Encore of Revival: America, March 19, 2018

General Michael Flynn has earned a purple heart. The corruption against him indicated by text messages is scandalous. The public will rally to his defense more and more.

Trump allows Mueller to continue, indicating strength not weakness. Trump is letting Mueller proverbially “hang himself”, or to be “Biblical”, build his own Haman scaffold. Lashing out at Mueller on Twitter comes from Trump’s “social nose” telling him to wait for public support so that when—not if—Trump fies Mueller, the public demands more investigations of the draining swamp, which still will not satisfy the public outcry against corruption.

By not yet taking so much action as demanded, Trump opponents will see him as moderate and his support could even increase in the 2020 election—already likely to increase since the normal mid-term losses long predicted by Symphony will only rouse Trumpists to get out the vote even more.

The Facebook scandal involving the said-to-be-dubious research group Cambridge Analytica neither indites Democrats nor Republicans since the group is likened to “mercenaries” who will work for anyone’s pay. It does raise questions about Facebook’s inside baseball, though at most Facebook’s involvement seems to have been not caring enough or not having policies prepared to handle what Cambridge Analytica was doing, but we’ll have to wait and see. Nonetheless, Facebook will end up being more regulated by Congress, something quite easily done through FTC regulations—Facebook is a company with publicly traded stock. We could see legislation imposing a kind of “fairness and privacy doctrine” on public social media companies. Facebook is becoming a de facto utility, a status clearly proven by how important it was to Cambridge Analytica.

The STOP, School Violence Act of 2018 sponsored by Orrin Hatch has due bipartisan support. It also contains provisions for training, something suggested by Symphony just after the Florida Valentine’s Day Massacre. Democrats naturally want more, but are supportive.

School Safety Legislation

The House Passed a School Safety Bill While Students Walked Out of Class. Here’s What’s in It. And What’s Not | TIME

School safety bill passes House, no action on gun control | Yahoo – Reuters

Russianewsgategate Muellergate

Texts show judge who recused himself in Flynn case was friendly with FBI agent involved in probe | WA Post

Trump should fire Mueller, suspend Rosenstein & Ohr, then order FBI – not Special Prosecutor – to criminally investigate FISA wiretap! | Art Voice

A second special counsel should be investigating the FBI leaks | NY Post

Mueller’s Investigation Flouts Justice Department Standards | National Review

A frustrated Trump lashes out at special counsel Mueller | AP

Republicans to Trump: Let Mueller do his job | Yahoo – Reuters

Facebookgate

The Cambridge Analytica Files | Guardian

Report: Cambridge Analytica trying to block exposé by U.K.’s Channel 4 | CBS News

How Trump Consultants Exploited the Facebook Data of Millions | NY Times

Senate Judiciary Dem calls on Zuckerberg to testify before committee | The Hill

Facebook suspends Cambridge Analytica for misuse of user data, which Cambridge denies | CNBC

Facebook critics want regulation, probe after data firm taps 50 million profiles | Taipei Times

Firegate

Ex-FBI Deputy Director Andrew McCabe is fired — and fires back | CNN

Could getting Andrew McCabe fired come back to bite Trump? | WA Post

Firing McCabe Is Just the Start | The Atlantic

McCabe is a patriot, but if he lied, he deserves rebuke | CNN

Executive

Former Clinton Adviser Philippe Reines Reacts to Trump Rally: ‘I Understand Why He May Win Again in 2020’ | Mediaite

Trump loves winning, but in his presidency and business, California has gotten in his way | LA Times

…Professor Stephen Hawking dies aged 76… | Daily Mail

Tillerson calls out ‘troubling’ Russia actions | CNN

Mike Pompeo, Director of the CIA, will become our new Secretary of State. He will do a fantastic job! Thank you to Rex Tillerson for his service! Gina Haspel will become the new Director of the CIA, and the first woman so chosen. Congratulations to all!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) March 13, 2018