Russia Russia Russia!
In my last piece, I asked why, during the 2012 presidential debates, Mitt Romney said, “Russia is, without question, our number one geopolitical foe.” In her brilliant February 16th piece, Heidi Siegmund Cuda laid out the timeline of events explaining how the Republican Party turned against the United States in favor of Russia.
“Russian money plowed into Silicon Valley ‘PayPal Mafia’ and Russia’s favorite Congressman Dana Rohrabacher helped Elon Musk privatize space. People involved with the Council for National Policy (CNP) that includes the Mercers and the Kochs…got involved with the World Congress of Families that was put together in the mid-90s by an American visiting Russia, who realized that traditional family values were something that would unite the East and the West, Russia and the United States. By 2011, the WCF started scheduling their meetings in Russia…So, these folks went from being virulently anti-USSR to being pro-Russia because they saw Putin’s network as being capitalistic, aligned with the Orthodox Church, and pro-family…everything aligns.”
Note the “By 2011,” which was right before Romney’s 2012 statement. So, it turns out the same Russian KGB villains from spy novels and Gulag survivor memoires duped the Republican Party with PsyOps. Now Republicans are using KGB PsyOps to interfere with our elections and consolidate power among a chosen few. Trump is recklessly veering out of his Executive branch lane to dismantle of Congressional and Judicial branches.
None of this is playing well with American public opinion. A CNN poll showed only 8% favorable view of Russia among American adults in 2024. Trump’s approval is tanking in all polls. Public opinion used to influence how legislators caucused. But Republicans have gone scorched earth on democracy. Why? Because they are in power, controlling of all three branches of government. But also, because they know Democrats will be blamed for it.
A disgusting new poll showed Congressional Democrats with an all-time low 21% approval, while Congressional Republicans received 40% approval. One can only assume this disapproval of Congressional Democrats is because they can’t stop the Republican destruction. The GOP consistently destroys our economy and image abroad. Yet, Democrats ALWAYS get the blame. Apparently Democratic leadership must wield a chainsaw and organize an insurrection to improve their numbers.
This is a Constitutional showdown. But Democrats will continue to hold mass protests and acts of civil disobedience. The Right controls mainstream media, but Democratics are boldly appearing on Fox news and other media to loudly call out Republicans. We’re finding ways to get through to voters and will do whatever it takes to change the momentum and stop Republicans from overthrowing our democracy. We have just begun to fight.
Chicago native Lorraine Evanoff earned her degree in French from DePaul University then became a Certified Financial Manager. She worked as a finance exec in film production for seven years in Paris, then in Silicon Valley during the dot-com era, and later for various Hollywood production companies, notably as CFO of National Lampoon. She is currently living in Los Angeles with her husband.