Don's Tuesday Column

        THE WAY I SEE IT   by Don Polson   Red Bluff Daily News   4/30/2019

Trump’s actions, policies: Russia

With the rodeo behind us, attention now turns to the Tehama District Fair, opening this Thursday, May 2. It’s the first early May schedule; attendees, vendors and all involved will weigh in. I’ll see it from the perspective of the Republican Party and Republican Women Federated of Tehama County booth.

Look for our canopy and signs in an outdoor spot rather than the commercial building. Local Republican volunteers are looking forward to shaking hands, exchanging views and offering Trump and Republican items. No election means we can focus on camaraderie and joy over what has been a wild but fulfilling ride with our President; however, California Republicans have little to brag about. Cheers for Tehama County and its 65 percent Trump vote.

Can we be frank about actual policy vis-à-vis Russia, after the so-called “Russia collusion” hoax fades from most Democrats’ narrative? Talk is cheap, as they say, but actions matter; while President Trump’s verbiage is not Teddy Roosevelt’s “speak softly”, he certainly wields a Teddy-like “big stick”.

What, or rather whose, policies on Russia have effectively countered Putin’s goals? Walter Russell Mead wrote in 2017: “If Trump were the Manchurian candidate that people keep wanting to believe that he is, here are some of the things he’d be doing: 1) Limiting fracking as much as he possibly could, 2) Blocking oil and gas pipelines, 3) Opening negotiations for major nuclear arms reductions, 4) Cutting U.S. military spending and 5) Trying to tamp down tensions with Russia’s ally Iran.

“That Trump is planning to do precisely the opposite of these things may or may not be good policy for the United States, but anybody who thinks this is a Russia appeasement policy has been drinking way too much joy juice.

“Obama actually did all of these things, and none of the liberal media now up in arms about Trump ever called Obama a Russian puppet; instead, they preferred to see a brave, farsighted and courageous statesman. Trump does none of these things and has embarked on a course that will inexorably weaken Russia’s position in the world, and the media, suddenly flushing eight years of Russia dovishness down the memory hole, now sounds the false warning that Trump’s Russia policy is treasonously soft.”

Congressman Mark Green (R-TN) wrote a pointed Wall Street Journal piece, “Democrats, Join Trump Against Russian Aggression—His administration has been tough on Moscow’s meddling, both in U.S. elections and abroad” (March 24): “Democrats talk tough about getting to the bottom of election meddling and standing up to Russia as a threat, while we—including the president—have acted to counter its aggression.”

Yes, Mueller indicted 13 Russians over election meddling; ineffectual, as they will never be in a U.S. courtroom. Russian-sponsored Facebook ads and social media efforts amounted to a rounding error—and changed no votes—in the vast, billion-dollar election campaigns. Those are facts, puffed up descriptions in Mueller’s report aside. Russia’s intentions: create dissension and division targeting both sides (pro-/anti-Trump), including appeals based on race and the environment.

It's embarrassing and shameful that the political, cultural and media left hurl calumny and accusations at their political enemies based on the fallacious “Steele Dossier” and lies from Comey, Clapper and Brennan et al. Is there any hope that these people, including some letter writers, will accept blame and strive for reconciliation? I doubt it; the virtual civil war between right and left transcends Trump.

Trump has engaged in actions, not words, that are “designed to weaken Mr. Putin on the world’s stage…sanctions for violating nonproliferation laws by supporting weapons programs in Iran, Syria and North Korea…and more sanctions in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine and its continuing occupation of Crimea…In 2017, he expelled 60 Russian intelligence officers and ordered consulates to close after Russia used a military-grade chemical weapon in the U.K. Mr. Trump even blocked Mr. Putin’s Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline [worth hundreds of millions of dollars for Russia].”

In the first half of 2018, the Russian ruble declined 9 percent against the dollar; Russia’s economy is expected to grow an anemic 1.3 percent in 2019. Obama did nothing when Russia invaded Crimea in 2014; under Trump, America’s military killed hundreds of Russian mercenaries in Syria (and) gave weapons to Ukraine to protect against Russian attacks. Compare that to the silly cries that Trump is Putin’s stooge.

Back to W.R. Mead’s article: “Trump Isn’t Sounding Like a Russian Mole—Trump’s core global strategy is intended to destroy any illusions in Moscow that Russia is a peer competitor of Washington’s.”

“The liberal media hate Trump more than they have hated any American politician in a generation, and they do not understand his supporters or the sources of his appeal.” The political and media leftists don’t comprehend that they are, by their blind hatred and anathema for Trump and his supporters, setting future liberals and progressives up for wide ridicule, not unlike the proverbial “boy who cried wolf.”

Their credibility has been married to a narrative that turns out to be laughably untrue. By hiding facts from Americans that 1) make Democrats look bad, and 2) make the media themselves uncomfortable, they will never regain the trust of wide swaths of conservative, even moderate, Americans.

With Democrats, it appears to be lies, first, last and throughout. Joe Biden launched his candidacy recycling the dastardly lie that Trump had kind words for white supremacists and neo-Nazis. Lie #2: Obama’s term was devoid of scandal or corruption. Disagree? I’ll prove it.

Which brings us to “Democrats in 2020: Unelectable Nonentities,” by Conrad Black. He disposes of each current candidate with ruthless sarcasm and ridicule. It’s worth looking up for sheer entertainment.

I leave you with “Four Reasons Why the Dems Will Lose in 2020,” by Dennis Lund. 1) Overplaying Their Hand; 2) A Radical Agenda; 3) Anti-American Perception; and 4) The Economy is Humming.