cubsfan

@Luca Stop insulting our intelligence. Your very long post from the Economist Professor Michael Hanson, who is an avowed Marxist is replete with ridiculous buzzwords (which should annoy you). I commented only after I read your passage from Professor Hanson completely. His whole thesis is how the USA, since WWII, has had the goal of siphoning off all the world's income wealth for themselves. How utterly ridiculous. No mention of the dramatic rise in living standards for those under the influence of the West. Most of us understand that socialism/communism is antithetical to capitalism. Does capitalism need to be regulated? Of course Does capitalism need to be destroyed? Clearly not The crux of his argument is how oppressive capitalism is to those that follow the US lead. So much for avoiding the Neoliberal American disease - his words not mine.

^^^ Well, that is just your opinion of course. Your's is an equally naive view of history. You decapitate the leadership and attempt to win the hearts and minds of the fools that put them in power. Unfortunately, you must obliterate the leaders, and humiliate the populace - so they have little choice. Witness NAZI Germany, Fascist Italy, and the militaristic Imperial Empire of Japan. All leadership was decapitated. The population was humiliated. Then they realized the enormous mistake they had made with these leaders. Only then could those countries be remade into neighbors that others could live with. This victory requires unconditional surrender. IF Hamas is not obliterated - then this war will go on forever. Israel is not going to let that happen this time around.

I'm familiar with Prof. Michael Hudson - he's a declared Marxist. That's all I need to know. You can keep your socialism, it's wrecking Europe, and it's on it's way here.

Damn Luca - you just love socialism don't you? Like Lenin said "The goal of socialism is communism"

No problem. My point is deeper than that. This administration has destroyed the peace in the Middle East. Jake Sullivan , Biden's key national security advisor, said last summer, this period of the Middle East has been the "most peaceful in 2 decades". So of course, administration policy reinstated funding for Iran and Gaza, in addition to removing Houthis off the designated terrorist list. And who are the 3 groups attacking Israel full throttle? Every key decision has been a disaster. Quite frankly, I'm surprised this administration has not cancelled the Abraham Accords.

yeah, that seems right. Every Middle East decision this administration has made has been disastrous, so they’ve no idea how to handle it.

There ya' go! https://www.dailywire.com/news/house-passes-95-billion-spending-package-for-ukraine-israel-and-taiwan

The US & Europe have almost the same interests and have since the end of WWII. That's why they are great allies. That's why the West has thrived. - peaceful relations - economic prosperity. - free trade Why in the world would the US execute on the Marshall Plan if that was not the case? I mean - rebuild your enemies Germany & Japan??? The result was almost 70 years of peace in Europe. Meanwhile, the Soviet economic plan was a disaster for their subjects, and Mao had to kill 60 million for China to figure out their economic plan wouldn't work. Thank goodness Taiwan & Hong Kong weren't part of the plan.

The West has sent $600M per year to Gaza for years now. That's an awful lot of money. Gaza has had tremendous financial aid. Those funds, then are diverted to support a terrorist infrastructure instead of a rebuilt Gaza. So you want to blame that one on the West? You call it "bias", actually it's "failure".

I have no idea what you are saying - are you suggesting Israel should not exist?

You seem to be getting a little sensitive @Luca The US and Europe have always been powerful, powerful allies. But, it's like a marriage - it takes work - so we'll keep working on that. But continue to feel free and stick up for our most dangerous adversary - China. You do a fine job of that, I might say.

I'd agree with just about everything in your rant. It's in the best interest of the US for a secure Asia and Europe. In this instance, Russia needs to be stopped and Europe has woken up. You can thank Obama & Biden for telegraphing US weakness to Putin, enabling him to grab Crimea and now eastern Ukraine. The political situation here in the US currently is first and foremost, the Southern Border. Most of the country is now united about sealing the border - the country is - but not the politicians. While the country was solidly behind Ukraine these past 2 years - support has greatly diminished once the destruction of our own country continues at a rapid pace. Citizens are fed up. So the easiest bill to pass would be sealing the border - everyone knows it - and now citizens are pissed beyond belief it's not being done, whilst DC wants billions for other countries. House Speaker Mike Johnson is in a real pickle trying to pass a huge foreign aid bill while ignoring his constituents. These issues may not be settled until the election once and for all.

Netanyahu is definitely a man made for this time, to save Israel. Hamas is NO different than ISIS, Al Qaeda or the KKK. If Bebe can destroy Hamas, then the Palestinians will ask themselves how stupid they were to put their future into the hands of a terrorist government. What fools. And the world will be grateful to Netanyahu, regardless if he is re-elected or not.

The hallmark of a true sociopath

absolutely

Unfortunately & plain as day - Americans, overwhelming want the Southern Border sealed before any more major aid packages go to Ukraine. Biden can easily solve the roadblock - but it's not likely. https://thefederalist.com/2024/04/16/poll-voters-say-stopping-bidens-border-invasion-is-more-important-than-funding-ukraine/ Battleground state swing voters overwhelmingly believe stopping President Biden’s border invasion is more important than bankrolling Ukraine’s forever war with Russia, a newly released poll found. Of those surveyed, 54 percent said the “best approach” for America is to “spend more to secure the U.S. border than to help Ukraine,” while 10 percent said the opposite.

FMC - looks too cheap. Some cyclicality, but demand for crop chemicals ought to remain steady and growing.

^^^ That's exactly the point. Obama & media falsely painted the Tea Party as "racists", which destroyed it. Romney, the ultimate nice guy, could never survive this opposition. He was not a fighter. The movement needed someone like Trump, who did not cower in fear at the calls of racism. Like someone said, Trump beat them at their own game.

^^^. So true. The Tea Party movement was open to everyone - gay, straight, black, white, hispanic, etc What bound it together was a love of liberty and small government. Of course Brooks & Obama needed to destroy it.

The Palestinians elected a terrorist organization to run their country. Hamas, their elected choice, proceeds to murder all the moderates that oppose them. Then Hamas steal all the billions of dollars given to them by the UN, US & others - over $500M/yr. Hamas uses the money for rockets, arms and tunnels - ignoring the needs of the Palestinians. Yet, Hamas is backed for almost 20 years or perhaps they just murdered all their opponents? But somehow, Israel is responsible - while Egypt, Jordan and neighboring Arab countries want no Palestinians in their countries since they actively work to overthrow the host government, like they did in Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon. The Palestinians are trouble makers & harbor terrorists - and the result is the destruction of their own country. You will not see peace until Hamas is 100% destroyed.

Seriously, the biggest contribution from Trump was him exposing a corrupt and dishonest media to Americans. He exposed it and that is somehow so terrible. The media will forever carry the stigma of “Fake News” and trust is unlikely to be restored any time soon. And for that, he is the mortal enemy of an opposition that has no respect for the average American. The country has woken up due to one man.

^^^ John - the poster was trying to get at "the truth" about "undermining democracy". You call my response "mudslinging" because you are overly sensitive and not really interested in "the truth". I prefer to get to the core of the issue by being direct and not mince words - although I meant no insult. Seriously, I have quite a bit of respect for this particular poster. Give yourself a break from my posts and use the ignore button if it really upsets you.

That's an interesting take. No mention of the last 4 years where the Biden administration works to turn this country upside down and use law fare to block his only political opponent from running a Presidential campaign. Nothing to see there.

Most of us understand the actual threat that China is to its neighbors and the West. Concentration camps for Muslims, producing/killing millions with fentanyl, destroying Hong Kong, threatening Taiwan, wrecking economies by releasing killer viruses (accidentally or not), etc. The bloom is off the China rose - I for one, will be happy when China decides to be a good neighbor instead of an expansionary power. They are clearly a global threat that needs to be held in check. President Xi has taken the country in a new direction - and that is sad.

^^^ This. I'm amazed how Luca likes to gaslight us on how wonderful China is. Especially now that a tyrant has assumed control once again. There are more people that live in poverty in China than live in the entire United States. China is an economic miracle after the killing 60 million of their own citizens through totalitarianism. Now of course, they are drifting backward again. I see no Westerners rushing to go back to China and live after the horrible recent crackdown and suspension of liberties the last few years. President Xi will have to go to extraordinary lengths to attract Westerners again. Not impossible, but difficult.