One order of hysteria and hold the clarity, please.

We have seen this [elites avoiding facing the realities behind populist revolts] play out in the US in the continuing obsession, fronted by Troll-Finder General Robert Mueller, over alleged Russian meddling in the 2016 US presidential election. And the same obsession has emerged in the UK, too, with politicians and pundits claiming that a shadowy network of Russian influence tipped the EU referendum in favour of Leave.

It is never quite clear how the ‘Russians’ or ‘Putin’ did all this, beyond Facebook ads and decidedly dubious talk of so-called dark money. But then clarity is not the point for this stripe of Russia-maniac. He or she simply wants to believe that Trump or Brexit were not what they were. Not expressions of popular will. Not manifestations of popular discontent. Not democratic exercises.^[1]

As the author goes on to say, it isn’t just Hillary looking to blame Russia for her political woes but the entire political class. Trish Regan of Fox News is their poster girl. Takeaway message: Putin baaad.

Think of anything viewed as a threat to our quaking political and cultural elites in the West, and you can bet your bottom ruble that some state agency or columnist is busy identifying Putin or one of his legion of bots and trolls as the source. The gilet jaunes protests in France? Check. Climate change? Check. Italy’s Five Star Movement? Check.^[2]

Notes
^[1] "2018 - The Year That 'Russia Did It'-ism Took Over The World." By Tim Black, ZeroHedge, 12/31/18 (formatting removed).
^[2] Id.