General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsWashington Post: How the Republican right found allies in Russia
...snip
A significant shift has been underway in recent years across the Republican right.
From gun rights to terrorism to same-sex marriage, many leading advocates on the right who grew frustrated with their countrys leftward tilt under President Barack Obama have forged ties with well-connected Russians and come to see that countrys authoritarian leader, Vladimir Putin, as a potential ally.
The attitude adjustment among many conservative activists helps explain one of most curious aspects of the 2016 presidential race: a softening among many conservatives of their historically hard-line views of Russia. To the alarm of some in the GOPs national security establishment, support in the party base for then-candidate Donald Trump did not wane even after he rejected the tough tone of 2012 nominee Mitt Romney, who called Russia Americas No. 1 foe, and repeatedly praised Putin.
...snip
Around the same time in December 2015, evangelist Franklin Graham met privately with Putin for 45 minutes, securing from the Russian president an offer to help with an upcoming conference on the persecution of Christians. Graham was impressed, telling The Washington Post that Putin answers questions very directly and doesnt dodge them like a lot of our politicians do.
The growing dialogue between Russians and U.S. conservatives came at the same time experts say the Russian government stepped up efforts to cultivate and influence far-right groups in Europe and on the eve of Russias unprecedented intrusion into the U.S. campaign, which intelligence officials have concluded was intended to elect Trump.
More: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/how-the-republican-right-found-allies-in-russia/2017/04/30/e2d83ff6-29d3-11e7-a616-d7c8a68c1a66_story.html?tid=sm_tw&utm_term=.0068eca1ee1f
kimbutgar
(21,188 posts)The right wing has no decency or morals.
democratisphere
(17,235 posts)They have no boundaries or limits as long as they perceive they are "winning".
Botany
(70,581 posts)n/t
AgadorSparticus
(7,963 posts)sharedvalues
(6,916 posts)Putin is cozying up to American conservatives to destabilize our politics. Because a weaker US and weaker NATO helps him.
Key quote
"Hall, the former CIA officer, said he was skeptical. He said he did not think Putin would tolerate a legitimate effort to advocate for an armed citizenry, and asserted that the movement is probably controlled by the security services to woo the American right."
The security services are the GRU and FSB - Russia's CIA and DIA.
http://observer.com/2017/03/kremlingate-russia-spy-game-disinformation/
Putin has also cozied up to the left. The guy running the California separatist movement just defected to Russia. Russian spies do that kind of thing.
Raine1967
(11,589 posts)This article is really amazing and it does a really good job of connecting the dots to the serious RW shift to authoritarianism within the GOP. They are terrified of liberalism, so much so they are going to Russia.
We really have to resist. and keep resisting.
We will go back to being a nation that respects (NORMAL) conservatism and liberalism.
Sculpin Beauregard
(1,046 posts)More like this, WaPo. MSM has otherwise abandoned the American people in this extremely terrifying time.