In 1964, historian Richard Hofstadter published The Paranoid Style in American Politics.  Conspiracy theories and movements of suspicious discontent are recurring phenomena in American history. A current example is the Russian collusion theory. In New York magazine, Jonathan Chait combines all the real and imagined interactions between Russians and President Trump from 1986. He earns the silver medal in conspiracy theories. The gold medal belongs to Robert Welch, founder of the John Birch Society.  He claimed Present Eisenhower was a communist.  It’s easy to doubt this article is that silly.  Here’s the title: "Will Trump be Meeting His Counterpart -- or His Handler?" The tab descriptor reads, "What if Trump has been a Russian agent since 1987?”   Indeed, it seems slightly insane to contemplate the possibility that a secret relationship between Trump and Russia dates back this far. But it can’t be dismissed...(Read Full Article)