Letters

It has recently been stated that we now have a Vladimir Putin wing of the Republican Party. There are those who may think that’s an overstatement — but is it, really?

The treatment and death of the activist Alexei Navalny has allowed leaders, regardless of party affiliation, to react. And what have leading Republicans done? Mostly nothing. Some have accused Joe Biden of being like Putin. Donald Trump actually had the audacity, which is a dominant feature of his personality anyway, to compare himself to Navalny.

Condemnations of Putin? Doesn’t sound like it to me.

Ted Cruz made a firm statement condemning the murder of Navalny. However, he blames the invasion of Ukraine by Putin on Biden. He also was one of the Republicans who voted down aid to Ukraine, so how exactly does that stop Russian aggression?

Further evidence that the mentally ill Trumpers really live in bizarro land is Tucker Carlson. He is a beloved Trumpster “journalist” who interviewed Putin several weeks ago. When asked why he didn’t mention how Putin kills political opponents, Carlson notably said: “Every leader kills people … some kill more than others. Leadership requires killing people.”

That sounds more like a justification of Putin rather than a condemnation to me.

And perhaps most obvious is the contingent of Republicans who voted against aid to Ukraine. Isn’t that the ultimate vote for Putin? Without American aid, Ukraine will fall.

This “Putin Wing” is the same Republicans who have consistently put party over country, and they are doing it again. This time, it involves endorsement of a brutal dictator — and now the whole world is watching.

Paula Angelone, Ph.D.

Southampton Village