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[azyless]

There are about 200 other countries with banks outside of Russia to try first.

She did/is trying I think, specially in Asia and the US.

 

[Stumpokapow]

Why is there so little Russian money in western politics?

Let's look at the premises:
1. Putin and all of his inner circle are billionaires and have ample access to liquid cash
2. The Russian state apparatus also has access to liquid cash
3. It is generally held that Putin seeks the end of the EU, and that achieving that is worth virtually any cost

So why are we discussing 11 million Euro or 3 million Euro? Yes, each additional dollar is diminishing returns, but if I'm a Russian oligarch, why do I not spend a billion Euros going for a deathblow? Even a billion US dollars would have massively changed the dynamic of the US race. Yes, Trump won in the end, but he easily could have lost (even a model that reflected his overperformance in the rust belt still would have had him more likely to lose than win). Why not guarantee a win? Le Pen is asking for 3 million euros? Why not make it 300 million Euros?

Sure, Russia funds Sputnik and RT and pays for bots and trolls to produce fake news and disrupt conversation online -- but they have the resources to buy virtually every newspaper in target countries and systematically corrupt journalism

I can't help but think that either the claims about Russia's end-game (claim #3) are incorrect -- and instead, Russia just wants to invest a small amount of resources to achieve a small level of chaos and disruption, just enough to buy themselves space to achieve their real goals -- or else the people at the top of the Russian state are totally incompetent at using their resources to achieve their goal.

 

[Dr.Acula]

As much as I don't like her..what else was she supposed to do when french banks declined her the loan? Should banks decide who gets to run for president?

Fundraise? Recruit volunteers?

 

[Slayven]

Seems a safe assumption.

Who would have seen this coming in the 80s?

Regan must be spining in his grave. I would love to hear Bush SR thoughts on it.

 

[HaloRose]

Don't know why she doing well in the polls Come on french people you can do better.

 

[Kilrogg]

As a Frenchman, let me just say that the US election was a refresher for me. Truth be told, if I'd been a voter in that election, I wouldn't have voted for either Trump or Clinton because I hated both of them. And I would have regretted it because, while I still hate them, you're obviously much worse off with him than her.

Needless to say I won't do that in the French election if Le Pen makes it to the second round. Literally whoever goes up against her, I'll vote for them. I would have done so even without Trump, but your shitshow of a presidency has only strengthened my resolve. I won't even second guess. Yes, even if her opponent is Fillon or Mélenchon or God knows who, there's no way I'm going blank if she makes it that far. This goes beyond who I think should lead France. It's about who must be stopped, and not becoming Putin/Trump's puppet - also, staying in the EU. If we exit the EU I'm sure we'll completely botch it and feel the negative effects for years to come, especially with her at the helm. For once, I fully subscribe to the "lesser of two evils" mentality.

Don't just "not vote for her". Vote against her. No matter how bad the other candidate is, she'll always be much worse. Please keep that in mind come election day.

I won't have this "new axis of evil" shit.

 

[Mistouze]

Come on people of France, don't do the same mistake...

Hold on to your butt then.

Links to Russia aren't seen like a bad thing for a lot of the french public sadly.

 

[Dr.Acula]

I also don't get France's rush to leave the EU in some circles. I mean, why not wait to see how the UK does first? We've got a test case right in front of us and there are people saying, "damn waiting for the results, let's just do that."

 

[Mael]

You know as they say :
"Le Front National, ce n'est pas les français d'abord, c'est le franc suisse d'abord."
They're greedy fucks so of course they would ask for devil's money if they could.

I can't help but think that either the claims about Russia's end-game (claim #3) are incorrect -- and instead, Russia just wants to invest a small amount of resources to achieve a small level of chaos and disruption, just enough to buy themselves space to achieve their real goals -- or else the people at the top of the Russian state are totally incompetent at using their resources to achieve their goal.

Do not underestimate sheer incompetence.
Also there's rules for financing that they probably don't want to mess around.
And you can't exactly be that blattant about it or people would just not elect someone so brazenly corrupted.

 

[drspeedy]

This makes me wonder what Le Pen's plan is to pay back those Russian loans in the case she loses.

*loans


*

Spoiler

they aren't worried about the money being repaid, mate. If there's no win, just write off the loss, wait until next elections and call in the favor. Mafia 101

 

[Joni]

I also don't get France's rush to leave the EU in some circles. I mean, why not wait to see how the UK does first? We've got a test case right in front of us and there are people saying, "damn waiting for the results, let's just do that."

Because by then she certainly won't get support.

 

[Jackpot]

Why is there so little Russian money in western politics?

Let's look at the premises:
1. Putin and all of his inner circle are billionaires and have ample access to liquid cash
2. The Russian state apparatus also has access to liquid cash
3. It is generally held that Putin seeks the end of the EU, and that achieving that is worth virtually any cost

So why are we discussing 11 million Euro or 3 million Euro? Yes, each additional dollar is diminishing returns, but if I'm a Russian oligarch, why do I not spend a billion Euros going for a deathblow? Even a billion US dollars would have massively changed the dynamic of the US race. Yes, Trump won in the end, but he easily could have lost (even a model that reflected his overperformance in the rust belt still would have had him more likely to lose than win). Why not guarantee a win? Le Pen is asking for 3 million euros? Why not make it 300 million Euros?

Sure, Russia funds Sputnik and RT and pays for bots and trolls to produce fake news and disrupt conversation online -- but they have the resources to buy virtually every newspaper in target countries and systematically corrupt journalism

I can't help but think that either the claims about Russia's end-game (claim #3) are incorrect -- and instead, Russia just wants to invest a small amount of resources to achieve a small level of chaos and disruption, just enough to buy themselves space to achieve their real goals -- or else the people at the top of the Russian state are totally incompetent at using their resources to achieve their goal.

A big action would get an equally big pushback. Similar to how Israel prefers to squeeze and starve Gaza rather than having an all-out cleansing. Such a massive purchase for such an ostensible reason would command the attention of the public and only the most hardcore would have the cognitive dissonance to ignore it.

 

[poppabk]

Why is there so little Russian money in western politics?

Let's look at the premises:
1. Putin and all of his inner circle are billionaires and have ample access to liquid cash
2. The Russian state apparatus also has access to liquid cash
3. It is generally held that Putin seeks the end of the EU, and that achieving that is worth virtually any cost

So why are we discussing 11 million Euro or 3 million Euro? Yes, each additional dollar is diminishing returns, but if I'm a Russian oligarch, why do I not spend a billion Euros going for a deathblow? Even a billion US dollars would have massively changed the dynamic of the US race. Yes, Trump won in the end, but he easily could have lost (even a model that reflected his overperformance in the rust belt still would have had him more likely to lose than win). Why not guarantee a win? Le Pen is asking for 3 million euros? Why not make it 300 million Euros?

Sure, Russia funds Sputnik and RT and pays for bots and trolls to produce fake news and disrupt conversation online -- but they have the resources to buy virtually every newspaper in target countries and systematically corrupt journalism

I can't help but think that either the claims about Russia's end-game (claim #3) are incorrect -- and instead, Russia just wants to invest a small amount of resources to achieve a small level of chaos and disruption, just enough to buy themselves space to achieve their real goals -- or else the people at the top of the Russian state are totally incompetent at using their resources to achieve their goal.

Most likely it's because the Russians aren't some Star Wars-esque evil empire focused on world domination that people have decided to make them. They are not all powerful and in fact a lot of this meddling is likely because they have so little power that they are forced into this backroom crap.

 

[I H8 Memes]

Why is there so little Russian money in western politics?

Let's look at the premises:
1. Putin and all of his inner circle are billionaires and have ample access to liquid cash
2. The Russian state apparatus also has access to liquid cash
3. It is generally held that Putin seeks the end of the EU, and that achieving that is worth virtually any cost

So why are we discussing 11 million Euro or 3 million Euro? Yes, each additional dollar is diminishing returns, but if I'm a Russian oligarch, why do I not spend a billion Euros going for a deathblow? Even a billion US dollars would have massively changed the dynamic of the US race. Yes, Trump won in the end, but he easily could have lost (even a model that reflected his overperformance in the rust belt still would have had him more likely to lose than win). Why not guarantee a win? Le Pen is asking for 3 million euros? Why not make it 300 million Euros?

Sure, Russia funds Sputnik and RT and pays for bots and trolls to produce fake news and disrupt conversation online -- but they have the resources to buy virtually every newspaper in target countries and systematically corrupt journalism

I can't help but think that either the claims about Russia's end-game (claim #3) are incorrect -- and instead, Russia just wants to invest a small amount of resources to achieve a small level of chaos and disruption, just enough to buy themselves space to achieve their real goals -- or else the people at the top of the Russian state are totally incompetent at using their resources to achieve their goal.

Someone here on GAF posted this link the other day. Some striking similarities.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics

 

[Alx]

So why are we discussing 11 million Euro or 3 million Euro? (...) Why not guarantee a win? Le Pen is asking for 3 million euros? Why not make it 300 million Euros?

- she's not allowed to spend more than 20 millions on the campaign (Sarkozy got in trouble for overspending in 2012)
- she's not allowed to get that much money from private individuals.

 

[thecosmicfly]

France better not ask the UK and USA to hold it's beers.

 

[LegendofJoe]

France better not ask the UK and USA to hold it's beers.

An astute politician would use French nationalism against the FNP. Use the example of the UK and US and proudly proclaim that the French people are better than that and that you're looking forward to April when you'll be proven correct.