In an era where political loyalties often blur the lines between foresight and partisanship, Mitt Romney's prescient warnings about Russia stand as a stark reminder of the unpredictable dance of geopolitical allegiances. It's a tale that, in retrospect, reads like something out of the complex narratives I love to explore in my works—where the essence of foresight is often cloaked in the garb of political rhetoric, only to be unveiled by the harsh light of unfolding events.
Mitt Romney, during his presidential campaign, flagged Russia as America's number one geopolitical foe, a stance that, at the time, was met with skepticism and even ridicule from many quarters, including from within his party. This skepticism wasn't just about disagreeing with Romney; it was rooted in an underestimation of the seismic shifts that lay beneath the surface of global politics—a theme I often explore in my books, where the undercurrents of power and influence silently shape destinies.
For Romney to be right, it would mean acknowledging a painful truth: that the party of Lincoln, Reagan, and the broad tent of American conservatism was veering dangerously close to the very authoritarianism it once stood against, because the Democratic Party was not itself headed for destruction. I did not think Mitt was really saying is party would try to kill democracy in America at Putin's behest. I should have known that he wasn't lying, just concealing the wider truth that he surely knew.
The irony is of course as rich as it is tragic. The Republican Party, once the bastion of staunch anti-communism and a defender of American ideals abroad, finds itself now tangled in a web of denial and, for some, an inexplicable admiration for Putin's Russia. This shift wasn't just a political pivot; it was a fundamental transformation that betrayed the very principles upon which the party prided itself.
The GOP's journey, from vehement opposition to tacit, and sometimes overt, acceptance of Putin's machinations, is a testament to the complex interplay of ideology, power, and the human penchant for self-deception.
Mitt Romney's warning was not just about recognizing the threat posed by Russia; it was a call to introspection, a plea for his party to steer back to its foundational principles and stand as a bulwark against the rising tide of authoritarianism. It was a missed opportunity for the GOP to reassess its values and course-correct before becoming complicit in the very acts it once condemned.
Romney's prescience, and the GOP's response, underscore a theme central to my writing: that the battle between light and darkness, truth and deception, is ongoing and ever-evolving. As we navigate these turbulent waters, let us not lose sight of the beacons of foresight and principle that can guide us through the storm, the likely, yet seemingly unlikely sources: the American President and the presidents of France and other western democracies.
As an author and observer of the human condition, I watch, I write, and I reflect on the cycles of history and the stories they tell us about ourselves. Romney's cautionary tale is but one chapter in the ongoing saga of our time, reminding us that the most profound truths often come from the most unexpected prophets...
At least now know why we live in danger. It is because of cowards like Mitt Romney continue holding onto power instead of doing the right thing for America and the wider world.
Argue with John R Raymond on The Great Library's Discord: https://discord.gg/PsT8nDCVnS
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