Letter to the editor: Bringing up ‘Russia Hoax’ again is ridiculous - The Courier
https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/moco/opinion/article/Letter-to-the-editor-Bringing-up-Russia-15079863.php
Letter to the editor: Bringing up ‘Russia Hoax’ again is ridiculous
Bringing up ‘Russia Hoax’ again is ridiculous
Hey-ho, the 2016 Russia Hoax is raising its ugly head again, at least according to the Washington Post and NY Times. The Hoax (as distinguished from genuine ever-present threats from Russia) holds that President Trump and some of his senior advisors are “colluding” with Russia to steal elections in the US. Former CIA Director John Brennan and former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe claimed Trump was an actual Russian agent. The Hoax triggered the multi-million-dollar Mueller investigation that found no evidence of Trump “collusion.”
However, the idea that Russia would favor Trump over Hillary in the 2016 election was ridiculous from the start. Trump then was an unknown quantity with a reputation for impulsive and unorthodox behavior. In the popular mythology, there was no telling which way he would jump on any particular issue. No careful planner — and Vladimir Putin is certainly careful — would back such an undependable actor.
On the other hand, Hillary was a known quantity. Not only had she initiated the Obama administration’s ill-fated “Reset” policy, but she could be bribed. Putin knew that because he had done it with the 2011 Uranium One deal. That gave him control of 20 percent of US uranium in return for $145 million in laundered contributions to the Clinton Foundation. That bribery also meant Hillary could be blackmailed. And her history of violating information security procedures made her a foreign spy’s delight. Consequently, there is no way Putin would prefer Trump to Hillary.
Today’s resurrection of the Hoax is equally ridiculous. Russia’s economy depends chiefly on one product: oil. President Trump’s full-speed production of oil keeps the international price low and squeezes the Russian economy. In contrast, every Democrat candidate is committed to shutting down the US production of oil, and that would favor the Russian economy. Vladimir Putin is no fool. He will create generalized distrust of American institutions, but he will not favor a candidate who is actively hurting his economy over candidates whose proposals would help it.
Letter to the editor: Bringing up ‘Russia Hoax’ again is ridiculous - The Courier
https://www.yourconroenews.com/neighborhood/moco/opinion/article/Letter-to-the-editor-Bringing-up-Russia-15079863.php
Letter to the editor: Bringing up ‘Russia Hoax’ again is ridiculous
Bringing up ‘Russia Hoax’ again is ridiculous
Hey-ho, the 2016 Russia Hoax is raising its ugly head again, at least according to the Washington Post and NY Times. The Hoax (as distinguished from genuine ever-present threats from Russia) holds that President Trump and some of his senior advisors are “colluding” with Russia to steal elections in the US. Former CIA Director John Brennan and former Acting FBI Director Andrew McCabe claimed Trump was an actual Russian agent. The Hoax triggered the multi-million-dollar Mueller investigation that found no evidence of Trump “collusion.”
However, the idea that Russia would favor Trump over Hillary in the 2016 election was ridiculous from the start. Trump then was an unknown quantity with a reputation for impulsive and unorthodox behavior. In the popular mythology, there was no telling which way he would jump on any particular issue. No careful planner — and Vladimir Putin is
 certainly careful — would back such an undependable actor.
On the other hand, Hillary was a known quantity. Not only had she initiated the Obama administration’s ill-fated “Reset” policy, but she could be bribed. Putin knew that because he had done it with the 2011 Uranium One deal. That gave him control of 20 percent of US uranium in return for $145 million in laundered contributions to the Clinton Foundation. That bribery also meant Hillary could be blackmailed. And her history of violating information security procedures made her a foreign spy’s delight. Consequently, there is no way Putin would prefer Trump to Hillary.
Today’s resurrection of the Hoax is equally ridiculous. Russia’s economy depends chiefly on one product: oil. President Trump’s full-speed production of oil keeps the international price low and squeezes the Russian economy. In contrast, every Democrat candidate is committed to shutting down the US production of oil, and that would favor the Russian economy. Vladimir Putin is no fool. He will create generalized distrust of American institutions, but he will not favor a candidate who is actively hurting his economy over candidates whose proposals would help it.