I am impressed with the American people's ability to overcome the military psychological operation that started with trump and ended with his base storming the capitol. I don't think we would have had the same result of a triumph of democracy without people like Professor Snyder illustrating what was happening to our society and what we could do. Along with Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley, we are lucky to have the remnants of effective education remind us of the power of critical thinking in a democracy. Thank you for showing us how to be free people Professor Snyder.
Indeed, we are lucky to Professor Snyder, Masha Gessen, and Jason Stanley! And there are others. Another person who I think has offered critical information and opinion is Katherine Stewart- she follows the Evangelical attempts to breach the separation of Church and State (The Power Worshipers, 2020, and The Good News Club, 2012). Jane Mayer is another one who raised the alarm about Oligarchs, especially the Kochs (Dark Money). We need all of these powerful voices! They help us to find our own.
“As Russians must understand, these weapons can never be used without Russia being destroyed.
Of course, this would not matter to a tyrant who does not distinguish between the end of Russia and the end of his rule.”
This certainly sounds like Trump. And it has been picked up by the Republican Party. But it begs the question, who or what is behind the Republican Party? You might say, well, Trump is. But Trump is probably a lackey for other entities. Trump’s history indicates that he has connections with organized crime and various Oligarchs, both Russian and American and most likely stays in their good graces by rendering certain services to them, like, for example, money laundering. I imagine money laundering is what he and his organization are good at. He is incompetent in making his own money honestly, but he knows how to get it dishonestly.
I wonder how aware Russians are to being used by these Oligarchs? Is it similar to how aware we in the US are to being used by our Oligarchs?
Hi Jan! I think that's the question of the day (your last question)! It seems to me that our national myths of free markets, the American Dream, and equality require a blind devotion like that demanded in China, Russia, or North Korea. With an aversion to taxation and regulation, the neoliberal approach of the U.S. Congress for the last 40 years has left us in a position that looks more like Soviet communism than American capitalism- where we have suffering and inequality that is endured as the price paid for a utopia in the future. Our healthcare, education, and refusal to abandon fossil fuels are great examples- none of those are "free market capitalism" and instead are taxpayer-funded market failures that enrich those in power. Then those in power make everything about culture wars to disable public political discourse. I am so grateful to Professor Snyder for showing me that freedom is a verb, not an adjective.
And all of that above is just the natural response of American society to being betrayed by our government for 40 years with neoliberal policies that served business, not people- that's not even taking into account the military psychological operations that are Wikileaks and QAnon! The American people are actually pretty amazing to have thwarted the Manafort-Putin-Bannon cabal in 2020. Hopefully Biden keeps delivering and we avoid a potential backlash in the midterms and 2024. I guess then we will see if we are that different from Russia!!!
I am impressed with the American people's ability to overcome the military psychological operation that started with trump and ended with his base storming the capitol. I don't think we would have had the same result of a triumph of democracy without people like Professor Snyder illustrating what was happening to our society and what we could do. Along with Masha Gessen and Jason Stanley, we are lucky to have the remnants of effective education remind us of the power of critical thinking in a democracy. Thank you for showing us how to be free people Professor Snyder.
Indeed, we are lucky to Professor Snyder, Masha Gessen, and Jason Stanley! And there are others. Another person who I think has offered critical information and opinion is Katherine Stewart- she follows the Evangelical attempts to breach the separation of Church and State (The Power Worshipers, 2020, and The Good News Club, 2012). Jane Mayer is another one who raised the alarm about Oligarchs, especially the Kochs (Dark Money). We need all of these powerful voices! They help us to find our own.
“As Russians must understand, these weapons can never be used without Russia being destroyed.
Of course, this would not matter to a tyrant who does not distinguish between the end of Russia and the end of his rule.”
This certainly sounds like Trump. And it has been picked up by the Republican Party. But it begs the question, who or what is behind the Republican Party? You might say, well, Trump is. But Trump is probably a lackey for other entities. Trump’s history indicates that he has connections with organized crime and various Oligarchs, both Russian and American and most likely stays in their good graces by rendering certain services to them, like, for example, money laundering. I imagine money laundering is what he and his organization are good at. He is incompetent in making his own money honestly, but he knows how to get it dishonestly.
I wonder how aware Russians are to being used by these Oligarchs? Is it similar to how aware we in the US are to being used by our Oligarchs?
Hi Jan! I think that's the question of the day (your last question)! It seems to me that our national myths of free markets, the American Dream, and equality require a blind devotion like that demanded in China, Russia, or North Korea. With an aversion to taxation and regulation, the neoliberal approach of the U.S. Congress for the last 40 years has left us in a position that looks more like Soviet communism than American capitalism- where we have suffering and inequality that is endured as the price paid for a utopia in the future. Our healthcare, education, and refusal to abandon fossil fuels are great examples- none of those are "free market capitalism" and instead are taxpayer-funded market failures that enrich those in power. Then those in power make everything about culture wars to disable public political discourse. I am so grateful to Professor Snyder for showing me that freedom is a verb, not an adjective.
And all of that above is just the natural response of American society to being betrayed by our government for 40 years with neoliberal policies that served business, not people- that's not even taking into account the military psychological operations that are Wikileaks and QAnon! The American people are actually pretty amazing to have thwarted the Manafort-Putin-Bannon cabal in 2020. Hopefully Biden keeps delivering and we avoid a potential backlash in the midterms and 2024. I guess then we will see if we are that different from Russia!!!