General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsHow does one from the Cold War era answer this?
Sometimes I'm flabbergasted no one mentions the complete 180 in the American politic body to a Pro-Russian stance Trumpism/Republicans represent, I mean what a feat to take any populace of the American system from the Cold War.... Republicans! and turn them pro Russia? Amazing if you think about it;no wonder the propaganda is strong for Putin there. Fucking weak Lilly liveried (sp) REPUBLICANS. And I mean that emphasis, Im mad.
Triloon
(506 posts)As long as the Russians were commies they were the very worst. But once that system broke and the entire economy went on a fire sale, ripping off the Russian people for everything they had produced in the previous decades, the Republicons were in love. Nothing they love better than a great profit opportunity and to hell with the people. And then there's the "christian" factor... No longer was religion the "opiate of the people" but a sublime method of controlling the population with spiritual guilt.
Those conditions have held until today. The Republicons are jealous as hell of the profiteering of Russian oligarchs, the unquestionable conservative autocracy, and the bloody fucking christian nationalist co-rule of the "Orthodox" church.
Effete Snob
(8,387 posts)They are no longer officially atheist and have co-opted a Christian religious denomination.
The thing they didnt like about Soviet communism was the atheism.
Gaugamela
(2,486 posts)other hand, represents a kind of white Christian nationalism as well as a corrupt mafia state oligarchy that the modern Republican Party wants to emulate.
keep_left
(1,750 posts)...their moronic lingo. The big new fad in Christian nationalism is converting from radtrad Catholicism (e.g. the idiotic "Groypers", followers of Nick Fuentes) to Russian Orthodoxy. The writer and "intellectual" Rod Dreher (a real piece of work) very publicly converted to Orthodoxy a few years ago. It was the usual thing with him like many other far-right converts: as he became more alt-right-adjacent, Catholicism--even of the radtrad variety--wasn't "based" enough (e.g. not homophobic, misogynist, and generally bigoted enough). ROCOR (Russian Orthodox Church Outside Russia) is the latest "radtrad-ism" with these people. They're really loathsome. Lauren Witzke, another real piece of work, is also a public convert to Orthodoxy; she even has an Orthodox Cross on her social media accounts.
Brogrizzly
(145 posts)It just makes my jaw drop to think about it.
keep_left
(1,750 posts)...whether we would get to grow up before being incinerated in a nuclear holocaust, so I get it too.
Actually, this has been noted about Republicans for a while now (their sucking up to Putin and the Russian mafia state). Eric Alterman (I think) wrote a piece--I believe when he was still with The Nation--that had a title like "Where is a good anti-Communist Republican when you need one?". This had to have been at least a decade ago (and probably longer ago than that). I think Alterman was writing about the neocon unwillingness to recognize both Chinese and Russian human-rights problems as long as they were favored in our foreign policy calculus. At the time, neocons like Bill Kristol had become pathetic apologists for really horrific human-rights abuses in those countries.
Brogrizzly
(145 posts)I guess I am just extraordinarily astonished at the success and pace of the endeavor of essentially a few rich dudes in Russia? Right, economics setting social policy and vice forth, Putin rode to his success on the Christian bear, pun intended
oh and F off now with B Kristol, next thing your going to tell me os W wasnt that bad kidding, enjoy your evening
Effete Snob
(8,387 posts)Yep. You nailed it.
They have a compound in New York that various folks in the Witzke orbit have frequented.
JHB
(37,132 posts)AntiFascist
(12,792 posts)funding was raised to defeat the godless communist Soviets invading Afghanistan by appealing to much of Reagan's wealthy Evangelical support.
Now that Russia has again adopted Orthodox Christianity, that would seem to explain much of the 180 degree turnaround.
Response to Brogrizzly (Original post)
Brogrizzly This message was self-deleted by its author.
usonian
(9,429 posts)But it's not lost on me that these "patriots" are almost entirely IN NEED OF A JOB, A HAIRCUT AND A SHAVE.
Took some crap on those counts. Got a job, keep hair in control, and NO NEED TO SHAVE WHEN YOU'RE WEARING A COVID MASK (but I do, just less often)
pecosbob
(7,511 posts)We knew that Republicans no longer had any backbone when Reagan made a deal with Iran to hold our hostages longer to help his election chances in 1980. It's only gone downhill since then.
Brogrizzly
(145 posts)If these fools dont get it.
RANDYWILDMAN
(2,645 posts)Repub followers have proved one thing, they are followers.
You can't deprogram a cult member who does not know they are in a cult.
They really only do what the cult leaders tell them to do.
KY_EnviroGuy
(14,483 posts)through commentary on Russian-influenced media channels and thousands of posts on social media via their hoards of internet trolls.
Russia does this to help divide us, thereby making us weaker and less of a threat. Our Rethugs and UK's Tories are their perfect partners for promoting fascism.
Republicans do not care about the source, politics or morality of those who support them....
I refuse to believe it is simply this
Capatisilsm/war machine?