By Mickey Friedman
July 30, 2018
Like many of you I have watched our world turned upside down. Unlike most of you I had a father who for a host of reasons, sensible and delusional, allowed himself to believe the Soviet Union was about socialism, and dedicated to creating a just life for working people. A grand dream, certainly never shared by the pathological, dictatorial thugs who ran the place, oppressing all. With a red father in a sanctimonious red, white and blue land I endured an odd childhood.
Of course, father and friends who organized trade unions, fought for fair wages, safe working conditions, social security and health insurance pretty much squandered effectiveness and influence because they believed the myth of Russia.
It was the FBI who hunted American communists and sympathizers while Republican and southern Democratic congressmen proclaimed American Reds the enemy. Anti-communism was rocket fuel for the Republican Party and they used it to batter the trade union movement, the civil rights and peace movements. Even liberals supposedly soft on communism.
It’s hilarious that these days it’s the Republican Party most complicit in making Vladimir Putin’s Russian dreams come true. Not my dead father. Not the American Left. Not Democrats or liberals. Not even Bernie Sanders, the socialist.
It’s Donald Trump. And because bullies and tyrants need accessories and sycophants, please add Devin Nunes, Jim Jordan, Mitch McConnell, Paul Ryan, and the complicit Trump base to the list. But mostly it’s Vladimir Putin’s friend, Donald Trump.
Hilarious, because the same righteous, Christian Right committed to denying women control of their bodies, has for so long trumpeted their patriotism. Yet they have so woven themselves around Donald Trump’s neck they have empowered him to do the work of the enemy. And, if you see life as a battle between the Light and Dark, they have supported the devil’s work. For they have cynically supported someone who could care less about the Lord, any Lord, and has sold himself to murderous Putin and his GRU. Read the recent indictment of Russian intelligence agents who waged war on an American election.
I remember the FBI serving the subpoena on my father to appear before the House Un-American Activities Committee. My father who wrote silly articles for the Daily Worker, who couldn’t change a sparkplug if his life depended upon it, let alone make anything even remotely dangerous. He was as much a threat to America as any squirrel you could find in Poe Park.
Now I watch as Republican Congressmen attack and try to humiliate FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy-Attorney General Rod Rosenstein because they are investigating how Russia attacked the 2016 election. Or ineffectively pummel the indiscrete Peter Strozk who stupidly texted his personal disapproval of politicians of all stripes on his FBI phone.
I recently watched President Trump rail at NATO: “Many countries are not paying what they should, and, frankly, many countries owe us a tremendous amount of money from many years back. They’re delinquent, as far as I’m concerned, because the United States has had to pay for them.”
Of course, he’s got it wrong. Claiming: “We’re paying for anywhere from 70 to 90 percent to protect Europe …” Truth is the United States pays 22% of the NATO budget while the Germans pay about 15%. Then confusing our national defense spending with contributions to NATO. Neglecting to acknowledge we have military objectives that have little with protecting Europe.
Then he invented: “Germany is totally controlled by Russia because they will be getting from 60% to 70% of their energy from Russia, and a new pipeline, and you tell me if that’s appropriate because I think it’s not and I think it’s a very bad thing for NATO.” Lecturing the Germans, who once were occupied by the Soviets, about Russian control. The truth: while Russian gas makes up between 50% to 70% of Germany’s gas imports, natural gas accounts for only 20% of Germany’s power production.
Donald Trump brought a swamp of lies and unnecessary chaos to Brussels, and brought disrespect to the United Kingdom, railing about immigrants and threatening mutual trade deals.
Then announced the European Union was our foe. Icing on the Putin cake. As our government indicts twelve of Putin’s agents, Trump tweets: “I think I would have a very good relationship with Putin if we spend time together. After watching the rigged witch-hunt yesterday, I think it really hurts our country and our relationship with Russia. I hope we can have a good relationship with Russia.”
Remember the Steele Dossier: “Russian regime has been cultivating, supporting, assisting TRUMP for at least 5 years … The Trump operation was both supported and directed by Russian President Vladimir PUTIN. Its aim was to sow discord and disunity both within the US itself but more especially within the Transatlantic alliance which was viewed as inimical to Russia’s interests.”
Vladimir 1, USA 0.
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“Vladimir 1, USA 0” was first published in the July 19, 2018 edition of The Berkshire Record.