Hanaguma

This particular discussion is not about Putin, so let's leave that aside for a moment. I do condemn NATO and have for many years for becoming a toothless, paper tiger. As for Trump, if you look back in my posting you will see that I preferred other candidates when the GOP primaries were happening.I was a Chris Christie backer, then Doug Burgum. But don't let the facts get in the way of your feelings.

True. Only one side is attempting to jail their political opponent. Only one side is OK with the Deep State of unelected and often unknown government factotums running the country in place of the figurehead president.

Again, yes, but...... what is your point? We have to deal with the situation as it is, and try to find a workable solution. Not just wish for a different way things started. I don't see an outcome that can both restore Ukranian terrirorial sovereignty and not result in a wider, if not global, war.

A distinction without a difference. Whatever pedantic vocabulary you choose, the longer the war goes the more Ukranians will die. And Russians too. But Russia can afford the casualties. It is their way of fighting since the Napoleonic Wars.

A wider war is curtailed? Great. Now solve the current one without troops on the battlefield. Otherwise, you are just sending hundreds of Ukranians to their death every day.

I think "simplistic" would accurately describe your analogy. By "call the police", do you mean that NATO should jump in and force Russia back to the pre-war borders? Because that would be very very stupid. I don't disagree about the causes of the war at all. Putin invaded, his fault, couldn't win a complete victory, and now here we are. Gotta deal with reality today. I am not sure where else his "imperialistic ambition" can be used since Russia is surrounded by NATO member states.

Ah yes, the old "bootlicker" shibboleth. I was wondering when it would be trotted out. But as usual you are getting caught up in your own vituperation to actually evaluate the situation. Do you see any way for Ukraine to get its land back without NATO involvement on the ground? Well, probably American involvement since most of NATO is not capable of much in the way of offensive operations. But otherwise, Ukraine is in a pickle. They can pretty much keep their attacker at bay, but can't go on the offensive- last spring/summer proved that. So, where does that leave us?

What exactly do you mean by "a more direct manner"? Do you want NATO ground forces in Ukraine and at war with Russia? Because that would be idiocy.

Nice try. I don't back Trump, I would back whoever the GOP nominee was. Personally I would have preferred someone else, but you can't always get what you want. Not backing Putin or his war either. Just want it to end, and therefore end the possibility of it escalating into a global conflict. Is that really so hard to understand, or has the T.D.S. gotten such a hold of you that logic and reason make no impact?

I have no interest in giving aid and comfort to anyone. What I do want is the conflict to end before it escalates into something out of control and potentially catastrophic. Ukraine cannot win without NATO support in the form of footsoldiers and direct air power involvement. Yet that would give Russia the excuse to escalate the choice and quantity of weapons used. Tell me, which city in the UK or Europe would YOU be willing to throw into a nuclear fire for the chance to liberate the occupied parts of Ukraine? It isn't a gamble that is worth taking IMHO. That is why I say cut a deal and end it.

I love the typical "if you don't agree with the war you must be Putin's puppy" logic that is displayed here so often. It is laughably simplistic. TBH, if Putin keeled over dead tomorrow that would be fine with me. I would only worry about who would succeed him. As for our green t-shirted little friend, he has a choice. Cut a deal or watch more of his people die. He isn't going to get the land back. So save your faux outrage.

Zelensky needs to STFU, stop barging in on other peoples' parties, and cut a deal to end the war. Otherwise he will run out of men to feed into the NATO sponsored meatgrinder. Other posters here have been quite honest about the fact that Ukraine is being used to degrade Russia's warfighting capacity. What those posters do NOT say is that they are quite content to use Ukranian lives to accomplish that goal.

Too bad he didn't.

Which of those are actually "rights", which are not, and which are actually so threatened? Like Trump, I did not write it. From my brief look at the general principles, some are good and some are silly. The abortion one in particular- did you not hear Trump's answer at the debate? He has no interest in the federal government being involved at all. I guess the Democrats are trying to make it the "Russia Russia Russia" talking point for this campaign.

Please tell us all what you know about Project 2025, and how it is tied to Trump. We would love to hear your analysis.

Trudeau is a goddam embarrassment. Way too concerned with DEI and not enough with his country.

The year the extra spending packages ceased. Basically, 2020 for Trump and 2021 for Biden. You clearly see the spike in the spending for those two years. Then afterwards, Biden kept the tragic trajectory moving upwards in 2022 and 2023, and even more in 2024.

Not according to the Treasury Department homepage... https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/national-deficit/#us-deficit-by-year Trump's total for 2017-19 was 2.43 trillion. Biden from 2022-23 was 3.08 trillion. Plus this year is 1.2 trillion and counting. He is still burning through money at a stupid rate. Might hit 2 trillion for the year in 2024.

A disingenuous answer. If you take out the covid deficits for both men, Trump's 3 deficits were all below one trillion- 0.7, 0.8, and 0.9. Biden's were 1.4, 1,7, and 1.2 trillion so far this year. He didn't reduce the deficit at all. He simply stopped the ridiculous overspending during covid.

It's not a canard to say that American dollars should be spent helping Americans. It is common sense. Biden has borrowed so much money that now the INTEREST alone on the national debt is more than the defense department annual budget. It has to stop.

I think most Americans would rather keep their weapons for their own soldiers, and have the $200 billion spent on their fellow citizens who are suffering and in need. The MIC is loving the Ukraine conflict, business has never been better.

The scary thing is that Biden even drags the teleprompter to private fundraisers, held in private homes. He has it set up literally in the living room of a rich donor and then reads it to those attending. Afterwards, takes off without interacting with or talking to the attendees. I think a lot of the donor class are going to stay on the sidelines.

"Your democracy" isn't under threat. Even if the US WAS a democracy, which it isn't. I mean seriously, what do you think that Trump can de exactly to hurt the Republic? He already had 4 years in office, did nothing to alter the Constitution, and left office for Biden to be inaugurated. Where is the threat?

Low unemployment, but far more part time jobs. They are increasing at a rate that exceeds full time jobs being lost. Now, about the inflation, the surge in housing costs, the debacle at the border, the $200 billion p1ssed away in Ukraine...

I guess Joe had the font size on the teleprompter increased. No thanks to President Trump for cajoling and shaming many NATO countries into fulfilling their 2% defence obligations? How ungrateful. Supporting democracy is a fine idea, but I wonder why NATO is supporting Ukraine?