General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsThe right's love for the Putin regime is as important today as it was during the Obama admin
We remember them calling Obama a horrific dictator but then turn around and praise Putin for being tough and generally doing all the things they were accusing Obama of doing.
Why the love? Why the urge for a need for collaboration?
Illusion and delusion. The American right wing has created their own alternate reality that simply because Russia has cast off communism, that in itself means they must have become a utopia... binary thinking to be sure. You've heard sickening references with the glow of high grade polonium I am sure, I've personally heard right wingers talk about Russia having zero percent unemployment and a fertility rate that would put an army of rabbits to shame, all untrue. And of course never mind the facts of the corruption, the lack of freedom of the press, persecution of religious minorities, and more.
Neo-colonialism. A lot of them are practically salivating at the idea of the US and Russia joining forces to create an 'axis' against Muslims. Their perception is really that if we work together, we can have a great war; the white people of the global north finally destroying the non-white people of the global south, especially Muslims. Something for all the cuddliest people out there; racists, anti-Muslim bigots, investors in the MIC, people who want to bring on the end times, etc.
So we have work to do. Let's not attack Russian culture, but let's treat the Putin regime as illegitimate. An enemy of both freedom and the Russian people. Let's talk about Sergei Magnitsky, about MH17, about Alexander Litvinenko, and more. Let's call attention to ethnic groups in Russia like the Siberians, many of whom want autonomy from the Kremlin and are also concerned about climate change threatening to destroy their very culture and lives. And we need to find and pull in people opposed to Putin and Russian liberals, they aren't our allies... no, they are our brothers and sisters.
Proud Liberal Dem
(24,338 posts)though I strongly suspect that it has a lot to do with admiring Putin's authoritarian regime and wishing that the US can be more like Russia (with them in control, of course), which might be more of a frightening possibility right now if somebody more competent and less buffoonish than Donald Trump got elected last November, which is bad enough in and of itself. Not saying that they aren't still trying to remake the US in Putin's image but, thanks to Trump's incompetence and the general resilience of American historical traditions and institutions, as well as a large and vibrant resistance to Trump and his (mis-)Administration, American democracy just might survive Trump and Putin's meddling in our elections.
ck4829
(34,905 posts)There is a thing with the right that authoritarianism, brutality, corruption is bad... if you're not on the side benefiting from it.
Kind of like when Gingrich said we need to change the rules to be OK with Trump's nepotism.