Your average MAGA is a conservative who cares about things like low taxes and gun rights but who is also protectionist on trade and immigration. This is a change from the older Bush and Reagan conservatives who tended to be neoliberal. They may or may not care much about culture war stuff. Some do and some don’t.
I’m talking about ideologues and movement people. I have run into a few of these people in the wild, mostly neoreactionaries, trads, and neo-racists who use terms like “race realism.” I haven’t personally run into really hard core neo-Nazi types in my circles but those exist too.
A lot of the above either admire Putin directly or at least see him as an example of the kind of strong man ruler they think we should have.
It’s not clear to me whether the ideological affinity is mutual though. Putin’s Carlson interview seemed dismissive but Putin has dog whistled to these crowds. Maybe he’s just doing it for propaganda reasons and could personally care less.
There’s also a big claim about Putin being heavily influenced by Alexandr Dugin but I’ve heard others claim this is hugely overblown.
Seems like a wonderful regime according to Tucker Carlson, Heritage Foundation and MAGA Republicans. Putin is a true conservative, champion of liberty, to them.
I didn't say that Putin is Right Wing although he has all the markings of a Right Wing authoritarian. What I want to understand is our Right Wing's infatuation with Putin.
I have the secondhand POV of a middle class Russian friend who grew up in Moscow and went to US for university, and keeps very up to date with domestic politics and economy. Did not expect full-scale invasion, has many generalized and specific concerns about what comes next.
Believes that Putin does not care about the opinion of the well-to-do Russian diaspora, even if they have fiscal or monetary connections to Russia. Very concerned, at the personal level, about the impact of broader sanctions that threaten to isolate the Russian economy like the Iranian economy. Views Putin as responsible for provoking these sanctions. However, he believes that the general Russian public is generally supportive of Putin's actions.
right-wing is in love with putin. Trump openly praised putin. MTG openly criticized Biden for sending help to Ukraine. Right-wing lunatics DREAM about turning the USA to the oppressive state similar to putin's regime.
Putin in love with right-wing. Russian propaganda shows fox news on the state TV. Why didn't putin invade Ukraine when trump was the president? John Bolton says that's because Trump was a useful idiot for Putin and that's so true. Trump did a lot to weaken NATO.
Right-wing means WEAK America. And putin looves it.
Presumably Putin is supported mainly by people who don't fall in the category of people described by the parent comment. Sure there might be some who support him but I'm guessing that most don't.
I think you're attributing too much to Trump here. Trump is part of the same movement of rising authoritarianism and strong man politics. He may be the poster boy, but Putin has been there for decades.
My opinion, which I can't support, is that the dream of information technology automatically progressing democratic and liberal ideals has failed. Information technology is no different than chemistry. It can be weaponized effectively. Right-wing parties around the world learned how to powerfully engage with the masses. It really was a meme war. Propaganda is undoubtedly effective even when it's standing right next to the truth.
If you only read the news you would think it's only national leaders taking over and oppressing the populations. I don't think so. I think this is a trend towards grassroots nationalism and fascism. The people want this.
Trump speaks well of Putin, so the right-wing commentators also speak well of Putin. They also feel he was maligned unfairly by the Steele Dossier Russia stuff, so to "own the libs" as revenge they embrace the dictator Putin.
Some are brainwashed. Some are fully on board, without any need for brainwashing.
Most are on the path of least resistance, not asking many questions as long as life is ~comfortable, or at least not getting dramatically worse. They kind of like the strongman. And there is always alcohol/drugs.
Added: In general I agree with varjag's assessment. The average Russian family supports Putin.
He was more like MAGA and Julian Assange combined. Nationalism is very strong in post-Soviet Russia and Putin managed to destroy most of the major groups over the years, they are underground now. Putin was good for the US for this reason alone but not anymore.
Putin, an ex-KGB, is not right-wing. Check what cultural war is. Also hear what Yuri Maltsev, ex economic advisor of Gorbachev, have to say about it https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNaB0jdODCM
I’m talking about ideologues and movement people. I have run into a few of these people in the wild, mostly neoreactionaries, trads, and neo-racists who use terms like “race realism.” I haven’t personally run into really hard core neo-Nazi types in my circles but those exist too.
A lot of the above either admire Putin directly or at least see him as an example of the kind of strong man ruler they think we should have.
It’s not clear to me whether the ideological affinity is mutual though. Putin’s Carlson interview seemed dismissive but Putin has dog whistled to these crowds. Maybe he’s just doing it for propaganda reasons and could personally care less.
There’s also a big claim about Putin being heavily influenced by Alexandr Dugin but I’ve heard others claim this is hugely overblown.
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