Last night, Special Counsel Jack Smith asked the Supreme Court to decide Trump’s claim that he is immune from any and all criminal prosecution for anything he did while in office. That claim is central to Trump’s defense; he has requested the charges against him be dismissed because of that immunity.
The republican minority will forever be remembered as traitors to democracy and freedom. No matter how they will try to spin it otherwise, history will show there shortsightedness and ignorance.
The way I see it is that trump is the perfect puppet for the power-mongers owning him. Fossil Fuel titans? Armaments titans? Billionaire wingnuts? He’s useful until he isn’t. Then another will step up to replace him. Amoral narcissists are coming out of the woodwork now that they know it’s okay, -and unaccountable.
I think ones like mtg and Lauren Boebert are both shortsighted, ignorant, and stupid. They are attention seekers who have no concept of governing. They help the robber barons get their way by making government dysfunctional. A dysfunctional system cannot hold the robber barons to account who are stealing from all the rest of us.
The truly evil people in all of this are the Republican who KNOW and privately acknowledge that Trump is an uninformed, dangerous maniac. The “true believers” will not be convinced otherwise as long as he keep venting THEIR frustration and anger. Just look at Ginny Thomas’s Jan 6 committee deposition. When pressed to explain why she continued to believe the election was stolen, despite the numerous court decisions and Republican officials’ declarations that there was no evidence of fraud, she said she simply stopped listening to the news. She had the narrative she wanted and wasn’t going to let facts get in the way. Childish, dishonest, and delusional... just like her husband.
Dave, don't forget that Ginni Thomas was paid a great deal of money to push her false narrative. Additionally, the fact that she was a member of a cult (something seldom mentioned) shows that she has been delusional for much of her life, and apparently her deprograming was unsuccessful.
Their news source is Fox Entertainment....and maybe a few other....I kind of remember,during the last election, that a Republican relative referred to Newmax! It seems the only decent people these days are Democrats.... there are very few of us in Indiana.
I used to live in northwest Ohio, 12 miles from the Indiana line. I learned not to discuss politics with ANYONE because I was way outnumbered by Republicans. Back in the 80's and 90's, the R's were less deplorable than today. However, they only believed in helping others just like them.
I wonder what traditional Republicans feel like watching these Keystone Kops upset the apple cart and commit treason. What happened to their cries of patriotism and nationalism? Is there not one brain cell of thought given to our diminishment on the world stage? One would think that they would be leaving the party in droves, but then again they consistently demonstrate a lack of critical thinking....
The roots of this current insanity are in that "traditional Republicanism" It was always an elitist White male club of wealthy people who thought that they should rule everyone else......
I have one such friend who I love. She hates trump but voted for him twice because she's filthy rich and wanted the tax cuts. Even she has drawn the line and will not vote for him under any circumstance. A friend's sister voted for him the first time but refused in 2020 because of his immorality...so yes, there are, but very few and far between....
I have two friends who voted for trump the first time because of Hilary’s emails. I said tofg is scarier than the emails. They were sorry in the end but too late!
People in Colorado and Georgia need to vote these two wing nuts OUT! Adam Frisch only lost by 500+ votes in Colorado in 2022, the D's to there need to show how crazy Boebert is and get more sane people to vote BLUE...and don't even get me started about Florida and Ohio!
Agreed. But in the meantime we need to call or email their offices to remind them they work for US and we are not interested in their faux-Christian hatred of women and people of color being foisted on us.
I just sent an email to Don Bacon asking him why he is abandoning our ally Ukraine and wishing him a Merry Christmas and a month-long vacation on our dime.
The working Americans don’t get the extra long time off during Thanksgiving and then turn around and get two weeks off for Christmas. Something is definitely wrong with the system. It’s totally unjust the American people.
Usually when there’s a job to get done you stay until the job is done I think we should lock them up till they get the job done without pay
I don’t think they really understand that “turning it over to trump” is actually turning it over to oligarchs.
I expect “they”( the oligarchs) all know each other, kind of like crooks all know each other. Elon musk for example is no American, he is a citizen of the world of oligarchs. And they think it belongs to them.
Totally correct. “Traitors”! And THEY would send “traitors “ to the death chambers!
Don’t sugar coat America, just because you don’t want to be angry or sad all the time. Talk straight.... do your homework, stop pretending ,and one day if we are lucky, we will see greed and power as a failure to humanity.
Their shortsightedness and ignorance relate to the inability to see what could happen to them when they are no longer useful. And, yes, they are traitors. Absolute scum.
Let us hope the deplorables are watching as well. And (for once) thinking a bit on it. Maybe they will be less inclined to vote in 2024, and help deliver the shellacking Republicans deserve. We desperately need that.
I guess if I were Biden and Ukraine was such a big deal, I would go ahead and negotiate to a positive outcome on the "border immigration" funding the Republicans are asking for in exchange for Ukraine funding.
Why not? Even Kathy Hochul, governor of NY, is asking for some kind of immigration reduction into NY. NY City has run out of housing for migrants. So have upstate NY hotels now. Even the bluest state in the nation is calling for some immigration action so why not consider doing something with the bill in Congress where the Pubs are asking for a trade of immigration funding for Ukraine funding?
With what seems to be an obvious need, at least temporarily, to reduce migration while states can come up with more housing and services, I would go ahead and sit down with Johnson, whether I like him or not, and work out a deal.
Because, Ukraine IS important enough to sit down across from Johnson and hold my nose and negotiate.
Biden is making a mistake this time. It won't be his first.
That would be having led the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas to full confirmation on the Supreme Court while ignoring key testimony that he was unfit for that job.
Mike S, you are speaking wisely and rationally. But my understanding is that Mike J, despite his external demeanor of calm reason, is a Christian nationalist extremist and unwilling to negotiate, forcing instead a “winner takes all” strategy intended, not to “fix the border,” but to denigrate Biden and the Dems. If any real negotiation were possible, I believe Biden and the Dems would be doing it.
"is a Christian nationalist extremist and unwilling to negotiate, forcing instead a “winner takes all” strategy intended, not to “fix the border,” but to denigrate Biden and the Dems."
We do not get to pick the people we have to work with in this life. I have sat across from managers who were completely insane in order to negotiate stuff for my own engineering teams. Did I want to sit across from a narcissistic white male whose entire thought process was consumed with himself? Absolutely not.
But, did I want to get a raise for my best software people? Absolutely yes.
Getting into the pig pen is something I don't mind doing if it results in getting out of the pig pen with a newly born pig.
Mike, I get the sense that Johnson will continue to balk at negotiation to the point where his offers include Biden’s resignation. Johnson is not interested in “the border” except as a Cat O Nine Tails used to whip up rancor in the knuckledragger base
I could not agree more!! I believe that it would be like the latest Hunter Biden issue: they want him charged, he is charged, and now Comer is claiming that charging him is protecting his father!!
I agree that even a clear public attempt possibly wasting time in negotiations is exactly the demonstration we need. I would like to see MJ (not Michael Jorden) be cornered every minute of the day by the press asking for details of his border/emigration plan. The more we push/pull him into the light the clearer our position publicly becomes. IMHO.
Don't forget that the belief system of someone like Mike Johnson has a deep seated hate for Biden because he is a Catholic. I grew up with people like that, they may now agree on abortion but they really hate Catholics.
As an non-theist, I believe that all Bible based religions are cults. They have ONE book they are supposed to follow. The Republicans in these cults (Catholic, Southern Baptists, etc) treat TFFG, SCOTUS, and their Congresscritters as if they are above God's laws, including the Ten Commandments. TFFG is a convicted rapist and yet, he is the leader of the Republican Party. Matt Goetz is a pedophile. The Texas Supreme Court just decided a woman cannot have a medically necessary abortion. And yet these faux-christian nationalists would rather die than vote for a Democrat.
Did not Biden request funds to help at the border almost immediately upon taking office? It has not been answered or even discussed by Republicans? It appears Republicans are duplicitous in these latest demands? Ukraine and the border are unrelated subjects. The immigration laws need ti be changed and Republicans will not participate or actually write legislation. Republicans stand by their only plan: governance by threat and obstruction.
We've known for decades that our immigration policy needed an rewrite and neither party since the 90's has got it done. We needed a comprehensiveness policy written and agreed upon long before the crazy minority was allowed to rule this country??
I'll respectfully disagree with you Julie. When Obama was president, the Democratic-led Senate passed an immigration reform bill (bipartisan) and it went to the Republican-led House and because the Speakers of the House determine what will get voted on, they blocked even voting on it because (I assume) Republicans who don't want to fix our immigration system (or attempt it to make it better) CHOSE NOT TO VOTE ON THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL PASSED IN THE US SENATE.
Barack Obama publicly said for years, "Put it it up for a vote!" There's video of this. He said he would sign it into law if it passed in the House.
Both Speakers, Boehner and Ryan would NOT put it up for a vote.
So, Democrats (& some Senate Republicans) have made honest efforts to fix this problem and Republican House leadership has blocked it and then without any credibility or accountability for it, then claim to this day that 'both sides' are to blame for our broken immigration system. No. We had an opportunity to fix or improve our immigration system and House Republicans failed, and continue to fail us.
Biden is trying to fix it with Republicans who don't want to fix this problem either.
Correct sir. Clearly the hold up is, as usual, republicans. If it ain’t obstruction they will not even discuss. They should be hounded until they write a bill. Democrats just are not very good at messaging.
I haven't looked it up, but I remember that George W Bush was interested in seeing immigration cleaned up and couldn't get it voted on...There was also a McCain -Kennedy bill earlier that passed one house. There have been attempts.
So, hello Joe, I hope you read this and we can start a conversation. I believe the "fix" to the immigration "problem" is to begin with replacing the Earned Income Tax with a National Consumption Tax where everyone is paying taxes according to what they spend, not Earn. This has a psychological effect and a great leverage. 2% could pay for "Medicare for all people" then people in jobs they hate aren't kept there because of the way our healthcare is "portioned out". 2% could pay for Social Security "security", 2% could pay for education pre-K through 14 grades. As soon as a child is old enough to buy a stick of candy for $1.00, they also begin paying for their own and everyone else's healthcare, social security and education.
After this NCT has been in place and working, the U.S. could ask the Ukrainians to "vote" to become the 51st State. If they say "no thanks" then the U.S. has an "out". If they "agree" we put military bases in strategic locations in the Ukraine and draw the borders for Mr. Putin., then start collecting NCT on their 5% growing economy. The same for Palestinians. We can not continue to be the "broker" for all of the "conflicts in the world. We should be inviting immigrants into the U.S.to "grow food for the word" , not send money. As a matter of fact the 1st country we ask should be Mexico.
Please see Joes reply below for my understanding of the point you make. Remember when Rubio and McConnell both filibustered their own bills because they thought Obama might get credit.
But Mike, how genuine is the gop trying to resolve the immigration problem. They affix it to the funding for Ukraine precisely because they DO NOT want to solve it. They need it as an issue for the 2024 campaign. The objective of the traitors in the gop is to break the government. They do not want things to work. It is performative theatre for them. Their colleagues in the gop that do support Ukraine funding have no spine to stand up for it. They are going along to get along with the traitors. This is not: Let’s Make A Deal.
Because what the tRUmpublican Party wants for our border violates domestic law, international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - just like the Texas abortion law!
Biden has moved toward Republican positions on the border and immigration. The fact is Johnson and all the people he carries water for don’t want a deal. They want Biden to adopt every single action they want and even then they will move the football and say it’s not enough. What Biden needs to do now is go national in his communication, explain what he is willing to do on the border and how it aligns with what the Republicans want while hammering on the theme that the Rethugs are selling out our own National Security with this outrageous stunt. I guarantee you that if the offices held by the respective Parties were reversed, the Republicans would be screaming to anyone who would listen how wrong this is
I am very proud of Biden and think he's accomplished amazing things. However, there do seem to be people who want him to literally look/act like the Democratic equivalent of those nutty Trump trading cards. You know, standing upon a mountain, looking like Rambo with fire shooting from his eyes. Nothing seems to be enough for some progressives.
By the way, the 3rd edition just came out. This is absolutely unreal!!
Most of what the R’s want in their immigration deal is to close off the border to all immigrants. Tucker Carlson speaks their language daily. “And, unrelenting stream of immigration. But, Why? Well,Joe Biden just said it, to change the racial mix of the country.” Certainly not in keeping with the White Nationalist vision that the Republicans have adopted for our country.
Yes, the "hysterical" voice of Tucker Carlson is one thing but the actual text of the proposal in front of Biden is another.
The Republicans are asking for money. The bill does not specify exactly how that money would be spent and, since this is America, probably almost none of it would actually be used to reduce border crossing.
Maybe some of it would go to hire a few new border security guards, not a bad thing given Hochul's request for help. Most of it will go into the pockets of corrupt Republicans so they can build swimming pools in their back yards to "fight climate change".
Like I said, if I were Biden, and Ukraine was important, I would sit down and negotiate on this one.
Biden sitting at the table with his fork in one hand a knife in the other with a grumpy face waiting to get exactly what he wants this time? This time that is a mistake.
In fact, many Americans, including Kathy Hochul at the moment, for some good reasons, wish to stem the migration from the southern border.
Do I wish we had mature adults on the Pub side who would, like adults, sit down and do a normal bill for immigration in conjunction with their Democratic partners in Congress? Sure.
But, we don't. We have a mess. But, we have to fund Ukraine. The only path to that outcome is through the rabble.
I agree with this strategy in theory and assume Dems have considered this. It would also take it off the table as a campaign issue (or lessen it somewhat). But I am assuming that the Rs would demand or are demanding something completely untenable (closing the border completely - even to asylum seekers) in order to make this an effective weapon.
"I am assuming that the Rs would demand or are demanding something completely untenable"
I grew up in Texas and, when I was a grad student at UT Austin, hiked the Big Bend area with some of my other grad student friends.
Having stood near the border and looked at the vastness of the Rio Grande valley, I can assure you that it is not possible to "close the border completely". The border of Texas is vast, desolate, and no border guards are present for huge swaths of land. Of course, those areas are not preferred crossing areas but, even when we were hiking (in 1985), we encountered many people crossing the border. I would be a little hesitant to do that hike today with Fentanyl components pouring across the border now. That was not happening then.
What can be done is to more effectively manage the crush at the normal border crossings.
Lastly, everyone should read Jared Diamond's immense book "Collapse". Especially the last Chapter.
He's not the only hysterical character to dominate our space by repeating the same BS over and over. That's the only way some needy-narcissists from the ignorant, otherwise ignored to evil get heard.
TFFG's border wall is as leaky as a sieve. It's been breached over 4000 times. I wish someone would take pictures right after a breach and then after the repairs. How much are we spending to fix this engineering disaster of a wall?
Also, Trump bragged about how many border agents he would hire and send to the wall.
He ended up with vacancies. In 2017 the top salary for border agents was about $55K/year. And that isn't the starting amount that was the top salary. Who in their right mind would uproot their family and move them to Bumfuck, TX and try to find a good paying job for their spouse and good schools for their kids? No wonder they couldn't hire anyone and they still can't.
I live about 90 miles from New Brunswick and yesterday I saw a BORDER PATROL car at the local police station. No idea why, but at least there are good schools and good jobs for life partners here. Can you imagine being a BP Agent and being transferred from say Seattle to Lordsburg, NM?
What a stupid system we have for hiring and compensating agents and their families.
The border wall is not only an engineering disaster, but also an environmental travesty, and a waste of funds.
Desperate people are going to do what they need to do to get into the U.S. Without effectively addressing the myriad of issues driving migration from Central & South America, they're going to keep coming.
I agree. Action is needed. Then obnoxious aspects of the GOP “plan” can be slow walked and not enforced. In 24 they can be changed. Meanwhile we find Ukraine
*Reply to Tucker... "Say Tucker, doesn't Mexico have some responsibility for the common border and other Central American countries ? What's up with that Mr. Talking head Tucker" ? ***edit > "Also, what good was the wall in Israel" ?
Why not negotiate? If you’re following the news you’ve seen that Biden and the Democrats are prepared to negotiate. But Republicans demand all or nothing.
Not sure you've been following. Biden has signaled willingness on the border, but the holdouts have stuck some poison pills in there, not on the money side, but on the policy and practice fronts; things that are not in alignment with American values nor international law. Why are they doing this? I believe they are purposely sabotaging the effort, because the only issue they still have high ground on is immigration. They can't afford to solve it or they will have nothing at all to motivate their voters.
Steph-one of the poison pills the R's wanted was to benefit the ultra rich by cutting back funding for the IRS so the oligarchs wouldn't have to pay their fair share of taxes.
Mike S ... What are the Republicans demanding, exactly? Mr Biden has said he would negotiate. He has before. Agreement gets reached and does the negotiation stand once it seemed agreed to or come back around? The headlines will merely read, "Biden refuses to negotiate," rather than his administration would not cave in on policies already agreed to in reconciliation or in principles fought hard for by his party and moderate Republicans who signed on to their passage. Wasn't this what happened with the CRs that got McCarthy in a knot with the Crazy 8? They connect a real need to the wheel on some foolish bicycle that has no axle.
Your suggestion is excellent and would be very effective classic politics. Maybe it's been going on behind the scenes and there will be a "breakthrough" today enabling passage before the children go out to recess.
Mike S. - President Biden has consistently stated that he's willing to negotiate. Mike J. and the extremist House Republicans state that their position is all or nothing. How can anyone negotiate with people taking an absolute stance?
Their are elements of the Republican immigration requirements that are acceptable to the president and to people like me - and I hope to you such as absolute denial of consideration or granting of asylum in contravention of both U.S. & international law. When I have a chance later today, I'll see if I can find more details about Republican's deliberate poison pill in the funding bill.
Biden refused to negotiate a cease fire in Ukraine and then vetoed a cease fire in Gaza. As far as I am concerned the list of his mistakes is very long and has turned off many people from the Democratic Party which would include most of my large family. The fact that HCR supports Biden’s warmongering and applauded the jobs weapons manufacturing will give us is just mind boggling. The PR that the war is going well is just that PR for Biden’s war. Don’t bother to slam or report me for my horrible anti war views. I will be letting my subscription lapse, my money is better spent with many other substack podcasters and journalists who focus on on things that would really impact people in our country, silly things like the environment and healthcare for all.
Environment and Heath are important, but beside the point here. Biden, despite your trolling, can and does multitask. So please don’t distract from your Putinphilia with “but what-abouts .” Biden is no more a ‘warmonger’ than was Jesus when his tossed over the usuerer’s tables. Both seek/sought justice, love and peace.
Biden’s war? The one in Ukraine? You seem to be serious. So. . .you suppose Ukraine needed any warmongers to urge them to fight back when they were invaded?
there might be more to what is happening with Israel than has been discussed here. Do you know an expert in foreign policy in that area who could give you answers?
Kathy, the photos/videos from Gaza tell you all you need to know. Bottom line, if Biden threatened to cut off military aid to Israel unless a ceasefire and massive influx of humanitarian aid overseen by the UN, rather than by Israeli occupiers, was instituted immediately, the genocide would end.
He won’t do this, so he is complicit. The world is watching, and America is hemorrhaging what little respect from the rest of the world we still have left. See the GA vote in the UN this week.
There has to be more to the situation that's guiding President Biden's decisions regarding US Dollars arming Israel. I don't think it's greed or oligarch pressure. We have no idea what the whole picture is by witnessing it through the media. This war has been going on for Generations!
How about if Hamas gave up the hostages. That would end the war. But NO! You prefer to read and watch reports and videos put out by a terrorist band of murderers.
I’ll be right there with you in a month or so, Nora. I subscribed because I thought Heather was drifting from historical connectivity to current events to more pundit-like government narrative commentary, and wanted to be able to comment.
Far too many commenters here have fallen into a tribal cult mentality every bit as dangerous as the GOP knuckleheads; sad thing is, their intelligence advantage over many in MAGA land hasn’t kept them from being blind to their allegiance to the lies of empire.
Good luck with that. More than 150 years after the last shot was fired, “Lost Cause” fanatics still argue that slavery was not the primary cause of the Civil War and that the southern secessionist weren’t fighting to preserve the “peculiar institution” which was the cornerstone of their economy. Today’s Trumpublican party is similarly disingenuous and will never concede that their cynical posturing endangered democracy and freedom here and around the world.
It seems to me that our failure to move on from the Civil War is complicated, but certainly sustained by political manipulators who have deployed it, along with the ennobling cover story, as a divide and rule wedge issue. Southern Democrats did so in my youth, and (Ironically) Republicans took over after Democrats expanded their party's integrity. Trump and his ilk are playing the race card and feeding the myth of lost Southern "liberty".
As far as slavery as a cornerstone of the Southern economy, it was, but I've never quite grasped how it became so endeared to the "working class". I seems to me that slave labor would just have depressed wages for those without the means to buy and maintain them.
Almost all Republicans of the past 50 or so years will forever be remembered as traitors to democracy and freedom. They didn’t just turn traitor when Trump arrived. They started long before him. They and the wealthy white christian elite men (including their organizations, the religions who support them, the corporations they own/are affiliated with, and media outlet buddies) who own Conservative Judges/Justices and Republican politicians laid the framework.
“A ‘better world’ bought by atrocities will be rotten at the core.” (Ilona Andrews)
America has a core of rottenness and evil because of the way it started. The descendants of the wealthy people who helped drive progress (in America and other countries) at the cost of the indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans, cruelly-used immigrants, and child labor are still at the top of the socioeconomic hierarchy doing everything they can to conserve their place. They still abuse. If we’re ever to change, they need to go.
Lisa, I am so with you about the core of rotten and it starting with the Natives of this country. So many atrocities including and not limited to placing Japanese-Americans in internment camps. It goes on and on….
Excellent post, Lisa. Seldom do the wealthy elite disappear even after so-called revolutions. These parasites almost always find a way to stay in power or the new elite is just a bad....I am thinking Russia and China here. I will have to take exception to the word progress because destroying the natural world as well is not progress.
They are in every country. They are above being citizens in any country because they own homes, politicians, and law enforcement in multiple countries.
So what can we do to get rid of them??? And are people in the Democratic Party wholly exempt? It seems to me that the Democrats are doing everything they can to eradicate these monstrous traitors but they seem to be multiplying!
___ the outstanding story of the day is that the Republican Party appears to have decided to undermine financial support for Ukraine’s war against Russia’s invasion. (Letter)
'Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of his country, Zelensky has emerged as a lion of the geopolitical West, casting Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression as a fight for the defense of liberal democracies everywhere. But his entreaties for continued support from the United States and its European partners — both in terms of billions of dollars in tangible military aid as well as binding political commitments involving accession into blocs such as the European Union and NATO — are increasingly finding a less enthusiastic audience in Western capitals.'
'Orban, the E.U.’s preeminent illiberal demagogue, has also played the conspicuous role of the bloc’s leading Ukraine skeptic. As his neighbors rallied to Ukraine’s defense, Orban maintained a degree of distance, fueled in part by a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin; he reportedly told Putin during an October meeting in Beijing that he “never wanted to confront Russia.” He has balked at allowing the transit of arms to Kyiv and scoffed at fast-tracking Ukrainian membership in the European Union.'
“Hungary is a neighbor of Ukraine … we know exactly what is happening,” Orban told French publication Le Point last week. “Ukraine is known to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It’s a joke!”
'Zelensky, who is reckoning with his country’s flagging counteroffensive and
growing internal frustrations and political infighting, called on U.S. officials and lawmakers early this week in Washington in a desperate bid for aid. “It’s a matter of life and death for Ukraine,” a senior Zelensky aide told my colleagues. “Time is of the essence: That’s the message.”
'The Biden administration has warned that its allotted funding for Ukraine is petering out absent a new injection from Congress, where Republicans are stymieing an additional funding request in part to force through their desired package of immigration reforms. Congress has so far allocated a mammoth $111 billion for Ukraine, and the White House is seeking some $61 billion more. Lawmakers disperse for the holidays at the end of the week.'
“Public support for Ukraine has fallen steadily in recent months, and Republican lawmakers — particularly in the House of Representatives, where the party’s right flank has wielded outsize influence — have expressed a rapidly diminishing appetite for funding Ukraine’s war effort,” my colleagues reported. “A growing number of Republicans in both chambers have said in recent weeks that they will not approve Ukraine aid unless it comes with a major tightening of U.S. immigration policy.”
'Orban, meanwhile, may try to wield the threat of a Hungarian veto in Brussels over Ukraine in pursuit of his own agenda. He could be a disrupter later this week when E.U. leaders thrash out a new financing proposal of 50 billion euros for Ukraine. A significant tranche of E.U. funds for Budapest are frozen over rule-of-law concerns in Hungary, amid concerns about the quasi-autocratic takeover of the state by Orban and his ruling Fidesz party.'
'Orban may leverage his ability to thwart European support for Ukraine in order to release some of that cash. “He sees this as his last chance to have some influence and wants to show that he will give nothing for free,” Peter Kreko, the director of Political Capital, a Budapest-based research group, told the New York Times.'
'In Washington, where Orban is celebrated by a section of the Republican right, the Hungarian prime minister’s allies are also pushing to end U.S. military aid to Kyiv. According to a report in the Guardian, a number of Orban proxies appeared in a closed-door session at the right-wing Heritage Foundation, which has moved ideologically in recent years closer to the blood-and-soil nationalism espoused by former president (and Orban admirer) Donald Trump.'
'Heritage is “jettisoning the Reagan-era beliefs that first brought it glory to embrace the America First policies championed by former President Donald J. Trump—particularly when it comes to Ukraine,” wrote Jacob Heilbrunn of the National Interest. “Rather than support Ukraine’s struggle to oppose Russian domination, Heritage is actively seeking to undermine it.”
And it seems Budapest has its own transatlantic plan. “Orban is confident that the Ukraine aid will not pass in Congress,” a diplomatic source close to the Hungarian Embassy told the Guardian. “That is why he is trying to block assistance from the EU as well.”
'The current mood in Washington pits establishment Republicans against Trumpist hard-liners, who resent directing American taxpayer money to Ukraine (even though much of the funding is lining the pockets of U.S. arms companies). Orban has aggressively placed himself in the latter camp and, is in turn, hailed by the American right as an illiberal exemplar, a model for how to cement power through ceaseless culture war.'
'European politicians now fear a Magyar spanner in the works. “With the problems in the United States, where the fresh money is blocked, it’s quite crucial that we don’t have a double block against Ukraine,” outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged earlier this week.'
'In a joint letter to their American counterparts, more than 100 senior European
lawmakers pleaded to Congress to get Zelensky what he says his nation needs, no matter some of their justified reservations.'
“We hear the concerns expressed by our American friends. For years, American leaders, Democrats and Republicans, have asked Europeans to take more responsibility for their own security. We agree with this legitimate request,” the lawmakers, led by Benjamin Haddad, a centrist French parliamentarian, said in the letter. “Moreover, military spending has risen all across Europe,” they added. “American military aid however is critical and urgent.” (WAPO, Today’s WorldView by By Ishaan Tharoor with Sammy Westfall)
The point, Peter, is to draw the attention of Americans to Democracy and the survival of it in Ukraine, along with the survival of it as an independent country. Then, too, is the survival of the Ukrainian people. Nice historical nugget, Peter. How many who read it will remember the past but not attend to the importance of the supplemental package Biden is fighting for with its aid for UKRAINE IN NEED?
That “nice historical nugget” clearly went down well with many readers, Fern, while for me it was just a passing remark I regret because it distracted attention from my main concern, the survival of democracy IN AMERICA, where it is threatened by the gang of criminal racketeers who are now holding the country AND Ukraine AND the whole world to ransom when they should have been buried alive in maximum security jails long ago.
It is bloody obvious that we must all support Biden's priority concern to assist Ukraine and act to expose now those selling the country and its honor down the river, betraying all allies and dependents, above all betraying Ukraine in her hour of need.
It is well past time to steal a page from the Trump/Abbott/DeSantis playbook and put the traitors on a plane to Moscow, where they will be welcomed with open arms, plastered with medals and given plum jobs providing useful services to the regime. After all, Putin and his cronies have already shown delight with the GOP for supporting them and their war aims. But maybe these people would like to play Putin and bomb Canada… for pretending to be “different”.
Getting to the point, Peter, about the survival of Democracy -- the freedom of the people -- is always essential. Thank you for stating it as well as you did; it merits repeating with frequency on the forum and everywhere from early in the day and through the night,
Thank You Fern. Wish this article included evidence of Putin's influence$ over our Republican party. It is not just that our magate legislators "resent" our funds going to support Ukraine, they are essentially well paid to make sure the funds don't go to Ukraine.
Thanks. It was not my idea. I have to admit that I asked ChatGPT to come up with handles for Substack. My question:
"I need ideas for a handle for my Substack account. I am an Italian American man, retired public librarian, Democrat, professional genealogist, trumpet player, and golfer"
ChatGPT answers:
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I called mine this morning. I asked why they are handing over our government to Putin. I said a lot of things. I told the Trump ass kisser that I will work real hard so that she is never elected again. And I did ask if she would go to my next doctor appointment with me since she knows more about medicine than my doctors. I need her input. They didn't say a word. They never do.
William, I do email and call representatives, Biden, Harris, even Bobert and Taylor (with suggestions). Will keep doing this and sigh… am afraid it falls on deaf ears.
Republicans want power to control and a authoritarian government. I wouldn't say shortsightedness or ignorance. They just don't want Democracy to exist, no matter what the cost. Yess I agree they are traitors to the American people and this country. We must them out of office and continue to support Biden in 24.
I am reminded of Charles Lindbergh not because of his brave solo flight across the Atlantic, but for his infamy as a Nazi appeaser and provocateur for America First. The reputations of so many who appeased Trump have already been ruined. The legacy of the Republican Party will be one of traitors, cowards, and criminals.
Donald, while the minority will be remembered as traitors, the rest of the Congress Critters will be seen as complicit because their leader (TFG) doesn’t want Biden to be seen as a great leader worldwide.
Donald, I agree, history will show the shortsightedness and ignorance of the Republicans for being obstructionists. History may also similarly judge Biden who refuses to step aside now, at age 81.
Richard, of course history will judge him, and I believe quite favorably. Biden is the right person for the job, given this fraught moment we are in as a country and around the globe. One need only consider where we were prior to Jan 20, 2021, the precipice we all faced, and how much progress we have made to restore America's economy and luster.
If there were no Tromp running again in 2024, seeking to keep himself out of prison on promises that he will act as dictator to destroy Biden's impressive achievements, we wouldn't need a Joe Biden. But this, unfortunately, is where we are.
I enjoy reading your letters every night. I want to take issue of the way you and other media outlets frame criticism of the Republican Party. You cite reasons for Republicans refusing to aid Ukraine as not wanting to give Pres. Biden a win or because they want to keep the immigration issue front center to take attention off of abortion. As if there is actually a Republican "Party."
Can we drop this fantasy? Republicans are completely loyal to authoritarian Donald Trump. Trump orders and they follow. So please start framing it correctly. Say 'Donald Trump has ordered Republicans not to aid Ukraine.' Say 'Donald Trump is ordering Republicans to hold a non-transparent impeachment inquiry of Pres. Biden.' Doesn't that make it much clearer? With this frame, we instantly understand that immigration and abortion are just distractions. Whereas we know for a fact that Trump and Putin are allies who wish to destroy NATO. Trump told this to us and the world for four years. The formula "Trump orders Republicans to..." really stops a lot of stupid debate. It also might make us Democrats not sound like imbeciles—like when we express dismay that Republicans don't seem to understand that withholding aid to Ukraine endangers our American freedom. Didn't we get the memo on January 6? Republicans want an end to our Constitution and American freedom. Let's start acting like we got the message. Please!
Agree with you, Russell. It does seem as though some members of Congress ignore the needs of their constituents to appease Trump and he is pulling their strings, to include Speaker Johnson, but I don’t think Heather would put that in writing without source links. Maybe Republicans will “get it” when we’re in WW III and our kids are being drafted.
Appreciate your comment. I'm trying to persuade Democrats to drop the fantasy that Republicans at some point will "get it." They've made their choice. It's us Democrats who need to face reality. We need to ask ourselves why we're continuing to be led by the nose with Republican distractions. In the case of Ukraine, why isn't the Democratic leadership or the media just matter-of-factly ignoring the distracting Republican immigration argument and instead instantly pointing out that Republicans are following Trump's wishes to aid Putin and undermine NATO? Why should we Democrats let Trump frame every issue the way he wants? That's the real question. Republicans made their choice collectively on January 6. Why are Democrats pretending otherwise? Why aren't we taking the lead and demanding Republicans defend any action they take as not being specifically at Trump's bidding to destroy our democracy. Don't you think we need that clarity and should be demanding it from our elected officials and the media generally?
While I really want to, I cannot disagree with this assessment, Russell. I am not sure that tfg is all that, because I think that the billionaire-to-excess class (Leo and Koch being in the foreground of that group) are the ones really pulling the strings, and there is also the heavy influence of those $$$ in today's batch of traitorous RepulbiKans along with having to kiss tfg's ...er, ring. Or orange posterior (which is probably pasty white because it doesn't take makeup well, but I digress)
But for some grotesque reason, Trump is their chosen balloon... it seems no matter how horrible and unAmerican....unpatriotic his choices are ...Trump is elevated....paraded out front....
Trump is just a tool that was thrust into this oversized fantasy roll by Republican voters. American oligarchs would probably prefer a candidate with some intelligence and restraint, but voters want the entertainment Trump provides. MAGA is more than Donald Trump. It's the Frankenstein story. Who can control the monster and who is the monster?
You're welcome. Yes, when we frame Republicans exclusively as loyal vassals to Trump, all the distractions melt away. Impeachment inquiry to Pres. Biden without charges? Trump's revenge for his own trials. Withholding aid to Ukraine (and probably Israel too)? Trump's alliance with Putin. Draconian immigration restrictions? Trump preparing Americans for detention and concentration camps. Barbaric abortion policies and threats to prosecute women traveling out of state? Easing Americans into restrictions of our most basic rights. Tommy Johnson delaying military promotions? Giving Trump an easy path forward to build a military loyal only to him. Not allowing Congress to pass anything substantial? Yes to ensure Democrats have no legislative victories, but also to pave the way for Trump to control the Legislative Branch once he returns to office.
Isn't it something how all the other rationalizations for Republican stances and actions just magically disappear? We have to remember that Republicans dutifully avoid any governing platform other than loyalty to Trump. If we frame everything then as following the wishes of Trump, we stop chasing our tails and can react rationally. For instance, Trump proudly states he'll only be a dictator his first day in office. Our media can then calmly translate, "Oh, Trump and his machine are confident they now have methods to overcome all the safeguards that prevented his successful insurrection 3 years ago."
More importantly, instead of screaming at Republicans as most liberal media insist on doing (an insane reaction in my opinion), we can focus asking some important questions to the Democratic Party and to the federal government. Such as, why are you all incapable of protecting our Constitution? How in any rational interpretation of the Constitution is a professed despot who openly fomented an insurrection allowed to run again for office? Is your fear of reprisal that great that you are reluctant to defend our liberties? Yeah, those kinds of questions. And do it in a public forum, perhaps in the way University presidents were asked to justify their refusal to condemn students calling for Jewish genocide.
Exactly, Russell! It’s about time we call it what it is: Putin owns Trump and the Republican party, and they will execute his orders. The decision to stop funding for Ukraine isn’t “astonishing” at all, it’s just puppets following orders.
These events from the past might alert us to beware of similar mistakes in the future:
"Hitler is regarded as one of history's great villains. So it's easy to forget how slowly and reluctantly the worlds most powerful democracies mobilized to stop him. France and Britain did declare war on Germany two days after the invasion of Poland, but it would take them another eight months before they engaged in full-scale war with the Nazis. The United States wouldn't join the war against Hitler until December 1941, a full two years after the war began. (....)
The short answer is that Adolf Hitler was a ruthless dictator with dreams of conquering all of Europe. Annexing Poland was a step in that larger plan. The Polish military wasn't powerful enough to resist him, and Hitler calculated — correctly, as it turns out — that Europe's other powers wouldn't intervene in time. The invasion of Poland occurred almost exactly 25 years after the start of World War I in August 1914. That war ended in Germany's defeat, and in 1919 the victorious allies carved up territory that had been part of Germany, Austria-Hungary (Germany's defeated ally), and Russia ....
After World War I, the allies took territory away from Germany....
Hitler was contemptuous of these new nations, which he regarded as artificial creations of the Allies. There were significant German populations in both countries, and Hitler used trumped-up concern for their welfare as a pretext to demand territorial concessions."
... also, didn't Hitler spend time in prison, then after release, became "der fuhrer" ...?
So, even if tfg is convicted and sent to prison, isn't it possible he still could follow the same path (which, by the way, ultimately ended in suicide (post genocide)) ...?
At least there's this, though: tffg is much older than Hitler was (suicide at 56), he's morbidly obese, and rapidly deteriorating cognitively, too. He's a menace every second that he lives, but he doesn't have long.
He may be immune to cheeseburgers at this point, or perhaps even the devil doesn't want him. Or he might just flash-evaporate in a hissy-fit of rage. Meanwhile Putin is still very much in charge of Russia.
Jennifer, exactly. But as I've said here before, instead of wishing for that, I'd be happy if he were just Raptured away. Him and all his theocrat supporters.
If tffg goes to trial he gets convicted. His attorneys know that. So, what is the attorneys' primary mission? To keep tffg out of an orange jump suit? Work out a plea deal: Tffg pleads guilty and is retired from public life completely and totally, confined to Mar a Lago for the next 5 to 10 years, though Alexandra doesn't think that he has that much time left. I'm now 83 1/2. I hope to live long enough to see that day so that I can dance in the streets.
I have a feeling this story is less about tfg whose big act is a distraction from wheels turning backstage for younger, healthier players to pick up the baton and run with it ... kind of like a relay race ...
Richard, I don’t know where you are geographically, but someone who lands a hole-in-one must be able to boogie. So. I’ll be wildly dancing along with you (in MA ) IF that happens.
Meanwhile, my 2 sisters I continue to read HCR’s historically excellent Letters daily knowing that history can repeat itself ad nauseam especially if you don’t know the consequences of the past.
Samm, I am now in central Florida, Florida, the home of the mostly Fascist Taliban Republicans. But, prior to moving here for retirement 8 years ago, I spent 42 years in California and before that 6 years in Cambridge (grad school and law school.) I remember 1969 when it was below freezing for 60 straight days, a veritable Winter Wonderland. I have a feeling probably fueled by a hope that we'll be dancing soon.
Jennifer, what we could do is to recruit some 12-year olds to put together a network where we could all dance for all to see with reckless abandon. The words of Martin Luther King, Jr. come to my mind: "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last."
Ahhh, you must live close to the Villages or in them. Bummer for you if you do. When Covid-19 hit we ended our snow-birding life of flitting between Maine and Jacksonville, FL. My neighbors in FL were all retired MAGANAZIs from the midwest. Very nice people, until someone brought up politics.
And no offense, but Florida weather sucks between May 1 and October 1. Plus property taxes and homeowner's insurance is out of control. Soon, FL will come begging to the Federal government to bail them out of their insurance crisis.
LOL, I am 100 miles south of The Villages, in Lakeland (central Florida.) Yes, Florida has a large number of MAGA/KKK or, as you accurately state it, MAGANAZIS. But the electorate is now divided in many places, such as the one here or a pretty close division, with Republicans at about 37%, Democrats at about 35% and NPAs at 28%. A lot of people are simply disaffected.
Richard, your dance card is filling up fast! But I will be so freaking thrilled when that fine day comes I would fly to Florida to have that dance in person with you.
It is interesting, the matter of age. No one ever comes close to guessing my age, usually somewhere in the 60's. So, age is not a defining criterion. I still write letters and columns published by the local newspapers (Lakeland Ledger and the Orlando Sentinel.) This is one that will be published this coming Sunday in the Lakeland Ledger. I had to trim it down to 200 words.
Letter writer, Walt Back (Congress not engaged in meaningful governance, 12/10/2023) and I both benefit from Social Security and Medicare. We're the lucky ones. Chances are that our fellow Americans in their 40's, 50's and 60's won't get it. Why? When Ronald Reagan took office the national debt was less than $1 trillion. It is now $33 trillion. Mr. Back claims that Congress hasn’t been doing its job. In fact, virtually no Republican-controlled Congress has done its job going back to President Reagan.
Why? How have Republican politicians failed the American Middle Class, and how did they do it? Forty-eight million of the fifty million jobs created in this country in the past fifty years have been when Democrats controlled the government. Three of the last Republican administrations have ended in recessions, with the G.W. Bush administration taking us to the brink of a depression. Every Republican administration has done nothing about our nation's infrastructure, but Pres. Biden has and is.
Pres. Trump bragged about the massive tax cuts in 2017 and told his wealthy friends, "You all just got a lot richer." He added $8.2 trillion to the national debt with this stunt. We need to tax the wealthy.
Hitler was imprisoned after the failure of the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch in Munich and used the time he spent in prison -- 9 months out of a 5 year sentence -- to write Mein Kampf.
Following the failure of this direct attempt to overthrow the Republic, Hitler decided to aim for power and an end to democratic government via the ballot box.
First and paramount, the absurdly light sentence for high treason.
Compare this with the fact that those responsible for the January 6th Putsch still walk free and the direct attempt to overthrow Congress has been followed by an unprecedented 1071 Day Putsch, upholding the lie that was the pretext for that direct assault on the United States of America.
*
Compare the facts just outlined.
Ponder what they tell the world about the United States of America and prospects for the global survival of representative government.
Compare the foregoing with a medical bulletin for a critically ill patient suffering from a life-threatening cancer.
*
A BLANK SPACE HERE FOR READERS TO FACE THE FACTS.
*
[In 1961, I had the privilege of hearing the views of a distinguished former German judge on the consequences of the light sentence imposed on Adolf Hitler when found guilty of high treason.
Dr. Reinhold Regensburger, a patriotic German, was stripped by the Nazi regime of his position as a judge because of his Jewish religion and forced to flee to England in 1939. He lived in Cambridge until his death in 1972.
You can read the bare bones of his biography in Wikipedia.]
Hmm ..., yes, I can relate to that ... a bit like being an awake and aware human being in a culture of cosmetic clones ... we do exist - and the treasure you bury here, even if only heard by one - or a few - is treasure found, not lost ... imagine how small and insignificant a drop of water must feel in relation to the whole ocean - or a cell in a body - how can it know what it contributes to the whole body - or how it contains the whole within the field of it's manifestation ... I deeply appreciate perspectives you share Peter ... rising now to preruse the works of one resembling a Dirigible - and find a way to afford access ... ah, ancient roots of language will continue to grow - even as cuttings in a jar ... life will go on - one way or another - and goodness will prevail in the long run ... I feel that deeply in my heart ... how can it not be so ...?!
It's true. There is a crucial difference - when Hitler went to prison in 1923 following the Beer Hall Putsch, a decade before he came to power, he was 34 years old. He was 43 when he came to power.
I had often thought about the fact that trump could spend time in prison and emerge as a populist hero as did Hitler. The comparisons are hard to miss.
about thr fact that "Trump's claim that he is immune from any and all criminal prosecution for anything he did while in office" is chilling.
"He has requested the charges against him be dismissed because of that immunity." Again, chilling.
He doesn't ask for charges to be dismissed because he is innocent. (Well, I'm sure he has said this), but because he had the RIGHT to do and say anything he wanted BECAUSE he was the President.
He's not fighting back because he is innocent, but because he's guilty and does not want to suffer the consequences. (By the way, when WILL he suffer any consequences?)
It's like thieves saying, "I'm not sorry I did what I did. I'm sorry I got caught and what I did should be overlooked, because.... that's what thieves do."
"Trump's claim that he is immune from any and all criminal prosecution for anything he did while in office" is chilling." Yes. But it is totally convincing to his magate army.
Agreed - but, as others are pointing out, age and declining health could influence the equation - then again, if he is a vampire and can live forever ...,
We need his own to take him down. Since he is such a dependably transactional guy, this should be possible if we constantly point out how he is undermining the very people he professes are his base. Crack their solidarity.
And one has to wonder, if Hitler had just remained in his borders as Franco did, would he have been able to remain in power until nature took it course? I think so. It took his land grabbing to bring the others into the war. As long as a dictator stays in his own borders, they get left alone.
Hitler was found guilty and imprisoned in 1924 for his involvement in the Beer Hall Putsch. It was while he served nine months before being released, though he was sentenced to five years, that he wrote Mein Kampf. I wonder how different the world would have been if he’d served the full sentence.
"Biden urged Congress “to pass the supplemental funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess—before they give Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could possibly give him.”" Why didn't I see this on CNN?
Under the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery and new CNN CEO last year things have changed. They thought, and apparently agree, that CNN was too politically partisan. Remember the town hall for Trump? I stopped watching CNN after that. Last week I decided to see how things were going over there and listened to some program for about a half hour. I noticed a difference. I don't even know what show or host was talking or who she was interviewing, but she was putting questions out there regarding Biden's accomplishments, that is, playing "devil's advocate." I turned it off. Then I researched CNN's ratings in comparison to Fox and MSNBC. CNN's ratings are growing, Fox is loosing ground, and MSNBC is about the same. Also, saw that Newsmax is growing at the fastest rate in comparison to these programs. In any case, it's all about the ratings ($$$) and yes, I was disheartened to think that it's possible that more people are getting more interested in hearing untruths and not wanting to know about the current successes in the executive branch and foreign affairs.
Since about 47% of voters voted for Trump in 2020, despite his having failed his own program, I'm not surprised that Newsmax is growing and CNN is veering to the populist right. The demographic that watches cable TV are mostly Trump voters.
Well, yes, it must be dying if only Boomers - who constitute most of the elder generation now - are the majority of who watch it. But in the meantime, they are all chasing the same diminishing pot of people.
‘“The problem is that many members of Congress don’t want to see President Biden win on any front,’ [Fiona] Hill said.”
I think that, and keeping immigration policy an active campaign issue, is the motivation for recalcitrance on Ukraine funding. It is also an indication of the weakness of Republican congressional leadership that a small group of radicals can torpedo such an important issue that is supported by a significant majority of the party.
... a lot of people have supported Ukraine independently, lending their expertise and experience to the fight - not under the umbrella of government action ... is there enough independent wealth in the "free world" to generate financial support for Ukraine until the USA can come to terms with internal dysfunction - like a GoFundMe account?
It couldn’t hurt but it could never replace US gov’t. support that can put almost endless amounts of military hardware, ammunition, etc. on the ground in Ukraine in a week, or less, and keep it coming. It would take a GoFundMe charity over a year, after they had collected many $billions, to organize and maybe accomplish a one-time delivery.
If there was a charity I trusted to get humanitarian aid to Ukrainians in need, I would make monthly donations.
Until then, I’ll keep replacing the small blue and yellow Ukrainian flags on my two vehicles’ radio antennas that get shredded by the wind.
I am reminded of a Bible story regarding your comment...comparing small givings ...which would be my givings compared to givings from our government ie most of us together.....
Jesus was teaching a large crowd of people....it was getting late and Jesus' disciples reminded Jesus that those persons who came to lisen to Him may be tired and hungry. Those attending were asked to bring food to the disciples for Jesus to bless. The mother of a little boy had prepared a basket of loaves and fishes which he gave the disciples. The disciples brought the food to Jesus which He blessed. The crowd shared the abundance and there were even leftovers. (Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-9 ie "The Feeding of the 4,000)
It is a story of faith....love and compassion. Maybe our "small" givings could be multiplied also....
Yup, fishes and loaves - enough to go around ... I get emails from so many candidates and causes asking for donations of any amount, no matter how small - they say this is how they finance their works not accepting support from mega corporations ... which, it would seem, is where our stubborn, uncompromising obstructionists get their support ... so, what do they support? What really is freedom ... independence ... true value ...?
If these self serving power brokers can invest in their brand of idealism at tax payer expense - calling it the Will of God - let individual people invest according to their own true conscience and deduct accordingly ...!!
I surely would be able to give to support Ukraine, especially if I could be confident it would go to support their need for equipment for fighting the war and warm clothing and food for the Ukrainian soldiers My givings would be small of course compared to others....but I want to help them. I believe in the fight for the rule of Ukranians over their own country. I believe our country should continue to do all we can to support freedom.
I also believe....regarding another battle, that the prime minister of Israel needs to go. This is not in regard to faith....I believe in freedom of religion. My heart is broken into pieces at the death of Palestinians. It is more than enough!!!! We cannot support this slaughter of innocent human beings!!!! Those who are responsible ...all of you...need to be brought to trial....and this is everyone.....including those who are trying to hide behind a faith they are not living out.....be honest ie it is personal power you are seeking! We must support life and hope and decency wherever we are able. It is who we are as Americans.....imperfect though we ARE!!! Supporting dictatorships and inhumanity forced upon our fellow human population is not the place I want to live in my mind or heart.
We must be better at compromise.....listening to one another....this is better for our entire planet. There is so much more good we could do if we work for the wellbeing of everyone. We are more interconnected than we realize. With hard work, we CAN do this.
Donating Jeff Bezos' yacht would help a lot. In fact what happened to the seizure of Russian oligarch assets at the start of the "aggression?" Right there we have a few billion dollars or more.
A pretty passive majority, it would seem. Their "superpower" up till now has been to tell all the same lies in endless unison, but reality is starting to intrude.
Because this is just what everyone wants—a third land war in Europe. Have these idiots learned nothing from two world wars? Is their entire existence one giant game of gotcha?
And who the ultimate loser? Not just Joe Biden and the Democrats, but the world. If Putin gets his way (and he will, if we stand down in Ukraine), there will be no stopping him.
And all this because these idiots in Congress are so wrapped up in licking the boots of Orange Jesus.
A third land war in Europe? Try a 33rd. WW2 wasn't even the worst of it - the Thirty Years War was a lot more damaging, and WW1 left just as many marks as WW2, and in fact, a poor postwar settlement led to WW2. Our continent has been ravaged for a long time, which is why the EU has broad support.
Earlier this month, the news media reported that Biden had bypassed Congressional review sell Israel $106 million worth of artillery shells. This $106 million would have been part of the $14.3 billion in the proposed package. Small potatoes compared to the total package, but a response, according to the press, consistent with past emergency responses.
Was that $106 million intended to create a path for bypassing Congress for some aid to Ukraine? Zelensky's visit to the US demonstrated the emergency nature of Ukraine's need. Let's see if Biden follows through with the part of the $60 billion intended for Ukraine that is the most urgent. Perhaps a slew of the Bradley vehicles that the US has in storage -- vehicles which would be really useful for Ukraine's wintertime battles with Russia and no longer used by the US.
We have come to understand that Biden is willing to be as tough as he needs to be. If he proceeds, will the Republicans decide to attempt to impeach him for such a sale? It is not as if it was never done before. In 2019, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo determined that an emergency allowed a sale of $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan. During the Gulf War, GHW Bush made an an emergency sale to the Saudis.
I am looking forward to seeing how Joe Biden operates. He is not going to allow the western world crumble because of a dozen or two extreme right wing Congressmen.
TFFG illegally moved $15 billion from defense budget projects to build his porous few miles of wall. Plus, he put tariffs on goods from China and many other countries, which the TFFG administration claimed gives the President the authority to raise tariffs without any limits during a national emergency of any kind. Almost all legal scholars disagreed. These tariffs amount to one of the largest tax increases ever amounting to $80 billion tax increase on $380 billion of goods. Talk about inflationary. But I digress.
So Biden should just do it claiming it is a national emergency and he has the power to do it granted him by Congress.
The common element to all these items is Republican extortion.
They've reached a point where they believe they can hold us all hostage in order to coerce us into giving in to their demands. What has emboldened them so? And what makes them believe that any successes this approach might give them could be anything but transitory?
You are so right, Gary, and isn't extortion a Federal crime??? Those lame brained a-holes in the Fascist GQP should all be arrested and thrown in jail for their blatant obstruction and criminal behavior. I am fed up with their juvenile and arrogant attitude just for the sole cause of exacting revenge against Democrats and Pres. Biden and appeasing their supreme orange jackass.
Well, and their billionaire benefactors. After 40+ years of so-called "Supply-Side (aka the very, very rich) Economics" which boats are riding high? Which are beached or on rough water?
They forgot the include historical examples of universal prosperity when the rich run the show. Feudalism? Bah, humbug. The Gilded Age? It sucked. But my public school history book seemed to indicate we'd outgrown all that.
Yes, i agree. All of this crap with these greedy a-holes started with the half ass former actor, Ronny Raygun. ''Trickle Down,'' The trickle dried up as fast as it trickled down, nothing left after that.
It's Mob mentality. It's certainly betrayal of the common weal. More people need to point to that. Who benefits? Who is getting shafted and who's going to clean up the mess?
Why aren’t we realizing that Trump and MAGA Republicanwant Ukraine to fail for two main reasons: (1) It will hurt Biden politically and help advance Trump. And, more importantly,
(2) It is “retribution” to Zelensky for not “playing-ball” with Trump and giving root to Trump’s
first impeachment. So, the Republicans are willing to sacrifice the entire country of Ukraine and cause great harm to the security of the USA, and thus not support our Constitution for “high-school” political gain. Bloody hands; sounds like treason to me.
They are being vindictive to the nth degree. How did they even get elected? Apparently there are a LOT of people in the US who have never learned how to be adults. And they're ruining it for all of us. Even for themselves, but they're too wrapped up in themselves to realize it.
We, with a lot of encouragement from the media, have made politics into a sports arena as shallow as a scoreboard; not an adult responsibility of all citizens. Up until recently. "news" seemed more focused on the food fights than the consequences, and it's still failing an "informed electorate".
Dictators are openly Trumps heroes, his role model. Harlan Crow is definitely kinky. Somehow, even in WWII, pro-Hitler was OK for those with lots of money.
I have the impression that USA already has provided older equipment to Ukraine, while investing allocated finds to develop new modern equipment to replace the old ... so, not much of a change there ...
I recall Trump declaring an emergency to send thousands of troops to the border to repel a murderous "caravan", that somehow ceased to be a problem after an election.
"Many members of Congress don’t want to see President Biden win on any front.”
Yes, I see that and agree. We're dealing with some cold, calculating people whose Reptilian Complexes in their brains are dominant. These snakes cannot be reasoned with; they can only be defeated. Let us not kid ourselves with who and what we're dealing with: the worst of the worst.
Republicans now are in full anti American mode because they want power. Except they are actually ceding power to Putin. This makes the entire Republican Party enemies of Democracy.
Plutocrats seem to have a place in any government, but I think the "GOP" turned against democracy wholesale with Reagan and toward pure plutocracy. They claim to be in favor of "small government", but not when it comes to advancing their own agendas, or those of their billionaire patrons. What they have reduced is voting rights, women's rights, minority rights, worker's rights, public schools and support for state colleges, the post office, parks and recreation, public health, anything by and for the people.
They let us pay the bills. Wouldn’t that fact get people riled up enough to want change that isn’t about a spoiled rotten, immature, evil, hateful human?
Charles Koch and his bagman Leonard Leo have put into question whether the United States has even the simulacrum an independent judiciary. What may most inform the Court's decision is that the Koch machine has endorsed a Trump primary opponent. Thus even a finding for the United States would be a product of political expediency. The plutocrat puppet masters, not trusting their populist base, may have their insidiously crafted high court belatedly derail this unseemly autocrat.
The producers may be working to take Trump off the stage, but every Republican member of Congress is still playing by his script. Trump may not get to act out his retribution directly on Biden and the US government, but by supporting Trump's retribution on Zelensky and Ukraine, Republicans are mocking America on the world stage. This is a perverse spin on America First. But this is MAGA Mike and MAGA Mitch playing the same old MAGA song.
Department of State Office of the Historian OCB files, lot 61 D 385, "Prestige Project"
A sample:
"...Reported Decline in United States Prestige Abroad
The reported decline in American prestige abroad is considered separately in each of the general regions of the globe. Attitudes toward the United States are influenced by diverse factors in the different areas, many of them directly opposite in impact, so that no significant common trend can be deduced. Therefore, the problem will be dealt with separately in each of the following arbitrary groupings of the free world:
I. Europe and Canada
II. Far East and Western Pacific
III. Near East and South Asia
IV. Latin America..."
Back then our prestige was pretty great and getting better as Eisenhower took Office. Our prestige around the world declined, had a few good moments, but then started to look like a dumpster fire with Trump insulting the CIA on his first day, and the cockeyed attempts to get friendly with some of the most despotic rulers around the world as he tried to gut the United Nations, NATO, etc. Seema sort of like gutting the real police and firefighters as you set the world on fire.
How can people support letting Ukraine burn down, so much it and much of the world has so much to lose if that is allowed to happen.
Prioritizing Sotomayor's possible crime (vs Giini Thomas and the whole Jan 6 mob), seems like cops ignoring a carjacking to chase kids ding dong-ditching at someone's door bell.
ThankYou for your very interesting and informative comment. Old State Department docs. I will have to look at that.
As an American Jew and a Zionist, for decades I've thought that the appropriation of Zionism by Jewish and Christian right wing religious extremists (here and in Israel) would be the end of Israel. And a danger to the US in the sense of making unconditional support for any Israeli government policy an American political wedge issue/litmus test. And especially the increasingly extremist Netanyahu administrations.
And now I feel I am watching it in real time. On the world stage and at home. Especially with a left wing itching for an excuse to give Trump/GOP the presidency. Again.
The short answer is the non- Klown Kar Kawkus that are terrified of losing their seats in Congress. If you have to sell your soul to keep your job, how is that job worth it?
We have allowed "representation" of the public's will to be a road to riches, and of access to the world of the 1%. Public service should be honored, but also also be a discipline; as for a soldier, to put the public duty first. When we become fans of political celebrity we seem lose track of our "business" relationship with our own hired agents, and of our responsibility to the environment that sustains a decent life for all, both physically and politically. To form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.
It has gotten to the point that I can’t watch the schitt show anymore. To see a brave, strong leader of his grievously-damaged country beg before the whiny cowards of the treasonous republicans is too much. I am so ashamed and will never be able to tolerate any who wave the republican banner of fascism.
Jeri -- the present day gop is nihilistic, and fascism is the means to the end. And they are certainly treasonous cowards, in addition to being duplicitous nationalistic fiends being manipulated by wealthy oligarchs (Leo, Crow, the Heritage Institute, Putin, Orban, et al.) I really dislike using dehumanizing language against others, so that's as far as I'll go, but...
Jeri, some hope here in the Keys. Three of my neighbors, who dutifully replaced their tattered Trump flags as necessary, have taken them down. I hope it holds.
Do you think Nikki is “right time, right place”? I want someone to question her position on Project 2025. With Koch behind her do I assume her an acolyte?
The republican minority will forever be remembered as traitors to democracy and freedom. No matter how they will try to spin it otherwise, history will show there shortsightedness and ignorance.
They are neither shortsighted nor ignorant. They are traitors. Taking down our democracy and turning it over to Trump is their goal. While we watch
The way I see it is that trump is the perfect puppet for the power-mongers owning him. Fossil Fuel titans? Armaments titans? Billionaire wingnuts? He’s useful until he isn’t. Then another will step up to replace him. Amoral narcissists are coming out of the woodwork now that they know it’s okay, -and unaccountable.
Well said.
😬
I think ones like mtg and Lauren Boebert are both shortsighted, ignorant, and stupid. They are attention seekers who have no concept of governing. They help the robber barons get their way by making government dysfunctional. A dysfunctional system cannot hold the robber barons to account who are stealing from all the rest of us.
The truly evil people in all of this are the Republican who KNOW and privately acknowledge that Trump is an uninformed, dangerous maniac. The “true believers” will not be convinced otherwise as long as he keep venting THEIR frustration and anger. Just look at Ginny Thomas’s Jan 6 committee deposition. When pressed to explain why she continued to believe the election was stolen, despite the numerous court decisions and Republican officials’ declarations that there was no evidence of fraud, she said she simply stopped listening to the news. She had the narrative she wanted and wasn’t going to let facts get in the way. Childish, dishonest, and delusional... just like her husband.
Dave, don't forget that Ginni Thomas was paid a great deal of money to push her false narrative. Additionally, the fact that she was a member of a cult (something seldom mentioned) shows that she has been delusional for much of her life, and apparently her deprograming was unsuccessful.
And I sure don't trust SCOTUS to do the right thing and follow the rule of law.
Ginny Thomas's attitude represents MAGA, full stop. She has the influence/money, they have the numbers/guns.
There is a lot of money to be made in the right wing. And some nice vacationing. It seems to reach the level of a criminal enterprise.
Precisely on point Patrick. We desperately need a "Sunlight Law" passed. Money is not free speech. It is a higher power megaphone or a taller soapbox.
Their news source is Fox Entertainment....and maybe a few other....I kind of remember,during the last election, that a Republican relative referred to Newmax! It seems the only decent people these days are Democrats.... there are very few of us in Indiana.
I used to live in northwest Ohio, 12 miles from the Indiana line. I learned not to discuss politics with ANYONE because I was way outnumbered by Republicans. Back in the 80's and 90's, the R's were less deplorable than today. However, they only believed in helping others just like them.
But the rest of us Dems from elsewhere feel your pain anyway.
And there are a lot others who follow GT train of thought. Saying ignorant, stupid and disloyal to democracy.
The robber barons have been back for awhile. Reagan loved the worse one, Rupert
I wonder what traditional Republicans feel like watching these Keystone Kops upset the apple cart and commit treason. What happened to their cries of patriotism and nationalism? Is there not one brain cell of thought given to our diminishment on the world stage? One would think that they would be leaving the party in droves, but then again they consistently demonstrate a lack of critical thinking....
The roots of this current insanity are in that "traditional Republicanism" It was always an elitist White male club of wealthy people who thought that they should rule everyone else......
Precisely why Black Republicans make my head spin....
Oxymoron
After Lincoln, they all lost their humanity!
Are there really any "traditional republicans" left? My father stopped voting for republicans in the 1960s.
I have one such friend who I love. She hates trump but voted for him twice because she's filthy rich and wanted the tax cuts. Even she has drawn the line and will not vote for him under any circumstance. A friend's sister voted for him the first time but refused in 2020 because of his immorality...so yes, there are, but very few and far between....
I have two friends who voted for trump the first time because of Hilary’s emails. I said tofg is scarier than the emails. They were sorry in the end but too late!
It is like a football or basketball game to them....they can't stand for their team to lose....because they are Republicans.
People in Colorado and Georgia need to vote these two wing nuts OUT! Adam Frisch only lost by 500+ votes in Colorado in 2022, the D's to there need to show how crazy Boebert is and get more sane people to vote BLUE...and don't even get me started about Florida and Ohio!
Agreed. But in the meantime we need to call or email their offices to remind them they work for US and we are not interested in their faux-Christian hatred of women and people of color being foisted on us.
I just sent an email to Don Bacon asking him why he is abandoning our ally Ukraine and wishing him a Merry Christmas and a month-long vacation on our dime.
The working Americans don’t get the extra long time off during Thanksgiving and then turn around and get two weeks off for Christmas. Something is definitely wrong with the system. It’s totally unjust the American people.
Usually when there’s a job to get done you stay until the job is done I think we should lock them up till they get the job done without pay
Ditto Jenn
Yes,of course you are right.They are aligning themselves with Putin and Russia which is traitorous imho.
Republiputins.
It reminds me of those that were supporting Hitler...that I am only discovering from reading, "Prequel". So shocking to this 80 year old women!
It’s unfbelievable. From this 76 years young woman.
I would identify them as terrorists who are holding us all hostage.
And by us all, I feel that means people in any democracy globally.
I don’t think they really understand that “turning it over to trump” is actually turning it over to oligarchs.
I expect “they”( the oligarchs) all know each other, kind of like crooks all know each other. Elon musk for example is no American, he is a citizen of the world of oligarchs. And they think it belongs to them.
While the lemmings applaud the kardashians.
SMFH
To Georgia girl,
Totally correct. “Traitors”! And THEY would send “traitors “ to the death chambers!
Don’t sugar coat America, just because you don’t want to be angry or sad all the time. Talk straight.... do your homework, stop pretending ,and one day if we are lucky, we will see greed and power as a failure to humanity.
Their shortsightedness and ignorance relate to the inability to see what could happen to them when they are no longer useful. And, yes, they are traitors. Absolute scum.
Let us hope the deplorables are watching as well. And (for once) thinking a bit on it. Maybe they will be less inclined to vote in 2024, and help deliver the shellacking Republicans deserve. We desperately need that.
We need to make sure they don't get to write the histories. DeSantis is sure trying.
J L,
I guess if I were Biden and Ukraine was such a big deal, I would go ahead and negotiate to a positive outcome on the "border immigration" funding the Republicans are asking for in exchange for Ukraine funding.
Why not? Even Kathy Hochul, governor of NY, is asking for some kind of immigration reduction into NY. NY City has run out of housing for migrants. So have upstate NY hotels now. Even the bluest state in the nation is calling for some immigration action so why not consider doing something with the bill in Congress where the Pubs are asking for a trade of immigration funding for Ukraine funding?
With what seems to be an obvious need, at least temporarily, to reduce migration while states can come up with more housing and services, I would go ahead and sit down with Johnson, whether I like him or not, and work out a deal.
Because, Ukraine IS important enough to sit down across from Johnson and hold my nose and negotiate.
Biden is making a mistake this time. It won't be his first.
That would be having led the confirmation hearings of Clarence Thomas to full confirmation on the Supreme Court while ignoring key testimony that he was unfit for that job.
Mike S, you are speaking wisely and rationally. But my understanding is that Mike J, despite his external demeanor of calm reason, is a Christian nationalist extremist and unwilling to negotiate, forcing instead a “winner takes all” strategy intended, not to “fix the border,” but to denigrate Biden and the Dems. If any real negotiation were possible, I believe Biden and the Dems would be doing it.
Maureen,
"is a Christian nationalist extremist and unwilling to negotiate, forcing instead a “winner takes all” strategy intended, not to “fix the border,” but to denigrate Biden and the Dems."
We do not get to pick the people we have to work with in this life. I have sat across from managers who were completely insane in order to negotiate stuff for my own engineering teams. Did I want to sit across from a narcissistic white male whose entire thought process was consumed with himself? Absolutely not.
But, did I want to get a raise for my best software people? Absolutely yes.
Getting into the pig pen is something I don't mind doing if it results in getting out of the pig pen with a newly born pig.
Mike, I get the sense that Johnson will continue to balk at negotiation to the point where his offers include Biden’s resignation. Johnson is not interested in “the border” except as a Cat O Nine Tails used to whip up rancor in the knuckledragger base
I could not agree more!! I believe that it would be like the latest Hunter Biden issue: they want him charged, he is charged, and now Comer is claiming that charging him is protecting his father!!
They are truly the dog that catches the bus.
I agree that even a clear public attempt possibly wasting time in negotiations is exactly the demonstration we need. I would like to see MJ (not Michael Jorden) be cornered every minute of the day by the press asking for details of his border/emigration plan. The more we push/pull him into the light the clearer our position publicly becomes. IMHO.
I agree, and I’d be astonished if Biden hasn’t done this and will continue to attempt negotiating.
And don't forget how they compromised on everything for McCarthy, and then still got blown up by the MAGAs at the 11th hour.
Don't forget that the belief system of someone like Mike Johnson has a deep seated hate for Biden because he is a Catholic. I grew up with people like that, they may now agree on abortion but they really hate Catholics.
As an non-theist, I believe that all Bible based religions are cults. They have ONE book they are supposed to follow. The Republicans in these cults (Catholic, Southern Baptists, etc) treat TFFG, SCOTUS, and their Congresscritters as if they are above God's laws, including the Ten Commandments. TFFG is a convicted rapist and yet, he is the leader of the Republican Party. Matt Goetz is a pedophile. The Texas Supreme Court just decided a woman cannot have a medically necessary abortion. And yet these faux-christian nationalists would rather die than vote for a Democrat.
They are attempting bipartisan negotiations, and yes, the aim is to obstruct Biden at any cost.
Did not Biden request funds to help at the border almost immediately upon taking office? It has not been answered or even discussed by Republicans? It appears Republicans are duplicitous in these latest demands? Ukraine and the border are unrelated subjects. The immigration laws need ti be changed and Republicans will not participate or actually write legislation. Republicans stand by their only plan: governance by threat and obstruction.
We've known for decades that our immigration policy needed an rewrite and neither party since the 90's has got it done. We needed a comprehensiveness policy written and agreed upon long before the crazy minority was allowed to rule this country??
I'll respectfully disagree with you Julie. When Obama was president, the Democratic-led Senate passed an immigration reform bill (bipartisan) and it went to the Republican-led House and because the Speakers of the House determine what will get voted on, they blocked even voting on it because (I assume) Republicans who don't want to fix our immigration system (or attempt it to make it better) CHOSE NOT TO VOTE ON THE IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL PASSED IN THE US SENATE.
Barack Obama publicly said for years, "Put it it up for a vote!" There's video of this. He said he would sign it into law if it passed in the House.
Both Speakers, Boehner and Ryan would NOT put it up for a vote.
So, Democrats (& some Senate Republicans) have made honest efforts to fix this problem and Republican House leadership has blocked it and then without any credibility or accountability for it, then claim to this day that 'both sides' are to blame for our broken immigration system. No. We had an opportunity to fix or improve our immigration system and House Republicans failed, and continue to fail us.
Biden is trying to fix it with Republicans who don't want to fix this problem either.
Correct sir. Clearly the hold up is, as usual, republicans. If it ain’t obstruction they will not even discuss. They should be hounded until they write a bill. Democrats just are not very good at messaging.
I haven't looked it up, but I remember that George W Bush was interested in seeing immigration cleaned up and couldn't get it voted on...There was also a McCain -Kennedy bill earlier that passed one house. There have been attempts.
So, hello Joe, I hope you read this and we can start a conversation. I believe the "fix" to the immigration "problem" is to begin with replacing the Earned Income Tax with a National Consumption Tax where everyone is paying taxes according to what they spend, not Earn. This has a psychological effect and a great leverage. 2% could pay for "Medicare for all people" then people in jobs they hate aren't kept there because of the way our healthcare is "portioned out". 2% could pay for Social Security "security", 2% could pay for education pre-K through 14 grades. As soon as a child is old enough to buy a stick of candy for $1.00, they also begin paying for their own and everyone else's healthcare, social security and education.
After this NCT has been in place and working, the U.S. could ask the Ukrainians to "vote" to become the 51st State. If they say "no thanks" then the U.S. has an "out". If they "agree" we put military bases in strategic locations in the Ukraine and draw the borders for Mr. Putin., then start collecting NCT on their 5% growing economy. The same for Palestinians. We can not continue to be the "broker" for all of the "conflicts in the world. We should be inviting immigrants into the U.S.to "grow food for the word" , not send money. As a matter of fact the 1st country we ask should be Mexico.
think about it.
Please see Joes reply below for my understanding of the point you make. Remember when Rubio and McConnell both filibustered their own bills because they thought Obama might get credit.
But Mike, how genuine is the gop trying to resolve the immigration problem. They affix it to the funding for Ukraine precisely because they DO NOT want to solve it. They need it as an issue for the 2024 campaign. The objective of the traitors in the gop is to break the government. They do not want things to work. It is performative theatre for them. Their colleagues in the gop that do support Ukraine funding have no spine to stand up for it. They are going along to get along with the traitors. This is not: Let’s Make A Deal.
Because what the tRUmpublican Party wants for our border violates domestic law, international law and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights - just like the Texas abortion law!
Trumplican a better spelling.
This
Biden has moved toward Republican positions on the border and immigration. The fact is Johnson and all the people he carries water for don’t want a deal. They want Biden to adopt every single action they want and even then they will move the football and say it’s not enough. What Biden needs to do now is go national in his communication, explain what he is willing to do on the border and how it aligns with what the Republicans want while hammering on the theme that the Rethugs are selling out our own National Security with this outrageous stunt. I guarantee you that if the offices held by the respective Parties were reversed, the Republicans would be screaming to anyone who would listen how wrong this is
I imagine Joe regrets that as much as any of us. I recall making at least one mistake myself.
I am very proud of Biden and think he's accomplished amazing things. However, there do seem to be people who want him to literally look/act like the Democratic equivalent of those nutty Trump trading cards. You know, standing upon a mountain, looking like Rambo with fire shooting from his eyes. Nothing seems to be enough for some progressives.
By the way, the 3rd edition just came out. This is absolutely unreal!!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Y5yoAyEikQ&t=330s
lol Jeri. Hey, me too, perhaps a time or so...
Most of what the R’s want in their immigration deal is to close off the border to all immigrants. Tucker Carlson speaks their language daily. “And, unrelenting stream of immigration. But, Why? Well,Joe Biden just said it, to change the racial mix of the country.” Certainly not in keeping with the White Nationalist vision that the Republicans have adopted for our country.
Yes, the "hysterical" voice of Tucker Carlson is one thing but the actual text of the proposal in front of Biden is another.
The Republicans are asking for money. The bill does not specify exactly how that money would be spent and, since this is America, probably almost none of it would actually be used to reduce border crossing.
Maybe some of it would go to hire a few new border security guards, not a bad thing given Hochul's request for help. Most of it will go into the pockets of corrupt Republicans so they can build swimming pools in their back yards to "fight climate change".
Like I said, if I were Biden, and Ukraine was important, I would sit down and negotiate on this one.
Biden sitting at the table with his fork in one hand a knife in the other with a grumpy face waiting to get exactly what he wants this time? This time that is a mistake.
In fact, many Americans, including Kathy Hochul at the moment, for some good reasons, wish to stem the migration from the southern border.
Do I wish we had mature adults on the Pub side who would, like adults, sit down and do a normal bill for immigration in conjunction with their Democratic partners in Congress? Sure.
But, we don't. We have a mess. But, we have to fund Ukraine. The only path to that outcome is through the rabble.
I agree with this strategy in theory and assume Dems have considered this. It would also take it off the table as a campaign issue (or lessen it somewhat). But I am assuming that the Rs would demand or are demanding something completely untenable (closing the border completely - even to asylum seekers) in order to make this an effective weapon.
"I am assuming that the Rs would demand or are demanding something completely untenable"
I grew up in Texas and, when I was a grad student at UT Austin, hiked the Big Bend area with some of my other grad student friends.
Having stood near the border and looked at the vastness of the Rio Grande valley, I can assure you that it is not possible to "close the border completely". The border of Texas is vast, desolate, and no border guards are present for huge swaths of land. Of course, those areas are not preferred crossing areas but, even when we were hiking (in 1985), we encountered many people crossing the border. I would be a little hesitant to do that hike today with Fentanyl components pouring across the border now. That was not happening then.
What can be done is to more effectively manage the crush at the normal border crossings.
Lastly, everyone should read Jared Diamond's immense book "Collapse". Especially the last Chapter.
He's not the only hysterical character to dominate our space by repeating the same BS over and over. That's the only way some needy-narcissists from the ignorant, otherwise ignored to evil get heard.
One Democrat coming out of the negotiations said something like "They want to take us back to the camps". Should the Democrats give in to that?
TFFG's border wall is as leaky as a sieve. It's been breached over 4000 times. I wish someone would take pictures right after a breach and then after the repairs. How much are we spending to fix this engineering disaster of a wall?
Also, Trump bragged about how many border agents he would hire and send to the wall.
https://www.latimes.com/politics/la-na-pol-border-patrol-hiring-20190126-story.html
He ended up with vacancies. In 2017 the top salary for border agents was about $55K/year. And that isn't the starting amount that was the top salary. Who in their right mind would uproot their family and move them to Bumfuck, TX and try to find a good paying job for their spouse and good schools for their kids? No wonder they couldn't hire anyone and they still can't.
I live about 90 miles from New Brunswick and yesterday I saw a BORDER PATROL car at the local police station. No idea why, but at least there are good schools and good jobs for life partners here. Can you imagine being a BP Agent and being transferred from say Seattle to Lordsburg, NM?
What a stupid system we have for hiring and compensating agents and their families.
The border wall is not only an engineering disaster, but also an environmental travesty, and a waste of funds.
Desperate people are going to do what they need to do to get into the U.S. Without effectively addressing the myriad of issues driving migration from Central & South America, they're going to keep coming.
And don't forget that Border Patrol employees have to be bilingual!
Mike: From last night's PBS NewsHour...can listen or read the transcripts.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/zelenskyy-makes-his-case-to-congress-for-more-u-s-aid-in-ukraines-fight-against-russia
I agree. Action is needed. Then obnoxious aspects of the GOP “plan” can be slow walked and not enforced. In 24 they can be changed. Meanwhile we find Ukraine
*Reply to Tucker... "Say Tucker, doesn't Mexico have some responsibility for the common border and other Central American countries ? What's up with that Mr. Talking head Tucker" ? ***edit > "Also, what good was the wall in Israel" ?
Just think if he were to give them all they wanted only to watch them vote it down. Wanna bet that would happen? 🤔
McConnell did almost exactly that once.
See https://theweek.com/articles/469675/mitch-mcconnells-amazing-filibuster-bill
Why not negotiate? If you’re following the news you’ve seen that Biden and the Democrats are prepared to negotiate. But Republicans demand all or nothing.
Mike, I disagree on this.
Perhaps you've missed the remarks from other Republicans in both houses
it's their way or the highway
on immigration and they could care less about Ukraine
funding.
And yes, immigration reform is badly needed and the
Constitution delegates that
responsibility to Congress.
That's where the sticking
point is and Project 2025.
We do ourselves no favors
ignoring that manifesto. It
wasn't dreamed up overnight,
but has been in the works
for quite awhile. It is a well
laid out plan on how to destroy a government, ours.
Please don't forget that the
Republican CPac has been to
authoritarian Hungary twice.
They are a big financial arm
of the Republican party. And
this week, we have Orban's
trades in the People's House,
in closed door sessions with
Republicans. THAT should
bother you a great deal.
Victoria, I agree with all you share.
Matters of opinion 😉
Not sure you've been following. Biden has signaled willingness on the border, but the holdouts have stuck some poison pills in there, not on the money side, but on the policy and practice fronts; things that are not in alignment with American values nor international law. Why are they doing this? I believe they are purposely sabotaging the effort, because the only issue they still have high ground on is immigration. They can't afford to solve it or they will have nothing at all to motivate their voters.
Steph-one of the poison pills the R's wanted was to benefit the ultra rich by cutting back funding for the IRS so the oligarchs wouldn't have to pay their fair share of taxes.
Mike S ... What are the Republicans demanding, exactly? Mr Biden has said he would negotiate. He has before. Agreement gets reached and does the negotiation stand once it seemed agreed to or come back around? The headlines will merely read, "Biden refuses to negotiate," rather than his administration would not cave in on policies already agreed to in reconciliation or in principles fought hard for by his party and moderate Republicans who signed on to their passage. Wasn't this what happened with the CRs that got McCarthy in a knot with the Crazy 8? They connect a real need to the wheel on some foolish bicycle that has no axle.
Fred. Good points all.
Your suggestion is excellent and would be very effective classic politics. Maybe it's been going on behind the scenes and there will be a "breakthrough" today enabling passage before the children go out to recess.
Maybe I'll see a unicorn today too.
There is a big difference between donating your money and surrendering it at gunpoint.
Mike S. - President Biden has consistently stated that he's willing to negotiate. Mike J. and the extremist House Republicans state that their position is all or nothing. How can anyone negotiate with people taking an absolute stance?
Their are elements of the Republican immigration requirements that are acceptable to the president and to people like me - and I hope to you such as absolute denial of consideration or granting of asylum in contravention of both U.S. & international law. When I have a chance later today, I'll see if I can find more details about Republican's deliberate poison pill in the funding bill.
Good points all Judith. I am sure Biden is doing his best.
Biden refused to negotiate a cease fire in Ukraine and then vetoed a cease fire in Gaza. As far as I am concerned the list of his mistakes is very long and has turned off many people from the Democratic Party which would include most of my large family. The fact that HCR supports Biden’s warmongering and applauded the jobs weapons manufacturing will give us is just mind boggling. The PR that the war is going well is just that PR for Biden’s war. Don’t bother to slam or report me for my horrible anti war views. I will be letting my subscription lapse, my money is better spent with many other substack podcasters and journalists who focus on on things that would really impact people in our country, silly things like the environment and healthcare for all.
Environment and Heath are important, but beside the point here. Biden, despite your trolling, can and does multitask. So please don’t distract from your Putinphilia with “but what-abouts .” Biden is no more a ‘warmonger’ than was Jesus when his tossed over the usuerer’s tables. Both seek/sought justice, love and peace.
You’re the clueless MIC troll here, Les, and should be ashamed of yourself.
Biden’s war? The one in Ukraine? You seem to be serious. So. . .you suppose Ukraine needed any warmongers to urge them to fight back when they were invaded?
there might be more to what is happening with Israel than has been discussed here. Do you know an expert in foreign policy in that area who could give you answers?
Kathy, the photos/videos from Gaza tell you all you need to know. Bottom line, if Biden threatened to cut off military aid to Israel unless a ceasefire and massive influx of humanitarian aid overseen by the UN, rather than by Israeli occupiers, was instituted immediately, the genocide would end.
He won’t do this, so he is complicit. The world is watching, and America is hemorrhaging what little respect from the rest of the world we still have left. See the GA vote in the UN this week.
https://www.caitlinjohnst.one/p/gaza-is-deliberately-being-made-uninhabitable
There has to be more to the situation that's guiding President Biden's decisions regarding US Dollars arming Israel. I don't think it's greed or oligarch pressure. We have no idea what the whole picture is by witnessing it through the media. This war has been going on for Generations!
How about if Hamas gave up the hostages. That would end the war. But NO! You prefer to read and watch reports and videos put out by a terrorist band of murderers.
Nora. I understand but I think it is very difficult to find better reading than Prof Richardon’s.
I’ll be right there with you in a month or so, Nora. I subscribed because I thought Heather was drifting from historical connectivity to current events to more pundit-like government narrative commentary, and wanted to be able to comment.
Far too many commenters here have fallen into a tribal cult mentality every bit as dangerous as the GOP knuckleheads; sad thing is, their intelligence advantage over many in MAGA land hasn’t kept them from being blind to their allegiance to the lies of empire.
Good luck with that. More than 150 years after the last shot was fired, “Lost Cause” fanatics still argue that slavery was not the primary cause of the Civil War and that the southern secessionist weren’t fighting to preserve the “peculiar institution” which was the cornerstone of their economy. Today’s Trumpublican party is similarly disingenuous and will never concede that their cynical posturing endangered democracy and freedom here and around the world.
It seems to me that our failure to move on from the Civil War is complicated, but certainly sustained by political manipulators who have deployed it, along with the ennobling cover story, as a divide and rule wedge issue. Southern Democrats did so in my youth, and (Ironically) Republicans took over after Democrats expanded their party's integrity. Trump and his ilk are playing the race card and feeding the myth of lost Southern "liberty".
As far as slavery as a cornerstone of the Southern economy, it was, but I've never quite grasped how it became so endeared to the "working class". I seems to me that slave labor would just have depressed wages for those without the means to buy and maintain them.
Almost all Republicans of the past 50 or so years will forever be remembered as traitors to democracy and freedom. They didn’t just turn traitor when Trump arrived. They started long before him. They and the wealthy white christian elite men (including their organizations, the religions who support them, the corporations they own/are affiliated with, and media outlet buddies) who own Conservative Judges/Justices and Republican politicians laid the framework.
“A ‘better world’ bought by atrocities will be rotten at the core.” (Ilona Andrews)
America has a core of rottenness and evil because of the way it started. The descendants of the wealthy people who helped drive progress (in America and other countries) at the cost of the indigenous peoples, enslaved Africans, cruelly-used immigrants, and child labor are still at the top of the socioeconomic hierarchy doing everything they can to conserve their place. They still abuse. If we’re ever to change, they need to go.
Lisa, I am so with you about the core of rotten and it starting with the Natives of this country. So many atrocities including and not limited to placing Japanese-Americans in internment camps. It goes on and on….
Excellent post, Lisa. Seldom do the wealthy elite disappear even after so-called revolutions. These parasites almost always find a way to stay in power or the new elite is just a bad....I am thinking Russia and China here. I will have to take exception to the word progress because destroying the natural world as well is not progress.
They are in every country. They are above being citizens in any country because they own homes, politicians, and law enforcement in multiple countries.
Yes. And they ruin anywhere they are for locals.
So what can we do to get rid of them??? And are people in the Democratic Party wholly exempt? It seems to me that the Democrats are doing everything they can to eradicate these monstrous traitors but they seem to be multiplying!
Neuter them?
Good Idea!!!😒
😳😳
___ the outstanding story of the day is that the Republican Party appears to have decided to undermine financial support for Ukraine’s war against Russia’s invasion. (Letter)
'Since Russia’s February 2022 invasion of his country, Zelensky has emerged as a lion of the geopolitical West, casting Ukraine’s resistance to Russian aggression as a fight for the defense of liberal democracies everywhere. But his entreaties for continued support from the United States and its European partners — both in terms of billions of dollars in tangible military aid as well as binding political commitments involving accession into blocs such as the European Union and NATO — are increasingly finding a less enthusiastic audience in Western capitals.'
'Orban, the E.U.’s preeminent illiberal demagogue, has also played the conspicuous role of the bloc’s leading Ukraine skeptic. As his neighbors rallied to Ukraine’s defense, Orban maintained a degree of distance, fueled in part by a close relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin; he reportedly told Putin during an October meeting in Beijing that he “never wanted to confront Russia.” He has balked at allowing the transit of arms to Kyiv and scoffed at fast-tracking Ukrainian membership in the European Union.'
“Hungary is a neighbor of Ukraine … we know exactly what is happening,” Orban told French publication Le Point last week. “Ukraine is known to be one of the most corrupt countries in the world. It’s a joke!”
'Zelensky, who is reckoning with his country’s flagging counteroffensive and
growing internal frustrations and political infighting, called on U.S. officials and lawmakers early this week in Washington in a desperate bid for aid. “It’s a matter of life and death for Ukraine,” a senior Zelensky aide told my colleagues. “Time is of the essence: That’s the message.”
'The Biden administration has warned that its allotted funding for Ukraine is petering out absent a new injection from Congress, where Republicans are stymieing an additional funding request in part to force through their desired package of immigration reforms. Congress has so far allocated a mammoth $111 billion for Ukraine, and the White House is seeking some $61 billion more. Lawmakers disperse for the holidays at the end of the week.'
“Public support for Ukraine has fallen steadily in recent months, and Republican lawmakers — particularly in the House of Representatives, where the party’s right flank has wielded outsize influence — have expressed a rapidly diminishing appetite for funding Ukraine’s war effort,” my colleagues reported. “A growing number of Republicans in both chambers have said in recent weeks that they will not approve Ukraine aid unless it comes with a major tightening of U.S. immigration policy.”
'Orban, meanwhile, may try to wield the threat of a Hungarian veto in Brussels over Ukraine in pursuit of his own agenda. He could be a disrupter later this week when E.U. leaders thrash out a new financing proposal of 50 billion euros for Ukraine. A significant tranche of E.U. funds for Budapest are frozen over rule-of-law concerns in Hungary, amid concerns about the quasi-autocratic takeover of the state by Orban and his ruling Fidesz party.'
'Orban may leverage his ability to thwart European support for Ukraine in order to release some of that cash. “He sees this as his last chance to have some influence and wants to show that he will give nothing for free,” Peter Kreko, the director of Political Capital, a Budapest-based research group, told the New York Times.'
'In Washington, where Orban is celebrated by a section of the Republican right, the Hungarian prime minister’s allies are also pushing to end U.S. military aid to Kyiv. According to a report in the Guardian, a number of Orban proxies appeared in a closed-door session at the right-wing Heritage Foundation, which has moved ideologically in recent years closer to the blood-and-soil nationalism espoused by former president (and Orban admirer) Donald Trump.'
'Heritage is “jettisoning the Reagan-era beliefs that first brought it glory to embrace the America First policies championed by former President Donald J. Trump—particularly when it comes to Ukraine,” wrote Jacob Heilbrunn of the National Interest. “Rather than support Ukraine’s struggle to oppose Russian domination, Heritage is actively seeking to undermine it.”
And it seems Budapest has its own transatlantic plan. “Orban is confident that the Ukraine aid will not pass in Congress,” a diplomatic source close to the Hungarian Embassy told the Guardian. “That is why he is trying to block assistance from the EU as well.”
'The current mood in Washington pits establishment Republicans against Trumpist hard-liners, who resent directing American taxpayer money to Ukraine (even though much of the funding is lining the pockets of U.S. arms companies). Orban has aggressively placed himself in the latter camp and, is in turn, hailed by the American right as an illiberal exemplar, a model for how to cement power through ceaseless culture war.'
'European politicians now fear a Magyar spanner in the works. “With the problems in the United States, where the fresh money is blocked, it’s quite crucial that we don’t have a double block against Ukraine,” outgoing Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte urged earlier this week.'
'In a joint letter to their American counterparts, more than 100 senior European
lawmakers pleaded to Congress to get Zelensky what he says his nation needs, no matter some of their justified reservations.'
“We hear the concerns expressed by our American friends. For years, American leaders, Democrats and Republicans, have asked Europeans to take more responsibility for their own security. We agree with this legitimate request,” the lawmakers, led by Benjamin Haddad, a centrist French parliamentarian, said in the letter. “Moreover, military spending has risen all across Europe,” they added. “American military aid however is critical and urgent.” (WAPO, Today’s WorldView by By Ishaan Tharoor with Sammy Westfall)
Remember Churchill's words to Neville Chamberlain:
"YOU WERE GIVEN THE CHOICE BETWEEN WAR AND DISHONOUR. YOU CHOSE DISHONOUR, AND YOU WILL HAVE WAR."
The problem was/is: he chose dishonor, so WE will have war. That’s the price of foolish leadership.
The point, Peter, is to draw the attention of Americans to Democracy and the survival of it in Ukraine, along with the survival of it as an independent country. Then, too, is the survival of the Ukrainian people. Nice historical nugget, Peter. How many who read it will remember the past but not attend to the importance of the supplemental package Biden is fighting for with its aid for UKRAINE IN NEED?
That “nice historical nugget” clearly went down well with many readers, Fern, while for me it was just a passing remark I regret because it distracted attention from my main concern, the survival of democracy IN AMERICA, where it is threatened by the gang of criminal racketeers who are now holding the country AND Ukraine AND the whole world to ransom when they should have been buried alive in maximum security jails long ago.
It is bloody obvious that we must all support Biden's priority concern to assist Ukraine and act to expose now those selling the country and its honor down the river, betraying all allies and dependents, above all betraying Ukraine in her hour of need.
It is well past time to steal a page from the Trump/Abbott/DeSantis playbook and put the traitors on a plane to Moscow, where they will be welcomed with open arms, plastered with medals and given plum jobs providing useful services to the regime. After all, Putin and his cronies have already shown delight with the GOP for supporting them and their war aims. But maybe these people would like to play Putin and bomb Canada… for pretending to be “different”.
Getting to the point, Peter, about the survival of Democracy -- the freedom of the people -- is always essential. Thank you for stating it as well as you did; it merits repeating with frequency on the forum and everywhere from early in the day and through the night,
Thank You Fern. Wish this article included evidence of Putin's influence$ over our Republican party. It is not just that our magate legislators "resent" our funds going to support Ukraine, they are essentially well paid to make sure the funds don't go to Ukraine.
It is a Confederate States of America moment for this party.
For some time I was referring to the GOP as the GQP.
Perhaps we should shift to FOP. "Friends of Putin"
Or perhaps "Government Of Putin"
No GOP, no mo
Love your name.
Thanks. It was not my idea. I have to admit that I asked ChatGPT to come up with handles for Substack. My question:
"I need ideas for a handle for my Substack account. I am an Italian American man, retired public librarian, Democrat, professional genealogist, trumpet player, and golfer"
ChatGPT answers:
Creating a unique and memorable Substack handle that reflects your interests and background is important. Here are some ideas that incorporate elements of your identity as an Italian-American, retired public librarian, Democrat, professional genealogist, trumpet player, and golfer:
1. LibrarianLegacyDem
2. TrumpetTales
3. GolfingGenealogist
4. ItalianRootsRevealed
5. DemocratDeweyDecimal
6. JazzedGenealogy
7. SwingStateSleuth
8. LibrarianLore
9. ItalianAmericanEchoes
10. TeeTimeAncestry
11. TrumpetingTruths
12. GenealogyGreens
13. BlueNoteHistory
14. LibrarianLinks
15. ItalianHeritageHub
16. SwinginDems
17. GolferGenealogy
18. JazzedUpDemocrat
19. GenealogyMulligan
20. BellBookBallot
Feel free to mix and match these ideas or use them as inspiration to create a handle that best represents you and your interests on Substack.
You could have simply written those elements of your identity on strips of paper, put them in a bag, and randomly selected two of them!
GenealogyGreens sounds like a new salad ingredient. <g>
Could be a new salad bar product.
So do something about it. Get on the phone/ computer to your elected representatives and complain. Silence is compliance.
I called mine this morning. I asked why they are handing over our government to Putin. I said a lot of things. I told the Trump ass kisser that I will work real hard so that she is never elected again. And I did ask if she would go to my next doctor appointment with me since she knows more about medicine than my doctors. I need her input. They didn't say a word. They never do.
William, I do email and call representatives, Biden, Harris, even Bobert and Taylor (with suggestions). Will keep doing this and sigh… am afraid it falls on deaf ears.
My rep is bought and owned by Enbridge Oil.
We don’t have time for history to show them for who they are. We need it to happen right now - today.
Party over country. That’s the Republican motto, always. And, of course, other countries—Ukraine, Israel—count for nothing.
Republicans want power to control and a authoritarian government. I wouldn't say shortsightedness or ignorance. They just don't want Democracy to exist, no matter what the cost. Yess I agree they are traitors to the American people and this country. We must them out of office and continue to support Biden in 24.
The Republicans and their owners are dooming our young people to a world of war. We all know who to blame.
I am reminded of Charles Lindbergh not because of his brave solo flight across the Atlantic, but for his infamy as a Nazi appeaser and provocateur for America First. The reputations of so many who appeased Trump have already been ruined. The legacy of the Republican Party will be one of traitors, cowards, and criminals.
Nihilists. Like Lenin. Destroy the state. Replace it with dictatorship . .
Donald, while the minority will be remembered as traitors, the rest of the Congress Critters will be seen as complicit because their leader (TFG) doesn’t want Biden to be seen as a great leader worldwide.
Donald, I agree, history will show the shortsightedness and ignorance of the Republicans for being obstructionists. History may also similarly judge Biden who refuses to step aside now, at age 81.
Richard, of course history will judge him, and I believe quite favorably. Biden is the right person for the job, given this fraught moment we are in as a country and around the globe. One need only consider where we were prior to Jan 20, 2021, the precipice we all faced, and how much progress we have made to restore America's economy and luster.
If there were no Tromp running again in 2024, seeking to keep himself out of prison on promises that he will act as dictator to destroy Biden's impressive achievements, we wouldn't need a Joe Biden. But this, unfortunately, is where we are.
And arrogance
I enjoy reading your letters every night. I want to take issue of the way you and other media outlets frame criticism of the Republican Party. You cite reasons for Republicans refusing to aid Ukraine as not wanting to give Pres. Biden a win or because they want to keep the immigration issue front center to take attention off of abortion. As if there is actually a Republican "Party."
Can we drop this fantasy? Republicans are completely loyal to authoritarian Donald Trump. Trump orders and they follow. So please start framing it correctly. Say 'Donald Trump has ordered Republicans not to aid Ukraine.' Say 'Donald Trump is ordering Republicans to hold a non-transparent impeachment inquiry of Pres. Biden.' Doesn't that make it much clearer? With this frame, we instantly understand that immigration and abortion are just distractions. Whereas we know for a fact that Trump and Putin are allies who wish to destroy NATO. Trump told this to us and the world for four years. The formula "Trump orders Republicans to..." really stops a lot of stupid debate. It also might make us Democrats not sound like imbeciles—like when we express dismay that Republicans don't seem to understand that withholding aid to Ukraine endangers our American freedom. Didn't we get the memo on January 6? Republicans want an end to our Constitution and American freedom. Let's start acting like we got the message. Please!
Agree with you, Russell. It does seem as though some members of Congress ignore the needs of their constituents to appease Trump and he is pulling their strings, to include Speaker Johnson, but I don’t think Heather would put that in writing without source links. Maybe Republicans will “get it” when we’re in WW III and our kids are being drafted.
Not unless the kids of members of congress are sent to fight, and this seldom happens- also congress people don't care a bit about our kids.
The repubs respond to their donors only.
Exactly. Ukraine doesn’t have a PAC like AIPAC.
Appreciate your comment. I'm trying to persuade Democrats to drop the fantasy that Republicans at some point will "get it." They've made their choice. It's us Democrats who need to face reality. We need to ask ourselves why we're continuing to be led by the nose with Republican distractions. In the case of Ukraine, why isn't the Democratic leadership or the media just matter-of-factly ignoring the distracting Republican immigration argument and instead instantly pointing out that Republicans are following Trump's wishes to aid Putin and undermine NATO? Why should we Democrats let Trump frame every issue the way he wants? That's the real question. Republicans made their choice collectively on January 6. Why are Democrats pretending otherwise? Why aren't we taking the lead and demanding Republicans defend any action they take as not being specifically at Trump's bidding to destroy our democracy. Don't you think we need that clarity and should be demanding it from our elected officials and the media generally?
While I really want to, I cannot disagree with this assessment, Russell. I am not sure that tfg is all that, because I think that the billionaire-to-excess class (Leo and Koch being in the foreground of that group) are the ones really pulling the strings, and there is also the heavy influence of those $$$ in today's batch of traitorous RepulbiKans along with having to kiss tfg's ...er, ring. Or orange posterior (which is probably pasty white because it doesn't take makeup well, but I digress)
Ally!! I'm eating breakfast as I read! I didn't need the image of the Trump butt!
But I will keep it in mind when the neighbors start delivering all the home-made Christmas treats. Might keep off a few holiday pounds.
Yeah, I hate it when my mind does that... especially before breakfast. 🤮
So glad to hear that tradition continues.
Leo, Koch, Putin...
Ally House,
But for some grotesque reason, Trump is their chosen balloon... it seems no matter how horrible and unAmerican....unpatriotic his choices are ...Trump is elevated....paraded out front....
Trump is just a tool that was thrust into this oversized fantasy roll by Republican voters. American oligarchs would probably prefer a candidate with some intelligence and restraint, but voters want the entertainment Trump provides. MAGA is more than Donald Trump. It's the Frankenstein story. Who can control the monster and who is the monster?
Thank you. That’s exactly what I believe. The Republicans take their orders from Trump. We need to frame the conversation that way.
You're welcome. Yes, when we frame Republicans exclusively as loyal vassals to Trump, all the distractions melt away. Impeachment inquiry to Pres. Biden without charges? Trump's revenge for his own trials. Withholding aid to Ukraine (and probably Israel too)? Trump's alliance with Putin. Draconian immigration restrictions? Trump preparing Americans for detention and concentration camps. Barbaric abortion policies and threats to prosecute women traveling out of state? Easing Americans into restrictions of our most basic rights. Tommy Johnson delaying military promotions? Giving Trump an easy path forward to build a military loyal only to him. Not allowing Congress to pass anything substantial? Yes to ensure Democrats have no legislative victories, but also to pave the way for Trump to control the Legislative Branch once he returns to office.
Isn't it something how all the other rationalizations for Republican stances and actions just magically disappear? We have to remember that Republicans dutifully avoid any governing platform other than loyalty to Trump. If we frame everything then as following the wishes of Trump, we stop chasing our tails and can react rationally. For instance, Trump proudly states he'll only be a dictator his first day in office. Our media can then calmly translate, "Oh, Trump and his machine are confident they now have methods to overcome all the safeguards that prevented his successful insurrection 3 years ago."
More importantly, instead of screaming at Republicans as most liberal media insist on doing (an insane reaction in my opinion), we can focus asking some important questions to the Democratic Party and to the federal government. Such as, why are you all incapable of protecting our Constitution? How in any rational interpretation of the Constitution is a professed despot who openly fomented an insurrection allowed to run again for office? Is your fear of reprisal that great that you are reluctant to defend our liberties? Yeah, those kinds of questions. And do it in a public forum, perhaps in the way University presidents were asked to justify their refusal to condemn students calling for Jewish genocide.
Exactly, Russell! It’s about time we call it what it is: Putin owns Trump and the Republican party, and they will execute his orders. The decision to stop funding for Ukraine isn’t “astonishing” at all, it’s just puppets following orders.
Thank you for capturing the issues of the day. Your letters give us reasons to speak up and act in support of freedom and democracy.
These events from the past might alert us to beware of similar mistakes in the future:
"Hitler is regarded as one of history's great villains. So it's easy to forget how slowly and reluctantly the worlds most powerful democracies mobilized to stop him. France and Britain did declare war on Germany two days after the invasion of Poland, but it would take them another eight months before they engaged in full-scale war with the Nazis. The United States wouldn't join the war against Hitler until December 1941, a full two years after the war began. (....)
The short answer is that Adolf Hitler was a ruthless dictator with dreams of conquering all of Europe. Annexing Poland was a step in that larger plan. The Polish military wasn't powerful enough to resist him, and Hitler calculated — correctly, as it turns out — that Europe's other powers wouldn't intervene in time. The invasion of Poland occurred almost exactly 25 years after the start of World War I in August 1914. That war ended in Germany's defeat, and in 1919 the victorious allies carved up territory that had been part of Germany, Austria-Hungary (Germany's defeated ally), and Russia ....
After World War I, the allies took territory away from Germany....
Hitler was contemptuous of these new nations, which he regarded as artificial creations of the Allies. There were significant German populations in both countries, and Hitler used trumped-up concern for their welfare as a pretext to demand territorial concessions."
https://www.vox.com/2014/9/1/6084029/hitlers-invasion-of-poland-explained
... also, didn't Hitler spend time in prison, then after release, became "der fuhrer" ...?
So, even if tfg is convicted and sent to prison, isn't it possible he still could follow the same path (which, by the way, ultimately ended in suicide (post genocide)) ...?
At least there's this, though: tffg is much older than Hitler was (suicide at 56), he's morbidly obese, and rapidly deteriorating cognitively, too. He's a menace every second that he lives, but he doesn't have long.
He may be immune to cheeseburgers at this point, or perhaps even the devil doesn't want him. Or he might just flash-evaporate in a hissy-fit of rage. Meanwhile Putin is still very much in charge of Russia.
Alexandra, I’ve been thinking for years he has the perfect set up for having a fatal stroke. His anger seems to be keeping him alive. Yet…
Jennifer, exactly. But as I've said here before, instead of wishing for that, I'd be happy if he were just Raptured away. Him and all his theocrat supporters.
If tffg goes to trial he gets convicted. His attorneys know that. So, what is the attorneys' primary mission? To keep tffg out of an orange jump suit? Work out a plea deal: Tffg pleads guilty and is retired from public life completely and totally, confined to Mar a Lago for the next 5 to 10 years, though Alexandra doesn't think that he has that much time left. I'm now 83 1/2. I hope to live long enough to see that day so that I can dance in the streets.
I have a feeling this story is less about tfg whose big act is a distraction from wheels turning backstage for younger, healthier players to pick up the baton and run with it ... kind of like a relay race ...
Richard, I don’t know where you are geographically, but someone who lands a hole-in-one must be able to boogie. So. I’ll be wildly dancing along with you (in MA ) IF that happens.
Meanwhile, my 2 sisters I continue to read HCR’s historically excellent Letters daily knowing that history can repeat itself ad nauseam especially if you don’t know the consequences of the past.
Samm, I am now in central Florida, Florida, the home of the mostly Fascist Taliban Republicans. But, prior to moving here for retirement 8 years ago, I spent 42 years in California and before that 6 years in Cambridge (grad school and law school.) I remember 1969 when it was below freezing for 60 straight days, a veritable Winter Wonderland. I have a feeling probably fueled by a hope that we'll be dancing soon.
Would love yo dance with you Richard. Alas, FL is a ways from CO
Jennifer, what we could do is to recruit some 12-year olds to put together a network where we could all dance for all to see with reckless abandon. The words of Martin Luther King, Jr. come to my mind: "Free at last, free at last. Thank God Almighty, I'm free at last."
Ahhh, you must live close to the Villages or in them. Bummer for you if you do. When Covid-19 hit we ended our snow-birding life of flitting between Maine and Jacksonville, FL. My neighbors in FL were all retired MAGANAZIs from the midwest. Very nice people, until someone brought up politics.
And no offense, but Florida weather sucks between May 1 and October 1. Plus property taxes and homeowner's insurance is out of control. Soon, FL will come begging to the Federal government to bail them out of their insurance crisis.
LOL, I am 100 miles south of The Villages, in Lakeland (central Florida.) Yes, Florida has a large number of MAGA/KKK or, as you accurately state it, MAGANAZIS. But the electorate is now divided in many places, such as the one here or a pretty close division, with Republicans at about 37%, Democrats at about 35% and NPAs at 28%. A lot of people are simply disaffected.
Richard, your dance card is filling up fast! But I will be so freaking thrilled when that fine day comes I would fly to Florida to have that dance in person with you.
Absolutely Alexandra. Party time!!!!!
Merely a year younger, Richard. May I have this dance?
It is interesting, the matter of age. No one ever comes close to guessing my age, usually somewhere in the 60's. So, age is not a defining criterion. I still write letters and columns published by the local newspapers (Lakeland Ledger and the Orlando Sentinel.) This is one that will be published this coming Sunday in the Lakeland Ledger. I had to trim it down to 200 words.
Letter writer, Walt Back (Congress not engaged in meaningful governance, 12/10/2023) and I both benefit from Social Security and Medicare. We're the lucky ones. Chances are that our fellow Americans in their 40's, 50's and 60's won't get it. Why? When Ronald Reagan took office the national debt was less than $1 trillion. It is now $33 trillion. Mr. Back claims that Congress hasn’t been doing its job. In fact, virtually no Republican-controlled Congress has done its job going back to President Reagan.
Why? How have Republican politicians failed the American Middle Class, and how did they do it? Forty-eight million of the fifty million jobs created in this country in the past fifty years have been when Democrats controlled the government. Three of the last Republican administrations have ended in recessions, with the G.W. Bush administration taking us to the brink of a depression. Every Republican administration has done nothing about our nation's infrastructure, but Pres. Biden has and is.
Pres. Trump bragged about the massive tax cuts in 2017 and told his wealthy friends, "You all just got a lot richer." He added $8.2 trillion to the national debt with this stunt. We need to tax the wealthy.
Richard Sutherland
Definitely!
Hitler was imprisoned after the failure of the 1923 Beer Hall Putsch in Munich and used the time he spent in prison -- 9 months out of a 5 year sentence -- to write Mein Kampf.
Following the failure of this direct attempt to overthrow the Republic, Hitler decided to aim for power and an end to democratic government via the ballot box.
[Cfr. Holocaust Encyclopedia, encyclopedia.ushmm.org]
There are plainly lessons in this.
First and paramount, the absurdly light sentence for high treason.
Compare this with the fact that those responsible for the January 6th Putsch still walk free and the direct attempt to overthrow Congress has been followed by an unprecedented 1071 Day Putsch, upholding the lie that was the pretext for that direct assault on the United States of America.
*
Compare the facts just outlined.
Ponder what they tell the world about the United States of America and prospects for the global survival of representative government.
Compare the foregoing with a medical bulletin for a critically ill patient suffering from a life-threatening cancer.
*
A BLANK SPACE HERE FOR READERS TO FACE THE FACTS.
*
[In 1961, I had the privilege of hearing the views of a distinguished former German judge on the consequences of the light sentence imposed on Adolf Hitler when found guilty of high treason.
Dr. Reinhold Regensburger, a patriotic German, was stripped by the Nazi regime of his position as a judge because of his Jewish religion and forced to flee to England in 1939. He lived in Cambridge until his death in 1972.
You can read the bare bones of his biography in Wikipedia.]
Thank you, as always, for historic insight and perspective ...
Kathleen, thank you, but I still feel about as useful as a dog burying a bone when I comment on this site.
If only it was like that.
The messages buried in metal boxes and milk churns by those about to die in the Warsaw ghetto could not be more precious.
The messages we are burying here concern the life and death of not only our community, not only our people, but our whole world.
Hmm ..., yes, I can relate to that ... a bit like being an awake and aware human being in a culture of cosmetic clones ... we do exist - and the treasure you bury here, even if only heard by one - or a few - is treasure found, not lost ... imagine how small and insignificant a drop of water must feel in relation to the whole ocean - or a cell in a body - how can it know what it contributes to the whole body - or how it contains the whole within the field of it's manifestation ... I deeply appreciate perspectives you share Peter ... rising now to preruse the works of one resembling a Dirigible - and find a way to afford access ... ah, ancient roots of language will continue to grow - even as cuttings in a jar ... life will go on - one way or another - and goodness will prevail in the long run ... I feel that deeply in my heart ... how can it not be so ...?!
... uhm, oops, guess I should have paid attention in German language class!
It's true. There is a crucial difference - when Hitler went to prison in 1923 following the Beer Hall Putsch, a decade before he came to power, he was 34 years old. He was 43 when he came to power.
I had often thought about the fact that trump could spend time in prison and emerge as a populist hero as did Hitler. The comparisons are hard to miss.
Harvey, I have often thought
about thr fact that "Trump's claim that he is immune from any and all criminal prosecution for anything he did while in office" is chilling.
"He has requested the charges against him be dismissed because of that immunity." Again, chilling.
He doesn't ask for charges to be dismissed because he is innocent. (Well, I'm sure he has said this), but because he had the RIGHT to do and say anything he wanted BECAUSE he was the President.
He's not fighting back because he is innocent, but because he's guilty and does not want to suffer the consequences. (By the way, when WILL he suffer any consequences?)
It's like thieves saying, "I'm not sorry I did what I did. I'm sorry I got caught and what I did should be overlooked, because.... that's what thieves do."
"Trump's claim that he is immune from any and all criminal prosecution for anything he did while in office" is chilling." Yes. But it is totally convincing to his magate army.
That makes it more chilling!!
fortunately his age and health are huge limits he can not surpass
Agreed - but, as others are pointing out, age and declining health could influence the equation - then again, if he is a vampire and can live forever ...,
We need his own to take him down. Since he is such a dependably transactional guy, this should be possible if we constantly point out how he is undermining the very people he professes are his base. Crack their solidarity.
Yes, Hitler spent a short time in prison. He used his time there to write the first part of Mein Kampf (My Struggle). He was released early.
And one has to wonder, if Hitler had just remained in his borders as Franco did, would he have been able to remain in power until nature took it course? I think so. It took his land grabbing to bring the others into the war. As long as a dictator stays in his own borders, they get left alone.
Seems that way, unless they have something others want, like oil.
Hitler was found guilty and imprisoned in 1924 for his involvement in the Beer Hall Putsch. It was while he served nine months before being released, though he was sentenced to five years, that he wrote Mein Kampf. I wonder how different the world would have been if he’d served the full sentence.
I wonder how different our history might have been if Nixon, irrespective of any charge or sentencing, had not effectively be held above the law?
"Biden urged Congress “to pass the supplemental funding for Ukraine before they break for the holiday recess—before they give Putin the greatest Christmas gift they could possibly give him.”" Why didn't I see this on CNN?
Under the new CEO of Warner Bros. Discovery and new CNN CEO last year things have changed. They thought, and apparently agree, that CNN was too politically partisan. Remember the town hall for Trump? I stopped watching CNN after that. Last week I decided to see how things were going over there and listened to some program for about a half hour. I noticed a difference. I don't even know what show or host was talking or who she was interviewing, but she was putting questions out there regarding Biden's accomplishments, that is, playing "devil's advocate." I turned it off. Then I researched CNN's ratings in comparison to Fox and MSNBC. CNN's ratings are growing, Fox is loosing ground, and MSNBC is about the same. Also, saw that Newsmax is growing at the fastest rate in comparison to these programs. In any case, it's all about the ratings ($$$) and yes, I was disheartened to think that it's possible that more people are getting more interested in hearing untruths and not wanting to know about the current successes in the executive branch and foreign affairs.
Even Reuters is now doing warm fuzzy stories about the Russian wives of soldiers. Our media is compromised.
Since about 47% of voters voted for Trump in 2020, despite his having failed his own program, I'm not surprised that Newsmax is growing and CNN is veering to the populist right. The demographic that watches cable TV are mostly Trump voters.
Annis, Cable TV is a dying thing. Its expensive compared to a host of options and provides content that appeals to a diminishing base
The faster it dies the better. Unplug, Go Antenna
Well, yes, it must be dying if only Boomers - who constitute most of the elder generation now - are the majority of who watch it. But in the meantime, they are all chasing the same diminishing pot of people.
Bad news sells. If there is any bias against Biden those in the media can confirm their bias with a negative narrative. Confirmation bias.
CNN had a bigger story? Something everybody cares about? like, what?
... hair care, and keeping that summer tan through the cold winter months ...?
Mumble mumble ... Kardashian ... mumble ... Taylor Swift ... $700m baseball contract ... mumble mumble
OK, OK. I get it. Unfortunately.
Too funny. Yep. Something Americans actually care about!
Don't forget the new Beyoncé tour!
People still watch CNN?
‘“The problem is that many members of Congress don’t want to see President Biden win on any front,’ [Fiona] Hill said.”
I think that, and keeping immigration policy an active campaign issue, is the motivation for recalcitrance on Ukraine funding. It is also an indication of the weakness of Republican congressional leadership that a small group of radicals can torpedo such an important issue that is supported by a significant majority of the party.
... a lot of people have supported Ukraine independently, lending their expertise and experience to the fight - not under the umbrella of government action ... is there enough independent wealth in the "free world" to generate financial support for Ukraine until the USA can come to terms with internal dysfunction - like a GoFundMe account?
It couldn’t hurt but it could never replace US gov’t. support that can put almost endless amounts of military hardware, ammunition, etc. on the ground in Ukraine in a week, or less, and keep it coming. It would take a GoFundMe charity over a year, after they had collected many $billions, to organize and maybe accomplish a one-time delivery.
If there was a charity I trusted to get humanitarian aid to Ukrainians in need, I would make monthly donations.
Until then, I’ll keep replacing the small blue and yellow Ukrainian flags on my two vehicles’ radio antennas that get shredded by the wind.
There’s a metaphor there.
Ralph Averill,
I am reminded of a Bible story regarding your comment...comparing small givings ...which would be my givings compared to givings from our government ie most of us together.....
Jesus was teaching a large crowd of people....it was getting late and Jesus' disciples reminded Jesus that those persons who came to lisen to Him may be tired and hungry. Those attending were asked to bring food to the disciples for Jesus to bless. The mother of a little boy had prepared a basket of loaves and fishes which he gave the disciples. The disciples brought the food to Jesus which He blessed. The crowd shared the abundance and there were even leftovers. (Matthew 15:32-39 and Mark 8:1-9 ie "The Feeding of the 4,000)
It is a story of faith....love and compassion. Maybe our "small" givings could be multiplied also....
Thank you, Emily.
I like, “Praise the Lord, but pass the ammunition.”
Yup, fishes and loaves - enough to go around ... I get emails from so many candidates and causes asking for donations of any amount, no matter how small - they say this is how they finance their works not accepting support from mega corporations ... which, it would seem, is where our stubborn, uncompromising obstructionists get their support ... so, what do they support? What really is freedom ... independence ... true value ...?
... and make it tax deductable!!
If these self serving power brokers can invest in their brand of idealism at tax payer expense - calling it the Will of God - let individual people invest according to their own true conscience and deduct accordingly ...!!
... these folks say they want Jesus to govern ...?
Ok by me - the first thing Jesus would do is turn their weapons into plowshares, then turn their tables over and drive them from the Temple ...!!
*******
"Turn, Turn, Turn"
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GbPl91kTFro
*******
"To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
"A time to be born, a time to die
A time to plant, a time to reap
A time to kill, a time to heal
A time to laugh, a time to weep
"To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
"A time to build up, a time to break down
A time to dance, a time to mourn
A time to cast away stones
A time to gather stones together
"To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
"A time of love, a time of hate
A time of war, a time of peace
A time you may embrace
A time to refrain from embracing
"To everything - turn, turn, turn
There is a season - turn, turn, turn
And a time to every purpose under heaven
"A time to gain, a time to lose
A time to rend, a time to sew
A time for love, a time for hate
A time for peace, I swear it's not too late!"
*****
Written by: Pete Seeger
Album: 20 Essential Tracks from the Box Set: 1965-1990
Released: 1993
(From Ecclesiastes 3:1-8)
Kathleen Allen,
I surely would be able to give to support Ukraine, especially if I could be confident it would go to support their need for equipment for fighting the war and warm clothing and food for the Ukrainian soldiers My givings would be small of course compared to others....but I want to help them. I believe in the fight for the rule of Ukranians over their own country. I believe our country should continue to do all we can to support freedom.
I also believe....regarding another battle, that the prime minister of Israel needs to go. This is not in regard to faith....I believe in freedom of religion. My heart is broken into pieces at the death of Palestinians. It is more than enough!!!! We cannot support this slaughter of innocent human beings!!!! Those who are responsible ...all of you...need to be brought to trial....and this is everyone.....including those who are trying to hide behind a faith they are not living out.....be honest ie it is personal power you are seeking! We must support life and hope and decency wherever we are able. It is who we are as Americans.....imperfect though we ARE!!! Supporting dictatorships and inhumanity forced upon our fellow human population is not the place I want to live in my mind or heart.
We must be better at compromise.....listening to one another....this is better for our entire planet. There is so much more good we could do if we work for the wellbeing of everyone. We are more interconnected than we realize. With hard work, we CAN do this.
Well said Emily!! This might be a good place to post my prayer for America ...:
prayer for america
. . . how can people pillage
. . . murder . . . rape . . .
all in the name of the LORD . . . ?
Awesome Holy Host
Whose Name I Do Not Know
Will you suffer wounded souls to heal . . .
Can you for give our trespass . . . ?
Inspire our vision -- Please
Dispel this ignorance -- Wisdom
Endow our hearts with Compassion
Empower our lives with Truth . . .
Hallowed Breath of Life
Embrace this child who wanders
. . . still lost -- at such cost . . .
Secure this vessel -- Inspire her song
Absorb her fears -- Bestow her tears . . .
Ocean of Most Wholesome Love
. . . Cleanse . . . Consecrate . . .
Bless Your Children With Peace
In The Name of All That Is True . . . .
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/prayer-for-america.htm
***********************************************************
... and this ... again ...:
'til such a time
... we who wander
caught within
days passed
face saving
out of phase
must find
some incentive
even sense
to persevere
'til such a time
within closed minds
as tempests die
we lose our lies
and life's unholy
whirlwinds
unwind ....
https://tahomahome.weebly.com/til-such-a-time.html
********************************************************
What an intriguing thought !!!
Donating Jeff Bezos' yacht would help a lot. In fact what happened to the seizure of Russian oligarch assets at the start of the "aggression?" Right there we have a few billion dollars or more.
A pretty passive majority, it would seem. Their "superpower" up till now has been to tell all the same lies in endless unison, but reality is starting to intrude.
Because this is just what everyone wants—a third land war in Europe. Have these idiots learned nothing from two world wars? Is their entire existence one giant game of gotcha?
And who the ultimate loser? Not just Joe Biden and the Democrats, but the world. If Putin gets his way (and he will, if we stand down in Ukraine), there will be no stopping him.
And all this because these idiots in Congress are so wrapped up in licking the boots of Orange Jesus.
A third land war in Europe? Try a 33rd. WW2 wasn't even the worst of it - the Thirty Years War was a lot more damaging, and WW1 left just as many marks as WW2, and in fact, a poor postwar settlement led to WW2. Our continent has been ravaged for a long time, which is why the EU has broad support.
Earlier this month, the news media reported that Biden had bypassed Congressional review sell Israel $106 million worth of artillery shells. This $106 million would have been part of the $14.3 billion in the proposed package. Small potatoes compared to the total package, but a response, according to the press, consistent with past emergency responses.
Was that $106 million intended to create a path for bypassing Congress for some aid to Ukraine? Zelensky's visit to the US demonstrated the emergency nature of Ukraine's need. Let's see if Biden follows through with the part of the $60 billion intended for Ukraine that is the most urgent. Perhaps a slew of the Bradley vehicles that the US has in storage -- vehicles which would be really useful for Ukraine's wintertime battles with Russia and no longer used by the US.
We have come to understand that Biden is willing to be as tough as he needs to be. If he proceeds, will the Republicans decide to attempt to impeach him for such a sale? It is not as if it was never done before. In 2019, President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo determined that an emergency allowed a sale of $8 billion worth of weapons to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Jordan. During the Gulf War, GHW Bush made an an emergency sale to the Saudis.
I am looking forward to seeing how Joe Biden operates. He is not going to allow the western world crumble because of a dozen or two extreme right wing Congressmen.
TFFG illegally moved $15 billion from defense budget projects to build his porous few miles of wall. Plus, he put tariffs on goods from China and many other countries, which the TFFG administration claimed gives the President the authority to raise tariffs without any limits during a national emergency of any kind. Almost all legal scholars disagreed. These tariffs amount to one of the largest tax increases ever amounting to $80 billion tax increase on $380 billion of goods. Talk about inflationary. But I digress.
So Biden should just do it claiming it is a national emergency and he has the power to do it granted him by Congress.
Excellent points Leonard. I was thinking a lot of the same.
I thought Biden announced with Zelensky yesterday at their press conference, an aid package of his own for Ukraine, that did not depend on congress.
I did not see that.
NBC News reports: “Biden announces $200M in aid for Ukraine as Zelensky meets gop skepticism in Congress”
Thank you.
The common element to all these items is Republican extortion.
They've reached a point where they believe they can hold us all hostage in order to coerce us into giving in to their demands. What has emboldened them so? And what makes them believe that any successes this approach might give them could be anything but transitory?
You are so right, Gary, and isn't extortion a Federal crime??? Those lame brained a-holes in the Fascist GQP should all be arrested and thrown in jail for their blatant obstruction and criminal behavior. I am fed up with their juvenile and arrogant attitude just for the sole cause of exacting revenge against Democrats and Pres. Biden and appeasing their supreme orange jackass.
Well, and their billionaire benefactors. After 40+ years of so-called "Supply-Side (aka the very, very rich) Economics" which boats are riding high? Which are beached or on rough water?
Or sunk
They called it “Trickle Down “. Did we not realize that you suffer if you live downstream from a sewer?
They forgot the include historical examples of universal prosperity when the rich run the show. Feudalism? Bah, humbug. The Gilded Age? It sucked. But my public school history book seemed to indicate we'd outgrown all that.
Yes, i agree. All of this crap with these greedy a-holes started with the half ass former actor, Ronny Raygun. ''Trickle Down,'' The trickle dried up as fast as it trickled down, nothing left after that.
It's Mob mentality. It's certainly betrayal of the common weal. More people need to point to that. Who benefits? Who is getting shafted and who's going to clean up the mess?
Just doing their Russian master's bidding.
Why aren’t we realizing that Trump and MAGA Republicanwant Ukraine to fail for two main reasons: (1) It will hurt Biden politically and help advance Trump. And, more importantly,
(2) It is “retribution” to Zelensky for not “playing-ball” with Trump and giving root to Trump’s
first impeachment. So, the Republicans are willing to sacrifice the entire country of Ukraine and cause great harm to the security of the USA, and thus not support our Constitution for “high-school” political gain. Bloody hands; sounds like treason to me.
Paul Martino
They are being vindictive to the nth degree. How did they even get elected? Apparently there are a LOT of people in the US who have never learned how to be adults. And they're ruining it for all of us. Even for themselves, but they're too wrapped up in themselves to realize it.
We, with a lot of encouragement from the media, have made politics into a sports arena as shallow as a scoreboard; not an adult responsibility of all citizens. Up until recently. "news" seemed more focused on the food fights than the consequences, and it's still failing an "informed electorate".
One additional reason: they are Putin fans
Dictators are openly Trumps heroes, his role model. Harlan Crow is definitely kinky. Somehow, even in WWII, pro-Hitler was OK for those with lots of money.
And Putin$ puppets.
I think the Biden Administration should go ahead and provide the funding to Ukraine without “regular, customary” approval.
Just take a hand vote in the Senate and a hand vote in the House, and if more than 50% of each body votes “yes”, implement the funding.
Our country cannot afford, nor tolerate, a minority of traitorous extremists putting our country’s security at risk!
Didn't the administration just provide emergency funding for Israel without congressional involvement?
Not funding but ammunition for tanks. Tonight I read somewhere that he is considering providing equipment to Ukraine that will need to be replaced.
I have the impression that USA already has provided older equipment to Ukraine, while investing allocated finds to develop new modern equipment to replace the old ... so, not much of a change there ...
I recall Trump declaring an emergency to send thousands of troops to the border to repel a murderous "caravan", that somehow ceased to be a problem after an election.
Lend Lease program?
"Many members of Congress don’t want to see President Biden win on any front.”
Yes, I see that and agree. We're dealing with some cold, calculating people whose Reptilian Complexes in their brains are dominant. These snakes cannot be reasoned with; they can only be defeated. Let us not kid ourselves with who and what we're dealing with: the worst of the worst.
Republicans now are in full anti American mode because they want power. Except they are actually ceding power to Putin. This makes the entire Republican Party enemies of Democracy.
Plutocrats seem to have a place in any government, but I think the "GOP" turned against democracy wholesale with Reagan and toward pure plutocracy. They claim to be in favor of "small government", but not when it comes to advancing their own agendas, or those of their billionaire patrons. What they have reduced is voting rights, women's rights, minority rights, worker's rights, public schools and support for state colleges, the post office, parks and recreation, public health, anything by and for the people.
And JL,
They let us pay the bills. Wouldn’t that fact get people riled up enough to want change that isn’t about a spoiled rotten, immature, evil, hateful human?
Charles Koch and his bagman Leonard Leo have put into question whether the United States has even the simulacrum an independent judiciary. What may most inform the Court's decision is that the Koch machine has endorsed a Trump primary opponent. Thus even a finding for the United States would be a product of political expediency. The plutocrat puppet masters, not trusting their populist base, may have their insidiously crafted high court belatedly derail this unseemly autocrat.
The producers may be working to take Trump off the stage, but every Republican member of Congress is still playing by his script. Trump may not get to act out his retribution directly on Biden and the US government, but by supporting Trump's retribution on Zelensky and Ukraine, Republicans are mocking America on the world stage. This is a perverse spin on America First. But this is MAGA Mike and MAGA Mitch playing the same old MAGA song.
Regarding Republicans mocking America on the world stage, I'm starting to try to find time to go through the old State Department document at
https://history.state.gov/historicaldocuments/frus1952-54v01p2/d223
Department of State Office of the Historian OCB files, lot 61 D 385, "Prestige Project"
A sample:
"...Reported Decline in United States Prestige Abroad
The reported decline in American prestige abroad is considered separately in each of the general regions of the globe. Attitudes toward the United States are influenced by diverse factors in the different areas, many of them directly opposite in impact, so that no significant common trend can be deduced. Therefore, the problem will be dealt with separately in each of the following arbitrary groupings of the free world:
I. Europe and Canada
II. Far East and Western Pacific
III. Near East and South Asia
IV. Latin America..."
Back then our prestige was pretty great and getting better as Eisenhower took Office. Our prestige around the world declined, had a few good moments, but then started to look like a dumpster fire with Trump insulting the CIA on his first day, and the cockeyed attempts to get friendly with some of the most despotic rulers around the world as he tried to gut the United Nations, NATO, etc. Seema sort of like gutting the real police and firefighters as you set the world on fire.
How can people support letting Ukraine burn down, so much it and much of the world has so much to lose if that is allowed to happen.
Prioritizing Sotomayor's possible crime (vs Giini Thomas and the whole Jan 6 mob), seems like cops ignoring a carjacking to chase kids ding dong-ditching at someone's door bell.
Another Mainer. Yeah, Susan Collins. Arghh.
ThankYou for your very interesting and informative comment. Old State Department docs. I will have to look at that.
As an American Jew and a Zionist, for decades I've thought that the appropriation of Zionism by Jewish and Christian right wing religious extremists (here and in Israel) would be the end of Israel. And a danger to the US in the sense of making unconditional support for any Israeli government policy an American political wedge issue/litmus test. And especially the increasingly extremist Netanyahu administrations.
And now I feel I am watching it in real time. On the world stage and at home. Especially with a left wing itching for an excuse to give Trump/GOP the presidency. Again.
Good assessment, lin.
ThankYou. As always:)
If majorities in both houses want the Ukraine funding, what rules are permitting the radical Right to block it?
The short answer is the non- Klown Kar Kawkus that are terrified of losing their seats in Congress. If you have to sell your soul to keep your job, how is that job worth it?
We have allowed "representation" of the public's will to be a road to riches, and of access to the world of the 1%. Public service should be honored, but also also be a discipline; as for a soldier, to put the public duty first. When we become fans of political celebrity we seem lose track of our "business" relationship with our own hired agents, and of our responsibility to the environment that sustains a decent life for all, both physically and politically. To form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity.
... short hairs ..?
It has gotten to the point that I can’t watch the schitt show anymore. To see a brave, strong leader of his grievously-damaged country beg before the whiny cowards of the treasonous republicans is too much. I am so ashamed and will never be able to tolerate any who wave the republican banner of fascism.
Jeri -- the present day gop is nihilistic, and fascism is the means to the end. And they are certainly treasonous cowards, in addition to being duplicitous nationalistic fiends being manipulated by wealthy oligarchs (Leo, Crow, the Heritage Institute, Putin, Orban, et al.) I really dislike using dehumanizing language against others, so that's as far as I'll go, but...
I agree, having trouble finding human traits in my neighborhood.
Jeri, some hope here in the Keys. Three of my neighbors, who dutifully replaced their tattered Trump flags as necessary, have taken them down. I hope it holds.
My magat bro said he was sick of him. Doubt that he will vote Biden, but miracles still happen
Do you think Nikki is “right time, right place”? I want someone to question her position on Project 2025. With Koch behind her do I assume her an acolyte?
We know the answer, all repubs are in on Project 25
I'm with you on this Jeri. It has really affected my state of mind which leads to a struggle with my health.
Sure makes my trying to abide by the Golden Rule a rough slog.