https://www.news.com.au/technology/online/social/chilling-memes-russian-trolls-spread-through-us-to-build-trump-support/news-story/

The genuine-looking memes were created by Russian trolls with a deep understanding of American culture. The sophisticated campaigns targeted social media users identified as pro-gun or ex-military. The posts were often aimed at religious Facebook users, and explicitly attacked Hillary Clinton. Image result for election memes created by russia.

Jenifer (Zarknorph) said: The Russians definitely interfered with the election, but not in a cloak and dagger conspiracy way. They just trolled Facebook mostly, and riled up the masses to sow division (I just had to Google: is it sew or sow?).

You're so right!

They did it by producing memes like these!

Boy was I wrong to doubt you!

jra2750 said:

Perhaps.  While I'm not a Trump supporter I AM an objective thinker and from my observations the entire Russiagate issue was a gigantic Nothingburger. 

I know how you feel ... or did know how you feel.

Until Jenifer showed me differently and persuaded me that the Russians were experts at propaganda and had been enormously influential over Trump just as they were over communism during the Cold War.

Only one state actually had a problem and that was Illinois.  The other 21 could not and did not present proof of Russian interference.  Are the Russians good at propagandizing?  You bet.  And so are we and so is China and so are other countries.  

IT IS SOW!

Jen meant exactly “planting seeds” of dissension and chaos.

Yes, but would you not be "sowing" division, as planting the seeds of it?

As opposed to "sewing" division, which is stitching material together - and is therefore the exact opposite of division.

I don't think any electoral system is tamper-proof, but voter fraud in the US is such a miniscule number that it is irrelevant to the outcome.

Russians definitely posted political memes on Facebook, but I discuss the politics of a whole bunch of countries here, and have used a meme or two to succinctly make a point (or just spar with someone for fun).

So am I interfering in your 2020 election by trying to persuade you to not vote for Trump?

It's kind of a conundrum, even without the Mueller report.

jra2750 said:  Only one state actually had a problem and that was Illinois.  The other 21 could not and did not present proof of Russian interference.  

Sorry - I missed this. What did the dastardly Russians do in Illinois? Hijacked Yosemite Sam?

jra2750 said:   Are the Russians good at propagandizing?  You bet.  

Maybe I come from a protected region. I could have sworn they were almost totally incompetent at persuading Westerners of anything. Those who purported to be persuaded were pretty much entirely self-radicalised. Not even beheading videos to salivate over.

jra2750 said:   ... good at propagandizing?    And so are we and so is China and so are other countries.

We're immensely good at it - a vast industry centred on Hollywood but with outposts at Elmstree Studios (home of "Carry on following that camel" and Benny Hill).

I didn't know the Chinese had anything remotely similar. Only Bollywood is remotely comparable and I'm sure they're not Russian nor Chinese.

Jenifer (Zarknorph) said:

There is a simple reason Donald Trump hasn't been impeached.

I don't need to read this story - the US Constitution is a terrible way to run a country.

The politicisation of the Kavanaugh confirmation struck me most deeply.

They attacked and threatened the witnesses - as they've done so often before. They threatened their fellow Congress-critters.

Even if they'd had reasonable grounds to reject the evidence they went on to confirm a justice who had been found dreadfully wanting on a personal level. That was a terrible thing to do.

This man stands out - behaved as if he was himself very guilty and covering up for his own crimes.

Maybe this was the exact point when the US went entirely off the rails and started to plunge into a very dark place.