Russia Just Won The Cold War

I know the predominant response I am going to get to this post before I type a single word. "Russia, Russia, Russia! It's a hoax! It's been debunked!" I see it every time a new link between America's right wing and Russia is brought to light. But the fact is, despite our delusion here in the states that we won the Cold War in the 90's, the Ex-KGB guy that runs Russia never gave up and never stopped fighting it. He has been funding and supporting certain movements and agendas in our country, has had agents place themselves is cozy positions with certain people, and has been waging a massive disinformation campaign for years. All of these things have been individually confirmed, but somehow the idea that they add up to anything of significance is seen as hysterical conspiracy theory. 

Granted, I don't think Russia turned the tide of our election. I think that was largely down to the unwillingness of many to elect a woman to the highest office of our country. (I will admit to the possibility that I would rather think that people in my country have a bigger problem with sexism than with outright gullibility, and that might be skewing my thoughts on the matter.) People will give all kinds of excuses for why they "really" voted for Trump, but the only ones that stand up to examination are the one that are firmly rooted in hate for the "other". And hate and fear of that "other" is one of the main things Russia has been pumping into our national consciousness. Because if they can get us to fight each other they don't have to fight us, in the literal or figurative sense. 

Don't want America thwarting your wars of conquest? What if you could convince them to become isolationist? Want to take America's place as a leader of world trade? It sure would be handy if they became protectionist and started trade wars across the globe with reckless tariff policies. Tired of America pointing out your human rights abuses? Make them an ally in those abuses instead. But so many have been convinced that these policies will do the opposite of what experts are saying they will do. But that has been one of the biggest Russian victories in this country, convincing many average American citizens that they know as much or more about any given topic through their "common sense" than people who have spent their entire lives studying said topics. 

It has to be a special source of satisfaction to Putin that his biggest tool in achieving this victory has been the American right wing, which stood so staunchly opposed to Russia when it went under the scarier moniker of the U.S.S.R. But just as so many mistake the lessons of George Orwell, a socialist who opposed authoritarianism, they thought that ridding Russia of the blight of communism was the definitive victory. They never understood that the same oligarchy that ruled the Soviet state still rules the modern state of Russia. All that really changed was the window dressing. And now we have an incoming administration who wants to put billionaires in positions of power, solidifying our own growing oligarchy. So now we'll sit by and watch Russia retake their former Soviet vassal states, we'll turn our backs on our allies who helped us hold off the Soviets, and we'll begin a crackdown on vulnerable communities in the name of liberty. Speaking of Orwell, I can't think of a more blatant example of doublespeak than that.