Where’s Ray when we need a list?! Trump’s “peace plan” is a preposterous mishmash put forward, it would appear, by the dreamers Haass, Hodges, Kemp and Lindsey! types - not at all based in reality. What really jumps out is that the US will be sitting at the table just behind Ukraine, poking and prodding it like the nefarious puppeteer, to insist on the return of territories; and, incredibly, just by virtue of negotiating, Ukraine will continue to receive weapons shipments from the US!!! same old same old, as if a bloody 3-year war, preceded by repeated Russian attempts to negotiate, and now ending catastrophically for Ukraine, being dealt a death-blow by Russia. I hope Trump is joking, seriously.
I'm not sure Trump is 'joking', and his plan is obviously a non-starter as far as Russia is concerned, but, as I said in a comment on another thread yesterday, Trump's plan is not for Putin, Lavrov and Shoigu. Its simply words meant for 'consumption' by the American press and public to differentiate him from Biden. Does Trump really think his plan will lead to a peace treaty with Russia? Or does his plan merely represent a first stab at separating himself from Biden without looking like a wimpy, anti-war peacenik. Putting it another way, is it enough of a plan to get elected on?
At the end of the day, what else really matters to Trump?
The "plan" seems to be based on the twin delusions that the US can remain the world hegemon and that therefore Putin can be satisfied with crumbs, and that Russia isn't winning and NATO remains strong. The hope, which is all we have at this point, is that a Trump 2.0 will wake up and smell the coffee. Like I'm doing right now.
Here’s to your morning brew! Mercouris offers a fearful glimpse (via an article by Tarik Cyril Amar) into what the flailing hegemon may be concocting in the face of defeat by the Ruskies: a forever war…however China does come into the picture…from the 1:02 mark:
It will be interesting to see who Trump appoints to his foreign policy team if he is elected. I think it is valid to say that a President's appointments can both reflect and influence his positions. On the other hand, as the author notes, we can never forget that the Senate (and therefore the IC) has control over all the major appointments.
So in a Trump admin the Blob may change slightly in its public face and in the relative influence various think tanks have but it's focus on "external threats" (be it Russia or China) and the military will remain. This is because the Blob remains devoted to American hegemony, as that assures their own continued power and compensation and serves the interests of their donors and the elites. As for the American Experiment, just look at the Blob and how they have used this nation to see the result.
Is there any reason to believe that Trump will be anything more than the guy who gets stuck with the blame for all the chickens finally coming home to roost? The debt implosion. The endless wars. Inflation. Great Depression. What’s his plan? Is it similar to his ridiculous and delusional plan for ending the war in Ukraine? Note to Trump - Russia has the upper hand so they will dictate the terms of any settlement.
As I've mentioned before, If (God help me) I were a Dem, I'd let Trump win. Then, as Manul says, everything can be blamed on him and the Uniparty can cement its power permanently.
We've seen Speaker Johnson (to Trump a "good person") betray us with practically the full consent of all Ds and most Rs. There's one party in DC, and there's no room for me (or Tom Massie). Think voting will make any difference? There's always more money for war and welfare for those who don't contribute. Now the big debate is who will Trump choose for his VP. Tim Scott? Noem? Rubio? All of these are empty suits. A distraction from what matters - which is what Trump says he will do.
Our problems are nearly intractable. We need a man of character in the White House to deal effectively with them. Trump isn't that man.
"We need a man of character in the White House to deal effectively with them."
The system is rigged against men of character--and especially against a president of character. Permanent government colludes with Congress against any president who tries to buck their system. This isn't Mr. Smith Goes To The Oval Office. It's, do we have a choice that might hold the barbarians at bay while making incremental changes and taking advantage when opportunity offered. Trump did manage that with the SCOTUS which, with one major exception, has made good on our hopes. Perhaps he has another rabbit in his hat.
One has to wonder wether the institutional and managerial state behemoth has become a creature unto its own. Anyone elected is elected into the system. It’s become such a monolith that there is simply no mechanism to cut the Gordian knot.
It becomes a Parkinson’s law dilemma and only external shock can bring change.
I don't think we have to wonder about this anymore, Johny. It's amazing how brazen and open about this they have become. 2016, Covid and now the Ukraine/Israel disasters really tore their masks off. However, although there is no hope of salvation from within the system, I have a real feeling that there are powerful pulsions and forces building that will offer solutions from outside. What can't go on, won't go on.
Seems to me that the political classes are not the rulers. They are the managers who are working for the rulers.
As for Trump, whether or not he was ever anything more than controlled opposition... either as willing participant or as a dupe... it seems that he is now owned by those aforementioned rulers, that the purpose of all those lawsuits was to show him how easy it would be for the "deep state" to destroy him. Perhaps we are now seeing those lawsuits fall apart because he has agreed to play nice.
Fair enough, but you could also say that the political classes include the behind the scenes players. The Michael Chertoffs, the Richard Haass types, etc.
Within the space of a fortnight, Trump gave a decisive push to the Ukraine/Israel spending bill, rescued a treasonous uniparty speaker from oblivion, lent his support to the renewal and reinforcement of FISA, the very tool that began his political persecution, and waxed lyrical about a new building for the FBI. He's done.
It would certainly appear that he's done, Steg, or... if not done, he's gone over.
But what option do his 2016/2020 voters have other than to vote for him again? We know we're being betrayed but what's our alternative? Are we not all in the same position now as MTG?
As far as Trump's Ukraine peace plan is concerned, of course its a non-starter with Russia. Russia will not give back lands taken with tens of thousands of Russian lives. Russia doesn't care about our sanctions. The no longer want to trade with us even if we let them. They don't trust us. And Russia will never allow Ukraine to join NATO. It will also have to be completely demilitarized.
But Trump's peace plan is not for Putin and Lavrov and Shoigu, is it?. Its simply words for the American voter. What's Biden's plan? To fight to the last Ukrainian? We have no idea. Does Trump think his plan separates him from Biden without looking like a peacenik and is enough to get elected on? Is that what's going on?
I must say: our exceptional 'democracy', with its 'universal' franchise...where candidates uniformly lie to the voters and the voters are 150,000,000 mostly ill-informed (clueless?) 'citizens' who then determine whether or not to vote for representatives (who are bought and paid for by donors and lobbyists) who will then decide whether to slide into WWIII or go bankrupt as a nation seems more than a little problematic these days...but, again, what's the alternative?
As an outsider (not US citizen, but down-under Kiwi) seems to me where you are is known as 'between the devil and the deep blue sea'. Which Zionist/Neocon string puppet do you want? The genocidal geriatric or the narcissistic pathological liar (also with genocidal inclinations).
Back in 2016 I thought Trump might be the right guy to take America through bankruptcy proceedings, but no. 34T debt and the interagency deep state uniparty has other plans for us.
I would put it more like ... He proved in 16-20 that he was like the rest of us, flawed. But I think most readers here knew that and were not "infatuated" with a new Barbie/Ken--that suggestion is demeaning to me and to most readers here. I can say that I voted for him based on the reasoning that he had committed himself too deeply on his pro-life stand that he wouldn't be able to go back. He proved me right. He also proved me right on his SCOTUS appointments for the same reason. He kept his campaign promises but was thwarted by Congress on some of them. A president isn't a dictator--far from it.
He did show himself to be a mixed bag--we all are. A good deal of that came down to personnel and what appeared to be a misplaced notion that he could win over the permanent government Deep State--do a deal. OTOH, he was wrrong. OTOH, there is arguably no way forward for a modern president except to make that attempt because his hands are tied by civil service laws and the deeply entrenched collusion of Congress with the Deep State.
To give Trump his due, he also - incontrovertibly and repeatedly - exposed for the world to see (if the world will take off its blinders) the case for the utter poverty, dishonesty and corruption over the last several decades of American Neocons, Spooks, Uniparty politicians, Government officials and their MSM stenographers. I'm referring to the following, although the list is much much longer:
The Clintons, the Bushes, Obama and Biden.
Allen Dulles, James Jesus Angleton, Madeleine Albright, Paul Wolfowitz, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, John Kerry, John Brennan, Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, Victoria Nuland, Antony Blinken, and Jake Sullivan.
Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Liz Cheney, Eric Swallwell, Dick Blumenthal, Mark Warner, Mitt Romney, John McCain and Lindsey Graham
Jim Comey, Loretta Lynch, Bob Mueller, Bill Barr, and Christopher Wray
Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Stefan Halper, Joseph Mifsud, Alexander Downer, Mary McCord, Michael Sussman, Marc Elias and Andrew Weissmann
Eric Ciamarella, Alexander Vindman, Bruce and Nellie Ohr, Christopher Steel, and Rod Rosenstein
You can't unsee this list and it would appear unlikely that the eventual history writers of this age will be kind to these folks.
Next time definitely WILL be different, simply because the geopolitical chessboard is now so different. It was heading this direction during Trump's term, but the dynamics are now out in the open and developing rapidly.
Trump just as delusional as Biden.
Trump believes in the Lockean, British-backed Confederate Flag:
"Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of (MY) Property".
Trump or Biden. Take your pick. Im voting Trump even if he’s in jail or dead.
Where’s Ray when we need a list?! Trump’s “peace plan” is a preposterous mishmash put forward, it would appear, by the dreamers Haass, Hodges, Kemp and Lindsey! types - not at all based in reality. What really jumps out is that the US will be sitting at the table just behind Ukraine, poking and prodding it like the nefarious puppeteer, to insist on the return of territories; and, incredibly, just by virtue of negotiating, Ukraine will continue to receive weapons shipments from the US!!! same old same old, as if a bloody 3-year war, preceded by repeated Russian attempts to negotiate, and now ending catastrophically for Ukraine, being dealt a death-blow by Russia. I hope Trump is joking, seriously.
@ML
" I hope Trump is joking, seriously."
I'm not sure Trump is 'joking', and his plan is obviously a non-starter as far as Russia is concerned, but, as I said in a comment on another thread yesterday, Trump's plan is not for Putin, Lavrov and Shoigu. Its simply words meant for 'consumption' by the American press and public to differentiate him from Biden. Does Trump really think his plan will lead to a peace treaty with Russia? Or does his plan merely represent a first stab at separating himself from Biden without looking like a wimpy, anti-war peacenik. Putting it another way, is it enough of a plan to get elected on?
At the end of the day, what else really matters to Trump?
All good questions. Perhaps Trump’s choice of VP will shed some light?…
The "plan" seems to be based on the twin delusions that the US can remain the world hegemon and that therefore Putin can be satisfied with crumbs, and that Russia isn't winning and NATO remains strong. The hope, which is all we have at this point, is that a Trump 2.0 will wake up and smell the coffee. Like I'm doing right now.
Here’s to your morning brew! Mercouris offers a fearful glimpse (via an article by Tarik Cyril Amar) into what the flailing hegemon may be concocting in the face of defeat by the Ruskies: a forever war…however China does come into the picture…from the 1:02 mark:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Agljx6darHk&list=UUwGpHa6rMLjSSCBlckm5khw&index=1&pp=iAQB
AM believes that this “forever conflict” will still end in military defeat for the US and achieve nothing but more death and destruction for Ukraine.
As regards Trump and his potential foreign policy, I thought this essay was of some interest and of some validity:
https://responsiblestatecraft.org/trump-foreign-policy/
It will be interesting to see who Trump appoints to his foreign policy team if he is elected. I think it is valid to say that a President's appointments can both reflect and influence his positions. On the other hand, as the author notes, we can never forget that the Senate (and therefore the IC) has control over all the major appointments.
So in a Trump admin the Blob may change slightly in its public face and in the relative influence various think tanks have but it's focus on "external threats" (be it Russia or China) and the military will remain. This is because the Blob remains devoted to American hegemony, as that assures their own continued power and compensation and serves the interests of their donors and the elites. As for the American Experiment, just look at the Blob and how they have used this nation to see the result.
Is there any reason to believe that Trump will be anything more than the guy who gets stuck with the blame for all the chickens finally coming home to roost? The debt implosion. The endless wars. Inflation. Great Depression. What’s his plan? Is it similar to his ridiculous and delusional plan for ending the war in Ukraine? Note to Trump - Russia has the upper hand so they will dictate the terms of any settlement.
I wouldn't doubt that he is being set up in many ways, at this point.
As I've mentioned before, If (God help me) I were a Dem, I'd let Trump win. Then, as Manul says, everything can be blamed on him and the Uniparty can cement its power permanently.
We've seen Speaker Johnson (to Trump a "good person") betray us with practically the full consent of all Ds and most Rs. There's one party in DC, and there's no room for me (or Tom Massie). Think voting will make any difference? There's always more money for war and welfare for those who don't contribute. Now the big debate is who will Trump choose for his VP. Tim Scott? Noem? Rubio? All of these are empty suits. A distraction from what matters - which is what Trump says he will do.
Our problems are nearly intractable. We need a man of character in the White House to deal effectively with them. Trump isn't that man.
"We need a man of character in the White House to deal effectively with them."
The system is rigged against men of character--and especially against a president of character. Permanent government colludes with Congress against any president who tries to buck their system. This isn't Mr. Smith Goes To The Oval Office. It's, do we have a choice that might hold the barbarians at bay while making incremental changes and taking advantage when opportunity offered. Trump did manage that with the SCOTUS which, with one major exception, has made good on our hopes. Perhaps he has another rabbit in his hat.
One has to wonder wether the institutional and managerial state behemoth has become a creature unto its own. Anyone elected is elected into the system. It’s become such a monolith that there is simply no mechanism to cut the Gordian knot.
It becomes a Parkinson’s law dilemma and only external shock can bring change.
I don't think we have to wonder about this anymore, Johny. It's amazing how brazen and open about this they have become. 2016, Covid and now the Ukraine/Israel disasters really tore their masks off. However, although there is no hope of salvation from within the system, I have a real feeling that there are powerful pulsions and forces building that will offer solutions from outside. What can't go on, won't go on.
Veto the first budget or spending bill on national TV and reveal the waste... challenging an override
Seems to me that the political classes are not the rulers. They are the managers who are working for the rulers.
As for Trump, whether or not he was ever anything more than controlled opposition... either as willing participant or as a dupe... it seems that he is now owned by those aforementioned rulers, that the purpose of all those lawsuits was to show him how easy it would be for the "deep state" to destroy him. Perhaps we are now seeing those lawsuits fall apart because he has agreed to play nice.
Fair enough, but you could also say that the political classes include the behind the scenes players. The Michael Chertoffs, the Richard Haass types, etc.
Absolutely.
Within the space of a fortnight, Trump gave a decisive push to the Ukraine/Israel spending bill, rescued a treasonous uniparty speaker from oblivion, lent his support to the renewal and reinforcement of FISA, the very tool that began his political persecution, and waxed lyrical about a new building for the FBI. He's done.
It would certainly appear that he's done, Steg, or... if not done, he's gone over.
But what option do his 2016/2020 voters have other than to vote for him again? We know we're being betrayed but what's our alternative? Are we not all in the same position now as MTG?
As far as Trump's Ukraine peace plan is concerned, of course its a non-starter with Russia. Russia will not give back lands taken with tens of thousands of Russian lives. Russia doesn't care about our sanctions. The no longer want to trade with us even if we let them. They don't trust us. And Russia will never allow Ukraine to join NATO. It will also have to be completely demilitarized.
But Trump's peace plan is not for Putin and Lavrov and Shoigu, is it?. Its simply words for the American voter. What's Biden's plan? To fight to the last Ukrainian? We have no idea. Does Trump think his plan separates him from Biden without looking like a peacenik and is enough to get elected on? Is that what's going on?
I must say: our exceptional 'democracy', with its 'universal' franchise...where candidates uniformly lie to the voters and the voters are 150,000,000 mostly ill-informed (clueless?) 'citizens' who then determine whether or not to vote for representatives (who are bought and paid for by donors and lobbyists) who will then decide whether to slide into WWIII or go bankrupt as a nation seems more than a little problematic these days...but, again, what's the alternative?
As the Duran boys said a few days back, re-electing Biden will bring only evil, while voting for Trump might, just might, bring a few good things.
That's where we are.
As an outsider (not US citizen, but down-under Kiwi) seems to me where you are is known as 'between the devil and the deep blue sea'. Which Zionist/Neocon string puppet do you want? The genocidal geriatric or the narcissistic pathological liar (also with genocidal inclinations).
We're working on hope at this point.
Back in 2016 I thought Trump might be the right guy to take America through bankruptcy proceedings, but no. 34T debt and the interagency deep state uniparty has other plans for us.
We have other plans for them, too.
Well, but disturbingly, stated.
I would put it more like ... He proved in 16-20 that he was like the rest of us, flawed. But I think most readers here knew that and were not "infatuated" with a new Barbie/Ken--that suggestion is demeaning to me and to most readers here. I can say that I voted for him based on the reasoning that he had committed himself too deeply on his pro-life stand that he wouldn't be able to go back. He proved me right. He also proved me right on his SCOTUS appointments for the same reason. He kept his campaign promises but was thwarted by Congress on some of them. A president isn't a dictator--far from it.
He did show himself to be a mixed bag--we all are. A good deal of that came down to personnel and what appeared to be a misplaced notion that he could win over the permanent government Deep State--do a deal. OTOH, he was wrrong. OTOH, there is arguably no way forward for a modern president except to make that attempt because his hands are tied by civil service laws and the deeply entrenched collusion of Congress with the Deep State.
To give Trump his due, he also - incontrovertibly and repeatedly - exposed for the world to see (if the world will take off its blinders) the case for the utter poverty, dishonesty and corruption over the last several decades of American Neocons, Spooks, Uniparty politicians, Government officials and their MSM stenographers. I'm referring to the following, although the list is much much longer:
The Clintons, the Bushes, Obama and Biden.
Allen Dulles, James Jesus Angleton, Madeleine Albright, Paul Wolfowitz, Donald Rumsfeld, Dick Cheney, John Kerry, John Brennan, Mike Pompeo, John Bolton, Victoria Nuland, Antony Blinken, and Jake Sullivan.
Chuck Schumer, Mitch McConnell, Nancy Pelosi, Adam Schiff, Liz Cheney, Eric Swallwell, Dick Blumenthal, Mark Warner, Mitt Romney, John McCain and Lindsey Graham
Jim Comey, Loretta Lynch, Bob Mueller, Bill Barr, and Christopher Wray
Andrew McCabe, Peter Strzok, Lisa Page, Stefan Halper, Joseph Mifsud, Alexander Downer, Mary McCord, Michael Sussman, Marc Elias and Andrew Weissmann
Eric Ciamarella, Alexander Vindman, Bruce and Nellie Ohr, Christopher Steel, and Rod Rosenstein
You can't unsee this list and it would appear unlikely that the eventual history writers of this age will be kind to these folks.
Wow! Quite the gallery of ruffians! I’d add this threesome: Lisa Monaco, Avril Haines and Gina Haspel.
For sure, and I had meant to include Susan Rice, Valerie Jarrett and Samantha Power. For that matter, Kathryn Ruemmler, too.
All of the above, but there's this other one. She was high up in the NS part of DoJ and has remained active in the pursuit of Trump.
Totally.
Unholy trinity. But add that other one, the one with the longish blond hair. Very big in the Russia Hoax.
Agreed. Trump in 2016 was fresh. Now he's just another pol.
Next time definitely WILL be different, simply because the geopolitical chessboard is now so different. It was heading this direction during Trump's term, but the dynamics are now out in the open and developing rapidly.