U.S. Patriots Blast Russophobia as Threat to American Values

FROM EIR DAILY ALERT

U.S. Patriots Blast Russophobia as Threat to American Values

Aug. 17, 2018 (EIRNS)—Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) published a commentary in RealClearPolitics website on Aug. 16, titled “Russia Hysteria Undercuts Our Values, Impedes Relations.” He wrote that, despite the massive campaign to paint Russia as a threat to the nation,

“Hard-working Americans, including constituents in my Kentucky district, care about jobs, paying the bills, putting food on the table, and leaving this country a better place for their children. The alleged vast Russian conspiracy harped upon by the Democrats and media since the election of President Trump is simply not a concern of normal Americans.”

Massie pointed to the arrest of Russian citizen Maria Butina, who has been denied bail, as a particular result of the hysteria, and pondered what America’s response would be should Russia arrest an American student for promoting improved relations between the two nations. He praised Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) and Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) for standing up to the hype, and compared Paul’s recent meeting with former President Mikhail Gorbachev to Ronald Reagan’s diplomatic approach to the Soviet Union, which contributed to “communism’s downfall in Russia.”

Massie concluded:

“The Russia scare is a distraction from our real threats, which include our massive national debt, porous borders, and an out-of-control federal government that claims the right to spy on Americans without a warrant.”

Sen. Rand Paul, speaking on Fox News Aug. 16, said that he had met with fellow lawmakers of both the Duma and the Federation Council—the lower and upper house respectively, of Russia’s bicameral legislature—during his early August visit, and that both had agreed to send a delegation to Washington to meet with members of Congress. “The downside,” he said,

“is, each of the chairmen of each of the [legislative] committees is banned from coming to the United States because of sanctions. So one of the things I’m going to ask the President—I’m going to talk to the President this weekend—is ... why don’t we take people off the list who are in the legislature?”