Why would America (Trumpland) want to support freedom, democracy and decency? He wasn’t voted in to do that. USAID has been trashed because the wealthiest nation on earth by far resents paying the tiniest part of it wealth to help the utterly desperate: helping others makes them sick to their stomach. Maybe I forgot to add they see themselves as Christian’s? They voted to destroy their own democracy. They voted to ensure freedom of speech (or at least freedom to lie, incite and manipulate) only for anyone on their side: no freedom to decide your sexuality and
no freedom to keep your personal data safe.
As opponents of Brexit might well have said: but it wasn’t me, it wasn’t a majority of the country, I just can’t tell you how ashamed I am. Yet as a country you are judged by what you do.
How can one escape from this awful burden of belonging to a country that is hateful?
There was a Man in the last century who had the rare privilege of being able to travel around Italy without being controlled by the fascists. In his bike he hid documents to save Jewish children from the extermination camps.
Years later a journalist asked him why he had never boasted about it at the end of the regime. "Do you need a reason to do the right thing? Why boast about having done the right thing?", Gino Bartali.
If you don't have the courage to do the right thing, run away.
If you don't have courage, you can't give it to yourself.
And we can add thanks to Oskar Schindler and Max Baer, and so many other good Germans who heroically risked their lives to save Jewish families. And the French family who rescued my aunt.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was also a gifted Lutheran pastor, during World War II. He has many inspirational words which I found in my grief of my husband‘s passing. Then I found out the other things he had done, and he was killed by the Nazis for it. Spoke truth to power. We should all be so brave
Not Minimizing, but there were something like 7,000 Italian Jews killed during 39-45 war, a terrible time for all. Basically, enough to satisfy clerks in Berlin. A Jewish refugee would have been ecstatic to make it to Italy, as many did.
It's worth noting that the average American has no idea AT ALL how the federal budget works. Ask any person on the street and they'll likely tell you that half the federal budget goes to foreign aid, 50% of the budget goes to welfare, another half of the budget goes to teachers' unions, and maybe 2% goes to defense.
Widespread ignorance is a major factor in this catastrophe. The remaining Democracies need to take note of how ignorance and natural susceptibility to lies (which are exciting and engaging) are how autocrats have gained so much ground.
There is a reason China has such a stranglehold on the internet. Seeing what has happened here in the US I'm not so sure they're wrong.
HOWEVER, there must always be room for dissent to be heard. LOYAL opposition is key to long term success. How you achieve that and keep the would-be monarchs at bay, I don't know.
I know, right? Democrats haven’t lost the confidence of voters. Significant numbers of voters have lost their minds. Between X and Meta, the MAGA movement has everything it needs to shape public opinion, and the public, instead of questioning the lies, parrots them excitedly.
It’s not the country that’s hateful, it’s the leadership, who knew exactly what they’re doing, and about 33% of the population that voted for our destruction and propagates the hate.
Moreover, most people voted for Trump because they were struggling, and Trump told them everything they wanted to hear. The MSM assured them that Trump didn’t mean anything he said, while social media demonized and divided the Democratic Party. The Israel/Palestinian issue is a perfect example.
X and Meta were weaponizing all the violence, showing Jews the initial Hamas invasion and destruction, while equally inflaming the Palestinians, while Israel was committing acts of genocide.
This was a well coordinated effort of disinformation and misinformation campaigns by foreign actors and surrogates of Trump! iMHO!…:)
It seems painfully obvious that more than 33% of Americans practice hate as an avocation. And those who home stayed home knew what was coming but assumed that middle class privilege would keep them safe.
I don’t disagree, but don’t assume most of American’s are informed about anything!
I live in Miami, and I was speaking to people who had actually thought it was Biden who ended Roe, with the Dobb’s decision. When I pointed out it was Trump who put the justices in place, all I hear is, “well Biden was president, so it’s his fault!”
Never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate; your head will explode if you do…:)
The level of ignorance is astonishing. I think over the last few decades people have come to see the President as a rotating king. Most don't know that Congress has any power. I bet over half of the American public couldn't even name the three branches of government and what their responsibilities are.
You are being far too generous when you say half of the American public. I think it's more in the high 80,s that couldn't name the branches and their functions.
A sad and sickening state of affairs. Fox News, along with Newsmax, Breitbart, et al, represent an unprecedented abuse of the first amendment, and the Moron Majority swallows it wholesale - along with their Schlitz.
Faux is their drug of choice…they are addicted, buy more fentanyl, blame Biden/Obama. Voted for Donny! ‘easier than thinking!’
That said, the middle working class people who don’t see what Biden did for them are sad! But the core and explanation is much more simple, given all their excuses…she is a woman, and a woman of color! Make all the excuses, their rational, but the bottom line is ‘she was bridge too far!’ Gretchen would have cleared the table!
I think that's partially true. But a lot of them just simply absorbed the propaganda being spoon fed to them from the wingnut echo chamber. And it reverberated in their hollow, Schlitz addled skulls.
They a certain native, feral, intelligence but years of drug use have reprogrammed their brains, starting with the well named Rush and toxic AM radio…think of how many hours they sat and listened to him crumple up paper like he was reading something while his just riffing in his oxymoronic, OxyContin addled way. Then FUAX, and all the rest…drugification of American’s minds! Just say No! ….no, HELL NO! Rush and donate…I like AOC’s advertising choices at the moment.
A majority of white American voters are certainly hateful. Also willfully ignorant. Very close to all of Musk’s actions plainly violate specific laws passed by Congress. Unfortunately, there is no legal mechanism for stopping the Trump administration except the removal of the president from office through the impeachment process, which has never happened in US history and certainly will not happen with this Congress. Even if it did, the US would be faced with the same or worse from the hillbilly who would inherit the presidency. He would also need to be removed, bringing in the Speaker of the House, another proud, fully declared Christian nationalist. So, the world is stuck with a bunch of reckless, nefarious amateurs operating (illegally) the levers of power in control of the world’s most powerful military and biggest stock of lethal (to put it mildly) weapons and manipulating the world’s largest national economy. It would take a miracle for US democracy to survive. The only hope is for US democracy to hold on, somehow, until the midterm elections 20 months from now, combined with voters in that election recognizing the danger and throwing most of the Republicans up for election out of office. (Republicans running for election at that time will include, most importantly, 218 members of House of Representatives and 20 Senators.) Such an awakening and/or change of heart in the willfully ignorant population of white voters in the US is hard even to imagine, much less expect.
Reading your comments I get the feeling that you have a focused prejudice against me, as a white American. It may be time to take a breath and look around. I've experienced hatred from blacks. Blacks have enthusiastically voted for Trump. German immigrants have used racist slurs against my Japanese wife. There is more than enough hate flowing from people of all color. We either examine our selves and act in a moral manner, or we are no better than Trumps version of the brown shirts that Hitler used.
Maybe, but I’m somewhat less pessimistic. According to the exit polls, only 12 percent of voters selected immigration as their #1 issue, with the top answers being the economy and democracy. And nonvoters are in fact much more likely to being lower-class than the active electorate.
Doesn’t matter what they tell pollsters. The top priority of a majority of white voters is a government that makes sure black Americans don’t get a leg up and the legal, economic, and political advantages of white Americans are preseved. Their second priority, whatever it might be, is down somewhere in the noise. Has been since 1954 when white Americans found themselves with a government that recognized the systemic oppression that it was imposing on black Americans and took some baby steps toward remedies. “Bussing” was all rethugs had to say then to attract a significant majority of white votes. Now the code word is “woke.” Works the same way.
I don’t know. As an outsider/insider (non-Christian, non-religious, with a divorced Jewish father and Catholic mother, back when both were a lot less common), I’ve encountered a lot of hate and ostracism in my life from good, ordinary Americans. I’ve been screamed at and called a Christ-killer, told not to look for a home in this and that neighborhood, had people literally turn their backs on me. I’ve been physically attacked for looking different. Don’t misunderstand me; a lot of people have had it a lot worse than I have. But still, it hasn’t always been fun.
I’m not sure the right-wing haters led their supporters to this. I think they just encouraged what already was there.
No doubt! Back in the 80’s when I was in college, we drove down to Florida for Spring Break. We stopped at a gas station in East Bubble Georgia (not the name, but it was rural).
To put this into perspective, I am Jewish, but don’t practice, it’s more an identity, than a religion for me. However, I grew up in NY, and even had some friends parents (Catholic)) describe me as a “good Jew.”
Additionally, even on LI at the time, there were only three golf clubs that allowed Jews and Blacks. So…..
That said, and back to my story; I went into the store to pay for gas, and the guy needed my license. After trying to read my last name, he said, “ what type of name is Jaffee?” I said Jewish. He looked at me like he never say a Jewish person in his life, and said, “where are your horns?” True story!
Other than that, it was mostly some idiots who would throw out a Holocaust joke from time to time like: “what’s the difference between a Jew and a Pizza; a pizza doesn’t scream when you put it in the oven! Very mature!…:)
I’ve heard that joke. Also, “I never met a Jew before, not a live one.” I grew up in NYC as well and have what is basically a Jewish identity, although I’ve encountered animosity when I mentioned that to some Jews (some days you just can’t win). I have probably ten years or a bit more on you. I remember a college party at Madison, WI, and when everyone learned I was Jewish (too complicated to explain the nuances), most of them pointed at me, saying something like the above “never met a Jew before.” They didn’t mean to be threatening, but still. I’ve also met the horns comments as well. Sigh.
Growing up as a Jew in small town South, I actually met people who didn't know I was Jewish, but told me that Jews have horns. As recently as the 1990s, I heard a Baptist minister in New England state that Jews killed Christ. I'm grateful that my religion is not as full of hate as "christians" seem to be.
I taught biology for a number of years and was surprised to discover that people do not know how to reason. I was once told by a student from Ohio that Jews had horns. I'm sure my jaw dropped. That makes no biological sense nor does it make any other kind of sense except that people are too willing to hate the other, the unfamiliar, the different.
I think there are people of good heart in most, if not all religions, as well as among people who hold no particular faith. But no religion guarantees acceptance, love and tolerance. We have to work hard at kindness and understanding. It’s unfortunate that those with ample hate and cruelty are ascendant in too many christians right now in our country. And that hate seems to be a primary motivating principle among the Trump & Co. and Muskovite leaders and acolytes.
We Americans have never had an easy time seeing who we are. I am truly sorry for your experiences. No one should experience cruelty because of what they are.
I believe until we come to terms with our past and see it for what it is and wh we have been, we will never move forward. It's like a chronic, but curable disease.
It’s certainly chronic, going back much further than our country and has caused more suffering than I have yet experienced. I can only hope it is curable. I fear we will be fighting this dark side of our natures for a long time. It helps to have good people like you standing for what is good in humanity.
I find people choose to be ignorant. Choosing to learn what is real takes effort and multiple sources. Not paying attention is easy. Not reading is lazy. People lie to themselves a great deal of the time. How many say, "Do I really know this or am I bullshitting myself?" Don't believe everything you think.
If you would like to return to a time when we can share things like USAID then I'd highly recommend you stop calling us advocating for our own interests "hate." Until that stops more things like this (including things that are actually important) are going to be torched because we can't agree on how to run them.
The core of MAGA are filled with hate or those who don’t identify as MAGA are willing to tolerate it. To deny that Trump and his minions do not traffic in hate and the celebration of violence is bonkers. It’s not name calling to identify them as hateful, NAZIs, anti semites and the like. It’s accurate.
I've looked into your substack. Your main interest is pseudo-scientific racism. The scientific method is the greatest achievement of Europe, with help from many others. But you don't really like Europe, you like hate.
It is scary to know that the "scientific" underpinnings for the Nazi identification and euthanasia of undesirables were codified by American physicians well before WWII. Our society as a whole has rejected those concepts, but the impulse remains in the cracks and crevices of our society.
I grew up a white boy in apartheid S. Africa, emigrated from that to the USA hoping that I'd not have to deal with white racist nationalism here.. fool me.
So this is my second time around living with the shame of not doing enough to stop the evil. You can't escape, just do what you can to resist and try not to think about it too much, that way lies madness.
I don't feel shame because I did all I could as an older woman to prevent Trump from winning in 2024. I didn't just vote. I worked actively to explain to others what we could expect, for example.
I feel horror, though. America's reputation and America's decency, to the extent we still had either, are quickly being destroyed, as is our government, all in the name of Trumpism, which is really kleptocracy and kakocracy.
Yes, they ‘see themselves as Christian’s’…the whole point of community and responsibility is that others ‘see you’ as Christian! Of course he whiffed at his ‘Come to Jesus’ moment when the Reverend reminded him that fear and scaring children and families wasn’t what Jesus taught. Of course JD came to the rescue and complained that she was ‘making religion political!’
‘Wholly Crap,’ Batman! This was a toxic male ‘conservative’ Catholic whose is in a very very weird cult, even the Pope thinks they are poisoning the teachings,’ that are an American invention! And extremely political! Toxic teachings!
Appallingly high as the figure may be, I refuse to let 49.8 percent of the US electorate speak for us — the other 50.2 percent. And I’m ready to help organize and vote in the coming midterms. Most of the other half of America is beyond saving, but we don’t need to convince them — only outvote them.
Really? Who do you think studies the Avian Flu and Ebola outbreaks in Africa; so it doesn’t come here? And I can give you many examples of the programs that not only benefit people overseas, but our farmers.
USAID buys a good portion of all our farmers excess crops and donates it overseas. It has a stamp that says courtesy of the US; building good will! Now all that is lost.
We fund social programs, and the arts, so people are accustomed to our values and way of life, so they can’t be indoctrinated into fomenting hate against us. Yet, you think you can put a price on the good will, or all the programs that supplement our farmers and other industries?
Additionally, when the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan in 1979, the country had seen a Civil War and invasion that had been fought for over 15 years, yet most of the population was very young.
We had an opportunity to rebuild and shape young minds, yet instead, we left, and eventually the Taliban took over; Al Qaeda metastasized, and we had 9/11, leading to untold deaths, and over $10 trillion wasted. And the end result was Trump!
Now imagine had we made a small investment in Afghanistan in 1980, and helped them grow into a flourishing democracy? Before the Afghanistan’s Civil War in 1975, the women wore mini-skirts, and the population was well educated in the cities. Today, not so much!
To be fair, using Afghanistan as an example... we were the ones that armed and trained the Mujahadeen, encouraging religious nuts to fight against the Soviets, including one Osama Bin Laden. That was good ol' American CIA. I am not excusing the Taliban or Al Qaeda, but we had more than a small hand in their making, and as I think we are discovering in this country right now, it is harder to turn zealots on than to shut them down.
Though I generally agree, I think you underestimate the force of the Islamic revolution, not only in Iran but throughout the Islamic world. Perhaps some of the more progressive young women, pre 1978, wore mini's in Karachi, but I don't think that our presence, as benign or selfless as could have been possible ( in other words,...not so much) would have helped Afghanistan remain a "flourishing democracy". That's simply naive!
Fair enough, but we’ll never know. Soft power has, and does work. What we do know is that without US support, nations either turn to authoritarian theocracies, or end up with other types of authoritarian regimes.
And although you make a good point with Iran, you also have to remember that Saddam invaded Iran in 1980 (a short honeymoon). And between Iraq and Lebanon, Iran had its hands full for almost a decade.
However, you don make a valid and interesting point, and you could be right, but nothing is inevitable; except perhaps Trump destroying the world!….:)
When the foreign food distribution is supplied by our farmers it is essential to our country to continue it. Helping the needy by any organization is necessary and, as humans, must continue.
That's the problem with you people. You go with feelings over facts. Every single documented news story has explained just how well USAID provided aid, but you don't "feel" it did it efficiently. I still have a hard time in this day and age understanding people who are proud to publicly proclaim their gullible stupidity.
No, our aid doesn’t create enemies, it’s politicians with hidden agendas; like Cheney/Rumsfeld and the manufactured war in Iraq! We were all hoodwinked!
So is that why Trump is consolidating power, taking a sledgehammer to The Constitution, and SCOTUS deciding to carve out an unconstitutional precedent with their immunity ruling?
Thanks for responding. Housing is a huge need and your local church is likely a positive force in your community. What concerns me is that a policy of isolation sounds good for now, but leaves us far more vulnerable in the future. Building houses builds community in the local sense; USAID builds community in a global sense. None of us can live as individuals without community or friends; I believe the US deludes itself if we believe that we have no need on international allies and we are well on our way to alienating our allies. Our oceans and isolation geographically is not the protection it was in the 19th century.
Some people don't understand the point of spending a fraction of one percent of our annual budget to keep kids in Africa from starvation and disease or funding the many American University programs studying the development of crops that will live in a changing climate - seeds that germinate in a variety of temperatures and soil conditions. These are USAID funded programs, in coordination with Female Seed Scientists in Africa who do many trials. As I watch my own patch of earth change, I think their science has been and will continue to be applicable worldwide. Eliminating disease and starvation surely contributes to ending chaos and poverty and the waves of migration driven by those tragic and reversible events.
National interest should drive national policy. For the past 80 years it has been in America’s interest to provide essential food and other direct assistance to people in other countries. In the aftermath of WWII much aid went to our defeated enemies, including assistance to help rebuild their economies. Later aid went to developing countries. Charitable orgs cannot operate at scale or do it alone.
"Weaponized" Yikes! Dear Lord, if you exist, forgive me for chatting with an AI bot from Jim Jordan's staff. I haven't had my coffee, it's eight degrees F outside and windy as all get out, a half inch of ice atop the snow, and we're out of suet cakes for the birds.
According to their website, Habitat For Humanity actually works (or used to work before the cuts) with USAID (I found USAID sponsored fellowhips in the US, energy efficiency programs in the Balkans and others), so they will be affected by those cuts as well.
The organization you support lost part of their funding and you say that doesn't matter because you still give the same amount? That is not really how NGO financing works.
I'm an American and I agree. Europe is wasting time pretending that everything was like it was six months ago.
It isn't just Trump the clown on his own with handlers keeping him in check.
There's crazy Musk who wants a ride to Mars. Who knows what plans he has for humanity but he's admitted people won't like it at first...but then they'll love it. I think the love it part is like the Tesla that the average person can afford...dropped as inconvenient.
There's JD Vance and his 2025 Christian Nationalists who dream of a beautiful theocracy where they rule in some on-going aristocracy.
The United States is like a car with no brakes careening down a steep hill full of winding curves. The driver is drunk and no one is wearing seat belts.
LOL .... Leave NATO - works for the rest of NATO, as they cannot depend on the US now anyway, so why pay anything ! BUT Putin is the WildCard tho. Trump made a deal or is beholden...or he would not use Russian talking points and winning Russian "negotiations" to SHOCK the world into seeing that fact clearly. Yes....Putin and Trump are finally "out of the closet" ;) So...I wonder how things now work out then, from here on in...between the STRONG man and the STUPID man. Who knows? We do know for certain, that you CANNOT trust Putin. Then , who are our Allies/friends/support/strength now ? .... alone in the water...? Feels much more like a sitting duck to me. Check Mate Putin
This is reality now. I agree the US of Trump should leave NATO or Trump will hamper it, make it ineffective, nullify it along with Orban's Hungary. The Europeans need a new alliance otherwise and to build a formidable resistance and to ACT on it. Include Ukraine. Why it's taken so long also makes this state of affairs today as scary as it is.
Most of USAID money is spent in the USA: on commodities, medicines, staff and consultants. Some is passed through charitable NGOs and other organizations, or paid to commercial and professional entities. Some filters through multilateral and UN agencies. It was a relatively efficient entity within the USG: great value for money. As a long-retired diplomat I can testify as to their work through the 1980s from personal observation.
One of my pet peeves is that people keep harping on about the detrimental effects of the allied reparations (which via negotiations had largely ceased to be an issue by the time Hitler came into power) and never mention the 5 billion francs in 'indemnity' that Germans collected from France under threat of military occupation (which might very well have been the precedent for said reparations) after blaming the French for the Franco-Prussian war in 1871. The French did not use this as an excuse to commit genocide. So every mention of the reparations should also mention that my countrymen were particularly sour losers who were mostly angry about being treated the way they had treated others. But the bigger lesson is probably that this kind of thing is apparently not just a one time evil, but has a tendency to create vicious cycles in which peoples seek mutual retribution for stuff they did to each other in the past.
Von trump has been lying all his fucking life. Do you think he may slightly improve? Never. Erase him before he starts another world war to save his own ass. Please... Include betanyanyahu and racist musk. Danke
Putin's own people were not into his invasion of Ukraine. He is currently using North Korean mercenaries to shore up his troops. Just like the economy that he mismanages his war machine was shown to be tremendously lacking. Why would Zelensky give up so much after his people have fought so courageously? Not sure any Trump fought in a major war nor does this one have any idea of the huge cost paid by so many including our own to secure the peace that we have enjoyed since the end of WWII. These brave people were not "suckers and losers" but patriots that fought for a greater good and a better world. Putin and Trump deserve each other. The Ukranians deserve their country back and reparations from the invaders.
Professor, although Trump is transactional by nature, this isn’t just about imperialism, or stealing Ukraine’s resources.
Russia has no intention of making a deal, and Trump knows this. This is a swarming technique to keep all sides in suspense and unable to formulate a game plan to oppose Putin.
We all know the end game, a realignment of the current world order; breaking the world into three spheres of influence. We’re already seeing China flex its muscles against Taiwan and Australia.
They’re trying to keep all our allies isolated and unable to have a coordinated response. Trump truly is a Benedict Arnold of the highest order. And this coup, isn’t isolated to the US; it’s a worldwide coup! IMHO!
Professor Krugman, I work in London in the financial sector. Since 20th January it has been flying. You could heat the champagne corks popping. They have been giddy with joy and enthusiasm. As far as the financial industry is concerned, it party like it’s 1928. They see vast horizons of opportunity opening before them. Now, I don’t think they are as smart as they think they are, but it is very depressing nonetheless.
Let me tell you an important factor behind Trump's hateful position towards Ukraine. Trump is highly vindictive man and much of his thinking is shaped by his personal vendettas. Trump despises Zelensky because of Ukraine aid scandal which led to his first impeachment trial. Trump has hated Zelensky ever since. Trump will sacrifice American geopolitical interests just to quench his personal hatred.
Excellent, excellent podcast with historian & strategist Phillips O’Brien. Wonderful! He was especially hopeful with some Europeans: Finland, Baltics, UK, & Poland……..with Poland & Finland possibly as lead powers?!!! Also, possibly a near future conversation of sorts with Anne Applebaum, yes? She has just recently recommended the older book “Captive Mind” that I just rounded up and am beginning!!! Paul, thank you so much for your valuable insight, work & caring!!!!
I have been following a brilliant Australian expert in military logistics and economy since shortly after the start of the war, Perun. And he has been saying the exact same thing: when you are using a 100k dollar drone to destroy the Moskva, you’re done. His latest video is about Russian losses and it basically talks about the money: how much it cost to send a fifty or sixty year old to the trenches rather than a 20 year old, of which Russia has a very limited supply. How much money goes into the signing bonuses. And how long this equation is sustainable.
Why would America (Trumpland) want to support freedom, democracy and decency? He wasn’t voted in to do that. USAID has been trashed because the wealthiest nation on earth by far resents paying the tiniest part of it wealth to help the utterly desperate: helping others makes them sick to their stomach. Maybe I forgot to add they see themselves as Christian’s? They voted to destroy their own democracy. They voted to ensure freedom of speech (or at least freedom to lie, incite and manipulate) only for anyone on their side: no freedom to decide your sexuality and
no freedom to keep your personal data safe.
As opponents of Brexit might well have said: but it wasn’t me, it wasn’t a majority of the country, I just can’t tell you how ashamed I am. Yet as a country you are judged by what you do.
How can one escape from this awful burden of belonging to a country that is hateful?
There was a Man in the last century who had the rare privilege of being able to travel around Italy without being controlled by the fascists. In his bike he hid documents to save Jewish children from the extermination camps.
Years later a journalist asked him why he had never boasted about it at the end of the regime. "Do you need a reason to do the right thing? Why boast about having done the right thing?", Gino Bartali.
If you don't have the courage to do the right thing, run away.
If you don't have courage, you can't give it to yourself.
Thank you, Federico!
And thank you Gino Bartali.
And we can add thanks to Oskar Schindler and Max Baer, and so many other good Germans who heroically risked their lives to save Jewish families. And the French family who rescued my aunt.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was also a gifted Lutheran pastor, during World War II. He has many inspirational words which I found in my grief of my husband‘s passing. Then I found out the other things he had done, and he was killed by the Nazis for it. Spoke truth to power. We should all be so brave
Love this. Thank you Federico!
MAGA TRASH are powered by hate and will eat themselves alive
Hate and paranoia.
Gino Bartali was a champion cyclist at Fausto Coppi's level, and a nationally known person with extraordinary presence...
Not Minimizing, but there were something like 7,000 Italian Jews killed during 39-45 war, a terrible time for all. Basically, enough to satisfy clerks in Berlin. A Jewish refugee would have been ecstatic to make it to Italy, as many did.
The racial laws, dictated by Julius Evola to Mussolini, are one of the most shameful pages in our history.
It's worth noting that the average American has no idea AT ALL how the federal budget works. Ask any person on the street and they'll likely tell you that half the federal budget goes to foreign aid, 50% of the budget goes to welfare, another half of the budget goes to teachers' unions, and maybe 2% goes to defense.
Man on the street: “Yeah, and the OTHER 50% goes to the Biden crime family. That’s why we needed Trump in the White House, to get our dimocrazy back.”
Dim people with dim ideas, and yet we ‘let’ them vote! What are we thinking? So they suppress our voting through bizarre hurtles and misinformation.
You are sad, and wrong- I feel for you.
Math skills courtesy of Fox News, sponsored by Schlitz Beer.
Widespread ignorance is a major factor in this catastrophe. The remaining Democracies need to take note of how ignorance and natural susceptibility to lies (which are exciting and engaging) are how autocrats have gained so much ground.
There is a reason China has such a stranglehold on the internet. Seeing what has happened here in the US I'm not so sure they're wrong.
HOWEVER, there must always be room for dissent to be heard. LOYAL opposition is key to long term success. How you achieve that and keep the would-be monarchs at bay, I don't know.
From the foldings of its robe, it brought two children;
wretched, abject, frightful, hideous, miserable. They knelt
down at its feet, and clung upon the outside of its garment.
'Oh, Man. look here. Look, look, down here.' exclaimed the Ghost.
"They were a boy and a girl. Yellow, meagre, ragged, scowling,
wolfish; but prostrate, too, in their humility. Where
graceful youth should have filled their features out, and
touched them with its freshest tints, a stale and shrivelled
hand, like that of age, had pinched, and twisted them, and
pulled them into shreds. Where angels might have sat
enthroned, devils lurked, and glared out menacing. No
change, no degradation, no perversion of humanity, in any
grade, through all the mysteries of wonderful creation, has
monsters half so horrible and dread.
"Scrooge started back, appalled. Having them shown to him
in this way, he tried to say they were fine children, but
the words choked themselves, rather than be parties to a lie
of such enormous magnitude.
"'Spirit. are they yours.' Scrooge could say no more.
"'They are Man's,' said the Spirit, looking down upon
them. 'And they cling to me, appealing from their fathers.
This boy is Ignorance. This girl is Want. Beware them both,
and all of their degree, but most of all beware this boy,
for on his brow I see that written which is Doom, unless the
writing be erased."
Dickens had it right so long ago.
Never underestimate the power of propaganda.
I know, right? Democrats haven’t lost the confidence of voters. Significant numbers of voters have lost their minds. Between X and Meta, the MAGA movement has everything it needs to shape public opinion, and the public, instead of questioning the lies, parrots them excitedly.
It’s not the country that’s hateful, it’s the leadership, who knew exactly what they’re doing, and about 33% of the population that voted for our destruction and propagates the hate.
Moreover, most people voted for Trump because they were struggling, and Trump told them everything they wanted to hear. The MSM assured them that Trump didn’t mean anything he said, while social media demonized and divided the Democratic Party. The Israel/Palestinian issue is a perfect example.
X and Meta were weaponizing all the violence, showing Jews the initial Hamas invasion and destruction, while equally inflaming the Palestinians, while Israel was committing acts of genocide.
This was a well coordinated effort of disinformation and misinformation campaigns by foreign actors and surrogates of Trump! iMHO!…:)
It seems painfully obvious that more than 33% of Americans practice hate as an avocation. And those who home stayed home knew what was coming but assumed that middle class privilege would keep them safe.
I don’t disagree, but don’t assume most of American’s are informed about anything!
I live in Miami, and I was speaking to people who had actually thought it was Biden who ended Roe, with the Dobb’s decision. When I pointed out it was Trump who put the justices in place, all I hear is, “well Biden was president, so it’s his fault!”
Never underestimate the stupidity of the American electorate; your head will explode if you do…:)
The level of ignorance is astonishing. I think over the last few decades people have come to see the President as a rotating king. Most don't know that Congress has any power. I bet over half of the American public couldn't even name the three branches of government and what their responsibilities are.
You are being far too generous when you say half of the American public. I think it's more in the high 80,s that couldn't name the branches and their functions.
Sadly, I have to agree…:)
A sad and sickening state of affairs. Fox News, along with Newsmax, Breitbart, et al, represent an unprecedented abuse of the first amendment, and the Moron Majority swallows it wholesale - along with their Schlitz.
Faux is their drug of choice…they are addicted, buy more fentanyl, blame Biden/Obama. Voted for Donny! ‘easier than thinking!’
That said, the middle working class people who don’t see what Biden did for them are sad! But the core and explanation is much more simple, given all their excuses…she is a woman, and a woman of color! Make all the excuses, their rational, but the bottom line is ‘she was bridge too far!’ Gretchen would have cleared the table!
I think that's partially true. But a lot of them just simply absorbed the propaganda being spoon fed to them from the wingnut echo chamber. And it reverberated in their hollow, Schlitz addled skulls.
Well said! Love the “moron majority!”
They a certain native, feral, intelligence but years of drug use have reprogrammed their brains, starting with the well named Rush and toxic AM radio…think of how many hours they sat and listened to him crumple up paper like he was reading something while his just riffing in his oxymoronic, OxyContin addled way. Then FUAX, and all the rest…drugification of American’s minds! Just say No! ….no, HELL NO! Rush and donate…I like AOC’s advertising choices at the moment.
A majority of white American voters are certainly hateful. Also willfully ignorant. Very close to all of Musk’s actions plainly violate specific laws passed by Congress. Unfortunately, there is no legal mechanism for stopping the Trump administration except the removal of the president from office through the impeachment process, which has never happened in US history and certainly will not happen with this Congress. Even if it did, the US would be faced with the same or worse from the hillbilly who would inherit the presidency. He would also need to be removed, bringing in the Speaker of the House, another proud, fully declared Christian nationalist. So, the world is stuck with a bunch of reckless, nefarious amateurs operating (illegally) the levers of power in control of the world’s most powerful military and biggest stock of lethal (to put it mildly) weapons and manipulating the world’s largest national economy. It would take a miracle for US democracy to survive. The only hope is for US democracy to hold on, somehow, until the midterm elections 20 months from now, combined with voters in that election recognizing the danger and throwing most of the Republicans up for election out of office. (Republicans running for election at that time will include, most importantly, 218 members of House of Representatives and 20 Senators.) Such an awakening and/or change of heart in the willfully ignorant population of white voters in the US is hard even to imagine, much less expect.
Reading your comments I get the feeling that you have a focused prejudice against me, as a white American. It may be time to take a breath and look around. I've experienced hatred from blacks. Blacks have enthusiastically voted for Trump. German immigrants have used racist slurs against my Japanese wife. There is more than enough hate flowing from people of all color. We either examine our selves and act in a moral manner, or we are no better than Trumps version of the brown shirts that Hitler used.
Maybe, but I’m somewhat less pessimistic. According to the exit polls, only 12 percent of voters selected immigration as their #1 issue, with the top answers being the economy and democracy. And nonvoters are in fact much more likely to being lower-class than the active electorate.
Doesn’t matter what they tell pollsters. The top priority of a majority of white voters is a government that makes sure black Americans don’t get a leg up and the legal, economic, and political advantages of white Americans are preseved. Their second priority, whatever it might be, is down somewhere in the noise. Has been since 1954 when white Americans found themselves with a government that recognized the systemic oppression that it was imposing on black Americans and took some baby steps toward remedies. “Bussing” was all rethugs had to say then to attract a significant majority of white votes. Now the code word is “woke.” Works the same way.
I don’t know. As an outsider/insider (non-Christian, non-religious, with a divorced Jewish father and Catholic mother, back when both were a lot less common), I’ve encountered a lot of hate and ostracism in my life from good, ordinary Americans. I’ve been screamed at and called a Christ-killer, told not to look for a home in this and that neighborhood, had people literally turn their backs on me. I’ve been physically attacked for looking different. Don’t misunderstand me; a lot of people have had it a lot worse than I have. But still, it hasn’t always been fun.
I’m not sure the right-wing haters led their supporters to this. I think they just encouraged what already was there.
No doubt! Back in the 80’s when I was in college, we drove down to Florida for Spring Break. We stopped at a gas station in East Bubble Georgia (not the name, but it was rural).
To put this into perspective, I am Jewish, but don’t practice, it’s more an identity, than a religion for me. However, I grew up in NY, and even had some friends parents (Catholic)) describe me as a “good Jew.”
Additionally, even on LI at the time, there were only three golf clubs that allowed Jews and Blacks. So…..
That said, and back to my story; I went into the store to pay for gas, and the guy needed my license. After trying to read my last name, he said, “ what type of name is Jaffee?” I said Jewish. He looked at me like he never say a Jewish person in his life, and said, “where are your horns?” True story!
Other than that, it was mostly some idiots who would throw out a Holocaust joke from time to time like: “what’s the difference between a Jew and a Pizza; a pizza doesn’t scream when you put it in the oven! Very mature!…:)
I’ve heard that joke. Also, “I never met a Jew before, not a live one.” I grew up in NYC as well and have what is basically a Jewish identity, although I’ve encountered animosity when I mentioned that to some Jews (some days you just can’t win). I have probably ten years or a bit more on you. I remember a college party at Madison, WI, and when everyone learned I was Jewish (too complicated to explain the nuances), most of them pointed at me, saying something like the above “never met a Jew before.” They didn’t mean to be threatening, but still. I’ve also met the horns comments as well. Sigh.
Honestly, when he said it, I didn’t know what he was referring to, because that one was new to me…:)
Growing up as a Jew in small town South, I actually met people who didn't know I was Jewish, but told me that Jews have horns. As recently as the 1990s, I heard a Baptist minister in New England state that Jews killed Christ. I'm grateful that my religion is not as full of hate as "christians" seem to be.
True, although these Israeli settlers give these evangelicals a run for the money; and it’s these evangelicals that support Israel the most…:)
I taught biology for a number of years and was surprised to discover that people do not know how to reason. I was once told by a student from Ohio that Jews had horns. I'm sure my jaw dropped. That makes no biological sense nor does it make any other kind of sense except that people are too willing to hate the other, the unfamiliar, the different.
I think there are people of good heart in most, if not all religions, as well as among people who hold no particular faith. But no religion guarantees acceptance, love and tolerance. We have to work hard at kindness and understanding. It’s unfortunate that those with ample hate and cruelty are ascendant in too many christians right now in our country. And that hate seems to be a primary motivating principle among the Trump & Co. and Muskovite leaders and acolytes.
We Americans have never had an easy time seeing who we are. I am truly sorry for your experiences. No one should experience cruelty because of what they are.
I believe until we come to terms with our past and see it for what it is and wh we have been, we will never move forward. It's like a chronic, but curable disease.
It’s certainly chronic, going back much further than our country and has caused more suffering than I have yet experienced. I can only hope it is curable. I fear we will be fighting this dark side of our natures for a long time. It helps to have good people like you standing for what is good in humanity.
Thank you. It's good to remember that change is possible. The only constant is impermanence. 🧡
Sorry to hear that. We humans seem to have a pecking order.
And distrust or even hate the outsider.
I find people choose to be ignorant. Choosing to learn what is real takes effort and multiple sources. Not paying attention is easy. Not reading is lazy. People lie to themselves a great deal of the time. How many say, "Do I really know this or am I bullshitting myself?" Don't believe everything you think.
“EGGS — Grrrrrrr!! 😡”
If you would like to return to a time when we can share things like USAID then I'd highly recommend you stop calling us advocating for our own interests "hate." Until that stops more things like this (including things that are actually important) are going to be torched because we can't agree on how to run them.
The core of MAGA are filled with hate or those who don’t identify as MAGA are willing to tolerate it. To deny that Trump and his minions do not traffic in hate and the celebration of violence is bonkers. It’s not name calling to identify them as hateful, NAZIs, anti semites and the like. It’s accurate.
Please reread my comment.
So you are saying you are not hateful, just narrowly selfish. Is that better? Just collateral damage, eh?
If you don't want to be "selfish" you're more than welcome to donate as much as you'd like to whichever cause you'd like.
Looked at your profile. Anyone who thinks that a swift nuclear exchange would improve things in the United States deserves to be blocked.
white racism causes brain damge....exhibit A
I've looked into your substack. Your main interest is pseudo-scientific racism. The scientific method is the greatest achievement of Europe, with help from many others. But you don't really like Europe, you like hate.
It is scary to know that the "scientific" underpinnings for the Nazi identification and euthanasia of undesirables were codified by American physicians well before WWII. Our society as a whole has rejected those concepts, but the impulse remains in the cracks and crevices of our society.
What makes you think it’s pseudo-scientific?
I grew up a white boy in apartheid S. Africa, emigrated from that to the USA hoping that I'd not have to deal with white racist nationalism here.. fool me.
So this is my second time around living with the shame of not doing enough to stop the evil. You can't escape, just do what you can to resist and try not to think about it too much, that way lies madness.
I don't feel shame because I did all I could as an older woman to prevent Trump from winning in 2024. I didn't just vote. I worked actively to explain to others what we could expect, for example.
I feel horror, though. America's reputation and America's decency, to the extent we still had either, are quickly being destroyed, as is our government, all in the name of Trumpism, which is really kleptocracy and kakocracy.
Most of us can't escape it. The best we can hope to do is fight to transform it back to what it was ostensibly meant to be.
Yes, they ‘see themselves as Christian’s’…the whole point of community and responsibility is that others ‘see you’ as Christian! Of course he whiffed at his ‘Come to Jesus’ moment when the Reverend reminded him that fear and scaring children and families wasn’t what Jesus taught. Of course JD came to the rescue and complained that she was ‘making religion political!’
‘Wholly Crap,’ Batman! This was a toxic male ‘conservative’ Catholic whose is in a very very weird cult, even the Pope thinks they are poisoning the teachings,’ that are an American invention! And extremely political! Toxic teachings!
Appallingly high as the figure may be, I refuse to let 49.8 percent of the US electorate speak for us — the other 50.2 percent. And I’m ready to help organize and vote in the coming midterms. Most of the other half of America is beyond saving, but we don’t need to convince them — only outvote them.
Evangelical fascists hate America and are brainwashed by Putin propaganda- they are a dangerous Fifth Column https://www.wsj.com/world/europe/russia-ukraine-american-spy-daniel-martindale-fc7b51f5?st=gvy2dR&reflink=article_copyURL_share
GH Wonderful comments. It is so helpful to know I am not alone. Thank you.
https://trumpgolftrack.com/?utm_source=www.read.bogeybois.com&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=tracker&_bhlid=75b690bdda71a079dd1b4bf51d20b04f81f0a6ff
USAID saved lives and Trump, who just anointed himself king, is a disaster for the world, and is going to hasten widespread extinctions.
And you deserve to be blocked.
Really? Who do you think studies the Avian Flu and Ebola outbreaks in Africa; so it doesn’t come here? And I can give you many examples of the programs that not only benefit people overseas, but our farmers.
USAID buys a good portion of all our farmers excess crops and donates it overseas. It has a stamp that says courtesy of the US; building good will! Now all that is lost.
We fund social programs, and the arts, so people are accustomed to our values and way of life, so they can’t be indoctrinated into fomenting hate against us. Yet, you think you can put a price on the good will, or all the programs that supplement our farmers and other industries?
Additionally, when the Soviet Union pulled out of Afghanistan in 1979, the country had seen a Civil War and invasion that had been fought for over 15 years, yet most of the population was very young.
We had an opportunity to rebuild and shape young minds, yet instead, we left, and eventually the Taliban took over; Al Qaeda metastasized, and we had 9/11, leading to untold deaths, and over $10 trillion wasted. And the end result was Trump!
Now imagine had we made a small investment in Afghanistan in 1980, and helped them grow into a flourishing democracy? Before the Afghanistan’s Civil War in 1975, the women wore mini-skirts, and the population was well educated in the cities. Today, not so much!
To be fair, using Afghanistan as an example... we were the ones that armed and trained the Mujahadeen, encouraging religious nuts to fight against the Soviets, including one Osama Bin Laden. That was good ol' American CIA. I am not excusing the Taliban or Al Qaeda, but we had more than a small hand in their making, and as I think we are discovering in this country right now, it is harder to turn zealots on than to shut them down.
You leave out that it was the U.S. turning our backs on them after that war that radicalized them against the U.S. Kind of important.
Though I generally agree, I think you underestimate the force of the Islamic revolution, not only in Iran but throughout the Islamic world. Perhaps some of the more progressive young women, pre 1978, wore mini's in Karachi, but I don't think that our presence, as benign or selfless as could have been possible ( in other words,...not so much) would have helped Afghanistan remain a "flourishing democracy". That's simply naive!
Fair enough, but we’ll never know. Soft power has, and does work. What we do know is that without US support, nations either turn to authoritarian theocracies, or end up with other types of authoritarian regimes.
And although you make a good point with Iran, you also have to remember that Saddam invaded Iran in 1980 (a short honeymoon). And between Iraq and Lebanon, Iran had its hands full for almost a decade.
However, you don make a valid and interesting point, and you could be right, but nothing is inevitable; except perhaps Trump destroying the world!….:)
When the foreign food distribution is supplied by our farmers it is essential to our country to continue it. Helping the needy by any organization is necessary and, as humans, must continue.
That's the problem with you people. You go with feelings over facts. Every single documented news story has explained just how well USAID provided aid, but you don't "feel" it did it efficiently. I still have a hard time in this day and age understanding people who are proud to publicly proclaim their gullible stupidity.
Tools of foreign policy and soft power projection.
You have just cheered up your enemies.
Jesus Christ, violent immigrants! Immigrants, documented and not, are less likely to commit crime than citizens.
Spreading swill will not bring our institutions back.
Well it is a good thing that Republicans never mock Democrat's concerns. Because that would be a bad thing, right?
No, our aid doesn’t create enemies, it’s politicians with hidden agendas; like Cheney/Rumsfeld and the manufactured war in Iraq! We were all hoodwinked!
Yes. And that’s why want as little power and flexibility given to them as possible.
So is that why Trump is consolidating power, taking a sledgehammer to The Constitution, and SCOTUS deciding to carve out an unconstitutional precedent with their immunity ruling?
I would suggest that unnecessary wars created foreign enemies. Starting with W’s wet dream of a pointless war. A holy war, by the way..
Aaaaand there it is.
I am interested - who are you donating to? What causes are you supporting? And where do you volunteer?
Thanks for responding. Housing is a huge need and your local church is likely a positive force in your community. What concerns me is that a policy of isolation sounds good for now, but leaves us far more vulnerable in the future. Building houses builds community in the local sense; USAID builds community in a global sense. None of us can live as individuals without community or friends; I believe the US deludes itself if we believe that we have no need on international allies and we are well on our way to alienating our allies. Our oceans and isolation geographically is not the protection it was in the 19th century.
Some people don't understand the point of spending a fraction of one percent of our annual budget to keep kids in Africa from starvation and disease or funding the many American University programs studying the development of crops that will live in a changing climate - seeds that germinate in a variety of temperatures and soil conditions. These are USAID funded programs, in coordination with Female Seed Scientists in Africa who do many trials. As I watch my own patch of earth change, I think their science has been and will continue to be applicable worldwide. Eliminating disease and starvation surely contributes to ending chaos and poverty and the waves of migration driven by those tragic and reversible events.
National interest should drive national policy. For the past 80 years it has been in America’s interest to provide essential food and other direct assistance to people in other countries. In the aftermath of WWII much aid went to our defeated enemies, including assistance to help rebuild their economies. Later aid went to developing countries. Charitable orgs cannot operate at scale or do it alone.
"Weaponized" Yikes! Dear Lord, if you exist, forgive me for chatting with an AI bot from Jim Jordan's staff. I haven't had my coffee, it's eight degrees F outside and windy as all get out, a half inch of ice atop the snow, and we're out of suet cakes for the birds.
In a Democracy, you don’t always get what you want.
According to their website, Habitat For Humanity actually works (or used to work before the cuts) with USAID (I found USAID sponsored fellowhips in the US, energy efficiency programs in the Balkans and others), so they will be affected by those cuts as well.
The organization you support lost part of their funding and you say that doesn't matter because you still give the same amount? That is not really how NGO financing works.
That is a good organization, but there are many all over the world. Reaching all of them is easier for a government than an individual.
Again, I am interested. How has USAID funded our enemies? Or been weaponized against us? I don’t know this information.
The US is already a rogue nation Paul. We're talking about a country demanding to own Gaza, Greenland, Canada, and the minerals of Ukraine.
At this point, the best thing that could happen is that the US leave NATO altogether and launch their trade war against the EU.
It would be a very difficult time for Europe, but we can build a continent self sufficient in technology and military.
We only lack the will to do so.
But it is time to ban Google, Facebook, Twitter, Teslas.
Time to stop buying American weapons.
I view the US as a far, far more dangerous ennemy than any other, including Russia and China, considering the European dependence on this country.
For an American who voted against this insanity, that was painful to read. And I agree with you 100%.
I'm an American and I agree. Europe is wasting time pretending that everything was like it was six months ago.
It isn't just Trump the clown on his own with handlers keeping him in check.
There's crazy Musk who wants a ride to Mars. Who knows what plans he has for humanity but he's admitted people won't like it at first...but then they'll love it. I think the love it part is like the Tesla that the average person can afford...dropped as inconvenient.
There's JD Vance and his 2025 Christian Nationalists who dream of a beautiful theocracy where they rule in some on-going aristocracy.
The United States is like a car with no brakes careening down a steep hill full of winding curves. The driver is drunk and no one is wearing seat belts.
Very painful to read but I largely agree. We live, as they say, in a time of monsters.
LOL .... Leave NATO - works for the rest of NATO, as they cannot depend on the US now anyway, so why pay anything ! BUT Putin is the WildCard tho. Trump made a deal or is beholden...or he would not use Russian talking points and winning Russian "negotiations" to SHOCK the world into seeing that fact clearly. Yes....Putin and Trump are finally "out of the closet" ;) So...I wonder how things now work out then, from here on in...between the STRONG man and the STUPID man. Who knows? We do know for certain, that you CANNOT trust Putin. Then , who are our Allies/friends/support/strength now ? .... alone in the water...? Feels much more like a sitting duck to me. Check Mate Putin
This is reality now. I agree the US of Trump should leave NATO or Trump will hamper it, make it ineffective, nullify it along with Orban's Hungary. The Europeans need a new alliance otherwise and to build a formidable resistance and to ACT on it. Include Ukraine. Why it's taken so long also makes this state of affairs today as scary as it is.
Most of USAID money is spent in the USA: on commodities, medicines, staff and consultants. Some is passed through charitable NGOs and other organizations, or paid to commercial and professional entities. Some filters through multilateral and UN agencies. It was a relatively efficient entity within the USG: great value for money. As a long-retired diplomat I can testify as to their work through the 1980s from personal observation.
One of my pet peeves is that people keep harping on about the detrimental effects of the allied reparations (which via negotiations had largely ceased to be an issue by the time Hitler came into power) and never mention the 5 billion francs in 'indemnity' that Germans collected from France under threat of military occupation (which might very well have been the precedent for said reparations) after blaming the French for the Franco-Prussian war in 1871. The French did not use this as an excuse to commit genocide. So every mention of the reparations should also mention that my countrymen were particularly sour losers who were mostly angry about being treated the way they had treated others. But the bigger lesson is probably that this kind of thing is apparently not just a one time evil, but has a tendency to create vicious cycles in which peoples seek mutual retribution for stuff they did to each other in the past.
Von trump has been lying all his fucking life. Do you think he may slightly improve? Never. Erase him before he starts another world war to save his own ass. Please... Include betanyanyahu and racist musk. Danke
Putin's own people were not into his invasion of Ukraine. He is currently using North Korean mercenaries to shore up his troops. Just like the economy that he mismanages his war machine was shown to be tremendously lacking. Why would Zelensky give up so much after his people have fought so courageously? Not sure any Trump fought in a major war nor does this one have any idea of the huge cost paid by so many including our own to secure the peace that we have enjoyed since the end of WWII. These brave people were not "suckers and losers" but patriots that fought for a greater good and a better world. Putin and Trump deserve each other. The Ukranians deserve their country back and reparations from the invaders.
The Orange MAGA Deity is a draft dodger, as was his grandfather Friedrich.
IIRC, said draft dodging was why he, Friedrich, was not allowed to return to Germany when he tried to do so.
He also had written in Marla Maples divorce papers, that he would cease child support if Tiffany went into any kind of military service.
Professor Krugman: thank you so much for the book recommendations. i will certainly purchase them as soon as i possibly can!
Everyone needs Atlases and maps. Ukraine is a pathway to northern industrialized Europe by virtue of it's terrain and surrounding nations' terrain.
Professor, although Trump is transactional by nature, this isn’t just about imperialism, or stealing Ukraine’s resources.
Russia has no intention of making a deal, and Trump knows this. This is a swarming technique to keep all sides in suspense and unable to formulate a game plan to oppose Putin.
We all know the end game, a realignment of the current world order; breaking the world into three spheres of influence. We’re already seeing China flex its muscles against Taiwan and Australia.
They’re trying to keep all our allies isolated and unable to have a coordinated response. Trump truly is a Benedict Arnold of the highest order. And this coup, isn’t isolated to the US; it’s a worldwide coup! IMHO!
Yeah. The three spheres of influence being:
Oceania, North Asia, East Asia.
Big Brother is watching.
Donald Trump is the King of Locusts who have decimated our nation and are now flying off to other fertile fields to decimate them.
They're not done with us yet. They still have much more havoc to wreak on us.
Thomas Jefferson arranged the Louisiana Purchase which expanded our nation.
Donald Trump is trying to steal several land masses.
Donald Trump is no Thomas Jefferson.
Professor Krugman, I work in London in the financial sector. Since 20th January it has been flying. You could heat the champagne corks popping. They have been giddy with joy and enthusiasm. As far as the financial industry is concerned, it party like it’s 1928. They see vast horizons of opportunity opening before them. Now, I don’t think they are as smart as they think they are, but it is very depressing nonetheless.
Let me tell you an important factor behind Trump's hateful position towards Ukraine. Trump is highly vindictive man and much of his thinking is shaped by his personal vendettas. Trump despises Zelensky because of Ukraine aid scandal which led to his first impeachment trial. Trump has hated Zelensky ever since. Trump will sacrifice American geopolitical interests just to quench his personal hatred.
Excellent, excellent podcast with historian & strategist Phillips O’Brien. Wonderful! He was especially hopeful with some Europeans: Finland, Baltics, UK, & Poland……..with Poland & Finland possibly as lead powers?!!! Also, possibly a near future conversation of sorts with Anne Applebaum, yes? She has just recently recommended the older book “Captive Mind” that I just rounded up and am beginning!!! Paul, thank you so much for your valuable insight, work & caring!!!!
I don’t know which is more frightening, that Trump may be suffering dementia - or that he isn’t.
In either case we're screwed. Oh yes, and he's not the one suffering, we are.
I have been following a brilliant Australian expert in military logistics and economy since shortly after the start of the war, Perun. And he has been saying the exact same thing: when you are using a 100k dollar drone to destroy the Moskva, you’re done. His latest video is about Russian losses and it basically talks about the money: how much it cost to send a fifty or sixty year old to the trenches rather than a 20 year old, of which Russia has a very limited supply. How much money goes into the signing bonuses. And how long this equation is sustainable.
You would love Perun, professor.