All Things Russia & Ukraine

[get it to x]

You're the party of big government

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

As for your freeloader comment...how do you think the lights are on in rural America right now. It's not local and State spending. It's Federal.

That's why your party makes the Federal government larger every chance they get. They cannot survive without all that borrowed money....given away freely.

Obama cut spending two years in a row with the sequester. Republicans screamed bloody murder about it, if you'll recall. "Hollowed out military" and other charges.

I've said this many times: the last Republican that cut spending from one year to another was Eisenhower. So where'd you get the idea that the Republican Party was the party of small government?

some guy on the internet

Do you see this coming from a Dem? You have a better chance of being attacked by a Grizzly Bear and a Polar Bear on the same day than you do a Democrat reducing the federal workforce.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documents ... tID=395319

We need more people like Massie. MIT Doctorate, lives off the grid at home, reluctant congressman. BTW, he knew what was going on with natural immunity in June of 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf4qAwntlkw

I took a little look at Massie's background and positions to get a better handle on what might have attracted you...fascinating record in congress.

One of 3 'no' votes against Stolen Valor Act??? What the heck?
John Birch Society?

Wants to abolish the EPA and Dept of Education...

Real piece of work..

votes against condemnation of North Korea, China and Iran on human rights...

sole member to vote against medals for officers who defended the Capitol on Jan 6

voted against making lynching a hate crime

climate change denier

wants to reduce legal immigration, that's right legal immigration...

And, obtw, voted for the deficit spending and tax cuts under Trump...but against funding support for Israel's Iran Dome system...

But hey, I see what it might be, he's pro cannabis! yeah!

The guy's a nut job, but I was attracted to the initial part of his education and early career, because I know a little about the VC industry in New England, something about sensor technologies as well, and thought it interesting that he had a patent and is credited for starting a company, SenSable Technologies, with his wife that later attracted $32 million in VC money when it reincorporated with a serious CEO...company was eventually sold for a couple million, though.
https://xconomy.com/boston/2012/05/17/f ... sie-story/

Guy likes his guns too.

On thread topic, he was also the only member of Congress to vote against an act refusing to recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea...all sorts of Putin support...

It’s really disturbing that we have a Massie supporter posting on this forum.

DocBarrister

It's disturbing that anyone supports Massie, anywhere, but they do...but it certainly tells us where get it to X's head is at...

One of my closest and oldest friends, recently deceased from cancer, used to joke, as an African American, that he appreciated those who proudly flew their Confederate flags on their houses or in their pick up truck...made it easier to know who they are...

So, I appreciate get it to X telling us who he is...though he hides who he's voted for in the past...

Voted for Carter and Clinton in '96. Otherwise Republicans, and if Trump is the nominee I will vote for him again. Satisfied?

[a fan]

Do you see this coming from a Dem? You have a better chance of being attacked by a Grizzly Bear and a Polar Bear on the same day than you do a Democrat reducing the federal workforce.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documents ... tID=395319


We need more people like Massie. MIT Doctorate, lives off the grid at home, reluctant congressman. BTW, he knew what was going on with natural immunity in June of 2021.

A few points.

One, if you wanted us to follow natural immunity, you should be livid that Trump took trillions in taxpayer money for Covid. Vaccines, bailouts, closed borders, etc.. That was all on Trump. He went after the virus, instead of waiting around for "natural immunity".

Two, have you seriously not noticed that these proposed cuts from the R's ONLY show up when there's a D in the White house?

Where was this bill when Trump could sign it? Massie took his seat in 2012. So if this is a serious bill...why did he wait until Biden showed up?

You're a bright guy, and know EXACTLY why: because if he offered the bill 2018-19? Trump and the R's would be on the hook for explaining why they voted "no" on getting ride of the Dept. of Ed. Stop letting the Republicans PRETEND to want to cut government.

Dont' fall for the BS, my man.

[a fan]

Voted for Carter and Clinton in '96. Otherwise Republicans, and if Trump is the nominee I will vote for him again. Satisfied?

Tip of the cap for Carter. He's the most fiscally conservative President we've had since Eisenhower. As Christian as Christian gets.....and a USNA grad? And famously eschewed govt. cars and brought sack lunches to work in Georgia, because he took taxpayer dollars seriously? Refused to play DC BS games, and blow money while "horse trading"...which is why he couldn't get anything done?

To this day, I don't get why American conservatives didn't LOVE him.

But I have to ask: given that Trump exploded the size of Government....why would you vote for that again?

[get it to x]

Voted for Carter and Clinton in '96. Otherwise Republicans, and if Trump is the nominee I will vote for him again. Satisfied?

Tip of the cap for Carter. He's the most fiscally conservative President we've had since Eisenhower. As Christian as Christian gets.....and a USNA grad? And famously eschewed govt. cars and brought sack lunches to work in Georgia, because he took taxpayer dollars seriously? Refused to play DC BS games, and blow money while "horse trading"...which is why he couldn't get anything done?

To this day, I don't get why American conservatives didn't LOVE him.

But I have to ask: given that Trump exploded the size of Government....why would you vote for that again?

They all explode it. Who is running as a deficit hawk? Nikki? DeSantis? The little guy did well under Trump. And a lot of his deficit was Covid related or already baked into the cake. Middle East peace treaties as well.

[a fan]

They all explode it. Who is running as a deficit hawk? Nikki? DeSantis?

No one in your party. I'm glad you see that. The only deficit hawks are Dems...and that's only because they run on raising taxes on corporations and "the rich". Put me in charge, and taxes go up for EVERYONE.

Don't like it? Tell me what you don't want that YOU get from the Federal government. Not something "someone else gets"...what YOU get. Fake problem solved.

Matching what people put into Medicare to what they take out via an adjusted payroll tax would make the deficit fall off a cliff, for example. But Americans don't have enough personal responsibility in their bones to demand a tripling of that withholding tax.

The little guy did well under Trump. And a lot of his deficit was Covid related or already baked into the cake. Middle East peace treaties as well.

The little guy did well under Trump because----and this was before Covid------- like Reagan, he brought out the checkbook, and started spending, pumping borrowed money to all corners of the economy...and then, instead of not paying for said borrowed money, Trump cut taxes, making the borrowing even worse.

I did well, too! People had more money to spend, obviously. But it wasn't that they worked harder...the Fed gave them that money, and we have to pay interest on it.

How flush would you be if you didn't have to pay Federal income taxes at all? Really flush, yeah? Well...so why don't we do that? Why do we levy taxes? I could make you my best bud by eliminating income taxes all together, no? The economy would roar, no?

But we'd have to pay that money back at some point, right? THAT is why Trump did that. Same for Reagan, while we're at it. They both figured out that if they borrow the money....the "next guys" in the White House have to pay the piper, not them. It's sh*t governance.

And no, they don't all explode it. Obama cut spending for his last two years, as I explained previously. Credit where credit is due. Or if you prefer? Give the R's in Congress credit for that...happy to do that!

Thank you for answering, btw....

[Typical Lax Dad]

Just bought your 5 year old as a gift for a friend…..$65.00 in Massachusetts. He will be surprised. Old friend that introduced me to jazz so I can never repay him. Met when I was just out of college and could only afford to buy a hotdog from his hotdog cart for lunch….splurged on paydays and bought smoked sausages.

[MDlaxfan76]

You're the party of big government

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

As for your freeloader comment...how do you think the lights are on in rural America right now. It's not local and State spending. It's Federal.

That's why your party makes the Federal government larger every chance they get. They cannot survive without all that borrowed money....given away freely.

Obama cut spending two years in a row with the sequester. Republicans screamed bloody murder about it, if you'll recall. "Hollowed out military" and other charges.

I've said this many times: the last Republican that cut spending from one year to another was Eisenhower. So where'd you get the idea that the Republican Party was the party of small government?

some guy on the internet

Do you see this coming from a Dem? You have a better chance of being attacked by a Grizzly Bear and a Polar Bear on the same day than you do a Democrat reducing the federal workforce.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documents ... tID=395319

We need more people like Massie. MIT Doctorate, lives off the grid at home, reluctant congressman. BTW, he knew what was going on with natural immunity in June of 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf4qAwntlkw

I took a little look at Massie's background and positions to get a better handle on what might have attracted you...fascinating record in congress.

One of 3 'no' votes against Stolen Valor Act??? What the heck?
John Birch Society?

Wants to abolish the EPA and Dept of Education...

Real piece of work..

votes against condemnation of North Korea, China and Iran on human rights...

sole member to vote against medals for officers who defended the Capitol on Jan 6

voted against making lynching a hate crime

climate change denier

wants to reduce legal immigration, that's right legal immigration...

And, obtw, voted for the deficit spending and tax cuts under Trump...but against funding support for Israel's Iran Dome system...

But hey, I see what it might be, he's pro cannabis! yeah!

The guy's a nut job, but I was attracted to the initial part of his education and early career, because I know a little about the VC industry in New England, something about sensor technologies as well, and thought it interesting that he had a patent and is credited for starting a company, SenSable Technologies, with his wife that later attracted $32 million in VC money when it reincorporated with a serious CEO...company was eventually sold for a couple million, though.
https://xconomy.com/boston/2012/05/17/f ... sie-story/

Guy likes his guns too.

On thread topic, he was also the only member of Congress to vote against an act refusing to recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea...all sorts of Putin support...

It’s really disturbing that we have a Massie supporter posting on this forum.

DocBarrister

It's disturbing that anyone supports Massie, anywhere, but they do...but it certainly tells us where get it to X's head is at...

One of my closest and oldest friends, recently deceased from cancer, used to joke, as an African American, that he appreciated those who proudly flew their Confederate flags on their houses or in their pick up truck...made it easier to know who they are...

So, I appreciate get it to X telling us who he is...though he hides who he's voted for in the past...

Voted for Carter and Clinton in '96. Otherwise Republicans, and if Trump is the nominee I will vote for him again. Satisfied?

Interesting; was it being southern guys that attracted you to Carter and Clinton?
Against Reagan and against Dole...
I didn't vote for either Carter or Clinton, but then I'm actually a lifelong Republican.

Supporting Trump despite the election denialism, admiring a guy like Massie...where'd you go so far off the rails?

[get it to x]

You're the party of big government

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

As for your freeloader comment...how do you think the lights are on in rural America right now. It's not local and State spending. It's Federal.

That's why your party makes the Federal government larger every chance they get. They cannot survive without all that borrowed money....given away freely.

Obama cut spending two years in a row with the sequester. Republicans screamed bloody murder about it, if you'll recall. "Hollowed out military" and other charges.

I've said this many times: the last Republican that cut spending from one year to another was Eisenhower. So where'd you get the idea that the Republican Party was the party of small government?

some guy on the internet

Do you see this coming from a Dem? You have a better chance of being attacked by a Grizzly Bear and a Polar Bear on the same day than you do a Democrat reducing the federal workforce.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documents ... tID=395319

We need more people like Massie. MIT Doctorate, lives off the grid at home, reluctant congressman. BTW, he knew what was going on with natural immunity in June of 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf4qAwntlkw

I took a little look at Massie's background and positions to get a better handle on what might have attracted you...fascinating record in congress.

One of 3 'no' votes against Stolen Valor Act??? What the heck?
John Birch Society?

Wants to abolish the EPA and Dept of Education...

Real piece of work..

votes against condemnation of North Korea, China and Iran on human rights...

sole member to vote against medals for officers who defended the Capitol on Jan 6

voted against making lynching a hate crime

climate change denier

wants to reduce legal immigration, that's right legal immigration...

And, obtw, voted for the deficit spending and tax cuts under Trump...but against funding support for Israel's Iran Dome system...

But hey, I see what it might be, he's pro cannabis! yeah!

The guy's a nut job, but I was attracted to the initial part of his education and early career, because I know a little about the VC industry in New England, something about sensor technologies as well, and thought it interesting that he had a patent and is credited for starting a company, SenSable Technologies, with his wife that later attracted $32 million in VC money when it reincorporated with a serious CEO...company was eventually sold for a couple million, though.
https://xconomy.com/boston/2012/05/17/f ... sie-story/

Guy likes his guns too.

On thread topic, he was also the only member of Congress to vote against an act refusing to recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea...all sorts of Putin support...

It’s really disturbing that we have a Massie supporter posting on this forum.

DocBarrister

It's disturbing that anyone supports Massie, anywhere, but they do...but it certainly tells us where get it to X's head is at...

One of my closest and oldest friends, recently deceased from cancer, used to joke, as an African American, that he appreciated those who proudly flew their Confederate flags on their houses or in their pick up truck...made it easier to know who they are...

So, I appreciate get it to X telling us who he is...though he hides who he's voted for in the past...

Voted for Carter and Clinton in '96. Otherwise Republicans, and if Trump is the nominee I will vote for him again. Satisfied?

Interesting; was it being southern guys that attracted you to Carter and Clinton?
Against Reagan and against Dole...
I didn't vote for either Carter or Clinton, but then I'm actually a lifelong Republican.

Supporting Trump despite the election denialism, admiring a guy like Massie...where'd you go so far off the rails?

What does Southern have to do with anything? I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in Towson. I'm with Trump on states that he lost that changed the rules without using the legislature to do so. I like following the rules. You apparently like ignoring them for political expediency.

Carter beat Gerald Ford FYI.

[old salt]

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

...covid relief = making govt bigger.
...& Biden says he's created a record deficit, while still spending more than any year pre-covid.
This is called lying with stats.

[Farfromgeneva]

You're the party of big government

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

As for your freeloader comment...how do you think the lights are on in rural America right now. It's not local and State spending. It's Federal.

That's why your party makes the Federal government larger every chance they get. They cannot survive without all that borrowed money....given away freely.

Obama cut spending two years in a row with the sequester. Republicans screamed bloody murder about it, if you'll recall. "Hollowed out military" and other charges.

I've said this many times: the last Republican that cut spending from one year to another was Eisenhower. So where'd you get the idea that the Republican Party was the party of small government?

some guy on the internet

Do you see this coming from a Dem? You have a better chance of being attacked by a Grizzly Bear and a Polar Bear on the same day than you do a Democrat reducing the federal workforce.

https://massie.house.gov/news/documents ... tID=395319

We need more people like Massie. MIT Doctorate, lives off the grid at home, reluctant congressman. BTW, he knew what was going on with natural immunity in June of 2021.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sf4qAwntlkw

I took a little look at Massie's background and positions to get a better handle on what might have attracted you...fascinating record in congress.

One of 3 'no' votes against Stolen Valor Act??? What the heck?
John Birch Society?

Wants to abolish the EPA and Dept of Education...

Real piece of work..

votes against condemnation of North Korea, China and Iran on human rights...

sole member to vote against medals for officers who defended the Capitol on Jan 6

voted against making lynching a hate crime

climate change denier

wants to reduce legal immigration, that's right legal immigration...

And, obtw, voted for the deficit spending and tax cuts under Trump...but against funding support for Israel's Iran Dome system...

But hey, I see what it might be, he's pro cannabis! yeah!

The guy's a nut job, but I was attracted to the initial part of his education and early career, because I know a little about the VC industry in New England, something about sensor technologies as well, and thought it interesting that he had a patent and is credited for starting a company, SenSable Technologies, with his wife that later attracted $32 million in VC money when it reincorporated with a serious CEO...company was eventually sold for a couple million, though.
https://xconomy.com/boston/2012/05/17/f ... sie-story/

Guy likes his guns too.

On thread topic, he was also the only member of Congress to vote against an act refusing to recognize Russia's illegal annexation of Crimea...all sorts of Putin support...

It’s really disturbing that we have a Massie supporter posting on this forum.

DocBarrister

It's disturbing that anyone supports Massie, anywhere, but they do...but it certainly tells us where get it to X's head is at...

One of my closest and oldest friends, recently deceased from cancer, used to joke, as an African American, that he appreciated those who proudly flew their Confederate flags on their houses or in their pick up truck...made it easier to know who they are...

So, I appreciate get it to X telling us who he is...though he hides who he's voted for in the past...

Voted for Carter and Clinton in '96. Otherwise Republicans, and if Trump is the nominee I will vote for him again. Satisfied?

Interesting; was it being southern guys that attracted you to Carter and Clinton?
Against Reagan and against Dole...
I didn't vote for either Carter or Clinton, but then I'm actually a lifelong Republican.

Supporting Trump despite the election denialism, admiring a guy like Massie...where'd you go so far off the rails?

What does Southern have to do with anything? I grew up on the wrong side of the tracks in Towson. I'm with Trump on states that he lost that changed the rules without using the legislature to do so. I like following the rules. You apparently like ignoring them for political expediency.

Carter beat Gerald Ford FYI.

Carter and Clinton are southern guys and it was a question.

Carter ran in 1980 didn’t he? Clinton ran twice and you only referenced 96 but state Carter which could easily be inferred to be voting for Carter 2x given only referencing one vote for Clinton.

I’m going to guess MD knew who Carter ran against in BOTH elections just like he’s probably aware of who Clinton ran against in 1992 AND then again in 1996.

[old salt]

President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine sparked anger and embarrassment among many of Russia’s hawkish military pundits on Monday, increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin as the Russian leader prepares to justify his stuttering invasion in a national address.

Biden’s historic visit came days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, providing a symbolic boost to Kyiv at a crucial juncture in the conflict.

But the visit caused fury in Russian pro-military and ultranationalist circles, as it upstages Putin on the eve of a major address in which the Russian president is expected to tout the supposed achievements of what he euphemistically calls a “special military operation.”

… For many, the secure and skillfully executed visit of a US President was another symbol of a faltering campaign.

A Telegram account managed by Russian army and naval servicemembers, Zapiski michmana Ptichkina, noted ironically that Biden had reached Kyiv before Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Almost a year after the beginning of the Special military operation, we are waiting in the Russian city of [Kyiv] for the president of the Russian Federation, but not for the [President of the] United States,” it said.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/20/europe/r ... index.html

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

[a fan]

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

...covid relief = making govt bigger.

We've been over this again and again and again. And every time, you pretend to acknowledge the facts...and then later on, you ignore the facts.

And yet here I am again, telling you that Trump passed not one, not two, but THREE massive spending bills BEFORE Covid.

And as I told the Forum..the millisecond that Covid arrived, the Republicans would use that spending as cover to pretend those three bills didn't happen, and all that spending disappeared. And surprise, surprise, here you are, pretending those bills didn't happen, because you don't want to be honest about those spending bills.

And in other posts, you'll brag about how Trump fixed our "hollowed out military"....but at the same time in other posts like this one, you'll claim that spending never happened.

In any event...yes, Covid spending made the Government bigger. Do you think the spending doesn't count if it's an "emergency? " Of course it counts. And if you'll recall, no one gave Obama a pass for the "emergency spending" that he and Bush used to keep the world's economy from collapsing.

In fact, folks were so angry at this spending, that the Tea Party was formed......or do you not remember that, either?

Sorry man, Covid counts. Doesn't matter, not even a little, WHY the spending happened. It did. And guess what? We're on the hook for all those loans, and NO ONE is calling for higher taxes to pay those bills off. Naturally. Because we're a nation of infants. Want to roll your eyes? Roll your eyes at that.

..& Biden says he's created a record deficit, while still spending more than any year pre-covid.
This is called lying with stats.

This is why you drive me nuts. You IMMEDIATELY understand Biden is lying, and can go right over to WhiteHouse.gov to see that spending should hit $5.8 Trillion in 2022 fiscal. You get that immediately...it's easier than breathing. Shocker, I can understand that Biden is lying here, too.

But when we discuss Republicans, you can't add, right after bragging about your math skills in an education thread. It's really frustrating that you do this when you are claiming to want an honest and civil discussion. Trump made government bigger BEFORE Covid. Had the chance to cut. He didn't.

And he exploded the deficit making matters worse by cutting taxes, particularly for corporations. Can you be honest for ten seconds and tell me that yes, that actually happened? Please?

[a fan]

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

I don't understand this military wonk view of the world, where world leaders pretend to not know what's going on.

Is Putin supposed to be stupid? Is he supposed to not know that Trump armed and trained Ukrainians, stopping his advance cold? Or that Biden continued arming and training them?

I remember watching Charlie Wilson's war thinking.....how stupid does Charlie think the Russians are that they don't know the US was behind all that?

Russian helicopters are blown out of the sky out of nowhere and the Russians are supposed to think "wow this is weird, how did the Afghanis build these weapons and learn to use them without any factories?"

Of COURSE we're at war with the Russians.

We've been in so many proxy wars the last few decades, that we can finally punch the last of our "Proxy War Sandwich Card", and get a free 12" from Subway.

Hooray!

[old salt]

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

I don't understand this military wonk view of the world, where world leaders pretend to not know what's going on.

Is Putin supposed to be stupid? Is he supposed to not know that Trump armed and trained Ukrainians, stopping his advance cold? Or that Biden continued arming and training them?

I remember watching Charlie Wilson's war thinking.....how stupid does Charlie think the Russians are that they don't know the US was behind all that?

Russian helicopters are blown out of the sky out of nowhere and the Russians are supposed to think "wow this is weird, how did the Afghanis build these weapons and learn to use them without any factories?"

Of COURSE we're at war with the Russians.

We've been in so many proxy wars the last few decades, that we can finally punch the last of our "Proxy War Sandwich Card", and get a free 12" from Subway.

Hooray!

...I just hope a free 12" sub is all we get.

[old salt]

Trump made the government 66% bigger in four years. Four years. That's insane. Did you complain? Did the Tea Party reassemble, and march?

...covid relief = making govt bigger.

We've been over this again and again and again. And every time, you pretend to acknowledge the facts...and then later on, you ignore the facts.

And yet here I am again, telling you that Trump passed not one, not two, but THREE massive spending bills BEFORE Covid.

And as I told the Forum..the millisecond that Covid arrived, the Republicans would use that spending as cover to pretend those three bills didn't happen, and all that spending disappeared. And surprise, surprise, here you are, pretending those bills didn't happen, because you don't want to be honest about those spending bills.

And in other posts, you'll brag about how Trump fixed our "hollowed out military"....but at the same time in other posts like this one, you'll claim that spending never happened.

In any event...yes, Covid spending made the Government bigger. Do you think the spending doesn't count if it's an "emergency? " Of course it counts. And if you'll recall, no one gave Obama a pass for the "emergency spending" that he and Bush used to keep the world's economy from collapsing.

In fact, folks were so angry at this spending, that the Tea Party was formed......or do you not remember that, either?

Sorry man, Covid counts. Doesn't matter, not even a little, WHY the spending happened. It did. And guess what? We're on the hook for all those loans, and NO ONE is calling for higher taxes to pay those bills off. Naturally. Because we're a nation of infants. Want to roll your eyes? Roll your eyes at that.

..& Biden says he's created a record deficit, while still spending more than any year pre-covid.
This is called lying with stats.

This is why you drive me nuts. You IMMEDIATELY understand Biden is lying, and can go right over to WhiteHouse.gov to see that spending should hit $5.8 Trillion in 2022 fiscal. You get that immediately...it's easier than breathing. Shocker, I can understand that Biden is lying here, too.

But when we discuss Republicans, you can't add, right after bragging about your math skills in an education thread. It's really frustrating that you do this when you are claiming to want an honest and civil discussion. Trump made government bigger BEFORE Covid. Had the chance to cut. He didn't.

And he exploded the deficit making matters worse by cutting taxes, particularly for corporations. Can you be honest for ten seconds and tell me that yes, that actually happened? Please?

How does Biden's budget compare to Trump's last pre-covid budget ?

[Typical Lax Dad]

President Joe Biden’s surprise visit to Ukraine sparked anger and embarrassment among many of Russia’s hawkish military pundits on Monday, increasing pressure on Vladimir Putin as the Russian leader prepares to justify his stuttering invasion in a national address.

Biden’s historic visit came days before the one-year anniversary of Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, providing a symbolic boost to Kyiv at a crucial juncture in the conflict.

But the visit caused fury in Russian pro-military and ultranationalist circles, as it upstages Putin on the eve of a major address in which the Russian president is expected to tout the supposed achievements of what he euphemistically calls a “special military operation.”

… For many, the secure and skillfully executed visit of a US President was another symbol of a faltering campaign.

A Telegram account managed by Russian army and naval servicemembers, Zapiski michmana Ptichkina, noted ironically that Biden had reached Kyiv before Russian President Vladimir Putin. “Almost a year after the beginning of the Special military operation, we are waiting in the Russian city of [Kyiv] for the president of the Russian Federation, but not for the [President of the] United States,” it said.

https://www.cnn.com/2023/02/20/europe/r ... index.html

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

[get it to x]

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

I don't understand this military wonk view of the world, where world leaders pretend to not know what's going on.

Is Putin supposed to be stupid? Is he supposed to not know that Trump armed and trained Ukrainians, stopping his advance cold? Or that Biden continued arming and training them?

I remember watching Charlie Wilson's war thinking.....how stupid does Charlie think the Russians are that they don't know the US was behind all that?

Russian helicopters are blown out of the sky out of nowhere and the Russians are supposed to think "wow this is weird, how did the Afghanis build these weapons and learn to use them without any factories?"

Of COURSE we're at war with the Russians.

We've been in so many proxy wars the last few decades, that we can finally punch the last of our "Proxy War Sandwich Card", and get a free 12" from Subway.

Hooray!

Despite Doc's triple flip pom pom dance, Putin isn't going after Biden. All the Presidents that visited Iraq or Afghanistan after dark with the plane in 100% blackout were more at risk from the local combatants.

[old salt]

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

I don't understand this military wonk view of the world, where world leaders pretend to not know what's going on.

Is Putin supposed to be stupid? Is he supposed to not know that Trump armed and trained Ukrainians, stopping his advance cold? Or that Biden continued arming and training them?

I remember watching Charlie Wilson's war thinking.....how stupid does Charlie think the Russians are that they don't know the US was behind all that?

Russian helicopters are blown out of the sky out of nowhere and the Russians are supposed to think "wow this is weird, how did the Afghanis build these weapons and learn to use them without any factories?"

Of COURSE we're at war with the Russians.

We've been in so many proxy wars the last few decades, that we can finally punch the last of our "Proxy War Sandwich Card", and get a free 12" from Subway.

Hooray!

Despite Doc's triple flip pom pom dance, Putin isn't going after Biden. All the Presidents that visited Iraq or Afghanistan after dark with the plane in 100% blackout were more at risk from the local combatants.

...& don't forget the sniper fire that Hillary had to dodge on the tarmac.

[PizzaSnake]

A triumphant Biden goes to Kyiv & punks Putin like he was Cornpop, days before Putin's big speech. . What could go wrong ?
We are now definitely at war with Russia so long as Biden is in office.

I don't understand this military wonk view of the world, where world leaders pretend to not know what's going on.

Is Putin supposed to be stupid? Is he supposed to not know that Trump armed and trained Ukrainians, stopping his advance cold? Or that Biden continued arming and training them?

I remember watching Charlie Wilson's war thinking.....how stupid does Charlie think the Russians are that they don't know the US was behind all that?

Russian helicopters are blown out of the sky out of nowhere and the Russians are supposed to think "wow this is weird, how did the Afghanis build these weapons and learn to use them without any factories?"

Of COURSE we're at war with the Russians.

We've been in so many proxy wars the last few decades, that we can finally punch the last of our "Proxy War Sandwich Card", and get a free 12" from Subway.

Hooray!

Despite Doc's triple flip pom pom dance, Putin isn't going after Biden. All the Presidents that visited Iraq or Afghanistan after dark with the plane in 100% blackout were more at risk from the local combatants.

And if Biden walked on water you'd complain he couldn't swim, wouldn't you?

[old salt]

All the current debate about F-16's for Ukraine makes my head want to explode.
There's no way F-16's can be deployed soon enough to impact this year's fighting.
For the longer term, Ukraine does not have the necessary military infrastructure (human or physical)
& won't have it until well into the postwar rebuilding period.
imho, the Saab Gripen * is the only western fighter that Ukrainians could operate in the near term, thanks to it's ability to operate from short, rough runways. Maybe someday the STVOL F-35B being operated by the Brits & our Marines.
Ukraine's proximity to Russia will never change. They need hardened aviation facilities & aircraft shelters, the ability to operate from dispersed, austere runways & the air defense systems necessary to protect their air bases. Otherwise, the Ukrainians will burn through their fighter aircraft inventory as rapidly as they're expending their allies' howitzer barrels & shells.
The EU should make the deal with Sweden, & provide the necessary guarantees, to increase Gripen production now.
EU/NATO members could use them if Ukraine collapses (which is unlikely).

* https://www.theweek.in/news/india/2021/ ... ssons.html

Assuming you are correct about Ukraine's physical infrastructure needs and the inability to deploy F-16s from current infrastructure, and the potential for this particular plane in the meantime, certainly makes sense to move as much to them as possible, as fast as possible...perhaps with backfill to any NATO donor countries with F-16's for whom that makes sense.

But how different are the requirements for MiG-29s, Su-24s, Su-25s and Su-27's?
Those are all flown from Ukraine currently.

Don't need the same runways?

The Brits and French also have jets they appear willing to contribute.

Apparently our military believes that air defense systems and artillery are much more urgently needed given massing of fixed wing aircraft by Russia in preparation for their impending major push.

Seems to me that longer striking missiles and drones would not have the issues you describe for the F-16's...so prioritize those as well?

Critical that Ukraine can strike deeply within the Russian occupied areas and nearby bases, command and control, etc. Precision is the West's advantage, gotta leverage that as much as possible.

Unlike most western fighters, Soviet legacy fighters are designed to operate from shorter, austere runways.

https://breakingdefense.com/2023/02/a-c ... th-moscow/