Amazingly, I have no real critique of you today, Charlie. I simply have two things that stick out to me. The first being that the Dems need to fight the culture war; it's clear that the American character is one that will go to any length, and bear any burden, if they are incensed enough. The public is firmly behind Biden on Ukraine, but the Democrats seems strangely reluctant to actually give him credit. Beyond that, they seem strangely reluctant to call out obvious, unpopular bigotry like the Don't Say Gay law or that bill going through the Tennessee legislature that would allow family members of a rapist to sue the victim if she has an abortion. These are slam dunks that they just refuse to make. It's baffling and maddening.
The other thing is, and I can't believe I'm saying this but, I think Trump might not be crazy enough for the GOP anymore. He unleashed the crazy, but it's clear that he's not able to keep it together; he's entirely focused on his issues and his problems, and he doesn't care about anyone's else's, and that's a problem when you're trying to ride a wave of crazy. Take the vaccine thing. He's a germaphobe, a famous one, but his people are entirely hopped up on vaccine skepticism. He's talking windmills, they're talking biolabs. He's annoyed about voter fraud, they think there's a global conspiracy.
The problem of introducing unreality into the bloodstream of the conservative mind is that many voters have become so paranoid and addicted to the spin that they increasingly seek more and more ludicrous ideas that Trump simply can't keep up with. He's someone who can't come up with new material, and it shows. Beyond that, there are competing power centers, most notably from MTG and Boebert, who have clearly attached themselves to the real crazy people in the party. Meanwhile, Carlson et all have been beaming Q-Anon lite into the airwaves for their increasingly paranoid viewers.
Simply put, it's hard for Trump to claim he's restoring America when he lost and was unable to save it the first time. There are diehards of course. But he's simply not crazy enough for the people who have the most energy in the party, who are now losing their minds over the idea that Russia invading Ukraine is like immigration on the border, or the idea that Covid was a biolab made in Ukraine.
My hope is that this leads to the destruction of the Trumpist GOP, as they detach from reality. My fear is that they'll gain power anyway because of the first point I made.
It is horrible what is happening in Ukraine right now and over the last few weeks. War is a horrible thing, whose only redeeming value is in a war won to stop people like Putin, or Hitler, or any of a number of tyrants.
My concern is that we will let the emotions of the moment lead us into something that isn't as easy to recover from as Afghanistan or Iraq (which is not saying that anything about any of that was actually easy--merely easier than the aftermath of war between major powers that would likely end up with the use of WMD).
Foreign and war policy made on the basis of emotion is usually bad policy... it is also usually policy that lacks legs--meaning that once people get over their mad, the policy tends to fall apart.
Enforcing a no-fly zone is, I think, a non-starter unless the Russians do something extreme (meaning the use of biological. chemical, or nuclear weapons). Doing that would require active participation of NATO forces in the war, opening up the high probability of Russian attack on NATO in response.
Do I think we could deny Ukrainian airspace to the Russians (other than against ballistic or cruise missiles launched from Russia, itself)? Almost certainly. The competency of the Russian Air Force does not seem high.
But it wouldn't stop there. Then we are going to be going after launch sites in Russia and air bases... and logistics.
This has the potential to get VERY ugly, VERY fast.
Give the Ukrainians the tools and equipment they need. Systems that they can use. Maybe some "volunteers" need to join the Ukrainian foreign Legion to help out.
Continue rolling out further sanctions and other actions short of war. While the Russian population will suffer, they won't be suffering like the Ukrainians are suffering. My sympathy for them is limited. My sympathy for Putin and the Oligarchs is non-existent.
The Russian people traded political power/authority for a minimum level of personal security and for supposedly making Russia great again (doesn't that sound familiar). The people ARE, in the end, responsible... just as those in this country who support the suppression of democracy in the pursuit of their own agendas are responsible.
So happy Cathy Young is now writing regularly for The Bulwark. She is somewhat to the right of me, but I always find her work thoughtful, nuanced, and thought-provoking.
Why would oil companies drill now and risk have stranded assets when the price of oil drops? They can keep the supply limited and reap massive profits with no additional outlays. It'd e supremely dumb of them to invest in more drilling now with no guarantee it would pay for itself in the long run
Enough cannot be said in praise of Zelensky. The kind of leader that inspires in so many different ways. After watching the resounding reactions to his speeches to the British Parliament, the Canadian Parliament, and the European Union, I have to say this about our Congressional reaction to this morning's speech: Thank God Kevin McCarthy put muzzles on his barking dogs. I've been living in fear that they would bring shame and embarrassment on our nation for generations to come.
Amazingly, I have no real critique of you today, Charlie. I simply have two things that stick out to me. The first being that the Dems need to fight the culture war; it's clear that the American character is one that will go to any length, and bear any burden, if they are incensed enough. The public is firmly behind Biden on Ukraine, but the Democrats seems strangely reluctant to actually give him credit. Beyond that, they seem strangely reluctant to call out obvious, unpopular bigotry like the Don't Say Gay law or that bill going through the Tennessee legislature that would allow family members of a rapist to sue the victim if she has an abortion. These are slam dunks that they just refuse to make. It's baffling and maddening.
The other thing is, and I can't believe I'm saying this but, I think Trump might not be crazy enough for the GOP anymore. He unleashed the crazy, but it's clear that he's not able to keep it together; he's entirely focused on his issues and his problems, and he doesn't care about anyone's else's, and that's a problem when you're trying to ride a wave of crazy. Take the vaccine thing. He's a germaphobe, a famous one, but his people are entirely hopped up on vaccine skepticism. He's talking windmills, they're talking biolabs. He's annoyed about voter fraud, they think there's a global conspiracy.
The problem of introducing unreality into the bloodstream of the conservative mind is that many voters have become so paranoid and addicted to the spin that they increasingly seek more and more ludicrous ideas that Trump simply can't keep up with. He's someone who can't come up with new material, and it shows. Beyond that, there are competing power centers, most notably from MTG and Boebert, who have clearly attached themselves to the real crazy people in the party. Meanwhile, Carlson et all have been beaming Q-Anon lite into the airwaves for their increasingly paranoid viewers.
Simply put, it's hard for Trump to claim he's restoring America when he lost and was unable to save it the first time. There are diehards of course. But he's simply not crazy enough for the people who have the most energy in the party, who are now losing their minds over the idea that Russia invading Ukraine is like immigration on the border, or the idea that Covid was a biolab made in Ukraine.
My hope is that this leads to the destruction of the Trumpist GOP, as they detach from reality. My fear is that they'll gain power anyway because of the first point I made.
My God...that video. The price Ukraine is paying on behalf of The West is staggering.
When Trump is GOP candidate after winning all his primaries, Cooke will go, 'ok, maybe him then' Cooke is lost.
It is horrible what is happening in Ukraine right now and over the last few weeks. War is a horrible thing, whose only redeeming value is in a war won to stop people like Putin, or Hitler, or any of a number of tyrants.
My concern is that we will let the emotions of the moment lead us into something that isn't as easy to recover from as Afghanistan or Iraq (which is not saying that anything about any of that was actually easy--merely easier than the aftermath of war between major powers that would likely end up with the use of WMD).
Foreign and war policy made on the basis of emotion is usually bad policy... it is also usually policy that lacks legs--meaning that once people get over their mad, the policy tends to fall apart.
Enforcing a no-fly zone is, I think, a non-starter unless the Russians do something extreme (meaning the use of biological. chemical, or nuclear weapons). Doing that would require active participation of NATO forces in the war, opening up the high probability of Russian attack on NATO in response.
Do I think we could deny Ukrainian airspace to the Russians (other than against ballistic or cruise missiles launched from Russia, itself)? Almost certainly. The competency of the Russian Air Force does not seem high.
But it wouldn't stop there. Then we are going to be going after launch sites in Russia and air bases... and logistics.
This has the potential to get VERY ugly, VERY fast.
Give the Ukrainians the tools and equipment they need. Systems that they can use. Maybe some "volunteers" need to join the Ukrainian foreign Legion to help out.
Continue rolling out further sanctions and other actions short of war. While the Russian population will suffer, they won't be suffering like the Ukrainians are suffering. My sympathy for them is limited. My sympathy for Putin and the Oligarchs is non-existent.
The Russian people traded political power/authority for a minimum level of personal security and for supposedly making Russia great again (doesn't that sound familiar). The people ARE, in the end, responsible... just as those in this country who support the suppression of democracy in the pursuit of their own agendas are responsible.
So happy Cathy Young is now writing regularly for The Bulwark. She is somewhat to the right of me, but I always find her work thoughtful, nuanced, and thought-provoking.
Why would oil companies drill now and risk have stranded assets when the price of oil drops? They can keep the supply limited and reap massive profits with no additional outlays. It'd e supremely dumb of them to invest in more drilling now with no guarantee it would pay for itself in the long run
My heart breaks for Ukraine. I hope the brutal reality of the video changes some thinking.
NRO is a f’ing joke.
Why do people like Cooke think Trump is/was pro life? What do they base that on?
Enough cannot be said in praise of Zelensky. The kind of leader that inspires in so many different ways. After watching the resounding reactions to his speeches to the British Parliament, the Canadian Parliament, and the European Union, I have to say this about our Congressional reaction to this morning's speech: Thank God Kevin McCarthy put muzzles on his barking dogs. I've been living in fear that they would bring shame and embarrassment on our nation for generations to come.
You Russians wanted the glorious past? Well here come the bread lines.