Make Russia Great Again: Conservative, white, Christian, low levels of immigration, despotic ... what's not to love about Russia?
It would be unbelievable if it weren't true. The Republican party, which conducted the Red Scare of the 50's, and stood up for democracy, political conservatism, apple pie, patriotism, and militarism around the world, now stands for something quite different. A combination of hatreds- for Democrats, for immigrants, and, seemingly, for personal freedom- seems to have sent the Trumpy ecosystem into a very weird place, where Russia is good, autocracy is strength, and American democracy is weakness. What are real patriots to do?
Republicans in congress sure look like they are selling out Ukraine. After linking aid to southern border fixes, they realized that the fixes were going to be politically beneficial to Democrats, as would the Ukraine aid, so both were scuttled. The newest proposal appears to cut Ukraine aid, and not accept the Senate bill, but that is also stalled. We are, at best, in for a long negotiation, all furthering the interests of making Russia great again. And Trump himself was not shy about putting it all in words, declaring Putin's invasion of Ukraine "smart", and inviting invasion of more NATO countries.
This policy is, in essence, throwing away the whole post-war order and rationale for American power, stretching across our innumerable alliances from Europe to Japan. It is unimaginable to any serious student of American power and the last hundred years. But here we are, serving the interests of our enemies in the most blatant ways. Russia, needless to say, is not our friend. Could have been our friend, in the post-Cold War period, but Russia ended up under the thumb of Putin, whose hatred of the West appears foundational to his political success, and even more, to his KGB heart.
What is the deeper thread behind this craziness? I think it goes back to the culture war. Republicans have decisively lost the overall culture war in America. Gay marriage is here to stay, diversity is mainstream, and even abortion is, after the overturning of Roe, a huge loser for Republicans. They are souring on America in a fundamental way, and looking elsewhere for inspiration. Like Nazi Germany, Hungary, and Russia. At least that is the way it looks and the way they, and especially Trump, talk. And with enough money and propaganda behind them, Republicans can to some extent buck the math and the good will of contemporary American democracy. The question is- how far? The last presidential election was razor-thin, but still, not a great indication that this strategy is going to be broadly popular, and recent elections have shown even worse results.
In addition to straining to help Russia, this movement is doing anything but making America great again. Our friendships around the world are in tatters, with everyone nervously eyeing the next election. Republicans stand firmly behind making a sociopathic dolt president, for a second time. And their Supreme Court is authoring a new epoch of medieval jurisprudence. This is how empires crumble, when powerful factions decide that their hold on power is more important than the law, more important than petty democracy, more important than peace and stability, more important than truth, and that a little insurrection or civil war might not be such a bad way to force their views down everyone else's throats. When backed by oodles of money, shamelessness, and a relentless propaganda bullhorn, it is, needless to say, highly combustible.
