SCOTT SHACKFORD: Let’s Say Russia Did Hack the Dems. What Would Be a Responsible Reaction?

From the perspective of a Gary Johnson voter who regularly feels disenfranchised from the American electoral process and probably would stop voting entirely were it not for third parties and ballot initiatives, here’s what the responses to the latest allegations that the Russian government hacked and leaked information from the Democratic Party to the press looks like:

Democratic partisans: “Having embarrassing emails and data about our inner workings released to the public is the equivalent of Watergate and Pearl Harbor combined. Why aren’t more people outraged?”

Republican partisans: “If the Russians actually were involved, this is proof how weak a President Barack Obama was on the international stage. If only he had started a few more wars and droned a few more weddings!”

Nick Gillespie blogged this morning about how we needed more transparency from our own government and more proof that the Russian government was actually involved before we were to simply accept anonymous sources with unknown agendas.

But, as a thought exercise, let’s accept it as truth. Let’s say that the Russian government, under direct orders from President Vladimir Putin, hacked and released this inside info with the intent of influencing our election. What is the “right” way to examine what happened? Perhaps those of us with no political dogs in this hunt can give some advice.

Mostly I know that if the parties were reversed this wouldn’t even be an issue, except for Jon Stewart mocking the GOP for bad security.