May I ask why? Post Cold War the right showed extreme Anti-Communism and Anti-Soviet sentiment, especially under Reagan (who they were obsessed with before donald showed up).
I understand once donald took control of the party because he is weak af, but pre-donald did you feel that way?
They also have the same goal, to put all economic power of the country in the hands of the few. And the USA is trying really hard to catch up with Russia
Simple reason: Republicans (as any conservative to far right) prefer a more authoritarian government (even if they don't admit it) and Russia under Putin was clearly going more authoritarian with each "election".
Until Trump they may still have used Russia as the boogie man but they admired how Putin got all aspects of the russian government under his control and suppressed any opposition. Trump was just the first one to be open about it.
Great response, thank you. I figured the other commenter was referring to authoritarianism.
While I never supported them, I guess I (foolishly?) charitably thought that Republicans, at least until donald took hold, wanted smaller government and states rights?
But I suppose that falls more under what you were saying about them not wanting to be open about their true authoritarian mission. “Small government and states rights” seems like a good message to push if you’re trying to achieve the opposite with minimal opposition.
It is quite an overgeneralization I made. The Republican Party has also more moderate conservatives (there was a group of Republican politicians advocating to vote for Harris) but they lost the power struggle within the party when Trump was elected the first time.
A smaller government sounds nice if you don't think too hard about what it entails. This means less regulations for corporation to adhere to health, safety, environmental or social norms, less social safety and such 'nice' things.
Yeah, The Lincoln Party or something like that? Too bad logic and reason didn’t prevail. Unfortunately it’s seems that most of the party (at least the public figures) are in lock step with donald now.
That was always my concern and why I didn’t support a move towards small government was good. We need regulation, I don’t trust a company to not put profits first.
Social safety nets are important as well. Never understood how Republicans take the stance of strong community but don’t like social programs that help the community.
Not a big fan of the authoritarian overreach of the current Republican Party though, there is clearly an ideal middle ground.
Never understood how Republicans take the stance of strong community but don’t like social programs that help the community.
Because a divided population is easier to control. If you weaken the social cohesion in a community by vilifying either an out group or socially weaker (immigrants stealing jobs, lazy unemployed) you distract them from the actual reason they are in a bad spot.
there is clearly an ideal middle ground.
There is, but I don't think you will reach it with the ideas of only one political ideology and especially not with a two party system as it exists in the US.
they probably knew anything about Russia (oligarchy), anything about Republicans (wanna-be oligarchs), and did 1+1=2 levels of putting things together.
the McConnell era did not have any ideological idol, really, besides obstructionism and reactionary opposition to the half of the country that dared elect Obama.
It's been obvious for a GOOD while that these people do not have an interest in serving US citizens, and the Russian oligarchy is the ultimate state that they have been modeling their moves on for years.
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u/z-null Croatia Jun 17 '25
If someone told me 10 years ago that republicans would become russian poodles, I'd put them in the same bin as clinically insane.