My home state of KY, which I left decades ago, has an outsized role in all of this. A state smaller in population than the Chicago area has sent to Congress some of the worst politicians in our history. Two of the traitorous idiots mentioned in this essay, Rand Paul and James Comer, are from KY. On top of that, KY through McConnell has corrupted our judiciary to the point that we may never recover.
A state with the population of 4.5 million that is last in most things good and first in most things bad, has held sway over the majority for too long and in the process has done more harm than a Confederate army.
My sympathies, Craig. It's always been baffling that a state that produces such amazing whiskey could also produce such awful politicians. There's an NRA connection to KY also, but I can't recall the details now. Yes: outsized.
Watching Italian Catholics from NJ fuck up our democracy, I feel your pain.
It's helpful to see the dots connected, but I don't agree with McCain's assessment of 2014 Crimea at all. I respected John McCain because he occasionally stood up to the assholes in his own party, and he was correct in his characterization of Putin, but he was wrong about a lot of other things.
Other than Germany's Angela Merkel, there was no support for Crimea from the rest of Europe. Obama had to twist arms just to get the minimal sanctions. The unilateral crap pulled by the George W. administration made it all that more important to build a regional consensus, and it just wasn't there. Should we have shared intelligence with Ukraine? I'm not convinced that we didn't.
Fair point, Rick. These things are easier to assess with the benefit of hindsight. Certainly there was no appetite here for farflung military adventures after the "War on Terror," and McCain also notes in that interview that Europe would be loath to help out. And *I* certainly didn't think so at the time, so it's not like I was some seer or something. Maybe we did all we culd at the time, in that moment. With that said, there is no question that American weakness wrt Crimea emboldened Putin.
This is good to see. The Europeans are closer both geographically to Russia and historically to fascist regimes taking over heir territory. They understand this better than we do here.
Well done, a time-line for the times. Very, very confusing. As suggested above, follow the money, greenbacks always have a role to play in things dastardly. Yet that alone cannot explain. I would say ideology but these numbskulls are too stupid to be driven by things of the mind. For me it cannot be as simple as wanting 45 reinstalled, unless they see him as a pawn in a bigger endgame.
This leads to Putin's favored tool, Kompromat. While I cannot fathom what he has on each it usually comes down to sex and aberrant behaviors, those of the most shameful kind.
Regardless I sit and watch this once shining beacon dim, sliding into chaos as first the House, then SCOTUS succumb. The Senate has some respectability left but resignations and retirements erode it, rendering it helpless, really hapless.
Woe are we. The magnificent seven came first, now the malignant seven.
If there is coordination here, if this is a Russian active measure and not just seven dudes being dopey, I highly doubt it has anything to do with money.
Is it my imagination, or are we living in a period where there’s more and more treasonous behavior in our government and we’re getting less and less likely to call it that?
I suspect that future historians, if there are any, are going to compare Obama on Crimea with Chamberlain on Czechoslovakia. At the time, I thought "well, Crimea was never, historically, part of Ukraine while it WAS part of Russia since Catherine the Great." In retrospect, he underestimated Putin's mad resolve.
If we DO get into a war because Putin hits a NATO ally, a lot of the support of Russia by idiots like Gaetz, et al are going to result in actionable treason.
To be fair, I didn't recognize the Crimea stuff either, in the moment. But then, I wasn't the president at he time.
If he rolls into Poland at breakfast, he'll be finished by lunchtime. Their entire military is mired in Ukraine. Who's defending the homeland? These psycho dictators never learn: don't overextend.
Thank you..for the breakdown Greg. This 3 ring, nightmare of a circus we call Congress, is becoming difficult to follow & you do a great job of separating the events & players on a timeline. We can come to reasonable conclusion, that if some of these players, continue to erode trust in governance & government, we're a bit screwed..aren't we. American voters need to get their heads on straight, as this is a pivotal upcoming election, which may well determine, not only America's fate, but the world's. Trump & the republican party are not our friends. But, some of us have known that a long time. Any good guys in that party, are all footnotes in history.
Thanks, Bonnie. These Repugs are just strands of cooked spaghetti Putin throws at the wall. But will most Americans, the ones who "don't like politics" or who think that Bide and Trump are equally bad, wake up? This I cannot predict.
It’s TUESDAY🎉
And what a Tuesday!
Follow the money from Russian oligarchs to Republicans.
https://thedemlabs.org/2022/08/28/how-russian-oligarchs-influence-the-gop-and-threaten-us-national-security/
From The Money And Favors For MAGA Republicans To Block Aid For Ukraine with this infographic https://thedemlabs.org/2024/02/15/maga-republicans-johnson-trump-block-aid-for-ukraine/
Warren Buffet’s son Howard has given $500 million to Ukraine. 🌻
Good for him, and shame on our government.
Shame on MAGA traitors.
Great work, Deepak!
March 5. The world continues to spin. Bill remains confused. Greg helps straighten him out. WTG. Fine analysis. Billserle.com
President Biden is far from confused. 😎
And thank god for that.
A well trained politician and diplomat.
Thanks, Bill.
My home state of KY, which I left decades ago, has an outsized role in all of this. A state smaller in population than the Chicago area has sent to Congress some of the worst politicians in our history. Two of the traitorous idiots mentioned in this essay, Rand Paul and James Comer, are from KY. On top of that, KY through McConnell has corrupted our judiciary to the point that we may never recover.
A state with the population of 4.5 million that is last in most things good and first in most things bad, has held sway over the majority for too long and in the process has done more harm than a Confederate army.
KY is proof that we live under minority rule.
My sympathies, Craig. It's always been baffling that a state that produces such amazing whiskey could also produce such awful politicians. There's an NRA connection to KY also, but I can't recall the details now. Yes: outsized.
Watching Italian Catholics from NJ fuck up our democracy, I feel your pain.
There's also a KKK connection too. Two of the largest KKK compounds in the nation are in KY with one being in Comer's district.
It's helpful to see the dots connected, but I don't agree with McCain's assessment of 2014 Crimea at all. I respected John McCain because he occasionally stood up to the assholes in his own party, and he was correct in his characterization of Putin, but he was wrong about a lot of other things.
Other than Germany's Angela Merkel, there was no support for Crimea from the rest of Europe. Obama had to twist arms just to get the minimal sanctions. The unilateral crap pulled by the George W. administration made it all that more important to build a regional consensus, and it just wasn't there. Should we have shared intelligence with Ukraine? I'm not convinced that we didn't.
Sharing intelligence with Ukraine before Zelensky became President would have gone directly to Putin.
Good point!
Zelensky won on getting rid of the old Soviet republic corruption.
I had not thought of that, but you're probably right.
Fair point, Rick. These things are easier to assess with the benefit of hindsight. Certainly there was no appetite here for farflung military adventures after the "War on Terror," and McCain also notes in that interview that Europe would be loath to help out. And *I* certainly didn't think so at the time, so it's not like I was some seer or something. Maybe we did all we culd at the time, in that moment. With that said, there is no question that American weakness wrt Crimea emboldened Putin.
Meanwhile, EU want to spend the Russian sanctioned dirty rubles on weapons to Ukraine.
EU and NATO have Ukraine’s back. 🇪🇺 #United to protect democracy!
This is good to see. The Europeans are closer both geographically to Russia and historically to fascist regimes taking over heir territory. They understand this better than we do here.
Yes EU ARMY badly needed 👍🏻 I’m presently in Denmark and Spain now.
Well done, a time-line for the times. Very, very confusing. As suggested above, follow the money, greenbacks always have a role to play in things dastardly. Yet that alone cannot explain. I would say ideology but these numbskulls are too stupid to be driven by things of the mind. For me it cannot be as simple as wanting 45 reinstalled, unless they see him as a pawn in a bigger endgame.
This leads to Putin's favored tool, Kompromat. While I cannot fathom what he has on each it usually comes down to sex and aberrant behaviors, those of the most shameful kind.
Regardless I sit and watch this once shining beacon dim, sliding into chaos as first the House, then SCOTUS succumb. The Senate has some respectability left but resignations and retirements erode it, rendering it helpless, really hapless.
Woe are we. The magnificent seven came first, now the malignant seven.
Thanks, Old Man. Malignant Seven is good.
If there is coordination here, if this is a Russian active measure and not just seven dudes being dopey, I highly doubt it has anything to do with money.
Is it my imagination, or are we living in a period where there’s more and more treasonous behavior in our government and we’re getting less and less likely to call it that?
That's wonderfully put, Earl, and it's not your imagination. It's also the media that refuses to call it out for he most part.
Greg thank you for this time- line. It puts the Russia loving conservatives in a simple to follow light
Thanks, Helen. They love them some Kremlin!
I suspect that future historians, if there are any, are going to compare Obama on Crimea with Chamberlain on Czechoslovakia. At the time, I thought "well, Crimea was never, historically, part of Ukraine while it WAS part of Russia since Catherine the Great." In retrospect, he underestimated Putin's mad resolve.
If we DO get into a war because Putin hits a NATO ally, a lot of the support of Russia by idiots like Gaetz, et al are going to result in actionable treason.
To be fair, I didn't recognize the Crimea stuff either, in the moment. But then, I wasn't the president at he time.
If he rolls into Poland at breakfast, he'll be finished by lunchtime. Their entire military is mired in Ukraine. Who's defending the homeland? These psycho dictators never learn: don't overextend.
Right on Kirsten.
Did we really just live through all of that?!! Great work compiling all of this insanity, Greg!
Somehow, we did. Yikes.
Thanks, Gail!
Thank you..for the breakdown Greg. This 3 ring, nightmare of a circus we call Congress, is becoming difficult to follow & you do a great job of separating the events & players on a timeline. We can come to reasonable conclusion, that if some of these players, continue to erode trust in governance & government, we're a bit screwed..aren't we. American voters need to get their heads on straight, as this is a pivotal upcoming election, which may well determine, not only America's fate, but the world's. Trump & the republican party are not our friends. But, some of us have known that a long time. Any good guys in that party, are all footnotes in history.
Thanks, Bonnie. These Repugs are just strands of cooked spaghetti Putin throws at the wall. But will most Americans, the ones who "don't like politics" or who think that Bide and Trump are equally bad, wake up? This I cannot predict.
Great summary
Thanks, Greg.
Do you mean throw Br'er Rabbit into the briar patch?