DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Palus Politicus Cuckoo Republicans, what they have become pt.4

Thank God Trump Isn’t President Right Now

Biden isn’t perfect, but he beats the alternative.

Joe Biden is not a very good president. His communication skills are subpar, e.g. when he found himself praising the “Iranian” instead of the Ukrainian people in his State of the Union speech. His political judgments are sometimes poor, e.g. devoting most of his first year to assuaging the demands of the progressive wing of his party. His stubbornness can be destructive, e.g. his decision to withdraw precipitously from Afghanistan. And his priorities are often wrong, e.g. focusing on voting rights legislation that addressed small problems like the number of days of early voting and dropboxes at the expense of the urgent need to reform the Electoral Count Act.

And yet, I thank God every day that Biden is president. The Russian offensive against Ukraine is the first crisis of his presidency (other than COVID, which was ongoing when he assumed office) and in this emergency he has redeemed the hopes of those who voted for competence. The administration’s warnings to Moscow were unambiguous without being hysterical. Our revelations of intelligence unmasking Russian disinformation and false flag narratives were on the nose. Biden’s coordination with European allies was neither bullying nor “leading from behind,” but a skillful presentation of unity (special kudos to Secretary of State Antony Blinken). Biden’s muscular reaffirmation of the U.S. commitment to NATO was crucial not just for Europe but for the world. China is taking notes on how the globe is responding to Putin and perhaps thinking twice about trying to conquer Taiwan.

By proclaiming American solidarity with Ukraine and our democratic allies around the world, Biden has restored our equilibrium. If Ronald Reagan were still alive, he’d find little to criticize in the administration’s approach.

There were some missed opportunities. The president should have placed the invasion of Ukraine in a broader historical context and outlined how the struggle between democracy and authoritarianism is the defining issue of our time, whether abroad or at home. And he ought not to suggest or pretend that Americans can be spared any hardship, even higher gas prices, during this fight. On the contrary, he should be preparing the nation for sacrifice. Seventy-nine percent of Americans already favor banning Russian oil imports even if it means higher gas prices, and it’s a mistake to discount people’s unselfish impulses. Besides, if he promises that all of the pain will be inflicted on Russia, he will be blamed for breaking his word when Americans feel the sting of price hikes, instead of being honored for standing on principle.

Biden is a normal man with normal flaws. He made some errors, but he sees clearly what sort of menace Vladimir Putin is. Only the most obtuse or twisted soul could fail to see it. . . which brings us to the president’s predecessor.

The Ukraine crisis reminds us that Trump is no run-of-the-mill fool, but a unique combination of stupidity and venality. A quick refresher on his relations with Putin and Ukraine leaves little doubt that far from deterring Putin, he was Putin’s most reliable “useful idiot.” Trump’s most durable legacy is the Putinesque level of deceit he introduced into the American bloodstream, but he was also a mark.

Trump wasn’t the first president to go soft on Putin, of course. Barack “Tell Vladimir I’ll have more flexibility after the election” Obama plowed that ground very well. Failing to enforce his red line in Syria and inviting Russia to assert dominance there; failing to impose harsh sanctions after the annexation of Crimea; and mocking Mitt Romney for taking the Russian threat seriously, Obama was hardly a model of fortitude.

But at least Obama knew what he was doing. He chose diffidence and called it wisdom. Trump was a dupe and a dope, a walking refutation of the adage “you can’t kid a kidder.” An inveterate liar himself, he could never discern when he was being played, at least by the strongmen he admired like Putin, Kim, and Xi.

Having spent the entire 2016 campaign suggesting that it would be great if we “got along with Russia,” encouraging Moscow to hack Hillary Clinton’s emails, and accepting dirt on his opponent from Russian figures, Trump was under strong suspicion and a federal investigation for his Russia ties. All 17 American intelligence agencies agreed that Russia had interfered with the election to damage Clinton. Yet upon Trump’s first meeting with Putin, he accepted the Russian’s denials and announced the creation of “an impenetrable Cyber Security unit so that election hacking, & many other negative things, will be guarded and safe.” The plan to let the fox guard the henhouse was dropped after GOP senators exploded.

We’ll never know how many times Trump spoke to Putin because those records were expunged and Trump often demanded that the translators take no notes, but it is clear from the public record that Trump often repeated Putin’s talking points.

At the Helsinki summit, Trump infamously endorsed Putin’s version of the election interference story over that of America’s own intelligence agencies. “President Putin says it’s not Russia,” Trump said. “I don’t see any reason why it would be.” Later, speaking to Tucker Carlson, Trump revealed the other ways Putin had been poisoning his mind, planting ideas about NATO countries. “Why should my son go to Montenegro to defend it from attack?” Carlson asked. Trump responded: “I’ve asked the same question. Montenegro is a tiny country with very strong people. . . . They are very strong people. They are very aggressive people, they may get aggressive, and congratulations, you are in World War III.” Who believes that Trump had ever heard of Montenegro, far less formed views about their supposed aggressiveness, before that meeting?

Trump got other ideas from his conversations with Putin and dutifully lobbied our major trading partners in the G7 to invite Russia back into the fold. They declined.

In 2019, defending his decision to withdraw troops from Syria and Afghanistan, Trump offered this little potted history about Russia’s engagement with that country: “Russia used to be the Soviet Union. Afghanistan made it Russia, because they went bankrupt fighting in Afghanistan. Russia. . . the reason Russia was in Afghanistan was because terrorists were going into Russia. They were right to be there.”

As with the other Putin nuggets he regurgitated, Trump said this with perfect ingenuousness.

Throughout his presidency, Trump hinted and blustered about withdrawing from NATO, which would fulfill Putin’s dearest wish. When his aides objected that this might be harmful politically, Trump conceded the point, as Carol Leonnig and Phil Rucker report, saying “Yeah, the second term. We’ll do it in the second term.”

As for Ukraine, Putin, like the KGB officer he had once been, had filled Trump’s mind with calumnies playing upon his particular obsessions. Trump got the idea that it was Ukraine, not Russia, that had interfered in the 2016 election, and that the meddling was against Trump, not for him. As New York Magazine reported, “Trump repeatedly told one senior official that the Russian president said Ukraine sought to undermine him.” Trump further believed in a mysterious “missing server” that was hidden in Ukraine containing the missing emails. In his infamous 2019 shake-down call with Volodomyr Zelensky, Trump alluded to it: “I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say CrowdStrike. . . I guess you have one of your wealthy people. . . The server, they say Ukraine has it.”

And because Trump swallowed Putin’s lies, congressional Republicans echoed them. In her testimony before the House intelligence committee, Fiona Hill attempted to debunk it:


Yes, and by their willing mouthpiece, the then-president of the United States.

In 2016, Trump suggested that Russian ownership of Crimea be recognized, and again repeated a factoid that seems likely to have come directly from Putin. “The people of Crimea, from what I’ve heard, would rather be with Russia than where they were,” he told ABC News. The GOP platform was changed to omit endorsing arms for Ukraine. Asked about his view of Putin’s intentions, he huffed, “He’s not going into Ukraine, OK, just so you understand. He’s not gonna go into Ukraine, all right? You can mark it down. You can put it down. You can take it anywhere you want.”

It was more than ignorance, it was hero worship. Trump is a disturbed human being who is constantly revealing his attraction to violence and “strength.” Even as Putin was smashing his tanks into Ukraine, Trump fawned over his “genius” and then boasted that “I know him very, very well.” He said it was “wonderful.” He backtracked after a day or two, but doubtless only after being advised that it was politically unwise.

But if, God forbid, there were ever a second term, political considerations wouldn’t be dispositive and the most sinister and credulous man ever to disgrace the Oval Office would be unconstrained.

Biden hasn’t been perfect—but he’s a godsend given the alternative.

https://www.thebulwark.com/thank-god-trump-isnt-president-right-now-russia-putin-ukraine/

Things looking worse and worse for libtards for midterms.

Romney and Sasse surprise me

As is my norm, what ELSE was in the bill?

Give me the bill number even, I'll check it out.

Yep... the Ukraine aid is less than 1% of this bill... would love to know more details about what's actually in it...

I would like to also. but, you know, politics. All you need is a tweet with no background info, right?

Well, there's this: https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/09/politics/house-vote-government-spending-ukraine-aid/index.html

Great headline by the way.

But, from cnn, and the article: "The House of Representatives voted late Wednesday night to pass a massive government funding bill that includes $13.6 billion in desperately needed aid to Ukraine as the country fights back against Russia's deadly invasion.
Congress is racing the clock ahead of a Friday deadline when government funding is set to expire," Odd.

"As part of the effort to prevent a shutdown, the House passed by voice vote on Wednesday night a stopgap bill to extend government funding through Tuesday. "

Odd. I thought the bill was about helping Ukraine?

"The sweeping government spending bill, known on Capitol Hill as the omnibus, is the product of months of negotiations, but the sprawling legislative text, which runs 2,741 pages, was not released until around 1:30 a.m. ET Wednesday, just hours before House leaders initially had planned to try to jam it through the chamber, leaving little time for lawmakers to review the measure. " Odd.

2,741 pages...............for Ukraine aid of 13.6 billion? Or, 2741 pages for keeping their jobs (congress) and spitting billions upon billions to there voters.??

The 13.6 billion to Ukraine in this bill is like pennies on the dollar in regards to spending.

Also in that bill: "Behind closed doors, Pelosi was angry at Democratic members who revolted over the Covid relief offsets — and the meetings were extremely tense, including with Rep. Mark Pocan of Wisconsin, a source familiar with the matter said.
Members felt blindsided by the deal that had been cut — and Pelosi was upset that they were forced to strip out new Covid relief money, the source said. "


Politics. Give a bill a name everyone likes and supports, add in all the pork you want, make it thousands of pages long, then attack those that actually care about the spending..........make them look like fools. Make them out to be non supportive of Ukraine (in this instance).

Things like this are why this country is screwed for the future.

yep... $1.5 trillion spending bill that's almost 3,000 pages released hours before your supposed to vote for it... and if you disagree with it you're a commie...

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/09/politics/ukraine-aid-spending-bill-congress/index.html

"The Ukraine aid is attached to an appropriations bill that will set the spending limits for the federal government for fiscal year 2022, which started in October. "

(just further reference information here. Here's the bill:) https://rules.house.gov/sites/democrats.rules.house.gov/files/BILLS-117HR2471SA-RCP-117-35.pdf


Oh, from the cnn article: "What else is tied to the spending bill?
The massive spending bill, known as the omnibus, funds the federal government for fiscal year 2022.
It calls for $730 billion in non-defense funding -- a 6.7% increase over fiscal year 2021 -- the largest jump in four years, according to the House Appropriations Committee. It also provides $782 billion in defense funding, a 5.6% increase over fiscal year 2021."

yet, the 13 billion for Ukraine is someone's head line?

Are you still surprised now that the facts are out? I think their votes were calculated. If it wouldn't have passed I think you may have seen some more vote for it.

I know that both parties pull this kind of crap. It should never be acceptable. I think the Dems should take some heat for this but I doubt they will from most on the left.

Facts? It's the omnibus bill to fund the country! LMAO, pretty sure this happens every year, but now because some souless ghouls got called out, it's SOOOO suspicious. Yeah right, if this was military spending and 730 billion for the rich, y'all would have zero problems and be like "nothing burger"... smh shameless. Especially arch.

This was your post, in an attempt to make it seem R's didn't support Ukraine. It was a failed attempt, as I've shown. It's not Ukraine, it's the other spending that got the "no" vote.

I guarantee, put a bill in congress supporting Ukraine, and not spending any other money in that bill, it passes unanimously.

Lol arch, I don't need to try to prove that these GOPers aren't sacks of crap. That verdict is in.

You say that right after someone posts the 31 senators that voted against aid to Ukraine.... These are the same ones that seem to speak highly of Putin...

can my conservative brethren explain to me why a multi billionaire former president is asking his supporters for money to fix his private plane?

he should be able to pay for it in cold hard cash, right?

Because he's found a lot of suckers and he's going to bleed them for every penny he can. That's how grifters roll.

Trump asking supporters to fund new plane after emergency landing

https://fox2now.com/news/politics/trump-asking-supporters-to-fund-new-plane-after-emergency-landing/

Man, what the hell is this:



40? Day? Duty? SB?

Tucker is nothing more than a comrade of Putin. There's been a lot of that going around. While I don't always agree with Romney, at least he called them out on it......

Mitt Romney calls pro-Putin sentiments from some in GOP and media ‘almost treasonous’

https://www.sltrib.com/news/politics/2022/02/27/mitt-romney-calls-pro/

This isn't even 'revisionist history.' It's 'revisionist current events.'
At first I thought, "Does this fool think we believe his mess?" Then, I realized he isn't trying to reach us. He knows his audience, and he knows what they're willing to swallow- hook, line & sinker.

smdh

Next thing you know he'll be telling his followers that God told him to build an amusement park and they'll believe him ala Jim and Tammy Faye Baker. And he's actually just repeating what that Louisiana televangelist Jesse Duplantis asked his followers to do. Buy him a 54 million dollar jet. This is an old con.

The same could be said for anyone who watches CNN/FOX/NBC/ABC/CBS/WashingtonPost/AP/NPR

The viewers are all spewing back out their political agendas on either side of the fence & very few can think for themselves or do any research.

You can tell when someone just watched one of the news stations because all they can do is parrot off what their propagandist news station told them how to think and feel.

Mind control at its finest.

Did they ask their cult to buy them a new Jet?

It’s blatant lying and buildup of a country who is commuting mass atrocities. It really makes you wonder what his motivation is and what’s transacting behind the scenes.

I don’t disagree with that for the most part, but Carlson has just taken this to a whole new ugly and absurd level.

As far as I know, I haven’t seen any other person being played currently on Russian television to bolster Putin’s justification for atrocities.

Actually Russia has used Mike Pompeo as well as Tulsi Gabbard in addition to Carlson.

I don't wonder at all. He's been pretty consistent in his messaging, now that he's found his core audience. He licks Putin and visits Hungary's Viktor Orban because they are heads of two countries that are the equivalent of white ethnostates. He stains his bedsheets every night dreaming of what America might be if we only had what they have. Spend even a fraction of one of his shows, and you can hear his message loud and clear: Replacement theory. White genocide. Anti-CRT. Dude's an absolute 'Johnny One-Note' these days.

He ain't exactly a brain trust. He ain't exactly subtle, and he ain't exactly hard to figure out.


.02

I stand corrected, which is horribly unfortunate.

I completely agree with you. I would just like to see what kind of money is changing hands, and whatnot.

The squad voted against it. I guess that makes them pro-russian scum too.

If you could link to that, it would be awesome.

Thank you. So, it isn't just republicans that are supposedly "anti Ukraine" as a previous poster posited. Weird.

Oh my goodness.. That is so much BS... Really.. Tell me what CNN/NBC/ABC/CBS, THe Post/AP and NPR flat out lied about... Come on, I want to know..... WE all know what Fox Lies about,, Just about everything.. Or at the least, twists the truth

I'd like to see Tucker go away. I hope he slips up and says something that can get his ass locked up.

No, no it couldn't be said of them.

Like a dog with a bone. smdh

So some in the house, the squad voted against. That's terrible. They are shameless. but uh, eh, oh, ee, they must have voted no because they don't like military budgets over blown... See, arch, I won't even try, I condemn them for their no vote, even though they knew it wouldn't matter in the house. You kind of got me! Woohoo for U. Big whoop for me. Those republicans in the Senate are still POSs. And you can't prove me wrong.

Thoughts on Tucker?

Russia and China are in bed. China will buy up all the Russian goods.

I do agree that total economic warfare with Russia is a bad idea. Both Russia and China know the only way to win a war with us is to break our bank. Well, them and the aholes in this country who agree with them.