The sad thing about all this is that we really respected Russia's sphere of influence so were cautious about weapons given to Poland for example. But where did that get us? And most observers thought Ukraine would fall in a few weeks. But they did not. So what then?
How can we not (and I mean all of us) respect a brave but small nation that is defending itself against a bully.
This is not about realism it is about righteousness against evil.
Yes, I am alarmed. But I'm not surprised that Trump said this, either. I don't believe Trump feels any personal loyalty to Russia. Instead, I'm convinced he believes Putin has compromising information on Trump, and because he is a narcissist, Trump will do anything to prevent that information from becoming public, including selling out the interests of the United States.
Also, I think Charlie understates the danger. The *real* danger is elected GOP officials will continue to run interference for Trump. If the GOP actually cared about the country, they would ice Trump and his mini-me DeSantis. Because they don't care about anything but power, the GOP will not respond to this latest outrage.
I love the federal government of the united states. I love the balance of power by 3 branches of government. I love having a vote for President, Reps, and Senators. I love being able to contact my Rep & Senators. I love that negotiation and balance are required for setting law. I love the Constitution. I love that we have many states with the protection of the federal government as an umbrella over them. I love that religion is both protected and not forced on anyone. I love that our government does thing to ensure there is enough food and water, and will help when a state is in crisis. I love that the most vulnerable among us are helped. I love that our country serves as a beacon to the rest of the world, a model of a good life for everyone. I love that I can go out in public and not see guns and not have to explain to my children why some want to walk around showing them. I love that we go to school or work every day, and we learn something about people. I love cooperation and intelligence that comes together allowing us to make amazing things.
I love the department of education. I love that every single child can get an education. And not just any education. Teachers and administrators have worked hard establishing standards and continually enhancing them, challenging our students and attempting to keep us even with other countries. I love that teachers and staff are a safety net for abused kids. I love that kids can get fed at school. I love that they are with their peers and gradually learn how our society works through relationships with and proximity to their peers. I love that education is designed to show kids there are so many directions and activity that can enhance your life.
I could go on all day, and I don't know half of what our gov departments do to keep America a beautiful safe place to live.
I am so sad that figures in the GOP like Jim Jordan and Ron Desantis and many more seem to be purposefully misunderstand and misrepresenting basic things like freedom of speech and the fact that we were once a slave nation. I am sad that a Justice can twist his opinion to suit his politics. I am sad about how far the performance goes.
It looks like they want to tear down these things that I love; the things that I think make America a great place to live. I wish there was more we could do to counteract the performances. I wish it were easy to take the wind out of their sails.
All I can do is demonstrate these values I love within my circle of influence. That has to be enough.
Charlie, I like you and your stances a lot, but it’s just so disappointing to see you once again do the “bothsidesism” thing.
It’s completely ludicrous to compare the words and plans of the two main candidates for president of the Republican Party, one of which is a former president and the other of which is the governor of Florida who is aggressively incubating his autocratic model of governing in his “laboratory of Autocracy” with a small bunch of powerless irrelevant leftists who have not an iota of purchase on any person or institution of power.
The thing is t**** is just articulating what he had already planned for a second term. What really he had already started doing. He had effectively gutted the state dept, had installed his sycophants at Homeland Security and DOD and Justice. It was absolutely clear in the last 2 years of his term the ONLY criteria was absolute loyalty to t****, he couldn't have cared less about any actual qualifications. Painting Americans as the enemy goes all the way back to his inaugural speech. As t**** liked to brag his second term plans were well known and yes leaving NATO was his primary foreign policy "goal". As for domestic, he knows he has to pretend SS and Medicare wont be touched but his plans were to gut them along with every other assistance program.
Why would Trump even need intelligence agencies? He was the smartest, best informed leader in world history. His instincts ALWAYS lead the country (and world, if we're being honest) better than anyone else. Telling him "no" would be the worse possible dereliction of duty! The sad thing is that almost half of the country believes the bull flop I just wrote and 45 is extremely likely to re-take the White House. We need better citizens!
This is Trump doing what he's always done: living by the Golden Rule - 'Them what has the gold makes the rules.' In this case, yet another of Trump's businesses is in hock up to its eyeballs to the Russians; this time it's 'Truth' Social and its parent company that got desperately [and I mean desperately] needed financing to stay afloat. Trump is dancing with the guy who brought [or is that bought] him to the party.
Trump's loyalties have never been to his country; they've always been to his bottom line. He would be even more dangerous if he ever got another 4 years in office. Knowing he couldn't run again, there's no limit to the damage he would do. None.
What a slap in the face to our NATO allies. Turning our backs on them after they all rushed to our aid and fought with us in Afghanistan is shameful. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if DeSantis parrots this stance as well.
As far as the 2022 rejects running again in 24, I think the message from that is pretty clear. As JVL says repeatedly, it’s a voter problem. The thing that worries me is, I’m not sure repeated electoral losses will cause the base that keeps nominating these whackos to change course.
Don’t fall for the ruse about who is protesting the Russian invasion of Ukraine this weekend. These “anti-war leftists” are part of the horseshoe exploited by propagandists. They don’t speak for the left nor are they a real part of the left.
Trump's plans to fire the career bureaucrats in his second term terrifies me more than almost anything else. Why? In his interview with Oliver Stone from 2017, Putin directly stated that the bureaucracy was the true strength of the American federal government. Putin knows exactly where we are vulnerable, and he has the perfect asset to hit us right there.
Scariest part of this--I assumed it was one of his off-the-cuff wandering rants, but no. It appears to be scripted teleprompter Trump. So what passes for a thought-through policy statement.
The sad thing about all this is that we really respected Russia's sphere of influence so were cautious about weapons given to Poland for example. But where did that get us? And most observers thought Ukraine would fall in a few weeks. But they did not. So what then?
How can we not (and I mean all of us) respect a brave but small nation that is defending itself against a bully.
This is not about realism it is about righteousness against evil.
The ex-POTUS is a clear and all too present danger.
Yes, I am alarmed. But I'm not surprised that Trump said this, either. I don't believe Trump feels any personal loyalty to Russia. Instead, I'm convinced he believes Putin has compromising information on Trump, and because he is a narcissist, Trump will do anything to prevent that information from becoming public, including selling out the interests of the United States.
Also, I think Charlie understates the danger. The *real* danger is elected GOP officials will continue to run interference for Trump. If the GOP actually cared about the country, they would ice Trump and his mini-me DeSantis. Because they don't care about anything but power, the GOP will not respond to this latest outrage.
It looks like I picked the wrong day to stop sniffing glue.
I love the federal government of the united states. I love the balance of power by 3 branches of government. I love having a vote for President, Reps, and Senators. I love being able to contact my Rep & Senators. I love that negotiation and balance are required for setting law. I love the Constitution. I love that we have many states with the protection of the federal government as an umbrella over them. I love that religion is both protected and not forced on anyone. I love that our government does thing to ensure there is enough food and water, and will help when a state is in crisis. I love that the most vulnerable among us are helped. I love that our country serves as a beacon to the rest of the world, a model of a good life for everyone. I love that I can go out in public and not see guns and not have to explain to my children why some want to walk around showing them. I love that we go to school or work every day, and we learn something about people. I love cooperation and intelligence that comes together allowing us to make amazing things.
I love the department of education. I love that every single child can get an education. And not just any education. Teachers and administrators have worked hard establishing standards and continually enhancing them, challenging our students and attempting to keep us even with other countries. I love that teachers and staff are a safety net for abused kids. I love that kids can get fed at school. I love that they are with their peers and gradually learn how our society works through relationships with and proximity to their peers. I love that education is designed to show kids there are so many directions and activity that can enhance your life.
I could go on all day, and I don't know half of what our gov departments do to keep America a beautiful safe place to live.
I am so sad that figures in the GOP like Jim Jordan and Ron Desantis and many more seem to be purposefully misunderstand and misrepresenting basic things like freedom of speech and the fact that we were once a slave nation. I am sad that a Justice can twist his opinion to suit his politics. I am sad about how far the performance goes.
It looks like they want to tear down these things that I love; the things that I think make America a great place to live. I wish there was more we could do to counteract the performances. I wish it were easy to take the wind out of their sails.
All I can do is demonstrate these values I love within my circle of influence. That has to be enough.
Charlie, I like you and your stances a lot, but it’s just so disappointing to see you once again do the “bothsidesism” thing.
It’s completely ludicrous to compare the words and plans of the two main candidates for president of the Republican Party, one of which is a former president and the other of which is the governor of Florida who is aggressively incubating his autocratic model of governing in his “laboratory of Autocracy” with a small bunch of powerless irrelevant leftists who have not an iota of purchase on any person or institution of power.
Why? Why do you feel compelled to do this?
Let's see, there's about 5 tankies for every million MAGAt's. That seems even enough for a large dose of both sidesism. Sigh.
I also want to give a shout-out to Tim Miller. I always enjoy Not My Party, I always learn something. Thanks, Tim!
The thing is t**** is just articulating what he had already planned for a second term. What really he had already started doing. He had effectively gutted the state dept, had installed his sycophants at Homeland Security and DOD and Justice. It was absolutely clear in the last 2 years of his term the ONLY criteria was absolute loyalty to t****, he couldn't have cared less about any actual qualifications. Painting Americans as the enemy goes all the way back to his inaugural speech. As t**** liked to brag his second term plans were well known and yes leaving NATO was his primary foreign policy "goal". As for domestic, he knows he has to pretend SS and Medicare wont be touched but his plans were to gut them along with every other assistance program.
Why would Trump even need intelligence agencies? He was the smartest, best informed leader in world history. His instincts ALWAYS lead the country (and world, if we're being honest) better than anyone else. Telling him "no" would be the worse possible dereliction of duty! The sad thing is that almost half of the country believes the bull flop I just wrote and 45 is extremely likely to re-take the White House. We need better citizens!
Trump's 2024 platform: The Violence is My Platform™. The next couple year are going to be a critical to the Republic as 1861-65 were
This is Trump doing what he's always done: living by the Golden Rule - 'Them what has the gold makes the rules.' In this case, yet another of Trump's businesses is in hock up to its eyeballs to the Russians; this time it's 'Truth' Social and its parent company that got desperately [and I mean desperately] needed financing to stay afloat. Trump is dancing with the guy who brought [or is that bought] him to the party.
Trump's loyalties have never been to his country; they've always been to his bottom line. He would be even more dangerous if he ever got another 4 years in office. Knowing he couldn't run again, there's no limit to the damage he would do. None.
What a slap in the face to our NATO allies. Turning our backs on them after they all rushed to our aid and fought with us in Afghanistan is shameful. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if DeSantis parrots this stance as well.
As far as the 2022 rejects running again in 24, I think the message from that is pretty clear. As JVL says repeatedly, it’s a voter problem. The thing that worries me is, I’m not sure repeated electoral losses will cause the base that keeps nominating these whackos to change course.
Don’t fall for the ruse about who is protesting the Russian invasion of Ukraine this weekend. These “anti-war leftists” are part of the horseshoe exploited by propagandists. They don’t speak for the left nor are they a real part of the left.
Trump's plans to fire the career bureaucrats in his second term terrifies me more than almost anything else. Why? In his interview with Oliver Stone from 2017, Putin directly stated that the bureaucracy was the true strength of the American federal government. Putin knows exactly where we are vulnerable, and he has the perfect asset to hit us right there.
Scariest part of this--I assumed it was one of his off-the-cuff wandering rants, but no. It appears to be scripted teleprompter Trump. So what passes for a thought-through policy statement.