Political Posts

[Parsad]

MTG quits Congress...blames rhetoric by Trump that lead to death threats!  Cheers!

 

https://www.cnn.com/2025/11/21/politics/marjorie-taylor-greene-resign-in-january

[Dalal.Holdings]

9 hours ago, Parsad said:

 

 

You guys bitch about the communists and leftists in the U.S., but you're 100% ok with the President of the world's greatest democracy (or what used to be) give a sweetheart deal to the a former lieutenant colonel of the KGB, former director of the FSB, and the biggest proponent of Communist Russia!  Trump is Putin's bitch...plain and simple!

 

It's not about saving lives, it's about making money with Russia at Ukraine's expense going forward.  The same thing will happen to Gaza. 

 

Cheers!

 

Never said I was “ok” with anything. Merely pointing out that the Europeans need to develop some agency in the affairs of their continent (currently they have very little and no real seat at the big boy table).

[73 Reds]

9 hours ago, Parsad said:

 

 

You guys bitch about the communists and leftists in the U.S., but you're 100% ok with the President of the world's greatest democracy (or what used to be) give a sweetheart deal to the a former lieutenant colonel of the KGB, former director of the FSB, and the biggest proponent of Communist Russia!  Trump is Putin's bitch...plain and simple!

 

It's not about saving lives, it's about making money with Russia at Ukraine's expense going forward.  The same thing will happen to Gaza. 

 

Cheers!

 Is there anyone else doing anything about the war in Ukraine?  Criticisms like this are like reading the same chapter in a bad book over and over again.  The US has lost plenty of money as the result of this conflict.  Sorry to have to point out the obvious.  And if you truly believe that Trump's efforts to resolve the issues between Hamas and Israel are all about money that is sad.  I guess money is truly the root of all evil - but only when the evil have it, that is.

[Spekulatius]

Vlad Vexler analysis of the peace plan is pretty good, imo.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-179635594

 

There are many paradox in this. USA lead NATO but also mediates. As he said, this is written as if USA were not in the NATO at all. The typical MAGA thing about investing in Ukraine and USA lead this effort (doesn’t invest itself) but gets 50% of the profit. No security whatsoever…

[73 Reds]

7 minutes ago, Spekulatius said:

Vlad Vexler analysis of the peace plan is pretty good, imo.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-179635594

 

There are many paradox in this. USA lead NATO but also mediates. As he said, this is written as if USA were not in the NATO at all. The typical MAGA thing about investing in Ukraine and USA lead this effort (doesn’t invest itself) but gets 50% of the profit. No security whatsoever…

His main point is that the US, EU and Russia are all in decline.  Where does that leave everyone relatively speaking, with regard to one another?  Or does anything really change?  

[Loss Horizon]

1 hour ago, Spekulatius said:

Vlad Vexler analysis of the peace plan is pretty good, imo.

https://substack.com/home/post/p-179635594

 

There are many paradox in this. USA lead NATO but also mediates. As he said, this is written as if USA were not in the NATO at all. The typical MAGA thing about investing in Ukraine and USA lead this effort (doesn’t invest itself) but gets 50% of the profit. No security whatsoever…

 

The most puzzling for me is that the US administration puts zero value on the whole trade with Europe.

 

Transactional approach is fine. Don't spend money for nothing, don't give money if you don't have anything in return. But the very prosperity of the US stands on trade, and a big proportion of trade is with Europe. If Russia wins, it will continue waging the war further west, deteriorating European economy. Less IPhones, Coca-Cola and Google ads will be bought in the future if Europe is defeated.

 

Did President Trump donate any weapons to Ukraine? I thought he is selling now. Which is quite beneficial for the US?

 

I'm also puzzled that this war is a political burden in the US, as no single US army or navy unit entered the battle.

 

Ukraine needs only three things from the US, which are sadly not quickly replaceable by European allies: Starlink, Patriot, and Intelligence. Starlink will operate regardless of its use in the war, there is not additional cost to that. Patriot systems are now bought by Europe. Intelligence is the only really costly option. But it would probably still operate in this war. The choice is to share it with Ukraine or not.

[John Hjorth]

2 hours ago, 73 Reds said:

 Is there anyone else doing anything about the war in Ukraine?  Criticisms like this are like reading the same chapter in a bad book over and over again.  The US has lost plenty of money as the result of this conflict.  Sorry to have to point out the obvious.  And if you truly believe that Trump's efforts to resolve the issues between Hamas and Israel are all about money that is sad.  I guess money is truly the root of all evil - but only when the evil have it, that is.

 

I suppose I must be on your igore list, @73 Reds,

 

In one of my last posts here in this topic I posted a link to a Wikipedia article about the Coalition of the Willing.  Please grab a map and look at the situation around Kaliningrad oblast and the Suwałki Gap [also know as the Sulwaki Corridor] :

 

Wikipedia : Kaliningrad Oblast

Wikipedia : The Sulwaki Gap

Wikipedia : Coalition of the willing (Russo-Ukrainian war)

 

Every grown up and adult citizen in the Baltic Staes with full and intact blood circulation in the head still intact are aware of that in the case of the Coalition of the Willing giving in on support to Ukraines defence equals the Baltic States willl be next stage, because this isen't going to stop with Ukraine, it will continue untill PORF [The President of Russia Federation], Putin [he's becoming unmentionable to me personlly], has passed away, overturned, killed by the next thug, or by a SpecOps operation orchestrated, planned and executed by the Coalition of the Willing or NATO [The latter likely the most cost effective solution by now, also setting an example for the successor].

 

Next after the Baltic States will be the Nordic countries, where in which, we are all aware of it is so.

 

- - - o 0 o - - -

 

More later.

[Spekulatius]

2 hours ago, 73 Reds said:

His main point is that the US, EU and Russia are all in decline.  Where does that leave everyone relatively speaking, with regard to one another?  Or does anything really change?  

The change will be that we are looking at multipolar world where a couple of Neo imperialist power will fight for control and broadening their spheres. Russia is by far the weakest of those imperialist powers.

[Spekulatius]

51 minutes ago, Loss Horizon said:

 

The most puzzling for me is that the US administration puts zero value on the whole trade with Europe.

 

Transactional approach is fine. Don't spend money for nothing, don't give money if you don't have anything in return. But the very prosperity of the US stands on trade, and a big proportion of trade is with Europe. If Russia wins, it will continue waging the war further west, deteriorating European economy. Less IPhones, Coca-Cola and Google ads will be bought in the future if Europe is defeated.

 

Did President Trump donate any weapons to Ukraine? I thought he is selling now. Which is quite beneficial for the US?

 

I'm also puzzled that this war is a political burden in the US, as no single US army or navy unit entered the battle.

 

Ukraine needs only three things from the US, which are sadly not quickly replaceable by European allies: Starlink, Patriot, and Intelligence. Starlink will operate regardless of its use in the war, there is not additional cost to that. Patriot systems are now bought by Europe. Intelligence is the only really costly option. But it would probably still operate in this war. The choice is to share it with Ukraine or not.

I think this is a correct take. The US has already largely ceased helping Ukraine this year, except intelligence. Europe does not have this intelligence capability but they will need to create it themselves, because the assumption that it is available to them via NATO coalition is probably not correct any more.

 

This adds to the underlying current that the NATO really isn’t functional any more. This could not be clearer than that since Trump proposes to negotiate between NATO and Russia even though USA technically leads NATO. This tells you more than anything that Trump has checked out of the NATO (as if this wasn’t clear enough already).

Edited November 22, 2025 by Spekulatius

[Gregmal]

It has been quite shocking to me throughout the whole Ukraine episode, how leaders all over the world, specifically those on the same continent and even bordering this issue....stand around opining on what "the US" is doing? The politicians, the media, the people....all obsessed with housewife level gossiping and opining on Trump and the US of A and what they do....when the simple fact that we are involved to any extent, is our graceful benevolence in terms of tending to someone else's backyard....ungrateful schmucks I'd say. 

[Pauly]

29 minutes ago, Gregmal said:

It has been quite shocking to me throughout the whole Ukraine episode, how leaders all over the world, specifically those on the same continent and even bordering this issue....stand around opining on what "the US" is doing? The politicians, the media, the people....all obsessed with housewife level gossiping and opining on Trump and the US of A and what they do....when the simple fact that we are involved to any extent, is our graceful benevolence in terms of tending to someone else's backyard....ungrateful schmucks I'd say. 

 

Really? Sounds like you should be shocked that you're just now realizing how the world has operated for the past 80 years.

[cubsfan]

8 minutes ago, Pauly said:

 

Really? Sounds like you should be shocked that you're just now realizing how the world has operated for the past 80 years.

 

Ten years ago, Trump put Europe on notice they better take their own defense seriously, instead of looking to their big brother the USA to fight their battles.

 

Now the whining continues.

 

Europe really screwed over Ukraine with 5 years of false hope.

 

- We won't let Russian aggression stand..

- We're coming to the rescue, keep fighting on..

- We will fight with our Ukrainian brothers..

 

Trump campaign on NO troops in Ukraine, the US will not finance this fiasco.

Trump's campaign promise was broadly welcomed: fight your own wars.

 

Meanwhile, instead of settling this war 3-4 years ago - Europe put their head in the sand with NO intention of supplying exactly what Ukraine needed: Troops.

 

Thanks to their cowardice - now hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men needlessly died.  A whole generation of Ukrainians gone.

 

 

 

[73 Reds]

2 hours ago, John Hjorth said:

 

I suppose I must be on your igore list, @73 Reds,

 

In one of my last posts here in this topic I posted a link to a Wikipedia article about the Coalition of the Willing.  Please grab a map and look at the situation around Kaliningrad oblast and the Suwałki Gap [also know as the Sulwaki Corridor] :

 

Wikipedia : Kaliningrad Oblast

Wikipedia : The Sulwaki Gap

Wikipedia : Coalition of the willing (Russo-Ukrainian war)

 

Every grown up and adult citizen in the Baltic Staes with full and intact blood circulation in the head still intact are aware of that in the case of the Coalition of the Willing giving in on support to Ukraines defence equals the Baltic States willl be next stage, because this isen't going to stop with Ukraine, it will continue untill PORF [The President of Russia Federation], Putin [he's becoming unmentionable to me personlly], has passed away, overturned, killed by the next thug, or by a SpecOps operation orchestrated, planned and executed by the Coalition of the Willing or NATO [The latter likely the most cost effective solution by now, also setting an example for the successor].

 

Next after the Baltic States will be the Nordic countries, where in which, we are all aware of it is so.

 

- - - o 0 o - - -

 

More later.

John, the Coalition of the Willing is a nice gesture but where has it gotten anyone?  You, yourself state that this will continue until Putin's demise.  Yet here you are along with others criticizing Trump, of all people who is trying to help even though this is largely not even our issue.  Many here can't seem to grasp that person to person talks with Putin are the only way this even has a chance at getting resolved, yet everyone is a vocal critic of every attempt to make progress.  Sorry, but I haven't read or heard an original idea here from anyone.  I don't have the answers either but being a critic without a potential solution is basically worthless.  

[73 Reds]

1 hour ago, Spekulatius said:

The change will be that we are looking at multipolar world where a couple of Neo imperialist power will fight for control and broadening their spheres. Russia is by far the weakest of those imperialist powers.

Isn't that kind of where we are at now?

[Gregmal]

14 minutes ago, 73 Reds said:

John, the Coalition of the Willing is a nice gesture but where has it gotten anyone?  You, yourself state that this will continue until Putin's demise.  Yet here you are along with others criticizing Trump, of all people who is trying to help even though this is largely not even our issue.  Many here can't seem to grasp that person to person talks with Putin are the only way this even has a chance at getting resolved, yet everyone is a vocal critic of every attempt to make progress.  Sorry, but I haven't read or heard an original idea here from anyone.  I don't have the answers either but being a critic without a potential solution is basically worthless.  

Uhuhhh…they all grovel over Trump obsessively, who’s the only guy even making an attempt, despite the issue really not having anything to do with us, while completely giving a free pass to all their worthless, feeble, virtue signaling leaders…it is quite bizarre, but also par for the course. 

[Loss Horizon]

49 minutes ago, cubsfan said:

 

Ten years ago, Trump put Europe on notice they better take their own defense seriously, instead of looking to their big brother the USA to fight their battles.

 

Now the whining continues.

 

Europe really screwed over Ukraine with 5 years of false hope.

 

- We won't let Russian aggression stand..

- We're coming to the rescue, keep fighting on..

- We will fight with our Ukrainian brothers..

 

Trump campaign on NO troops in Ukraine, the US will not finance this fiasco.

Trump's campaign promise was broadly welcomed: fight your own wars.

 

Meanwhile, instead of settling this war 3-4 years ago - Europe put their head in the sand with NO intention of supplying exactly what Ukraine needed: Troops.

 

Thanks to their cowardice - now hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men needlessly died.  A whole generation of Ukrainians gone.

 

 

 

 

Generations of Republican Presidents systematically strengthened military US presence in Europe and antagonized Russia. It's kind of understandable that Europe expected that to continue, or at least that US would not quit such an old and committed alliance so quickly.

 

Europe is acting accordingly now, but it became a crisis because you can't establish and train an army quickly. Soldiers and officers need years and decades to achieve the level of organization that the US have.

[cubsfan]

26 minutes ago, Loss Horizon said:

 

Generations of Republican Presidents systematically strengthened military US presence in Europe and antagonized Russia. It's kind of understandable that Europe expected that to continue, or at least that US would not quit such an old and committed alliance so quickly.

 

Europe is acting accordingly now, but it became a crisis because you can't establish and train an army quickly. Soldiers and officers need years and decades to achieve the level of organization that the US have.

 

No need to obfuscate what is obvious. Europe was warned in 2017 by Trump to stop ignoring their military readiness. They went totally nuts on Trump.  They figured they could wait Trump out - which failed miserably. Now, 8 years later, still no readiness.   Europe played a game of chicken and lost.

 

What they did is not much different from cancelling your fire insurance in Southern California and praying the fire misses your house.

 

FAFO.  Horribly, the massive loser due to Europe cowardice is Ukraine.

[Loss Horizon]

1 hour ago, cubsfan said:

 

No need to obfuscate what is obvious. Europe was warned in 2017 by Trump to stop ignoring their military readiness. They went totally nuts on Trump.  They figured they could wait Trump out - which failed miserably. Now, 8 years later, still no readiness.   Europe played a game of chicken and lost.

 

What they did is not much different from cancelling your fire insurance in Southern California and praying the fire misses your house.

 

FAFO.  Horribly, the massive loser due to Europe cowardice is Ukraine.

 

It's highly unusual for one person to quickly undo 80 years of state politics legacy, even in such a powerful position as POTUS.

[Parsad]

7 hours ago, 73 Reds said:

 Is there anyone else doing anything about the war in Ukraine?  Criticisms like this are like reading the same chapter in a bad book over and over again.  The US has lost plenty of money as the result of this conflict.  Sorry to have to point out the obvious.  And if you truly believe that Trump's efforts to resolve the issues between Hamas and Israel are all about money that is sad.  I guess money is truly the root of all evil - but only when the evil have it, that is.

 

My problem is that next time, and there will be a next time with Putin, does the West bend over and take it again...especially a country like Ukraine.  I thought Trump was a "great deal maker"...his own words?! 

 

You guys criticized the Obama Iran deal...yet this is far worse...and the U.S. takes a stake in the future economic gains of Ukraine.  The U.S. is no longer the World's police, but a pimp pretending to be a priest!  Cheers!

[Parsad]

3 hours ago, cubsfan said:

 

Ten years ago, Trump put Europe on notice they better take their own defense seriously, instead of looking to their big brother the USA to fight their battles.

 

Now the whining continues.

 

Europe really screwed over Ukraine with 5 years of false hope.

 

- We won't let Russian aggression stand..

- We're coming to the rescue, keep fighting on..

- We will fight with our Ukrainian brothers..

 

Trump campaign on NO troops in Ukraine, the US will not finance this fiasco.

Trump's campaign promise was broadly welcomed: fight your own wars.

 

Meanwhile, instead of settling this war 3-4 years ago - Europe put their head in the sand with NO intention of supplying exactly what Ukraine needed: Troops.

 

Thanks to their cowardice - now hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian men needlessly died.  A whole generation of Ukrainians gone.

 

 

 

 

I agree with this, but there must have been a better solution than the one presented...to simply give Putin everything he pretty much wants while the U.S. abdicates any sense of moral duty to its global brethren.  Not to mention tears at the fabric of the U.S.' relationship with Europe!  Isolationism is not the route the U.S. truly wants to go...but it's going there!  Cheers!

[Parsad]

22 minutes ago, Loss Horizon said:

 

It's highly unusual for one person to quickly undo 80 years of state politics legacy, even in such a powerful position as POTUS.

 

I wonder if he can do the same with 80 years of economic growth and prosperity?!  Yikes!  If you ever wondered which moron could lead to the next Great Depression, you may have a winner!  Cheers!

[cubsfan]

Nice family Christmas tree lighting ceremony in downtown Chicago last night.

Not the South Side, Not the West Side - but the heart of downtown.

 

1 dead, 8 shot, 300 teens rioting.

 

Bring the family for the fun, just make sure you're armed.

 

https://abc7chicago.com/post/chicago-shooting-7-teens-man-injured-person-killed-loop-shootings-state-street-dearborn-monroe-police-say/18191436/

 

I hope NYC survives their "defund the police" mayor - Chicago may not!

 

 

[scorpioncapital]

I predict not one penny of investment will come back to Canada or business investment increase because they are missing the entire problem. Which is once you have lost trust, it rarely ever comes back. Trust in what? Trust in capital being treated well, lack of a departure tax (a big issue for foreign capital inflows), trust in quality of infrastructure, trust in regulatory simplicity, trust in safety standards, trust in justice and medical system. Since trust has broken down in all these areas and quality is sorely lacking, I think the government will be forced to take more draconian action, or force capital to do what it wants even if most private capital flies away (if it can!). It could mean higher taxes, or just more of the same status quo. 

[73 Reds]

50 minutes ago, Parsad said:

 

My problem is that next time, and there will be a next time with Putin, does the West bend over and take it again...especially a country like Ukraine.  I thought Trump was a "great deal maker"...his own words?! 

 

You guys criticized the Obama Iran deal...yet this is far worse...and the U.S. takes a stake in the future economic gains of Ukraine.  The U.S. is no longer the World's police, but a pimp pretending to be a priest!  Cheers!

Of course there will be a next time with Putin until he is gone.  But to suggest this is worse than the Obama deal with Iran?  Come on, at least Putin and Russia value their existence.  Constant criticisms of the US without any better ideas are exactly what I said - worthless.  Why even bother?

[cubsfan]

Trump cleaned up Obama's mess - no more Iranian nuclear program that Obama funded.