US Politics XXXV: My Insurrection Lasted More Than 4 Hours

[LemonMelon]

I want to say that Ohio has turned into a real cesspool over the past 5-10 years but it wasn't exactly a model of ambition and competency before.

Will the PE teacher be allowed to initiate these genital searches with the piece he has stored in his desk?

[Moonlit_Angel]

Transgender kids want to play sports, the GOP is right there to put a stop to it.

Children get massacred in school shootings, and the GOP's like, "Thoughts and prayers, but also, Second Amendment, 'MURICA!"

Way to have your priorities in order, guys.

[Bluer White]

After 100 days of war, Russia may be in Ukraine to stay
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation...r-100-days-war

When Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, he vowed that Russia would not occupy its neighbor. But as the invasion reached its 100th day on Friday, Russia seems increasingly unlikely to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war.

The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region, alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia. Residents there and in Russian-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are being offered Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have discussed plans to become part of Russia.

The Moscow-backed leaders of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, which is mostly Russian-speaking, have shared similar intentions. Putin recognized the separatists’ self-proclaimed republics as independent states two days before launching the invasion. Fighting has intensified in Ukraine’s east as Russia seeks to “liberate” all of the Donbas.

The Kremlin has largely kept mum about its plans for the cities, towns and villages it has bombarded with missiles, encircled and finally captured.

.....Annexing more land from Ukraine was never the main goal of the invasion, but Russia is unlikely to let go of its military gains, according to political analysts.

“Of course [Russia] intends to stay,” said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. From Russia’s perspective, he added, “it’s a pity to give away what has been occupied, even if it was not part of the original plan.”


How should a potential large food shortage be addressed with the ongoing war still looking like a bloody stalemate?
Another reason to put on a full-court press for a deal between Ukraine and Russia. And time to do it publicly.

[BEAL]

Russia is to blame here. To try and force Ukraine to give up more of its country as means to give in to Russian blackmail is wrong and we’ll only be in a worse situation years from now

Western Europe (France, Germany, and Italy) need to stop worrying about Putin saving face plus appearing like they are peacekeepers and give Ukraine what it needs.

Either Ukraine ends this war with our help, or all of Europe is in war within a decade

[LuckyNumber7]

They’re not worried about Putin saving face for any other reason than a Russian loss implying non-strategic nuclear weapons would be fired.

[BEAL]

Guess i don’t follow their logic then. Why even try to stop Russia if they think a loss will cause nuclear retaliation? Wouldn’t that be on the table if Russia decided to invade other countries ?

It’s very obvious what he’s doing, and while i don’t want any nukes flying i just don’t see how we aren’t in this position again if we force Ukraine to concede any of its country. They did this in 2014 and here we are

https://twitter.com/biz_ukraine_mag/...xpRLjikLSoqjgw

[LuckyNumber7]

Originally Posted by BEAL

Guess i don’t follow their logic then. Why even try to stop Russia if they think a loss will cause nuclear retaliation? Wouldn’t that be on the table if Russia decided to invade other countries ?

Causing Russia to not-win is one thing. Causing Russia to have spent every resource and be at threat of an ultimatum victory is another thing. So some European leaders want to have Ukraine stand its ground and then return to conversation and restore the power balance from before. To me, that’s okay. These countries have not like… appeased Putin in any way. I don’t think Ukraine should give up a single inch of territory, for the record. But I also realize that at some point, if Russians don’t deal with Putin, we will have to allow him back into the fold to have a functioning Earth.

[Bluer White]

Originally Posted by BEAL

https://twitter.com/biz_ukraine_mag/...xpRLjikLSoqjgw

^ Russia could very well do something similar with their nat gas exports, when the cold months arrive in Western Europe.

Probably not cut off exports entirely (Putin will take the the cash, thank you)....but slow the flow enough to make it extremely painful for Germany, Italy, Netherlands, etc.

[Vincent Vega]

Originally Posted by Bluer White

After 100 days of war, Russia may be in Ukraine to stay
https://www.latimes.com/world-nation...r-100-days-war

When Russian President Vladimir Putin sent troops into Ukraine in late February, he vowed that Russia would not occupy its neighbor. But as the invasion reached its 100th day on Friday, Russia seems increasingly unlikely to relinquish the territory it has taken in the war.

The ruble is now an official currency in the southern Kherson region, alongside the Ukrainian hryvnia. Residents there and in Russian-controlled parts of the Zaporizhzhia region are being offered Russian passports. The Kremlin-installed administrations in both regions have discussed plans to become part of Russia.

The Moscow-backed leaders of separatist areas in eastern Ukraine’s Donbas region, which is mostly Russian-speaking, have shared similar intentions. Putin recognized the separatists’ self-proclaimed republics as independent states two days before launching the invasion. Fighting has intensified in Ukraine’s east as Russia seeks to “liberate” all of the Donbas.

The Kremlin has largely kept mum about its plans for the cities, towns and villages it has bombarded with missiles, encircled and finally captured.

.....Annexing more land from Ukraine was never the main goal of the invasion, but Russia is unlikely to let go of its military gains, according to political analysts.

“Of course [Russia] intends to stay,” said Andrei Kolesnikov, senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. From Russia’s perspective, he added, “it’s a pity to give away what has been occupied, even if it was not part of the original plan.”


How should a potential large food shortage be addressed with the ongoing war still looking like a bloody stalemate?
Another reason to put on a full-court press for a deal between Ukraine and Russia. And time to do it publicly.

The parts of the article you quote completely echo the usual and perspectives that western European and American observers and experts continue to make. They are in stark contrast to analyses from eastern European experts.

I also find it quite embarrassing when articles in western media still just repeat what's coming out of Moscow or speculate about the goals of the invasion based on what was said immediately prior or since the invasion (which is all so inconsistent that that alone should already completely disqualify it), when the real ambitions of Putin's regime had already been laid out in much more detail not only in writing (e.g. several "essays" written by Putin himself over the last 15 years or so), but also in action.

To your points, the war is not a stalemate in any way, shape or form. There's a lot of dynamic in the battles, as just proven today in Severodonetsk, where Ukrainian forces seem to have tricked the Russian forces into stretching beyond the point where they can logistically support themselves and they are now retaking the territories. Despite some meager successes by Russians (which again seem to be only short-lived), Ukraine is still defending its territory quite successfully, is able to go on the offensive in other areas, and is still expecting lots of weaponry that can further turn the tide. They have a realistic chance of getting Russia off its territory entirely, i.e. including all of Donetsk and Crimea.

Ukraine is under no obligation to enter into any deal for anyone else's sake. Food shortages must be addressed by making demands of the aggressor, Russia. Not of Ukraine. And not of "both sides". Russia must be called on a daily basis to withdraw from Ukraine (completely), and ensure that cargo ships can safely leave the port of Odesa and sail out of the Black Sea. Knowing that this is not going to happen, the proper steps would therefore also be to create a task force within the World Food Programme that is to stockpile wheat and other essential food commodities and coordinate the distribution of these.

If you ask anyone east of Germany whether they believe Ukraine entering into such a deal would mean peace and calm, they will tell you that on the contrary, all it means is for them to look to a future of fear. Especially if their country is not a NATO member, but even if they are. No one is under any illusion, if the Russian forces aren't decisively stopped here, their future is in jeopardy.

[Bluer White]

Originally Posted by Vincent Vega

Ukraine is under no obligation to enter into any deal for anyone else's sake.

^ There's no doubt of this.

I very much appreciate your post VV, especially from someone living in a country much, much closer to the war.

[Bluer White]

Parents say baby formula shortage is still hurting families
Despite efforts to ease the crisis, parents say they haven't seen much change.
https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/Family/pa...ry?id=85212333

Conditions have become dire enough over the past several months that parents have flocked to Facebook groups and desperately reached out for help finding formula as store shelves remain bare.

Tracking firm Datasembly has been recording the lack of formula products in more than 130,000 stores nationally. According to data obtained by ABC News, nine states across the U.S., including California, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, Nevada, Rhode Island, and Tennessee have topped 90% out-of-stock rates, with Arizona hitting a 94% out-of-stock rate during the week of May 22-29.

The national average out-of-stock rate has climbed to over 73%. Twenty-nine states, along with Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, have seen over 75% of baby formulas out of stock.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

there's always a chance that the McConnell pulls the carpet away at the last minute - but it does look like there's a legitimate chance to get something done on guns here - largely because the people behind the money are speaking up.

and already we're hearing from those on the left that it's not enough.

well no shit.

OF COURSE it's not enough.

but it's something. don't fucking kill it just because it doesn't get everything you want. get it done. make some progress. DO SOMETHING.

then, once it's done? then you can start looking for more.

if you want to pass sweeping bills that revolutionize the country? great - go win some more seats and then go nuts.

until then - just fucking DO SOMETHING.

stop fucking complaining about it not being enough, like you did with build back better. you're NEVER getting that without more seats, make some incremental progress. get some small wins. stop letting perfect be the enemy of good.

[LuckyNumber7]

I like that line. Stop letting perfect be the enemy of good.

You’re right, but I caution you from equally vilifying the people you’re saying vilify “good.” We need dialogue and the ability to respond together.

[BEAL]

What laws are looking like they'll be added or modified?

I see some GQP Senators are not stating raising the age limit for Assault Rifles is off the table.

Red Flag Laws?
Stronger Background Checks?
Increase in mental health spending?

My assumption is the GQP will continue to stall and their only offer will be:
Arm the teachers
Arm the students
One Door

But I agree, if the GQP only want Red Flag and some other smaller changes, Democrats should go with it just to show they can pass SOMETHING. You eliminate the counter attack from them saying "We offered real change, Democrats said no cause they want to take all your guns"

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Originally Posted by LuckyNumber7

I like that line. Stop letting perfect be the enemy of good.

You’re right, but I caution you from equally vilifying the people you’re saying vilify “good.” We need dialogue and the ability to respond together.

i have no issues with dialogue - but it needs to be dialogue, not dictation. i have no issues with people who feel strongly about their stance and fight to try and move the country in that direction.

i do have a major issue with people/groups/factions who purposefully hold up incremental change because "it's not good enough," or who will kill a vote on a bill that doesn't include everything they want.

[BEAL]

https://twitter.com/arthurdelaneyhp/...uF4kHpNTaC48rg

Let’s focus on the real issue facing this country

https://twitter.com/atrupar/status/1...uF4kHpNTaC48rg

[BEAL]

https://twitter.com/noliewithbtc/sta...MtSym93VWZ_-AA

No surprises

[Headache in a Suitcase]

Originally Posted by BEAL

https://twitter.com/noliewithbtc/sta...MtSym93VWZ_-AA

No surprises

house doesn't matter. only the senate does.

[Headache in a Suitcase]

https://twitter.com/NBC4Sports/statu...55232121892864

The "Dust Up At The Capitol."

thank goodness this guy doesn't coach in Washington, DC.

[LuckyNumber7]

I understand people can have differing views that are dumb views and they’re not dumb people. But that type of comment sort of makes his brain look tiny - how does someone like that manage to find a job in the NFL, even after really not being all that successful for over two decades?