborate with establishment power structures rather than upsetting them. He knew that if he were to go after Bush he’d ensure his own destruction; under “normal standards” prosecution is the only sane and normal response to war crimes, but in the Mutually Assured Destruction environment of establishment corruption, there are no normal standards.
I point this out because it’s painful to watch people on both sides continually getting their hopes up that the big KABOOM is right around the corner which will finally vindicate their worldview and punish their partisan rivals. It will not happen. Trump will not drain the swamp, and neither will Biden or whatever soulless swamp monster inhabits the White House next. You were lied to. It’s good to be aware of surveillance abuses, mass-scale psyops and media malpractice, but definitely abandon hope that any of this will lead to any major changes in the establishment itself.
If we want real change, it cannot and will not come from either of the two mainstream political factions whose primary job is preventing real change. It’s going to have to come from the people; we’re going to have to find a way to punch through the propaganda brainwashing, wake up to reality, and use the power of our numbers to force the changes which will benefit us past all the oligarchic safeguards that have been placed in front of us to prevent us from doing so.
This is a lot less pleasant than believing some magical hero in a white hat is going to ride in and do all our work for us and all we need to do is relax and “trust the plan.” It’s a lot less comfortable than expunging the fake two-party worldview from our minds which vast fortunes and years of conditioning have gone into manufacturing. But it is reality.
Caitlin Johnstone is a rogue journalist, poet, and utopia prepper who publishes regularly at Medium. Follow her work on Facebook, Twitter, or her website. She has a podcast and a book, “Woke: A Field Guide for Utopia Preppers.”
This article was re-published with permission.
The views expressed are solely those of the author and may or may not reflect those of Consortium News.
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I’m sorry to have to say this, but one has to be in either deep denial or just plain stupid to not be able or willing to see through the political charades. The citizenry of this country has been taken to the cleaners over the last 40 or so years, and via corporate-state propaganda, they’ve been conditioned to embrace their own exploited-selves, because “patriotism.” It is more patriotic to tell the truth, stand up to corrupt powers, and challenge a criminal establishment than it is to pretend “We’re #1, right or wrong!” This land is full of overgrown, spoiled children, some of whom have power and influence in the highest places. There it is right in front of our faces, and still so many deny it…the Truth for any rogue government is the ultimate enemy.
I’m sorry to have to say this, but one has to be in either deep denial or just plain stupid to not be able or willing to see through the political charades. The citizenry of this country has been taken to the cleaners over the last 40 or so years, and via corporate-state propaganda, they’ve been conditioned to embrace their own exploited-selves, because “patriotism.” It is more patriotic to tell the truth, stand up to corrupt powers, and challenge a criminal establishment than it is to pretend “We’re #1, right or wrong!” This land is full of overgrown, spoiled children, some of whom have power and influence in the highest places. There it is right in front of our faces, and still so many deny it…the Truth for any rogue government is the ultimate enemy.
As Chris Hedges noted: “Why didn’t they impeach Barack Obama when he expanded these illegal wars to 11, if we count Yemen? Why didn’t they impeach Obama when Edward Snowden revealed that our intelligence agencies are monitoring and spying on almost every citizen and downloading our data and metrics into government computers where they will be stored for perpetuity? Why didn’t they impeach Obama when he misused the 2002 Authorization for Use of Military Force to erase due process and give the executive branch of government the right to act as judge, jury and executioner in assassinating U.S. citizens, starting with the radical cleric Anwar al-Awlaki and, two weeks later, his 16-year-old son? Why didn’t they impeach Obama when he signed into law Section 1021 of the National Defense Authorization Act, in effect overturning the 1878 Posse Comitatus Act, which prohibits the use of the military as a domestic police force?” Hedges doesn’t mention the “modernization” of the Smith Mundt Act, which allows the CIA to control the MSM and narratives of our foreign misadventures. That was as important to advancing the US Police State as anything Obama did.
Controlling censorship of Facebook and other social media, thus bypassing the First Amendment, also contributed.
While Caitlin got it right that the Swamp Protects Its Own, it is only the BIGGEST, UGLIEST alligators which are protected; they eat the smaller aspiring gators. The only reason Russiagate lasted for almost four years is that Trump was not yet part of the Establishment, and he outraged the sensibilities of the BIG UGLIES. Chelsea Manning, John Kiriakou, Jeffrey Sterling and many others felt the wrath of the Swamp Creatures, locked up for years without fair trials, thus showing their power (possibly why Obama was so upset that charges were dropped against Flynn; Flynn is not a substantial Creature, no more than Tulsi Gabbard or AOC). Only the loyal Heads of Government Branches get passes. Probably took multiple attempts for Trump to get the message from the Zapruder film, but now he is accepted as one of them.
“…real change. It’s going to have to come from the people.” Good luck with that. The bottom 99.9% will likely end up incarcerated, like Manning, Kiriakou and Sterling, if they make a peep. It’s one thing to fight the good fight, but another to be suicidal cannon fodder.
Could still happen now that Pompeo’s position is becoming shaky….
Look at how Obama is being reactivated.
“and “MAGA” pundits are once again beating the tired old drum that this scandal is going to bring down major Deep State players and drain the swamp once and for all.”
Whether it does or doesn’t bring down major players of the capitalist-imperialist state isn’t the most important thing right now. That “Obamagate” is seeing the light of day and getting some attention in the mass media is a step forward. It needs to get more attention to expose just how venal the Democratic Party establishment is, but right now I’ll take more exposure and go from here.
It is a real shame that most of the public falls for the false red team/blue team dichotomy depicted by CNN/MSDNC and Fox. This is about rooting out corruption, yet so many plagued with TDS can’t see past their rage at his Royal Orangeness, and just as many MAGA types can’t see that Trump has broken all his campaign promises of any importance and is merely a tool for the Zionists.
Quite profound, “By collaborating with the swamp you ensure your own protection, and by attacking it you ensure your destruction.” That says it all along with the, …”Mutually Assured Destruction environment of establishment corruption, there are no normal standards.” I think this is known as class loyalty- for the upper classes of course. Ultimately they see the world as them vs. us peons, not each other.
Reminds me of when LBJ discovered, through a wiretap, that Nixon was sabotaging the 1968 peace accords for Vietnam and decided not to do anything saying it would make it harder for his successor to govern. This was Nixon through a cut out, Claire Chenault, telling the S. Vietnamese president to stonewall the negotiation because Nixon would get him a better deal if he got elected. The stalled talks help sink Humphrey’s election hopes. Even treason it OK if you are chief swamp monster.
“By collaborating with the swamp you ensure your own protection, and by attacking it you ensure your destruction” expresses the tribal dependencies which not only ensure uniform abuse of office, but have always been the source of tyranny (as Aristotle observed) because tyrants need public fear to criticize leaders.
I have found that tribalism has completely corrupted the federal judiciary, which never disagrees or objects to the most obvious abuse of office by its members (except a few publicly embarrassing cases). They need only produce idiotic excuses to dump cases their tribe opposes, and no court dares disagree. Secret agencies need nothing to cover their abuses: the only conflicts arise between supporters of the two major oligarchy gangs. So exposure of the bribery and corruption that are now the form of government of the US can never occur.
Bingo!
K Johnstone is absolutely correct. There is a zero chance of any political prosecution. For this very reason I hope Trump wins a second term. I hope he decides to declare himself el-Presidente for life. Trump is a narcissist, entirely without empathy, compassion, common sense, or any measurable level of intelligence, not to mention literacy.
What he IS accomplishing though, it astounding. Like an idiot-savant he is single-handedly dismantling Pax Americana, the single biggest threat to the peace and security of the world. He is doing far more than ANY anti-empire group or person EVER could.
For my entire life, US foreign policy has been, paramount above anything else, to prevent a coming together of it’s two next greatest rivals, China and Russia. Trump got them married. He has exposed as no one else could, the lie that is American Exceptionalism. He has taken off the mask of hypocrisy and greed of the US political establishment for all the world to see.
All this is terrible for the American people – who nonetheless allowed this moron into high office, but it is an (incomplete) blessing for the rest of the world. If allowed, Trump will drive America into the dirt – they are already only about a meter – oops, sorry, a ‘foot’ – above ground level now.
His twitteranting has pitted everyone in American society against everyone else in American society. There will be NO coming together of ‘We The People’ to engage in a better way.
The only way the US will end and overcome it’s malaise is for it to collapse in it’s entirety. Think Soviet Russia.
Trump only needs another four years to accomplish this task. Maybe eight.
As long as our media and Congress are controlled by the usual sinister suspects, the status quo will remain unaltered. As evidence, consider that the 9-11 attack on our country which spawned a series of disastrous wars, has never been thoroughly investigated notwithstanding the extremely compromised Report by our Government. Our compliant media has not fulfilled its vital role in uncovering the real culprits for fear the truth would have Revolutionary results.
I think the author has it just about right.
There is no more justice in America than there is democracy, and for sure there is none of that.
Power is all that counts. The rest is stage play.
Most Americans simply cannot admit that truth.
As for change? Only under the influence of cataclysmic events would it be possible, events we are not likely to see.
It might be happening as we speak. The myth of American exceptionalism has been completely debunked. The sad thing is, the population is too terrified to do anything. The future looks bleak.
Just a note, I wish the author avoided that tired political sales-pitch word “swamp.”
Caitlin, you forgot about my Main Man with a “White Hat”, John Durham.
Stone cold crazy. Just watch.
True, ‘the swamp protects its own’.
Sooooo, … maybe, just maybe … the upcoming High Treason trials, conspiracy to commit Treason, sedition, conspiracy to overthrow a government etc,
will NOT be in Washington DC.
Think:
think 200, 000+ Grand Jury indictments,
think USMC,
military law,
think Gitmo.
Where there’s a will there’s a way.
Maybe the rot, the swamp is so deep in DC, that they will have to ABOLISH and remake the “USA”
root and branch?
Just thinkin’; just hopin’.
Like those who have commented before me, I am in general agreement with the whole of it except for: “It’s [real change] going to have to come from the people; we’re going to have to find a way to punch through the propaganda brainwashing, wake up to reality, and use the power of our numbers to force the changes which will benefit us past all the oligarchic safeguards that have been placed in front of us to prevent us from doing so.” I’m afraid the truth is, based upon the powerless tens of thousands of us who took to the streets in a failed attempt to prevent shock and awe in Iraq, that if we have to depend upon the “power of our numbers” we have no power at all. You can be certain that all the oligarchic safeguards placed in front of us include the means to marginalize the opposition, no matter their numbers.
In particular, the Oligarchs have all the deadly weapons and have no fear or shame of using them against “the power of our numbers.”
You really nailed it Caitlin .So very well said.
Caitlin, I think your underestimating my Main Man with a “white hat”, US Attorney John Durham. I see Ray McGovern has mentioned him in his comment…I must be on the right track! But unlike Ray, I would like to bet that there will be indictments by summers end, if not of Comey and Brennan, then at least their immediate underlings (McCabe, for example). $100, indictments by 9/1?
That seems like a nice idea – but brainwashing is often for life. Those of us that fell off that bandwagon (regardless of which others we’re still on or off) have all suffered for it in our own ways and the majority laughs at us for our idiocy in doing so (amongst other things, of course). They’re not going to come around no matter the rhetoric and only if they are presented with a selfish reason to do so (at which point they’ll appear to switch sides but continue not to care).
Instead of the real changing you’re hoping for, what’s going to happen are more fake micro “revolutions” (e.g. Trump’s election) and loud proclamations much in the style of the nonsensegates. A few scapegoats will be sacrificed, a few countries will be invaded in the name of the democracy unicorn, and the status quo will remain.
Caitlin,
I would not bet against your prognosis, but I believe there remains an almost even chance that the truth and some measure of justice will emerge.
The next few months will tell. I think Barr is serious and will give Durham his head, IF the president does not chicken out as he has in the past. (What, for example, ever happened to those eight criminal referrals that Congressman Nunes had ready to send to DOJ 13 months ago?) Still, the situation is not yet hopeless.
Ray
Mr. McGovern, sir. Your post communicates some grounds for hope. That something, even if it is small and reveletory, is good. But all this has confirmed what I feel has been true now for decades with roots in post-World War 2 sense that American exceptionalism and capability created world-wide extension, that we have a choice each presidential election between “bad” and “worse.”
And bad is preferable to worse. As you imply, hold hope for the little good that may occur.
What a voice of sanity and rational thinking. I am 100% with Caitlin.
That’s why I have stopped voting for the Dems since 2000 and have been voting for the Green Party instead. I don’t do “lesser” of the two evils. It is bad enough that we are ruled by two branches of Mafia but it would be utterly shameful not to realize that it is so.
I was tremendously disappointed at the way people worshiped Obama from the beginning. One does not have a meteoric rise in Chicago Machine politics if one is not dirty, and yet even people in the Midwest who should know better fell for it.
Bingo!
It really seems like the votes in the Dem primary are not counted correctly, since they are all tallied up electronically, maybe they are hacked. Because there was so much optimism, excitement and hope for Sanders a few months ago, it’s impossible really for it to flip so fast like it did to Biden, people don’t change their minds like that for no reason at all. There were already signs in Iowa it was corrupt early on. I think most Americans have known Sanders is much less evil than Biden and wanted to nominate him, I don’t think the votes were counted correctly. We know people want medicare for all and are worried about climate change and the cost of college and foreign policy disasters and constant lying and all that which Obama-Biden are like the epitome of all those things nobody wants, whereas Sanders is uniquely honest and good and was an obvious choice, heck, every single candidate in those debates were 10 times better than Biden, so I can’t believe that Biden has won in a free and fair election process, there’s no reason for people to choose him over the other candidates, it seems like the powers that be have arranged it this way because Trump has a great chance to beat Biden, whereas he would have lost I think to any other of the dem candidates in a landslide probably.
Very well said as usual, Caitlin. Critically important reforms “will not come from… mainstream political factions” and no hero will “do all our work for us” so “we’re going to have to find a way to punch through the propaganda” which history suggests would begin with broad destruction of mass media facilities, rather than isolated persuasions. I for one would be very pleased to see that.
Excellent article.
No one will go to jail, but after the exchanges of blackmail and negotiations, my guess is that a lot of money will change hands.
Truth.
Depressing but true, Caity…
We are 3 1/2 years into the Trump Presidency. When is he going to MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN?
Never will be great. But must hope for some intelligent perspective that at least enables some thing even minimally better.
Agreed real change will have to come from the people. People, I suggest you investigate and considering organizing through a new political party in the earlt stage of being formed: The Movement for a People’s Party.
I don’t know if you have noticed, but the people hate each other. They hate each other for multiple reasons some real, others false, most petty. There is no way this country will come together and kick out the corrupt establishment, which is both parties.
Finding something potable in the two-party swamp is more likely to be achieved than to create a non-money and power third party.
It is interesting to note that all of these political playacts are just a sideshow. Have a look at the “investigation” now of the Federal reserve by certain Senators asking questions of Jerome Powell plus a man called Quarles. You probably have never heard of Quarles, but billions, no, trillions of dollars given over the last decade to the five big banks to distribute to their shareholders seems to be normal behavior by unelected persons whose actions make a complete mockery of the idea that the USA is in any way a democracy and certainly that its House and Senate members are representative of the people.
This information should be readily and clearly available to the public, but the main source (taken up and published by others) is the daily newsletter “Wall Street on Parade” which is free daily and essential for getting the news of the real power brokers and distributors of money in the USA, whose behavior seems never to be checked by their serious criminal charges and admissions.
Spot on, Caitlin. Unfortunately, it’s too late for the US. We know what it takes to effectuate real change – just look at what Cuba had to do. Even worse, even that won’t work. Neither the US, French, nor Russian revolutions really changed anything by themselves. The US didn’t change at all and the French and Russian societies had to change over decades before the promise of the revolution was even partially realized. American society lacks the honor, intelligence, and fortitude to change itself.
Maybe when some one or ones recognize that everything known, whether macro or micro, is circular with beginnings and endings, then some one will realize that whatever enables lasting continuity is what deserves sanctity. Economics and its political mirrors only recognize what enables an assumed unlimited growth of money and power—in other words, a dead end. But given that nothing known is unlimited, maybe that means mankind doesn’t have the capacity to uniquely achieve true sustainability. Maybe nothing is capable of real change.
Two key names are missing from this article: 1)Barr, and 2)Durham. I certainly wouldn’t bet against them.
I don’t know much about Durham, but I suggest that you look into Barr’s history before putting too much faith in him. Just to cite a recent example, do you really believe Epstein committed suicide? There are toes that must never be stepped on if you hope to rise to the position of power that Barr currently holds. Without integrity, all that remains is theater.
See Ray McGovern’s post (above).
Stan, I know nothing about Durham, but to know more about AG Barr (and incidentally Oliver North) you should read Terry Reed’s book Compromised. It’s about the guns/drugs smuggling operation run out of Mena Arkansas when Bill Clinton was governor of that state. Reed was drawn into the operation himself, so it’s a genuine first person account.