Biden is still worse but this shows how terrible a 2nd Trump term would be. Four years of betrayals of everything he supposedly stood for previously, insofar as Trump stood for anything much beyond himself. Thanks for the reporting.
I heard this on a Duran podcast this afternoon. They seem kind of puzzled how Trump could be “duped” by the neocons. Graham and co. sold this as Ukraine would easily pay it back as it’s so resource intensive. Trump is a Boomer living in 1985 like the US is sill the big dog. He pays no attention to the fact that we’re at best the third best military in the world now. Watch the gyrations MAGA will go through now.
I hate it. But it would have passed no matter what Trump did because Johnson always was going to sell out. Now it's a non-issue for the campaign, unless Russia takes Kiev before Nov. 5, then Biden gets the blame. I figure the fix is in for Putin to wait. It's just cynical politics with the heightened risk of nuclear war. I'd take up another line of work but at 68 the only way I can pay the bills is continuing to be a reactionary journalist. Your boy DeSantis waffled on the issue to the end of his campaign.
You understand and explain this aspect of the Trump Effect better than anyone. My MAGA friends get very upset, so I cannot discuss it with them. If Trump is strategizing, he sure takes risks with his voters. People claim he’s figured out the swamp and how to beat them, but I only find him blundering aimlessly in pursuit of controlling the party. He propped up McDaniel during the justifiable mutiny until he didn’t., and his flip-flop on FISA are just two items. I would bet your prediction of the next victim occurs sooner than later. Is there a limit to what abuse Trump’s loyalists will take from him? Isn’t there something, or is his martyrdom a lifetime guarantee?
The Ukranian army will probably collapse by the end of the year. Trump does not want himself or the GOP to be blamed for it. So if he has to flush $60 billion down the rat hole, so be it. A second Biden term will waste trillions. This was the smart move politically.
Biden will take the blame for yet another US trained army being routed, as well as any increase in inflation.
Yes, it stinks. But if it is lessens the chances of a second Biden term, it's worth it.
Once again you point out the ugly truth and back it up with solid facts. I don’t understand why Tucker Carlson is so afraid of speaking the truth regarding Donald Trump. I know it’s been a long time since you and Tucker have spoken publicly, but I sure would love to see you two get together and discuss everything that’s going on.
Mike Johnson met alone with Biden, Schumer, Jeffries and McConnell over the aid package. That hawkish and powerful quartet put the pressure on Johnson. A weak man and not too bright, he collapsed. The others celebrated their success. Johnson accepted the media’s plaudits.
But blame Trump.
Israel “survived” a performative attack from Iran and its portion of the aid package went up. Not surprisingly, passage became much more important to the dispensationalist Christian Johnson, as he loudly proclaimed to an approving Tony Perkins.
All good points here. But I don't think you can say Trump "single handedly" saved the Ukraine deal, since there's a lot of blame to go around, and we know both houses of Congress & Joe Biden wanted it done. It might be more accurate to say that Trump added his voice to the chorus, and gave Mike Johnson some cover in getting the deal through. Nevertheless, it's still disappointing that we continue to fund this useless war. Every politician is bound to disappoint. The real question is, what is the alternative?
My apologies if the answer to this question is obvious, but it may need to be explained to me as if I were a five-year-old. Why does Trump benefit more from continuing to bilk American taxpayers for the benefit of military contractors rather than be actually be American First?
(In formulating the question, the partial answer becomes clearer in my mind - apparently there is no cost to betraying America Firsters, since they seem to want to support Trump in any case, so why not ingratiate himself with the establishment?)
Great article Pedro. As our citizens deal with out of control inflation and a porous border, my blood boils at the idea of funding proxy wars.
Never pull your punches.
Biden is still worse but this shows how terrible a 2nd Trump term would be. Four years of betrayals of everything he supposedly stood for previously, insofar as Trump stood for anything much beyond himself. Thanks for the reporting.
I heard this on a Duran podcast this afternoon. They seem kind of puzzled how Trump could be “duped” by the neocons. Graham and co. sold this as Ukraine would easily pay it back as it’s so resource intensive. Trump is a Boomer living in 1985 like the US is sill the big dog. He pays no attention to the fact that we’re at best the third best military in the world now. Watch the gyrations MAGA will go through now.
100
I hate it. But it would have passed no matter what Trump did because Johnson always was going to sell out. Now it's a non-issue for the campaign, unless Russia takes Kiev before Nov. 5, then Biden gets the blame. I figure the fix is in for Putin to wait. It's just cynical politics with the heightened risk of nuclear war. I'd take up another line of work but at 68 the only way I can pay the bills is continuing to be a reactionary journalist. Your boy DeSantis waffled on the issue to the end of his campaign.
You understand and explain this aspect of the Trump Effect better than anyone. My MAGA friends get very upset, so I cannot discuss it with them. If Trump is strategizing, he sure takes risks with his voters. People claim he’s figured out the swamp and how to beat them, but I only find him blundering aimlessly in pursuit of controlling the party. He propped up McDaniel during the justifiable mutiny until he didn’t., and his flip-flop on FISA are just two items. I would bet your prediction of the next victim occurs sooner than later. Is there a limit to what abuse Trump’s loyalists will take from him? Isn’t there something, or is his martyrdom a lifetime guarantee?
The Ukranian army will probably collapse by the end of the year. Trump does not want himself or the GOP to be blamed for it. So if he has to flush $60 billion down the rat hole, so be it. A second Biden term will waste trillions. This was the smart move politically.
Biden will take the blame for yet another US trained army being routed, as well as any increase in inflation.
Yes, it stinks. But if it is lessens the chances of a second Biden term, it's worth it.
Pedro,
Once again you point out the ugly truth and back it up with solid facts. I don’t understand why Tucker Carlson is so afraid of speaking the truth regarding Donald Trump. I know it’s been a long time since you and Tucker have spoken publicly, but I sure would love to see you two get together and discuss everything that’s going on.
Mike Johnson met alone with Biden, Schumer, Jeffries and McConnell over the aid package. That hawkish and powerful quartet put the pressure on Johnson. A weak man and not too bright, he collapsed. The others celebrated their success. Johnson accepted the media’s plaudits.
But blame Trump.
Israel “survived” a performative attack from Iran and its portion of the aid package went up. Not surprisingly, passage became much more important to the dispensationalist Christian Johnson, as he loudly proclaimed to an approving Tony Perkins.
But blame the word “loan.”
All good points here. But I don't think you can say Trump "single handedly" saved the Ukraine deal, since there's a lot of blame to go around, and we know both houses of Congress & Joe Biden wanted it done. It might be more accurate to say that Trump added his voice to the chorus, and gave Mike Johnson some cover in getting the deal through. Nevertheless, it's still disappointing that we continue to fund this useless war. Every politician is bound to disappoint. The real question is, what is the alternative?
My apologies if the answer to this question is obvious, but it may need to be explained to me as if I were a five-year-old. Why does Trump benefit more from continuing to bilk American taxpayers for the benefit of military contractors rather than be actually be American First?
(In formulating the question, the partial answer becomes clearer in my mind - apparently there is no cost to betraying America Firsters, since they seem to want to support Trump in any case, so why not ingratiate himself with the establishment?)
Excellent work. A good catch. MAGA just appears to be a re-branding of the vile GOP policy of 'White America Last'.
*Kiev