Our topic brought out a large crowd on a busy Sunday afternoon, September 23. More than 70 members of the Providence Village and newcomers attended the Social Events Committee’s program on “Election Interference, Accountability and Cyber Security” at the First Unitarian Meeting House in Providence.

Jim Maxwell, Village President, introduced the event. The three speakers were: RI Secretary of State Nellie Gorbea, Dr. James M. Ludes, Salve Regina’s Vice President for Public Research and Initiatives, and Dr. H. Philip West who served as Director of RI’s Common Cause for 18 years.

Grounding us in the situation that Americans currently face, Dr. Ludes’ presented a video and discussion framed as “Truth/Lies,” a presentation that drew upon the findings of a 2017 conference convened to understand Russian influence and how it is shaped to undermine democratic politics and social policies. He pointed out that in the past few decades our society has shifted (noticeably or not) from Cold War to Political Warfare. “War” has a different connotation now, a “softer” side, if not still warring. Because Russians do not have lots of technology or the manpower for regular warfare, they have developed a new playbook using information tools and the information network to conduct a new style of political warfare. What the Russians have been doing, Dr. Ludes underscored, is “exploiting issues rather than creating new issues.” He documented how they have done this on such issues as AIDS, race, and immigration. Using social media, their purpose is to weaken us and cause confusion and chaos.

Nellie Gorbea has tackled lots of them since being elected, including moving RI to a secure paper ballot system with scanning machines, early voting, and provisional ballots. She has sought to increase turnout through the Office’s website and outreach to schools and communities. Also, you may have discovered new electronic poll books if you voted earlier this month. Turnout of voters at primaries is typically low, but even at general elections voting turnout is not as high as in many other liberal democracies. That is a major concern. Voters need to follow the issues, become informed, and engage in conversations with family and friends, and most of all she says “Please vote.”

Phil West underscored how our Constitutional principles are now at risk because of election interference, saying, “Russia is trying to interfere with our system of hope and understanding and undermine our trust in democracy.” Our Founders had a dark view of human nature, he said, so they developed a democratic governmental system of checks and balances and separation of powers. These have now been challenged.

Many people are discontent as a result of the 2008 recession. Many are confused and unclear as to what to do for other reasons. The information network now makes it possible to manipulate public opinion. This may help to explain what is going on. Since 1940, only in the 2016 Presidential election was the winner of the popular vote not also the winner of the electoral vote, (although a hitch in 2000 with “hanging chads” leaves questions about that election). There are many ways the voting results have been distorted, including the fact that Russian hackers sought to get voters to vote against Hillary Clinton. Now, under the current Administration in Washington, many professionals have been forced from their careers, and there have been efforts at scapegoating, and attacks on health, women, journalists, as well as other branches of government. Phil West emphasized that the 2018 General Election this coming November “will test”– the vision of the Framers of our U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights.

After a short Q and A, our panel presentation concluded with a vociferous call for all to become engaged in political discourse, stay engaged, run for office, and at the very least VOTE.

This event was sponsored by the PV Social Events Committee – Ada Winsten, Chair, with members Liz Palter, Joan Halpert, Anna Cerutti, Barbara Forman, Penny Faich, and Terry Percelay.