Mike Quigley: “It is not surprising, but I disagree with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle on a myriad of issues, but that…”

“It is not surprising, but I disagree with my colleagues on the other side of the aisle on a myriad of issues, but that is okay. At times, disagreement is important. Only speaking with those who agree with us insulates us from ideas that may challenge our views, instead reaffirming our own biases and avoiding new ideas. A two-party system is important. Hearing different perspectives and different stories is valuable, especially in a body tasked with making decisions for a diverse set of people. Despite our various policy or personal disagreements, we should agree on this: It is dangerous to repeat Kremlin talking points. Since Russia's invasion of Ukraine, we have only seen this disturbing trend grow. An indictment filed this month alleges that Russian state media employees funneled $10 million to a Tennessee-based media company, Tenant, for Russian friendly content. Tenant's media influencers have a collective 7 million subscribers on YouTube and more than 7 million followers on X. While we are no stranger to Russian misinformation campaigns, they are clearly adapting and evolving in their efforts. This month, intelligence officials said that Russia's activities are more sophisticated than in previous cycles. They are using authentic U.S. voices to launder Russian Government propaganda and spread socially divisive narratives through major social media.…”