2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumWhy Some Leftists Are Defending Donald Trump’s Ties to Russia
(hint: same 'leftists' that hate Clinton and Obama)
http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/07/why-some-leftists-defend-trumps-ties-to-russia.html
Trumps own financial ties to Russia are completely non-transparent and will remain so as long as he refuses to release his tax returns. With a normal candidate, the Russia connection would amount to a massive, disqualifying scandal. At minimum, the nominee would face overwhelming pressure to release his tax return a standard requirement even without grounds for suspicion to prove he is not getting paid by a hostile foreign power. To be clear, it is pretty improbable that Trump is literally working for Putin. But this hardly settles the question. First, for a risk as consequential as the willful penetration of the American government by a hostile power, pretty improbable is not improbable enough. Second, the more likely explanation for the web of ties between Trump and Putin is still fairly damning. You have a candidate with a long record of admiring despots in general and the Russian despot in particular, surrounded by advisers in his pay, and who is flamboyantly ignorant of policy. Given these circumstances, it would be hard to imagine how Trump could form views on Russia without Putins influence.
But the accusation that Trumps relationship with Russia reeks of impropriety, in the media now by Clinton, has provoked a furious counterattack on the left. Even the indisputable notion that Russia is trying to help Trump (far from the more explosive charge that Trump is trying to help Russia) has been assailed on the left as McCarthyism by figures like Katrina vandenHeuvel, Glenn Greenwald, and many others.
...
Trumps pro-Russia tilt has reenergized these Cold War tropes. The left-wing writer Corey Robin heartily endorses the Republican nominees statement that When the world sees how bad the United States is and we start talking about civil liberties, I dont think we are a very good messenger. And in response to liberals aghast at Trumps renunciation of upholding Americas commitment to NATO, Robin sneers at the prospect of sending the US military off to fight Putin or whomever it is were now supposed to be willing to fight over NATO. To clear up Robins apparent confusion, whomever it is were now supposed to be willing to fight over NATO is in fact whoever invades the members of NATO, all of whom are pledged to defend each other in the event of an attack. And now is in fact since NATO was formed in 1949.
...
Update: The Nation has an editorial denouncing defending Trumps relationship with Russia, under the headline Against Neo-McCarthyism. The Nations in-house Russophile Stephen F. Cohen echoes those views. The editorial hinges upon a loose definition of McCarthyism, a term I would use to mean false accusations of disloyalty, but which The Nation uses to mean any accusation of being in agreement with Russia, whether true or not.
The editorial asserts, nobody has conclusively proven who hacked into the DNCs network. Conclusive proof is a pretty difficult standard, in the absence of a signed, notarized confession from Vladimir Putin. What we do have is the strong belief of experts both inside and outside the American government.
The editorial likewise argues that poor Trump is being smeared because he wisely opposes arming Ukraine:
Defending Trump's affinity for Russia's plutocratic, fascistic dictator is a what is known as a "tell."
Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin
(108,155 posts)Probably more nationalistic fascist.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)matter.
So, why do some people routinely circle the wagons around Russia and complain about "McCarthyism" when it's rightwing plutocrats and fascists being bashed?
Have not seen a good answer to that, not one that seems more plausible than Gazprom money.
David__77
(23,468 posts)...
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)these 'progressives' had no trouble decrying Netanyahu and Ron Dermer over their interference with the Iran deal.
But, when rightwing Russia, an antagonist to the US, hacksUS political parties and tries to influence our presidential election? Time to circle the wagons.
Cha
(297,503 posts)Koinos
(2,792 posts)Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)They've been stone cold capitalist since before I left college. The anti-NATO thing seems like a hangover from old Soviet-era politics. I know some leftists who are into this position, and it leads them to some dark and weird stances.
The nearest I come to understanding it is that since some left-wing countries do business with Russia, there is a feeling they (leftists) need to also like Russia. I don't feel that need myself--I don't even like all of the countries *we* do business with.
geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Starry Messenger
(32,342 posts)sufrommich
(22,871 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)Amazing how lifelong libertarian xenophobes all of a sudden become so protective of Russia and so sensitive to Cold War nuances when the Kremlin turns gangster capitalist.
think
(11,641 posts)geek tragedy
(68,868 posts)He's a notorious Putin apologist.
Cha
(297,503 posts)NCTraveler
(30,481 posts)He has a long record of it.
sufrommich
(22,871 posts)government is indeed strange.