Thread by @bmainzer

THREAD:

1.The USA billionaire state and Russia mobster oligarchy are becoming more similar and Putin is helping the US to become a kleptocracy. Here is how I have observed how Russian citizens and Trump base are accelerating this evolution.

2. Back in 2006, I was at the NBA All Star Game with a group of Russian citizens. At that time, Putin had just jailed Khodorovsky, the Yukos Oil CEO and the richest man in Russia at that time. I was shocked and troubled by what I saw as Putin's outright thuggery.

3. But I was more surprised by the Russian fan reaction; "Khodorovsky should have played by Putin's rules, he had it coming. If Putin wants a cut of his business, he is entitled to it".

I attributed this to cynicism of never having lived in a free state, and endless corruption.

4.This pervasive attitude of the Russian populace aids Putin's construction of the mobster state. Russians cynically expect that as a means to run the state, so Putin can aggressively build a regime based on getting control and cuts of oligarch fortunes and have them serve him.

5. Over past decade, billionaires in US (Adelson, Koch bros, Mercers) have bought politicians to serve their needs. Citizens United has been tool for turning politicians into servants. The US is evolving into a kleptocracy, but different from Russia where oligarchs are servants.

6.Trump has successfully promoted to his base that its better to have billionaires like him (sic) and friends lead the country instead of politicians. Corruption and self interest are expected, but it will lead to better economy and security.

7. So Russia and US kleptocracies are evolving from two different starting points. In Russia, the oligarchs are servants, but in US, the politicians are servants.

Now Putin and Trump are attempting to ally the two great kleptocracies. Scary.