Nothing typifies the recent evolution of the Republican Party better than the presence of people like Peter Thiel, Steve Bannon, and billionaire former Blackwater mercenary, Erik Prince, in the Trump administration. Their belief in a capitalism free of the restraints of democracy is primary. One of the fundamental tenets of the conservative movement was a small government that participated as little as possible, outside of “national security,” in the day-to-day workings of our economy and lives. Billionaires like Thiel correctly diagnosed that this version of democracy was predicated on white supremacy; more pointedly, it could only work if wealthy white men, or the wealthiest class, were the only participants in said democracy.
It is an idea that springs from true narcissism and cynicism, and with Donald Trump, people like Thiel and Bannon found a pathological but well-connected narcissist who is easily manipulated. The general idea for men like Thiel and Bannon and Prince is that, unlike previous conservatives who wanted small government, these new conservatives absolutely want a strong government that can be run exclusively for, and by, the wealthiest elites. It’s a government for the ruling elite, against the people, and they sell it to MAGA-types by promising them the “freedom” to be screwed over again and again in a game that they have rigged and will continue to use the government to rig.
This is the reason they respect and support Vladimir Putin. Putin understands their game, believes in their game, and has been trying to play it to win since he successfully pulled together Russia as it teetered toward collapse in the 1990s.
On Wednesday, Erik Prince appeared on Steve Bannon’s webcast/podcast show, War Room Pandemic (get it?) to discuss the “scam” of the West’s beef with Vladimir Putin. Want to know why Biden and the European countries want to stage a war with Vladimir Putin? Cancel culture, y’all. Seriously. Vladimir Putin is an OG freedom of speech and family values warrior, at least according to a billionaire privatized-army promoter and millionaire former biosphere salesman.
STEVE BANNON: And the reason is Putin ain’t “woke.” He is anti-woke.
ERIK PRINCE: The Russians [sic] people still know which bathroom to use.
BANNON: They know, they know, how many genders are there in Russia?
PRINCE: Two.
From here these two turn into sarcastic comedians from 1901!
BANNON: Okay, that’s not, that’s not, they don’t have the flags. They don’t have them outside of their, of their—
PRINCE: —They don’t have boys swimming in girls college swim meets.
BANNON: How backward.
PRINCE: It’s embarrassing.
BANNON: How savage. How medieval. This is why this whole thing is a scam. It’s a total and complete scam.
Get that? Countries and leaders and everyday people are angry with Putin and suppressing Russia because of his unwillingness to bend to “woke” culture. If this seems like toilet paper-thin reasoning, that's because it is. But those are the marching orders from up top. It’s a culture war, like the one the GOP has been selling parents in schools, and those being sold to justify racial injustice.
Here’s another strange person who believes that Vladimir Putin’s form of Christianity, the one that murders journalists and promotes billionaire oligarchs over citizens’ rights, is far better than President Joe Biden’s Christianity.
And finally, a guy that should still be in prison!