Why U.S. Republicans Support Russia

It’s not news that the United States’ political scene is deeply divided, to such a degree that, regardless of what Democrats want, Republicans will work hard to make sure it doesn’t happen.

In many cases, this has the potential to make sense.  If, for instance, the Biden administration wants to spend taxpayer money on programs to help the common American, feed hungry children abroad, or mitigate climate change, we can rightfully expect the GOP to protest that a big government creates more problems than it solves–in fact, as Ronald Reagan said, government is the problem.

But Russia and Ukraine?  Republicans support an authoritarian state that invades a neighboring democracy and murders innocent civilians?

I sometimes hear the Fox News talking points parroted by my mom, who never misses Tucker Carlson.  She’ll ask, for instance, “What do I have in common with the Ukrainian people?”

Well, how about this?  You and they live in countries in which citizens elect their leaders, we’re both willing to fight against foreign aggression, and we will protect our families and neighbors against wanton arrest, imprisonment, torture, and execution.  That seems pretty noncontroversial to me.

If I were advising the Republicans, I’d tell them to sit this one out, and stick with promoting AR-15s, and banning books and abortion.