State of the Union

Yesterday President Biden delivered the 2024 State of the Union address. Drawing parallels to the presidencies of Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Delano Roosevelt, President Biden accurately stated American democracy is under attack “both at home and overseas at the very same time.”

In describing this threat President Biden cited Russia’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine, Moscow’s aggression towards our allies, and the rhetoric and activity of the organizers and co-conspirators of the January 6th insurrection as the greatest challenges towards our democracy.

President Biden’s message is clear: The political actors that look to undermine our government and the Constitution also seek to compromise our allies abroad and sabotage Ukraine’s fight for freedom. As described in my earlier substack, this convergence of fringe American political interests and Russian strategic goals has already led to the delay of crucial American security aid to Ukraine – critical aid that, for example, would have allowed the Ukrainian military to hold the important fortress town of Avdiivka.

In 2016 the nascent ideological alliance between MAGA Republicans, far-right European figures, and the Russian government was described as the “Alt-Right Internationale.” Today this political union continues to wreak havoc on our political system, whether through the continued misinfo and disinfo campaigns organized by Moscow directed at the American public or the willingness of congressional Republicans to appease an ousted president. In eight months we will have the opportunity to reject the MAGA message again.