Hanaguma

Care to tell me which of my list are imaginary? All are well documented and well known. Without referring to the Bad Orange Man if possible...

You are right about one thing. Ukraine is not my priority. If that country has to make some concessions in order to secure lasting peace, then they should do so. If they need to be 'persuaded', then so be it. They aren't a NATO member, or EU member, or even a floushing democracy. They are not worth the spectre of an all out war on the European continent. I think it is all rather pointless and a distraction compared to the actual enemy of global security, which of course is China. China looms over everything, and paying too much attention to Russia and Ukraine only benefits them. Who do you suggest that the Russian people replace Putin with?

The west has not only forgiven war criminals, they actually EMPLOYED them after WW2. Look, I understand the urge to be righteous and angry and all that, but reality stands in the way. We (western countries) deal with thugs and scumbags all the time, make compromises for the hope of a better result, etc. This is no different. I think the endgame you envision has "disaster" written all over it. You simply can't push a nuclear armed superpower into a corner and expect them to just cower and acquiesce.

Reparations... how did that work out after World War One? You might not know much about the Russian people if you think they will accept a squishy pro-Western leader in a moment of national crisis. Not a chance I would be willing to gamble so much on. Much as it would suck, give Russia a couple token ethnic Russian enclaves in Ukraine in exchange for a peace settlement and some very specific conditions. This way Russia can exit the conflict gracefully. Let the Russian economy get back on its feet and start selling stuff to the west. THAT will make them willing to work with Europe/America and not China. Backing them into a corner may only make things worse.

OK, let's use your scenario. NATO is able to finance and arm Ukraine to the point that Putin is, to use your word, "crushed". What exactly does that mean? So far the Russians have been playing defense a lot better than they did at offense. So, Putin is crushed. Russia retreats to.........the prewar border? Prewar border PLUS losing Crimea? Now, who takes over in Russia- generally when a dictator is overthrown, an even worse dictator takes his place. Except in Russia the new dictator will have an arsenal of thousands of nuclear weapons at his disposal. If his country and economy are getting "crushed", what incentive is there for him to show restraint? None whatsoever. I am all for Ukraine winning, but not at the expense of even a limited nuclear exchange. Or a change of leadership in Russia that makes Putin look like Josiah Bartlett. Or permanent damage to the European economy and the food supply that many nations depend on.

It is getting tiring, reading the "b-b-but Trump..." deflection. Plenty of discussions available if you want to throw shade at The Donald. Ditto the high and low policy decisions of the current administration. Any comment on Biden's irresponsible and immoral doings?

Theft immoral? Uh, yes it is? Although Joes behavior went a bit beyond that faulty analogy. The reactions of the children to handsy sniffy Joe were priceless in the video, dont you think?

Once again, "B-b-but Trump.....".... The Donald is a pig about women, but at least his daughter was 'of age' when he made his gross remarks. Here is Biden at work on CSpan. This is just swearing in ceremonies. Note that it is exclusively girls that get his attention, almost never boys... The commentary is very interesting as well. I guess we will have to disagree then that plagiarism is a moral failing, as is lying about an innocent man, etc.

Biden took 5 draft deferments as a student, Trump took 4. Makes both men look cowardly. Both were then classed as 1-Y 'unfit for service except in national emergency' in medical exams. Both seemed rather fit and sporty young men before that too.... How would YOU class Biden's behavior around women and children? Enough of the word games. Now as you did not address any of Biden's other moral failings, I guess we can assume that you agree that they are just that?

Like many young men of their generation (Clinton and Cheney also), Biden and Trump both used student deferrals as long as they could to avoid getting drafted. Once their student deferrals ran out, both used spurious medical grounds to stay undraftable- Biden for asthma as a teen and Trump for bone spurs. Joe is very 'handsy' around both women and young girls. There are too many examples to mention. I didn't say it was sexual, but it IS inappropriate and not dignified (to say the least). Plagiarism is a moral failing. So is lying to embellish your accomplishments and to slander an innocent person. Rude remarks about racialized Americans are both indecent and a moral failing. Hinging your presidential campaign on a debunked meme is indecent and also rather shallow. Bullying and cursing at your staff is undignified and embarrassing. Need I go on? Feel free to defend Joe on any of the 10 points I brought up, particularly in light of his public persona.

My pleasure. Here, for your reading enjoyment: 1. He lied about the man who was in the tragic accident that killed his first wife and daughter, calling him a drunk 2. He lied repeatedly and often about his academic pedigree when he first ran for president. 3. He lies about his son's death. 4. He lied about his upbringing. 5. He is a plagiarist, which ultimately derailed his first presidential campaign. 6. He lies about his grand-daughter Navy. 7. He lied about his son's business activities and what he knew of them. 8. He, like Trump, dodged the draft and avoided service in Viet Nam. 9. He is infamous for his inappropriate touching around women and girls. Did it again in Finland last week, being weird around a frightened toddler. 10. He has made numerous racist comments about minorities in America. ETA Oh, and the very premise of his 2020 presidential run was a lie. He claimed that Trump was praising white supremacists at Charlottesville during the unrest there. It was untrue and never happened.

Really, that's the best you've got? "B-b-but Trump...."? Trump never campaigned as a solid, family man type. And thank God for that. Nor on his decency. Ditto. He was what he was- all his flaws and moral failings were clear to anyone with eyes to see. People knew what they were getting when they voted for him in terms of decency and dignity (the topic of this discussion). Now how about Biden? Were his character flaws and immorality clear to the public? Or did he try to hide them under his BS image as 'lunchbucket Joe from Scranton'? The hypocrisy is the problem.

Exactly! Red states like California, Arizona, New Mexico........oh wait. Nevermind.....

Perhaps because the topic of this discussion is not policy? Plenty of places to talk about that I am sure. No, the topc is Joe Biden and his attempt to portray himself as decent, dignified, honest, and the like. All of which have never been true- please see the list I wrote and tell me if anything was inaccurate. ALL were indicators that he is not of high and moral character whatsoever. Would not be a problem if, IF, Biden didn't spend so much time trying to burnish his personal brand. But he does, so he gets called on it.

No, my point was to stick to the topic of the discussion, which is about Biden's carefully crafted and completely untrue image of himself as kindly uncle Joe. Your post is full of weasel words and sentiments. Constant comparisons, as usual, to Trumplestiltskin. Care to tell me about Joe Biden's "decency and dignity"?

Joe was never decent. He was a mediocre Senator and invisible as vice president. He has a notable list of nasty behavior going back decades. 1. He lied about the man who was in the tragic accident that killed his first wife and daughter, calling him a drunk 2. He lied about his academic pedigree when he first ran for president. 3. He lies about his son's death. 4. He lied about his upbringing. 5. He is a plagiarist, which ultimately derailed his first presidential campaign. 6. He lies about his grand-daughter Navy. 7. He lied about his son's business activities and what he knew of them. 8. He, like Trump, dodged the draft and avoided service in VietNam. 9. He is infamous for his inappropriate touching around women and girls. Tell me again about his decency and dignity.

Trump was a very good president until Covid hit. Then he lost the plot, lost the election, and now is well past his due date. He won't be spending any time in prison, so please put that fantasy to bed. No need to hyperventilate about him, just ignore him and he will fade away. The real reason for the anti-Trump stuff is that he won the election in 2016. He toppled everyone in the media and Left World's anointed candidate, the so-called 'most qualified person to ever run for President'. The dire predictions of what would happen if Trump won never came true. But they still never forgave him for the sin of winning and making them all look stupid.

You can't be serious. The wall to wall anti-Trump coverage on CNN from 2016-2021 was blatant and ridiculous.

Joe had a long and storied career of lying as a Senator and in his previous Presidential runs. Lately he is turning more to brain freezes and the like. I dont think he is capable of the sort of mistruths that he uttered in the past. He is just getting......slow. And unsteady, both physically and mentally.

Only the latest, my friend, only the latest. How many "brief stumbles" and "gaffes" does it take to add up to a problem?

I guess this answers the question of whose coke it was in the White House! But when he isnt flying high, this is more the norm....

So it is OK for people to casually carry drugs into the White House, use them in the White House, drop bags of weed and coke here and there, no big deal... jesus, what kind of world do you live in?

In the White House?!?

Even more interesting..... the Secret Service actually found drugs on TWO other occasions in the White House! Twice in 2022 marijuana was found, in July and September. Both times the Secret Service just took it and destroyed it. No investigation, no security upgrade. https://www.foxnews.com/politics/not-just-cocaine-secret-service-reveals-another-banned-substance-found-bidens-white-house What the hell is going on?!?

Occam's Razor may come into play here. You are living with a known coke head. Coke is found in a secure location, covered by security and with all visitors logged in (except the coke head and his family). Connect the dots. Plus the faux outrage that accompanies even the most gentle questioning of the issue with the White House Press Secretary, "I'm offended that you would even ASK......". The best way to deflect from an uncomfortable question is to attack the questioner's integrity.