Thematically there will be the same contradictory elements: freedom of religion only for specific religions, carnage is here because it’s been manufactured, the stock market is the economy, the other side is subversive even as we’re trying to pervert the rule of law and sabotage the election. And mainly, ignore the quarter-million dead, YOLO, party-on, only #WAP’s wear masks.

Prime-time events will be livestreamed and shared for broadcast beginning at 8.30pm and ending at 11pm EST beginning on 24 August.

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From Melania Trump to gun-toting St Louis couple, what you can expect from the RNC https://t.co/W05vsq1PmY— The Independent (@Independent) August 22, 2020

​Each night of the convention is also scheduled to air remarks that have echoed the president's campaign rallies, speeches and White House events during which he has invited speakers to denounce socialism – specifically in Venezuela and Cuba – after the president has invoked red-scare tactics to depict his moderate rival as a “Trojan horse” for socialism.

www.independent.co.uk/…

— Erik Wasson (@elwasson) August 22, 2020

— Kaz Weida (@kazweida) August 22, 2020

— Joshua Potash (@JoshuaPotash) August 22, 2020

Removing America’s first dictator is also removing America First’s dictator.

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Important piece by Vladimir Kobets and David J. Kramer, “What Washington Can Do for Belarus” https://t.co/P4KAmYbfXU via @politico

— Michael McFaul (@McFaul) August 22, 2020

It won’t be easy to push out “Europe’s last dictator,” nor should any country resort to military action to do that. But there are several other concrete steps the international community, including the United States, can take to help make that happen—and put Belarus on a path to true democracy. Resolving the crisis in Belarus, which borders Russia, Ukraine and several NATO member states, will have major implications for all of Europe.

On Wednesday, the European Union took a step in the right direction by holding an emergency summit devoted to Belarus in which the EU refused to recognize Lukashenko’s reelection. German Chancellor Angela Merkel put it clearly: “The election was neither free nor fair.” EU Council President Charles Michel also announced plans to reimpose sanctions “on a substantial number of individuals responsible for violence.”

Not only will such actions be a boost to the opposition in Belarus, but treating Lukashenko like a pariah leaves him little ground to stand on. It sows doubts in the minds of his supporters, making them worried that they, too, might be sanctioned. Already, dozens of Belarusian police officers, state television presenters and several diplomats have resigned, not wanting to be a part of Lukashenko’s desperate and brutal efforts to stay in power. Lukashenko was booed and shouted down during an appearance at a state-owned enterprise on August 17. Sanctions and other outside pressure could encourage more defections from the regime, depriving Lukashenko of critical administrative support.

Instead of following the EU’s lead, however, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Thursday issued a disappointing statement. He failed to say that the United States would not recognize the election results, nor did he call for a new, free and fair election. The administration has another opportunity to get this right with a high-level trip to the region starting Monday, led by Deputy Secretary of State Steve Biegun, a highly respected Eurasia expert.

www.politico.com/…

— Really American 🇺🇸 (@ReallyAmerican1) August 22, 2020

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