Russia and "Yes California Campaign" or "#calexit" Campaign

I'm posting this in the grey area after discussing where to place this topic with a few people on here. I belive is the correct place for this pet-theory of mine that I hope others might contribute to.

I've noticed a new movement online, urging for California to "exit" the USA. California does have a massive GDP, larger than some soveirgn nations.

The Yes California Independence Campaign aims to hold a referendum in 2019 that, if passed, would make California an independent country. Far-fetched as it may sound, the plan started gathering steam after Tuesday night’s surprising presidential vote. The movement has an impressive backer in Shervin Pishevar, a well-known angel investor who offered to bankroll a campaign to secede.

Business Insider

There's a bit more at the article above about the movement in case you haven't heard of it yet.

Why would Russia be involved with this? What would their motivation be?

Since Stalin, Russia’s foreign policy has been more pragmatic than ideological. Right and left make no difference: Putin’s goal is to sow dissent and discord within Europe’s ranks and erode the unity of the EU.

Link

It seems that's the cookie-cutter plan in Russia. Support division and cause fractures behind the scenes. We're well aware of Russia's propaganda tactics and operations in the EU, and it seems that perhaps these same operatives are now within the USA.

Just today I became made aware of the Yes California leadership is visiting a foreign power to set up a so called, "Embassy". I don't think links to Facebook work here -- but this is what the official page today said:

Friends, I am in Russia at the moment. We are opening an embassy and cultural center for an independent California here. We need foreign countries to acknowledge the results of our independence referendum if we want to be an independent country afterall. - Louis

That got my attention.

I decided to travel over to their website and look around. Low and behold I found support for Russia way back during the summer Olympics. It seems that the leadership of Yes California have a love affair with Russia, and aren't really making it a secret:

Yes California responds to primary election results; accepts invitation to attend international self-determination conference hosted in Moscow:

Yes California announced today that it has accepted an invitation to represent the California Republic at a self-determination conference hosted by the Anti-Globalization Movement of Russia on July 31 in Moscow. The conference will be dedicated to the struggle of different regions and nations fighting for their independence and self-determination.

Link

This was from June of this year, before Trump won.

Wait, isn't anti-globalism what Trump is all about? Why are anti-Trump people flocking to this Yes California thing now?

I mentioned those old KGB tactics, remember? I found an interview with a Russian defector and my eyebrows were raised once more:

This amazing interview was done back in 1985 with a former KGB agent who was trained in subversion techniques. He explains the 4 basic steps to socially engineering entire generations into thinking and behaving the way those in power want them to. It’s shocking because our nation has been transformed in the exact same way, and followed the exact same steps.

If you want to watch an old interview with the man from the interview, one is actually available:



What are these steps?

1. Demoralization
2. Destabilization
3. Crisis
4. Normalization

I believe what we saw during the last 8 years (possible a few more) of Obama was a targeted demoralization campaign against Americans by Putin's FSB/GRU intelligence organizations. If we listen to the former Soviet defector once more:

But in reality, the main emphasis of the KGB is not in the area of intelligence at all. According to my opinion and the opinion of many defectors of my caliber only about fifteen percent of time, money, and manpower is spent on espionage as such. The other eighty-five percent is a slow process which we call either ideological subversion, or active measures, (~Activitia perionachia, in the language of the KGB), or psychological warfare. What it basically means is to change the perception of reality of every American to such an extent that despite the abundance of information no one is able to come to sensible conclusions in the interests of defending themselves, their families, their community, and their country. It’s a great brainwashing process which goes very slow and is divided into four basic stages. The first one being demoralization.

If we look around, we clearly can see a pattern of increased demoralization in America during the Obama administration. Memes, news stories, talking heads and new alt-right blogs were popping up declaring how "weak" America was.

I believe we have now accellerated past demoralization, and with the election of our new president, Mr. Trump the Russians have now deployed their operatives with directives to destabilize:

The next stage is destabilization. This time, the subverter does not care about your ideas, the patterns of your consumption, whether you eat junk food and get fat and flabby. It doesn’t matter anymore. This time, and it only takes from two to five years to destabilize a nation, what matters is essentials, economy, foreign relations, defense systems. And you can see it quite clearly in sensitive areas as defense and economy.

Two to five years? That sounds about right for a normal president's term in office. Of course, due to the internet and social media, one must remember that all of these stages can be accelerated. The rest of the interview can be found here

Now that brings things full-circle. California leaving the USA would most certainly be seen as a destabilizing act. It would serve well, and play directly into the hands of the Russian intelligence agencies.

Why would Russia want this?

According to "GLOBAL TRENDS 2030: ALTERNATIVE WORLDS a publication of the National Intelligence Council" :

A modernizing Russia could integrate itself into a wider international community; at the same time, a Russia which fails to build a more diversi ed economy and more liberal domestic order could increasingly pose a regional and global threat.

And:

By 2030 Russia faces a steep population drop—about 10 million people—a greater decline than any other country during that time frame.

It's a given that the Russian economy is heavily resource-dependent. Russian oil and gas make up a significant portion of their economic power:

The Polish Government sees shale gas as an important resource for diversification away from dependence on Russian gas and has been granting exploration licenses, while the French Government has banned hydraulic fracking.

Continued:

I didn't realize there was a limit on post length! I was nearly done anyway...

The Global Trends document goes on to state:

Russia has serious concerns regarding the threat posed by a rapidly expanding China, particularly Beijing’s growing appetite for natural resources which could eventually encroach upon the Russian Far East and Siberia. Russian leaders believe that they need to be wary of the potential for the US and NATO to intervene in a conflict involving Russia and one of the former Soviet republics.

Needless to say, I think what we are witnessing right now is an uptick from an aggressive Russian agenda to destabilize the West -- here in America and the EU. I could discuss Russia's operations within the EU to destabilize and break it apart, but that's a topic for another thread.

Russia has its back up against the wall. With a declining population and nations no longer beholden to their resources, Putin and company are looking to strengthen and position themselves accordingly.

The Yes California movement seems to be taking advantage of the upset anti-Trump people, which disingenuous at best. The movement has its roots in anti-Globalism, which for many pro-Hillary people doesn't quite align with.

It seems that the Yes California campaign is opportunistic, seeking support form a disorganized, confused, and demoralized population of people. It looks as if Russian operatives (remember the majority of the FSB's actions are social engineering!) have been busy...

Thanks for reading -- there's so much more to say/add to this topic. It seems the rabbit hole goes very, very deep on this.

a reply to: Kettu

Secession isn't allowed per the constitution, but I would definitely make an exception for California.

Would be maybe 2 years tops before it became a horribly failed country.

originally posted by: Vector99
a reply to: Kettu

Secession isn't allowed per the constitution, but I would definitely make an exception for California.

Would be maybe 2 years tops before it became a horribly failed country.

I don't think the movement has any serious chance. That isn't the point, however.

The movement is all about causing divides and chaos. Splitting people apart and causing a destabilized United States.

It would behoove the FBI/CIA to be investigating this issue, to see if Russian fingerprints are found.

Interesting thread. I love these kinds of speculation.

My first thought is it's really gonna suck when the big one strikes and they all come crawling back.

Just joking...kinda.

I'm confused. Isn't California broke and suffering a major drought. A state that is drowning in Hollywood filth? They elected the Terminator for goodness sakes.

Funnier still, is a heavy Democratic state with over 50 electoral votes. They must really want 8 years of Trump.

a reply to: Kettu



The instruction manual probably contains a chapter titled 'Blame it on Russia' ...

a reply to: Kettu

This same conversation happened in a slightly less sensational manner when Obama was elected the first time. Then it was Texas seceding the union, which they actually say every year, damn Texans lol.

When the election is so evenly cut and decided by the electoral college, there will be obvious divide. It's almost literal that half got what they wanted and half didn't. There is no simple solution for that situation. You can't suddenly make one of the two halfs happy without upsetting the entire other half.

a reply to: Vector99

This time, however, Russia's fingerprints are all over Trump, and it seems the leaders of the California Exit movement are cozying up to Russia quite nicely.

a reply to: Rosinitiate

Interesting thing about "The Arnold" -- he's an ardent green energy supporter.

originally posted by: Kettu
a reply to: Vector99

This time, however, Russia's fingerprints are all over Trump,

Turn off fox and cnn.

originally posted by: Vector99

originally posted by: Kettu
a reply to: Vector99

This time, however, Russia's fingerprints are all over Trump,

Turn off fox and cnn.

Does any of this source to either of those places?

No.

It's a lot harder to keep an open mind than a closed one... )))

a reply to: Kettu

You may not be sourcing them but your dialogue matches the agenda they have pushed for the entire election cycle.

originally posted by: Kettu
a reply to: Vector99

This time, however, Russia's fingerprints are all over Trump, and it seems the leaders of the California Exit movement are cozying up to Russia quite nicely.

The Calexit is mainly populated by democrats who - for some - consider that Bernie Sanders would make a great candidate for the head of their independent state ...
Do you suggest that Calexit/Bernie supporters are pro-Putin ?

originally posted by: theultimatebelgianjoke

originally posted by: Kettu
a reply to: Vector99

This time, however, Russia's fingerprints are all over Trump, and it seems the leaders of the California Exit movement are cozying up to Russia quite nicely.

The Calexit is mainly populated by democrats who - for some - consider that Bernie Sanders would make a great candidate for the head of their independent state ...
Do you suggest that Calexit/Bernie supporters are pro-Putin ?

The Bernie supporters were drawn to the Yes California exit movement after it was created, not the other way around. Bernie people didn't form it.

The roots of this movement go back much farther than 2016 election, with the "Sovereign California campaign". Their founder, Louis J. Marinelli is chairman for the California National Party.

Just like Trump, Marinelli appears to have spent some time in....Russia:

In October, 2007, Marinelli moved to Samara, Russia to work as an ESL teacher in a private language school after earning a TEFL certificate. Six months later, Marinelli accepted a new job teaching English for a competitor with a new school opening in the city of Kazan in the Republic of Tatarstan, a part of the Russian Federation 500 miles east of Moscow.

In 2009, Louis relocated to Saint Petersburg, Russia where he began working for another private language school as an English teacher and became a student himself at Saint Petersburg State University, the alma mater of Russian presidents Vladimir Putin and Dmitry Medvedev. Although he initially considered giving up his U.S. citizenship to remain in Russia permanently, citing disillusionment with the United States government and political system, Louis came back to live in California in the summer of 2011.

Wikipedia

I wonder what else happened to Louis while he was in Russia....?

a reply to: Kettu

First, Russia would love to see the U.S. breakup for obvious reasons.

Second, I have always felt the U.S. would be much more free if we broke into smaller parts. Our Federal Government sucks and doesn't deserve our fealty.

Third, If California left they can take their 50 electoral votes with them. We wouldn't have to worry about liberal Presidents anymore.

Some people hate their goverment so much, that they rather support a foreign criminal regime, which is as bad if not worse. ATS is the place to look if you want to prove that russian propaganda tactics are successful.

originally posted by: Rosinitiate
I'm confused. Isn't California broke and suffering a major drought. A state that is drowning in Hollywood filth? They elected the Terminator for goodness sakes.

Funnier still, is a heavy Democratic state with over 50 electoral votes. They must really want 8 years of Trump.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The combined debt of California’s state and local governments is at least $848 billion and could escalate past $1.1 trillion, according to a new report. By the way New York is number one in the country right now owing 17,405 per person. Don't see any way to get that out of the population do you??

originally posted by: Kettu
The Bernie supporters were drawn to the Yes California exit movement after it was created, not the other way around. Bernie people didn't form it.

Why ?
Sanders didn't advocate for California exit.
Sanders supporters think for themselves - as Californians.

originally posted by: Kettu
Just like Trump, Marinelli appears to have spent some time in....Russia:

Should anybody else who did be considered as a double-agent or shot in the back by a firing squad ?

originally posted by: dragonridr

originally posted by: Rosinitiate
I'm confused. Isn't California broke and suffering a major drought. A state that is drowning in Hollywood filth? They elected the Terminator for goodness sakes.

Funnier still, is a heavy Democratic state with over 50 electoral votes. They must really want 8 years of Trump.

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) – The combined debt of California’s state and local governments is at least $848 billion and could escalate past $1.1 trillion, according to a new report. By the way New York is number one in the country right now owing 17,405 per person. Don't see any way to get that out of the population do you??

Not unless they all become Hollywood movie stars. :p