Hanaguma

An oversupply of cheap labour leads to downward pressure on wages, especially for poor Americans. Illegal immigrants will work for less. Why pay an American $20 an hour if a Venezualan will take $10? Especially if there are no consequences to hiring the Venezualan.

Really? There are a number of countries in which winning the popular vote (either a majority or plurality) is no guarantee of becoming the government. Canada 2021- the Conservatives got more votes than the Liberals, but the Liberals had a plurality of seats in Parliament and formed a government. Same in 2019.

Yep, that's him. The great threat to democracy /s If there ever were a threat, it ended on Jan 20 2021 when Biden was inaugurated. The rest is all posturing and preening, and massive ego on the part of the losing candidate (Trump).

Interesting that Joe suddenly has an interest in democracy. I guess he has already forgotten the peaceful transfer of power that happened in January 2021. His peaceful inauguration. The "very generous letter" (to quote the President) that Trump left for him in the Oval Office on inauguration day. The same Trump who wished the new administration "great luck and great success". https://edition.cnn.com/2021/01/20/politics/trump-letter-to-biden/index.html There is no threat to democracy. That idle paranoia is just being used as a scare tactic by the left to promote fear and division.

Wow, I thought you were talking about Nikki Haley there for a minute..., well except for 3.

Obvious solution? Keep them in custody until their hearings. Build camps along the border to house them. Immediately deport any who used a human smuggler- the wrist bands are usually a giveaway. AND also go after employers. It doesn't have to be an either/or solution.

As of now, the US has spent $1,000 per household on the Ukraine war. I think most people would rather have that money in their pockets, use it to buy food for their kids, pay the inflated prices to put gas in their cars, etc. NATO doesn't need to be renewed. It lost its purpose once the USSR and Warsaw Pact dissolved. Europe has more than enough money to defend itself without relying on Uncle Sugar.

Only the guy with possibly the most downloaded podcast in America, with 15 million subscribers and 3 BILLION views on Youtube. A hard to pin down guy in standard political terms. Leans libertarian, suppports drug legalization, endorsed Tulsi Gabbard in the 2020 election, a 2nd Amendment guy who also is in favor of universal health care. Also not afraid to talk to anyone on his show, a quality that more journalists should emulate.

It isnt ignorant at all. The money to fight has to come from somewhere, which means the pockets of taxpayers in the US and other countries. Money that could otherwise be spent within those countries to help their own citizens (Maui wildfire rebuilding etc). The war has largely stalemated. The Russians are dug in and will be hard to dislodge without significant manpower help from NATO, which means expanding the war. You willing to trade London or Berlin or Paris for Kiev? Or the Donetsk? I'm not.

Demographics are working against Ukraine. A possible related example would be Finland vs USSR in world war 2. The Finns put up a valiant resistance but in the end needed Germany to help them. Ukraine is the same. They will simply run out of men faster than Russia. Particularly if they want to go on the offensive to recapture their lost territory. For their faults, Russians are very tenacious and stubborn on the defensive, as Ukraine is finding out with this years failed spring campaign. So no, they cannot regain what they had before the war unless NATO jumps in. And turning a regional conflict into a global one is a tragedy that need not happen. The risks are too great. Military aid is useless without troops to use it, troops who are trained to use it properly. No time to train, no time to ship everything they want. Best result will be a stalemate.

Well, you got that part right. It's NOT my problem. Whether or not Russia get the Donbas or a few thousand assorted square kms of territory doesn't register with me. I honestly don't see a scenario where Ukraine comes out unscathed, all territory restored, etc. Making no attempt to bring Russia to the bargaining table is rank stupidity. Can you tell me a realistic ending that doesn't involve NATO ground/air forces getting involved yet gets victory for Ukraine? All that is happening now is prolonging the inevitable. Ukraine can't win without other nations intervening directly, and that is a potential nightmare with huge risks and little potential gain. Or is that OK-widening the war to include NATO directly? Because that's what it's gonna take to shift the Russians.

It must be easy to dismiss those who disagree with you so cavalierly. But believe it or not, it IS possible to both hope Russia loses AND not support further funding this conflict. A little nuance goes a long way.

...and here we go! "b-b-but Trump...." ...has nothing to do with the war in Ukraine. Biden flushing 120 billion dollars plus down the drain while his own cities are in chaos is criminal.

Tug, your very first assumption was wrong and exposes the inherent problem with the whole debate on the Ukraine war. Russia is NOT "the largest enemy on the planet". China is. And spending 125 billion dollars to fight an unwinnable conflict is folly. Do you honestly think that Russia can be evicted from Ukraine without NATO joining in? The numbers just aren't there. You only have to look at the huge fizzle that was this year's "spring offensive" to see that. The best that Ukraine can hope for is to hang on to what they have left. Europe can (and should) protect itself. Let me ask you: do YOU think NATO should join in? Do you think Ukraine can recapture all its lost territory without the aid of soldiers from other nations?

Absolutely. It's about time. Good work Joe. I just wish there were 2 more "zeroes" on the number being deployed.

Not less than human, but not my problem The Ukranians dont have the manpower to run the Russians off. Would you like NATO to solve that problem too? And let's say, for the sake of argument, that Putin gets "hounded from office". Great. Now what? Who will replace him- you think it will be someone reasonable and peaceful? Surely you aren't that naive. So, letting your chips fall would possibly lead to WW3 and a regime change to an even worse madman than Putin. Sorry, but no thanks.

Yes, if necessary. Ukranian land and people are not worth the life of one NATO soldier, nor the risk of escalating into a wider conflict. Sorry, but that is the way it is. Russia could do that, become an international pariah, and let the chips fall where they may.

Welcome to the conversation, Mr. Godwin. So happy you could finally show up!

Democracy can't lose because neither Russia nor Ukraine are democratic countries.

True, that is probably the purpose of the war. I can understand Russian paranoia to an extent. I mean, NATO was created to counter the USSR and the Warsaw Pact. Once the Soviet Union fell and the Pact dissolved, the raison d'etre for NATO was diminished. Yet, NATO continued to expand even as Russia was weakened. Now I am not saying that there is an evil plot for NATO to attack Russia, but from their point of view, given their history of being invaded, I can see how they took NATO expansion as aggression. So give Russia a chunk of Ukraine as a buffer zone. That would secure their western border more or less. In turn, get assurances of the future territorial integrity of Ukraine and a specific promise to not go after NATO countries. Offer assistance with economic development to lure Russia away from the Chinese sphere of influence. Long term, it is the only way.

He will stop and he will bluster because he will come up to a hard border with NATO treaty nations. He will have his victory, secure his legacy, and turn to domestic issues to cement his power base and future. But if a cease fire can be negotiated, it would not result in the elimination of the Ukraine so your hypothetical is moot.

You might be right, which is why it was stupid to defend Ukraine as if it were a NATO-lite member in the first place. Waste of 100 billion plus dollars that could have been better spent elsewhere. Give Putin a stalemate in Ukraine that he can propagandize into a victory at home and stop the fighting is the best way forward. A smaller and wiser Ukraine is left. At the same time, renew commitments to the Baltic States and preposition NATO forces from other member countries within their borders. And God forbid, perhaps Europe will finally start to take their own defence seriously and stop faffing about. It is not America's job to defend Europe if they can't be bothered to defend themselves.

Nah, those other countries you mentioned are all NATO members and covered by the NATO treaty. Ukraine is not. That is the biggest difference. The "domino theory" does not apply.

As yes, the aggressive ignorance of the malinformed. God forbid you are exposed to something that might make you think.... But seriously, if you haven't done more than read Wikipedia perhaps you should tone down your opinions until you have actually learned a bit more.

Kinda strange for a Jewish guy to be a nazi sympathizer, but whatever. Enough of the smears, perhaps you might want to take the time to actually listen to what he has to say before reverting to personal attacks.