You have probably read or seen by now that President Biden announced new sanctions on Russia in response to its invasion of Eastern Ukraine. The sanctions include “blocks” on two major Russian financial institutions, the VEB bank and the military bank, Promsvyazbank, which handles its defense deals. The sanctions would effectively ban them from the U.S.
I'm on the way out the door, but I did take a minute or two to scan through Lucian's cogent analysis of the bleeding edge of today's news. What comes through loud and clear is John Bolton's unalloyed glee that this is happening on Joe Biden's watch rather than on that of Der Doofus. If anyone thought that Bolton had an ounce of patriotism left in him, they must be sadly disabused of that notion by now. I don't recall images of Neville Chamberlain dancing up and down in the House of Commons wearing a miniskirt and waving pom-poms cheering on the Wehrmacht and damning Winston Churchill, but that's what Bolton seems to be doing today to our country and to our president. Republicans' self-hatred must now be bone-marrow deep. They kept their silence on the Capitol building insurrection because they thought that that would be the way for them to hold onto their piss-ant little jobs in Washington, such as they do them, if at all. A more disgraceful group of people cannot be found.
Amen! "They kept their silence on the Capitol building insurrection because they thought that that would be the way for them to hold onto their piss-ant little jobs in Washington, such as they do them, if at all. A more disgraceful group of people cannot be found."
As far as I can tell, they do absolutely NOTHING with those jobs except live off taxpayers' dimes and party hard as they obfuscate and obstruct with every breath.
They are going to be screaming like stuck pigs when indictments for the likes of Hawley, Cruz, Gosar and others begin to come down the pike. And now that the complicity of Ginny and Clarence Thomas has been revealed by the NYT, I look for more revelations regarding the Stench Bench - especially if it is discovered that she was texting and talking with the WH on J6.
Imagine if you will a majority of the Republican Party in 1939 had backed Hitler as he moved into Western Europe. No don’t imagine it because. A lot of Americans did in fact support Nazi Germany in order to avoid “involving” the United States in “Europe’s war.” Looked how that turned out.
The GOP is using this crisis for its benefit in domestic politics short term confirming what we have known all along. The GOP is bankrupt of any conscience and integrity.
I could not believe my eyes and ears when Fox and Republican politicians, and especially The Former Guy, praised Putin's cleverness and disparaged Biden for their respective actions as Ukraine heads toward war. War is serious business, not petty politics. We unite behind our President when the drums of war are sounding. Don't Republicans realize what their disloyalty does to our status among nations?
Come on, Bob, sure you believed it. It is who they are and what they want the sheep to believe. Fox, FACEBOOK and the GOP are the new MI Propaganda Complex. Lies, Injustice and the Neo Nazi American Way.
Biden needs to make some snarky comebacks to put those Repug Putin-supporters in their place. Let the truth be told : the GOP Crime Syndicate is in bed with the Russian Mob.
I'm not a Reagan fan but I have to wonder what he would think of his party becoming what now must be considered the pro-Russia party. The Democrats are the pro-America party and should staunchly advertise themselves thus. If Tucker Carlson et al love Hungary and Russia so much, they should re-locate there. I'm not going to feebly stand by as they try to make the U.S.A. more authoritarian than it already is. Keep up the great work, Lucian.
I do wish that these Republicans, Bolton, Hawley, Cruz, et al would remember that they are first Americans and second Republicans: Despicable reactions one and all of them.
Dissent and opposing views are the bedrock of our democracy. But when one party is delusional when it comes to the facts, this is the kind of bull shit we’re left with.
You mean that John Bolton, the brave man that came forward for the impeachment committee……..seriously, that was very hard to write, my Ipen was revolting. Or maybe that was Bolton….
Have you heard TFG's remarks? Putin is 'savvy' and the moves are 'genius'. “I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius,’ ” Trump continued. “Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful. So, Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine. I said, ‘How smart is that?’ And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s strongest peace force … We could use that on our southern border.”
Yes just saw that too "Trump said it was "wonderful," "so smart," and even "genius" for Putin to "declare a big portion of the Ukraine ... as independent." He claimed Putin will now "go in" and "be a peacekeeper."
As I see it, the two-faced GOP is angling for a win-win. If Biden does little, they'll beat him up for being "soft" on the Russkies (ignoring how they stayed mum when tRump cozied up to dictators across the globe) and the Democrats always quiver when accused of being "weak." If Biden gets tough and fails, they'll beat him up for being a loser. Biden can't hardly win in this, politically. I don't see him as clever enough to finesse a practical solution or articulate enough to defend whatever position he takes. He's going to face a slamming. It's almost like he wasn't paying attention to how Obama was treated while he (Biden) was second in command.
I also have to think that a lot of Repubs would cheer on a robust but ill-conceived military response of some sort while secretly rooting for it to fail, just to make Biden look bad. I don't think Cruz et al. would hesitate a second to grandstand on American soldiers' blood.
I keep wondering how long the US can keep slinging sanctions around before the rest of the world, out of exhaustion or necessity or orneriness, works out an alternate or work-around to the dollar as a reserve currency. If that were to occur, bye-bye American economy. I don't like how weaponizing sanctions could eventually backfire (it's already looking ineffective at achieving the political results sought, while good at inflicting misery on ordinary people in targeted countries).
The option to our using soft economic power is hard military power. Unfortunately, there is no third option. The world will walk away from the dollar when we gut the dollar ourselves.
Personally, I don't see this reflecting Biden's cleverness, or lack thereof, since he has surrounded himself with excellent and experienced individuals on his cabinet and in his agencies (including Janet Yellen) and is actually listening to them (and they appear to keep all discussions and decisions so close to the vest, there are NO leaks.) Plus, he's conferring constantly with counterparts in other nations. Whatever decisions emerge from such shared thinking is bound to be vastly superior to anything emerging from the dark pits of the GOP factions in the Senate and Congress, from Faux Noise and its blathering idiots, from Putin himself - who's so in love with himself (read HUBRIS in all caps) that he'd wipe out Europe without a care. And lastly, whatever decisions are made, I cannot imagine anything as foolish as waving a sharpie over an official hurricane map - which seems to be the hallmark "decision making" ability of Jabba the Hutt. I am not into arguing, so please do not take my reply as such. It's just my perspective. I have a doctorate in leadership and have spent a career studying the attributes of good leaders as well as the failures of wannabes. Joe Biden might not have been my first pick, but IMO he is definitely suited for the job that's been handed him and will use the intellects around him to help chart this treacherous undertaking. And it's a doozy. All appendages crossed that great minds will prevail and the tyrant will be deposed! (This sounds egotistical. Having a degree and studying a lot and being a leader for 30 years does not necessarily qualify my opinion for anything more than what it is - an opinion.)
I'm on the way out the door, but I did take a minute or two to scan through Lucian's cogent analysis of the bleeding edge of today's news. What comes through loud and clear is John Bolton's unalloyed glee that this is happening on Joe Biden's watch rather than on that of Der Doofus. If anyone thought that Bolton had an ounce of patriotism left in him, they must be sadly disabused of that notion by now. I don't recall images of Neville Chamberlain dancing up and down in the House of Commons wearing a miniskirt and waving pom-poms cheering on the Wehrmacht and damning Winston Churchill, but that's what Bolton seems to be doing today to our country and to our president. Republicans' self-hatred must now be bone-marrow deep. They kept their silence on the Capitol building insurrection because they thought that that would be the way for them to hold onto their piss-ant little jobs in Washington, such as they do them, if at all. A more disgraceful group of people cannot be found.
Tuckers waving the pompoms
Amen! "They kept their silence on the Capitol building insurrection because they thought that that would be the way for them to hold onto their piss-ant little jobs in Washington, such as they do them, if at all. A more disgraceful group of people cannot be found."
As far as I can tell, they do absolutely NOTHING with those jobs except live off taxpayers' dimes and party hard as they obfuscate and obstruct with every breath.
They are going to be screaming like stuck pigs when indictments for the likes of Hawley, Cruz, Gosar and others begin to come down the pike. And now that the complicity of Ginny and Clarence Thomas has been revealed by the NYT, I look for more revelations regarding the Stench Bench - especially if it is discovered that she was texting and talking with the WH on J6.
Imagine if you will a majority of the Republican Party in 1939 had backed Hitler as he moved into Western Europe. No don’t imagine it because. A lot of Americans did in fact support Nazi Germany in order to avoid “involving” the United States in “Europe’s war.” Looked how that turned out.
The GOP is using this crisis for its benefit in domestic politics short term confirming what we have known all along. The GOP is bankrupt of any conscience and integrity.
Well, it's clear who is on Putin's payroll.
THIS! Follow the money.
I could not believe my eyes and ears when Fox and Republican politicians, and especially The Former Guy, praised Putin's cleverness and disparaged Biden for their respective actions as Ukraine heads toward war. War is serious business, not petty politics. We unite behind our President when the drums of war are sounding. Don't Republicans realize what their disloyalty does to our status among nations?
Right, TFG can’t get on the right side of any issue; it’s a gift.
Come on, Bob, sure you believed it. It is who they are and what they want the sheep to believe. Fox, FACEBOOK and the GOP are the new MI Propaganda Complex. Lies, Injustice and the Neo Nazi American Way.
They get no news, don't care.
Biden needs to make some snarky comebacks to put those Repug Putin-supporters in their place. Let the truth be told : the GOP Crime Syndicate is in bed with the Russian Mob.
Saw that interview with Bolton. Didn't hear him volunteer for the tip of the spear. Papa Oscar Sierra. Out.
Alpha Mike Foxtrot. Don't let the door hit him on the way out.
For our civilian friends, that's Adios Mother Fucker!
Spot on!
There is no limit to what these fools will do for political gain, US or Ukrainian lives mean nothing in their pursuit of power. How shameless and sad.
I'm not a Reagan fan but I have to wonder what he would think of his party becoming what now must be considered the pro-Russia party. The Democrats are the pro-America party and should staunchly advertise themselves thus. If Tucker Carlson et al love Hungary and Russia so much, they should re-locate there. I'm not going to feebly stand by as they try to make the U.S.A. more authoritarian than it already is. Keep up the great work, Lucian.
Reagan: I like kicking Russia's ass. Trump and ilk: We prefer to lick it.
The Foxies love the Kremlin today, who knows what they will embrace tomorrow?
I do wish that these Republicans, Bolton, Hawley, Cruz, et al would remember that they are first Americans and second Republicans: Despicable reactions one and all of them.
Hell, I wish they'd forget that they were Americans and go somewhere more their speed.
I wish I could say it's disgraceful behavior on the part of the GOP and all its traitors but now it's just consistent with the brand.
Let's all support our Commander in Chief.
Dissent and opposing views are the bedrock of our democracy. But when one party is delusional when it comes to the facts, this is the kind of bull shit we’re left with.
John Bolton, the Larry Kudlow of national security. Somebody let me know the last time either of those knuckleheads was right about anything.
You mean that John Bolton, the brave man that came forward for the impeachment committee……..seriously, that was very hard to write, my Ipen was revolting. Or maybe that was Bolton….
Have you heard TFG's remarks? Putin is 'savvy' and the moves are 'genius'. “I went in yesterday and there was a television screen, and I said, ‘This is genius,’ ” Trump continued. “Putin declares a big portion of the Ukraine — of Ukraine. Putin declares it as independent. Oh, that’s wonderful. So, Putin is now saying, ‘It’s independent,’ a large section of Ukraine. I said, ‘How smart is that?’ And he’s gonna go in and be a peacekeeper. That’s strongest peace force … We could use that on our southern border.”
Yes just saw that too "Trump said it was "wonderful," "so smart," and even "genius" for Putin to "declare a big portion of the Ukraine ... as independent." He claimed Putin will now "go in" and "be a peacekeeper."
Do the Gravy Seals support this?
Kremlin stooges and Republican stooges, best friends forever.
Moron Fest 2022!
As I see it, the two-faced GOP is angling for a win-win. If Biden does little, they'll beat him up for being "soft" on the Russkies (ignoring how they stayed mum when tRump cozied up to dictators across the globe) and the Democrats always quiver when accused of being "weak." If Biden gets tough and fails, they'll beat him up for being a loser. Biden can't hardly win in this, politically. I don't see him as clever enough to finesse a practical solution or articulate enough to defend whatever position he takes. He's going to face a slamming. It's almost like he wasn't paying attention to how Obama was treated while he (Biden) was second in command.
I also have to think that a lot of Repubs would cheer on a robust but ill-conceived military response of some sort while secretly rooting for it to fail, just to make Biden look bad. I don't think Cruz et al. would hesitate a second to grandstand on American soldiers' blood.
I keep wondering how long the US can keep slinging sanctions around before the rest of the world, out of exhaustion or necessity or orneriness, works out an alternate or work-around to the dollar as a reserve currency. If that were to occur, bye-bye American economy. I don't like how weaponizing sanctions could eventually backfire (it's already looking ineffective at achieving the political results sought, while good at inflicting misery on ordinary people in targeted countries).
He knows he’ll face a slamming! That’s what I call a true hero!
The option to our using soft economic power is hard military power. Unfortunately, there is no third option. The world will walk away from the dollar when we gut the dollar ourselves.
Poison! Just saying, it’s a very Russian thing
Personally, I don't see this reflecting Biden's cleverness, or lack thereof, since he has surrounded himself with excellent and experienced individuals on his cabinet and in his agencies (including Janet Yellen) and is actually listening to them (and they appear to keep all discussions and decisions so close to the vest, there are NO leaks.) Plus, he's conferring constantly with counterparts in other nations. Whatever decisions emerge from such shared thinking is bound to be vastly superior to anything emerging from the dark pits of the GOP factions in the Senate and Congress, from Faux Noise and its blathering idiots, from Putin himself - who's so in love with himself (read HUBRIS in all caps) that he'd wipe out Europe without a care. And lastly, whatever decisions are made, I cannot imagine anything as foolish as waving a sharpie over an official hurricane map - which seems to be the hallmark "decision making" ability of Jabba the Hutt. I am not into arguing, so please do not take my reply as such. It's just my perspective. I have a doctorate in leadership and have spent a career studying the attributes of good leaders as well as the failures of wannabes. Joe Biden might not have been my first pick, but IMO he is definitely suited for the job that's been handed him and will use the intellects around him to help chart this treacherous undertaking. And it's a doozy. All appendages crossed that great minds will prevail and the tyrant will be deposed! (This sounds egotistical. Having a degree and studying a lot and being a leader for 30 years does not necessarily qualify my opinion for anything more than what it is - an opinion.)
Not at all, I appreciate your candor and insight!
Thank you