re: #222 Jay C

I’ve always thought that Trump’s noticeably-different attitude towards Russia (vis-a-vis “real” allies) stems from the fact that they probably own him. Literally. AFAICT, the extent of the Trump Organization’s debts (or Donald’s, personally) to Russian-connected interests has never been thoroughly explored (still less exposed) - I’m thinking that the possible uncovering of these foreign liabilities is what lies behind Trump’s frothing ranting at even the barest mention of official inquiry (say, by Robert Mueller) into his “personal business”.

IMO, what used to be quaintly regarded as “corruption” on the grandest scale (the POTUS having enormous and undisclosed financial obligations to foreign lenders?) - shrugged/blown-off by the Congressional Majority out of raw power-grabbing and generally ignored/dismissed by the media.

I think it’s probably 60% the debts and 40% the fact that Trump, deep down, wants so desperately to be an autocrat that he sees Putin and other world leaders like him as kindred spirits… I do not believe for a second that any of them see him as a kindred spirit, more as a useful idiot who failed upward, all the way to the top.