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Wednesday, March 30, 2022

How the Mighty Are Fallen

 


Friends, this week's Newsmaker Show with me and Brian O'Neil features a reflection on the unusually lively Academy Awards broadcast, in which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock on stage.  For Will Smith, it was the best of times (he won the best actor Oscar), and the worst of times (his violent outburst was widely condemned).  In addition, Brian and I discuss the campaign to delegitimize Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife Ginni, President Biden's boobery in Europe, the MSM's determination not to confront the Hunter Biden scandal, the saliency of the crime wave issue in American and New York State politics, and the progress (or lack thereof) of the January 6th Committee.


When it comes to "This Day in History", Brian and I speculate on what America and the world might have looked like had President Reagan succumbed to John Hinckley's assassination attempt in 1981.  Arguably, it wasn't just Reagan who "dodged the bullet" that fateful day!


Tune in today, and be enlightened!


https://wlea.net/newsmaker-march-30-2022-dr-nick-waddy/

 

***

 

In other news, if you think there's a border crisis now, just you wait!  The Biden Administration is brainstorming ways to increase the flow of "migrants" to unheard-of levels.  Who knows -- the cross-border invasion might even build to such a crescendo that ABC, NBC, and CBS mention it...briefly.

 

https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/border-asylum-limits/2022/03/30/id/1063614/ 


Have you been yearning for Hillary Clinton and the Dems to be held accountable for the Trump-Russia hoax and the phony Steele Dossier (opposition research masquerading as "intelligence")?  Well, good luck to you, but you did get this teeny, tiny bit of vindication today...


https://thepostmillennial.com/fec-fines-dnc-hillary-clinton-over-trump-russia-collusion-hoax?utm_campaign=64487

 

Poland has been among the countries most stridently critical of Russia's invasion of Ukraine...probably because Poland thinks it could be next on Putin's "to do" list.  Even Poland, though, isn't proposing to stop importing Russian energy immediately.  It says it plans to do so by the end of the year.  A big help that will be to the Ukrainian people now!

 

https://www.theepochtimes.com/poland-to-end-russian-coal-gas-oil-imports-completely_4371652.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport 


The latest developments at Disney underscore why every parent needs to stop visiting Disney's theme parks and patronizing its current "entertainment" programming.  Old Disney fare might be just fine, but the current iteration of Disney is simply beyond the pale.  It sees your children and grandchildren as fodder for neo-Marxist brainwashing.  Don't give Disney another red cent!!!


https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10666065/Disney-prez-says-mom-transgender-pansexual-children-wants-diverse-characters.html

 

Finally, Biden's proposed budget is as woke as you'd expect it to be.  Among its priorities, in terms of "equity": we need to send a woman and a "person of color" to the Moon ASAP.  Now, don't confuse this with Hitler's proposed budget, which foresees sending ALL people of color to the Moon.  That's a whole different thing.  (Just thinking out loud, but couldn't we send KBJ to the Moon and leave her there?  She likes to be a trendsetter...)

 

https://thepostmillennial.com/bidens-2023-budget-will-land-the-first-woman-and-person-of-color-on-the-moon?utm_campaign=64487 

Monday, March 28, 2022

The Lamestream Media's Impressive Wall of Silence

 


Friends, it takes real determination, gumption, and shamelessness to ignore -- completely -- the story/storyline of Hunter Biden, but that's exactly what the mainstream media has been doing these past few months.  I mean, there's strong evidence that Hunter was trading on his father's name to bilk money out of rich foreigners, many of them connected to governments that would like nothing more than to compromise American politicians and their families.  There's suggestive evidence that Joe Biden himself may have profited from these schemes.  The New York Times recently admitted that Hunter's laptop, the source of the evidence that documents many of these claims, is genuine.  Hunter, moreover, is in danger of being indicted for tax fraud, and may be in further legal jeopardy.  So...you'd think there might be a news story here, right?  Maybe even two or three.  Nope.  As this article demonstrates, MSM mainstays ABC, NBC, and CBS haven't even mentioned Hunter Biden's name since last July.  Wow!  Can you imagine?  We Republicans can only DREAM of a media that compliant!  Holy moly!


https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/corporate-media-hunter-biden-laptop/2022/03/28/id/1063252/

Sunday, March 27, 2022

Biden is Crystal Clear: Brezhnev Has to Go!

 


Friends, I jest.  Our glorious leader does seem to be minimally aware that the current President of Russia is Vladimir Putin.  In fact, he dislikes Putin almost as much as he dislikes Donald Trump, and that's saying something!  My latest article tackles Biden's recent spate of gaffes while on his European tour, and I suggest that an American leader this sloppy in his implementation of U.S. foreign policy hasn't been seen since...well, ever.  Sure, the media like to claim that Trump was a loose cannon, but how many countries did Russia invade while Trump was in charge?  We all know the answer to that one.


Biden Unfit to Lead in this Perilous Moment


By no means are Americans in agreement about the degree to which we should support Ukraine in its conflict with Russia. Some believe we should stay well out of it, while others favor much more robust assistance to the Ukrainian people. A growing and vocal minority believes that the time has come to intervene directly in the conflict, despite the inherent risk of World War III, up to and including nuclear war.

Hopefully, there is one thing that Americans and people throughout the West can agree on: now is the time to consider our actions and words extremely carefully, and to make thoughtful, rational choices and to articulate our goals with absolute precision. After all, a Russian misreading of our intentions could produce direct confrontation between Russian and American forces, which is, at this stage, an outcome which most Americans are still eager to avoid.

Unfortunately, Joe Biden is President of the United States. His European tour has so far yielded a litany of rhetorical blunders any of which, in itself, could destabilize U.S.-Russian relations, could produce unintended and undesirable escalation on the Russian side, or could simply exasperate our allies and thus damage the unity of NATO as it faces down Russian aggression.

First, Biden declared that, if the Russians used chemical weapons in Ukraine, we would respond “in kind”. U.S. officials had to walk back that statement, since, of course, the U.S. (theoretically) has no chemical weapons, and we would be prohibited by international law from ever using them if we did.

Next, Biden told U.S. troops in Poland that they would personally observe the courage of the Ukrainian people “when you're there”. Many understandably took this to mean that Biden foresaw the deployment of U.S. forces inside Ukraine. American policy, however, is that, while we support Ukraine's struggle and intend to give weapons to the Ukrainian military, we will not intervene militarily ourselves. Biden's advisors thus had to explain that, in fact, Biden did not mean what he appears to have said.

Lastly, Biden declared in a fiery speech that Russian President Putin “cannot remain in power”. The Russians, and many in the West, took this as a direct call for regime change, which, once again, is a direct contradiction of U.S. policy, which does not seek to alter Russia's government or infringe on its sovereignty, but only to dissuade it from current and future aggression.

Biden, of course, has a history of making gaffes and blunders. Presumably, therefore, many world leaders, including those in Russia, are inclined to shrug off these clumsy remarks as the ravings of a buffoon, whose mental acuity is simply way overtaxed by the demands of the presidency. At least, this is the best case scenario.

The worst case scenario is that Biden's confrontational, interventionist rhetoric will be taken seriously – that it will be assumed that Biden is telegraphing a clear intention to escalate U.S. involvement in Ukraine and eventually to confront Russia directly on a battlefield of his choosing, perhaps after U.S. and Western public opinion has been adequately prepared by rousing Russophobic speeches like the ones he is now delivering.

Let us reflect, briefly, on the possibility that Biden's statements should be taken seriously, and do reflect his intentions, even if he did not mean to tip his hand so blatantly. What might be the consequences of a decision at the highest levels of the U.S. government to “take on” Putin's Russia?

For one thing, the more America confronts Russia, the more we risk World War III and nuclear combat, which in turn means, as the hazards multiply, the unity of NATO is likely to fracture. NATO is currently united around a strategy which involves redeploying some NATO forces eastwards, but not into Ukraine; sending Ukraine weapons of moderate effectiveness, but not other weapons which might provoke Russia; and imposing sanctions on Russia, but not energy-related sanctions that could damage Europe's economy. That is the most unity that NATO and the West have yet been able to muster. Biden's provocative statements, and perhaps his aggressive intentions, threaten that fragile consensus and could fracture the Western alliance altogether.

The bigger risk, though, is that Russia will take Biden seriously. If so, Russia may conclude that, before Biden gets the opportunity to thrust American military forces into Ukraine, or to engineer an anti-Putin coup, it had better gird its loins and complete the destruction of Ukraine's military and the occupation of its territory. Russia might decide that the urgent completion of these tasks, moreover, requires it to use weapons of mass destruction to neutralize enemy forces. Were that to happen, then the West is already committed to inflicting dire (although completely unspecified) consequences on Russia – consequences that undoubtedly would bring us closer to World War III that at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis.

This, then, is the mess that Joe Biden has got us into. The irony is that he ran for president as a man who could bring experience, maturity, and sound judgment back into the White House. Instead, in the past few days he has been modeling just the kind of loose talk and sloppy execution of diplomacy and strategy that, historically, engenders misunderstandings, war, and epic tragedy.

Sadly, it's too late to change presidents in the midst of this terrible crisis. It may not be too late, however, to ask Joe Biden politely to go back to his basement where he belongs – and where he's unlikely, or at least less likely, to get us all killed.


Dr. Nicholas L. Waddy is an Associate Professor of History at SUNY Alfred and blogs at: www.waddyisright.com. He appears on the Newsmaker Show on WLEA 1480/106.9.

 

And here it is at American Greatness:

 

https://amgreatness.com/2022/03/29/biden-is-unfit-to-lead-in-this-perilous-moment/ 

 

***

 

In other news, Elon Musk is suggesting that Twitter has worn out its welcome as the digital "public square", and we need a new social media platform that genuinely embraces free speech.  DJT is trying to provide that in "Truth Social", of course, but so far its functionality leaves a lot to be desired.  Wouldn't it be nice to see Musk himself get into the social media game?

 

https://www.outkick.com/elon-musk-suggests-a-new-platform-is-needed-amid-twitter-free-speech-concerns/ 


Lastly, I applaud Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban for pursuing a genuinely neutral course in the context of the Russia-Ukraine war.  Orban, almost alone of Western leaders, has resisted the siren song of Russia-bashing.  When the ICBMs start to fly, maybe Putin will give Budapest a pass?  That would be nice -- it's a lovely city.


https://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2022/03/27/hungarian_pm_viktor_organ_hungary_is_on_hungarys_side_147389.html

Saturday, March 26, 2022

Unlocking the Ancient Mystery: What is a Woman?

 


Friends, my heart goes out to Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson, who was recently flummoxed by the question, "What is a woman?"  Personally, I've been trying to figure out the answer for 47 years!  I gather it all has something to do with bubble baths and clothes shopping, but beyond that I've made little progress.  That's why I'm so grateful to Townhall for proposing this formulation:


https://townhall.com/columnists/townhallcomstaff/2022/03/25/we-know-the-definition-of-a-woman-n2605031

 

In other news, "President" Biden sure does seem to have a fire in his belly for prosecuting the Cold War.  Possibly he believes that we're still in the original Cold War?  If not, he certainly seems eager to reignite it!  Recently, his underlings had to clarify that his recent remarks to U.S. soldiers, seeming to imply that they would soon be in Ukraine, actually did not represent a reversal of U.S. policy, which says we will not intervene in the fighting there.  And now he's calling directly for regime change in Russia, saying, of President Putin, "This man cannot remain in power."  That'll bring Putin to the negotiating table, for sure!  If you ask me, all this hot rhetoric, and blatant emotionalism, is designed to cloak the inadequacy of our response, which in the final analysis leaves the outcome of the conflict entirely in the hands of others.

 

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/biden-ukraine-russia-aid/2022/03/25/id/1062987/ 


https://www.newsmax.com/headline/russia-ukraine-war-biden/2022/03/26/id/1063026/

 

Biden was recently invited by Euro-journalists to take a few shots at DJT, and he eagerly complied.  Among his remarks was a claim that he would be "very fortunate" if Trump ran against him in 2024.  Now, Biden may actually believe this, as the conventional wisdom in D.C. is that Trump is damaged goods after his failed "insurrection" and there's no chance that America would reelect him as president.  Well...  Biden may have a point that Trump is a flawed candidate, but all the Dems have to offer is other flawed candidates, so I wouldn't count your chickens just yet, Sleepy Joe.

 

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/biden-trump-2024-election/2022/03/24/id/1062823/ 


Finally, the supplicatory mood of the Western political, economic, and cultural elite towards Ukrainian President Zelensky is plumbing new depths, as the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is seriously considering giving him a platform during this year's Oscars ceremony.  Personally, I won't be satisfied until Zelensky is named "Best Picture"!


https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/ukraine-volodymyr-zelenskyy-academy-awards/2022/03/26/id/1063017/

Thursday, March 24, 2022

Strange Bedfellows?

 


Friends, the Russia-Ukraine conflict is producing very intriguing ripple effects, some of them a lot less salubrious for the West than the patina of "unity" we've forged in response to Russian aggression.  For one thing, Western measures to freeze Russia's sovereign assets, and to impose "crippling" sanctions with which much of the world disagrees, are fostering creative efforts to evade the sanctions regime.  We all know that China is suspected of helping Russia behind the scenes, but as you'll see in this article India is doing so openly -- and the West is taking no action against the Indians whatsoever.  One has to wonder whether, in addition to permanently damaging Western finanicial dominance, another legacy of the current conflict will be the blossoming of a tripartite alliance between Russia, China, and India.  Probably not, but all three powers do have one thing in common: they're sick and tired of the West and the U.S. dollar ruling the roost.  Moreover, increasingly they have the power to take effective actions to knock us off our collective perch...  You've been warned.


https://asiatimes.com/2022/03/india-russia-currency-swaps-bypass-us-sanctions/

 

Putin is doing his part, not surprisingly, by insisting that Western countries buying Russian oil and natural gas pay in rubles rather than dollars.  It's not clear how serious Putin is about this demand, but if it comes to pass it would be another nail in the coffin of the petrodollar, for sure.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/03/24/putin-attacks-petrodollar-system-demands-unfriendly-european-nations-purchase-gas-in-rubles/ 


Speaking of the Western elites' current and longstanding dominance over world finances, you may have heard that there are efforts underway to turn the U.S. dollar into a digital currency, under the complete control, naturally, and constant supervision, of the U.S. government.  In my view, the digitization of the dollar is already well-advanced -- I mean, consider how many of your own "dollars" even exist in physical form -- but a truly and exclusively digital dollar would be an important step, and one which would ease the path of those who wish to use economic pressure as a weapon against those who dare to disagree with them.  Republicans, when they take control of Congress in January, should keep a close eye on this issue.


https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2022/03/24/putin-attacks-petrodollar-system-demands-unfriendly-european-nations-purchase-gas-in-rubles/

 

Finally, NATO countries are meeting in Brussels, and Generalissimo Biden will be the guest of honor.  What will they agree on?  More weapons for Ukraine, no doubt, and a few paltry "battle groups" for Eastern European NATO members, but on the all-important question of whether Europe continues to buy Russian energy we shouldn't expect much.


https://www.newsmax.com/politics/nato-jens-stoltenberg-summits-alliance/2022/03/24/id/1062697/

Wednesday, March 23, 2022

Laptop? What Laptop?

 


Friends, Hunter Biden sure is a character!  Now, you'd think, if the son of a man who aspires to be president has a long track record of accepting money from well-connected foreigners, for doing nothing in particular, the media might start asking questions...  If a laptop materialized filled with tantalizing suggestions that the presidential aspirant in question was cut in on some of those deals, well, that ought to pique the press's interest even more!  But no: the media shut down this story mighty quick in the Fall of 2020, and their pals in Big Tech did them one better.  They actively suppressed the story and anyone attempting to share it.  Of course, it was all true, as anyone who did even a little sleuthing at the time could tell, but sometimes ideology (not to mention personal animus) trumps professional ethics, as we all know.


The scandal of the media's dismissive attitude towards the Hunter Biden laptop story in 2020, and its recent admission that its claims of "Russian disinformation" were pure hokum, are two of the topics that Brian O'Neil and I cover on this week's Newsmaker Show.  In addition, Brian and I talk about President Zelensky's crackdown on the political opposition in Ukraine, and his imposition of direct government control over the media there.  We also ponder Sleepy Joe's continued polling doldrums and the epic disappointment that was the Attorney-Generalship of Bill Barr.


When we get to "This Day in History", we consider the great progress that Mexico has made in strengthening its democratic institutions, and how our U.S. institutions, even though sharply criticized, are a long way from being moribund.  We also discuss the legacy of fascism and the often grossly inappropriate allusions to fascism in modern politics, Mussolini's role in the Spanish Civil War, the moral ambiguity of partisan activity against the Germans in WWII, Ronald Reagan's "Strategic Defense Initiative" and its controversial role in bringing about the end of the Cold War, and the shameful U.S. abandonment of South Vietnam in 1974-75.


Man, did I really get to the bottom of ALL those issues???  It beggars belief, doesn't it?


https://wlea.net/newsmaker-march-23-2022-dr-nick-waddy/

Tuesday, March 22, 2022

The West Versus The Rest

 


Friends, if you watch either the mainstream media, or Fox News, you're probably under the impression that everybody hates Russia and its invasion of innocent, minding-its-own-business Ukraine.  In the West, that impression might be largely accurate, but in China and the rest of the "Global South", you'll find that, in a fight between Russia and the West, many are inclined to root for Russia.  Moreover, the West's weaponization of the global financial order against Russia worries a lot of Third World leaders.  Consider it...food for thought.


https://www.wsj.com/articles/the-west-vs-rest-of-the-world-russia-ukraine-dictators-south-america-asia-africa-11647894483?mod=djemalertNEWS

 

In other news, Ukrainian President Zelensky is not only banning opposition parties -- he's also seizing control of his country's broadcast media.  How "democratic" of him!  Sorry, I meant Democratic.

 

https://www.yahoo.com/news/zelensky-nationalizes-tv-news-restricts-173820471.html 


Here's the latest on the Russia-Ukraine War.  A lot of back and forth.


https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/russia-ukraine-war/2022/03/22/id/1062455/

 

Finally, it turns out that the Disney Corporation isn't the "happiest place on earth" for its conservative employees.  Far from it!

 

https://www.dailywire.com/news/they-call-their-fellow-employees-bigots-conservatives-at-disney-issue-open-statement-detailing-hostile-work-environment 

Monday, March 21, 2022

The Secretary of State Is Neither a Secretary Nor a State

 


Friends, you may be wondering: where is the U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken as Ukraine burns and as NATO and the West flirt with WWIII?  The answer: he's on CNN, of course, castigating Putin and praising the pluck and perseverance of Ukraine...neither of which is his job, strictly speaking.  His job is to use the tools of diplomacy to avoid conflict, first and foremost, and then to resolve it, if and when it breaks out.  And that's especially true of conflicts that threaten the national security interests of the United States.  Funny, then, that Blinken seemed to be goading Ukraine and Russia into war, and funnier still that the U.S. seemingly has no interest in helping to secure a diplomatic resolution to a catastrophic war that we helped to create.  The Israelis and the Turks are taking the lead in bringing the Russians and the Ukrainians to the negotiating table.  The Biden Administration, by contrast, seems to feel that economic pressure alone will cause the Russians to buckle -- but, just in case, we'll send the Ukrainians more missiles and drones and what not so that they can win an outright victory on the battlefield.  The problem, though, is that the Russians have already shown that sanctions won't, in themselves, force them to abandon their invasion, and the odds of a Ukrainian military victory remain as long as ever.  Ukraine can bog Russia down, for a certain amount of time, but if the Russians are determined they have vast reserves of brute force handy and can crush the armed forces of Ukraine, by and by.  The missing ingredient here, therefore, is constructive engagement by the West.  The West could be contributing to a cessation of hostilities by offering to acknowledge Russia's security interests in Ukraine, or to guarantee Russia and Ukraine's (eventual) borders and territorial integrity.  The West could be looking for exit ramps, in other words, for the warring parties, but instead we're cheering and jeering as though more rhetoric, and more bombs, shells, and bullets, will solve anything.  Are Blinken and Co. assuming that time is on the side of our friends the Ukrainians...or are we making the cynical calculation that, whatever happens to Ukraine, Russia will be demoralized and exhausted by the end of it, so feeding a few more Slavs into the meat-grinder is all to the good...  Whatever the strategic calculus of our Bidenist overlords may be, I humbly suggest that it's been wrong from the start.  Now is the time to breathe new life into American diplomacy and to start looking for SOLUTIONS rather than slogans and sound bites.


https://www.newsmax.com/newsmax-tv/ric-grenell-antony-blinken-sanctions-war/2022/03/19/id/1061999/

 

In other news, and in news much more relevant to the outcome of the November elections, the U.S. economy is losing steam.  That's predictable, given all the headwinds it faces, and one has to wonder whether we'll be firmly in recession territory by the Fall.  It wouldn't surprise me, although neither would continued modest growth.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/economy/2022/03/21/u-s-economy-slowed-in-february-chicago-fed-says/ 

Sunday, March 20, 2022

An Audience of One

 


Friends, as Russia squirms in Ukraine, and as its military struggles to secure its objectives, Westerners cheer, and not without reason, especially if the Cold War, which was "off", is now on again.  But let's be clear: most Westerners were always going to root against Russia, and most of us will, when this conflict ends, inevitably conclude that "we" won and "they" lost.  Self-congratulation and self-righteousness are, after all, Western specialties.  That part of the story of the Russia-Ukraine war is already "baked in".  What isn't certain, however, is how the world as a whole will react, and especially the one country that is by far the most important audience for the current conflict: China.  China, naturally, is watching events in Ukraine very closely.  China, presumably, is rooting for Russia, by and large, mainly because anything that bloodies the nose of the West is seen as a win for the PRC.  Moreover, if the West shows weakness, it will open new avenues by which China can spread its influence.  China, though, is undoubtedly chastened by the strong Western and global reaction of outrage against the Russian invasion.  More importantly, the unprecedented sanctions levied almost instantly against Russia, combined with the freezing of its sovereign assets, must make the Chinese think hard about the likely reaction to any potential future act of aggression committed by them.  This conflict, though, is far from over.  Just because Russia is seen as struggling now doesn't mean that, when the conflict wraps up, the Russian won't have pushed on to victory, or "victory", whatever that means.  What's more, the Chinese, and much of the world, will be looking very hard for signs of Western indecision, disunity, and general weakness.  They won't have to strain themselves too greatly to find such signs, either.  In the end, I propose, the Chinese and their fellow travelers in the Third World may well conclude that the West threw everything it had, politically, diplomatically, and economically, at Russia, and yet Russia battered its way to something resembling victory/vindication.  And, if so, look for the Chinese to learn the appropriate lesson: that the West's bark is worse than its bite.


Along these lines, check out these early signs that the Chinese are inclined to lean towards Russia, and to view the Western campaign against Russia as excessive and dangerous:


https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/world/chinese-official-calls-sanctions-on-russia-increasingly-outrageous/ar-AAVgGw9

 

Much has been said about the corrupt nature of Ukraine's democracy/kleptocracy already, but check out this story.  11 parties are to be banned in Ukraine, because of their alleged ties to Russia.  Hey, I'm beginning to see why the Democrats, in particular, like this guy Zelensky: they aspire to ban the political opposition too!

 

https://www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/zelenskyy-ukraine-russia-political-party/2022/03/20/id/1062078/ 

Friday, March 18, 2022

You Love Diversity, Right? RIGHT???

 


Friends, decrying Putin is all the rage these days, but let's spare a moment to reflect on the enemy within, shall we?  There's a "diversity, equity, and inclusion" industry at work in this country that, as you well know, doesn't actually favor real diversity, real equity, or real inclusion.  On the contrary, it stands for blatant discrimination, the concentration of wealth and power in approved "woke" and well-connected hands, and the censorship -- or worse -- of all dissenters and free-thinkers.  What's worse, this agenda is being incorporated into the governing principles and the rules and regulations of many institutions and companies.  Medical schools are a case in point.  These insitutions of higher ed, like their baccalaureate peers, are increasingly subject to political oversight and to the meddling of accreditation bodies that insist that they make DEI ideology a requirement for graduation and/or participation in the medical profession.  To put it another way, in the very near future, doctors will be turfed out of American medicine simply for commiting thought crimes against leftist doctrine.  If they're lucky, they might escape arrest for "hate crimes", but I should probably stop now before I give the Left any ideas!  This is scary stuff, folks, and it's a reminder of just how dominant the neo-Marxists have become in almost all of our key political, cultural, educational, and economic institutions.


https://www.theamericanconservative.com/dreher/dei-will-cause-people-to-die-medical-education-wokeness/

 

P.S. And make no mistake: the first casualty of DEI in American medicine will the principle of meritocracy.  In other words, the next doctor who treats you won't be chosen based on smarts or ability, but based on whether he/she/it checks the right ideological and demographic boxes.  I can't imagine any potential downside to that system, can you?

Thursday, March 17, 2022

The Snowiest Snow Job of All Time

 


Friends, there are so, so many ways to steal an election.  Stuffing the ballot box, or hacking voting machines, isn't necessary, in point of fact.  Instead, you could simply...suppress all mention of a bombshell news story -- one based on truthful, accurate reporting -- in the weeks leading up to the election.  You could pretend the story is "Russian disinformation", and you could conspire with other establishment actors to ensure that most Americans remained completely ignorant of the underlying facts.  You could do all this, and our media, our intelligence community, and our political elite did so in 2020.  I speak, of course, of the Hunter Biden laptop saga.  

 

Get used to that favorite new catchphrase of the powers-that-be -- DISINFORMATION -- because, given their success in deploying it during the 2020 election and in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, we can expect that pretty much all information prejudicial to the interests of our overlords will henceforth be impugned as "mis/disinformation", and in many cases it will be censored accordingly.  And when, as it often the case, the elite has to backtrack and admit that they misled us from the start, expect those stories to be buried in the small print.  After all, when Trump "misinforms" us, i.e. tells uncomfortable truths, or, more rarely, makes innocent mistakes, it's a dire emergency for "democracy", but when the New York Times or CNN lie through their teeth, well, it's a minor blip that, if it served to discredit the baddies, i.e. you and me, was a blessing-in-disguise.  And all is forgiven!  

 

Hey, no one ever said that life was fair...


https://greenwald.substack.com/p/the-nyt-now-admits-the-biden-laptop?s=r

Wednesday, March 16, 2022

Answering the Charges

 


Friends, it's an article of faith on the Left that Trump, and pretty much every prominent Republican/conservative, is subservient to Vladimir Putin and Russia's security services.  I mean, why else would I have the Alfa Bank on speed dial, right?  Well, here's Tucker Carlson's (latest) rebuttal.  His point is fairly simple: questioning the conventional wisdom of U.S. and Western policy is NOT "treason".  It's free speech, and it's democracy in action.  If anyone thinks the way we've handled Ukraine and Russia up to now has been a rip-roaring success, then they can darn well explain why that's so, and if, once in a blue moon, someone dares to contradict them, well...HARD CHEESE!!!


https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/03/16/tucker_carlson_defending_the_us_from_unwise_decisions_is_treason.html

 

In other news, Trump is making it increasingly explicit that, if he chooses to run again in 2024, Mike Pence will not be his running mate.  I think we all saw that one coming!

 

https://bongino.com/trump-rules-out-mike-pence-as-running-mate-for-potential-2024-run/ 


This article is intriguing, although the same point has been made many times before: Americans are, in a word, demographic imbeciles.  They haven't the slightest idea how many of their countrymen are, say, white, black, brown, or...whatever other colors it's still permissible to discuss.  Now, you could argue that this is just garden variety ignorance, but in fact it's rather important, in an age when we're, as a country, increasingly obsessed with race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, etc.  Let's be clear on one point: most Americans are still, at this stage, non-Hispanic whites.  Soon, however, that population group, which has been historically dominant, both numerically and politically/socially, will be in the minority.  That's probably going to have some pretty profound implications.  Some of them will no doubt be good, and some of them may, contrary to what you've heard in the media, be bad, or at least potentially destabilizing in the short and medium term.  The biggest losers in this transformation one would expect to be whites themselves, who will no longer be in a position to determine the outcomes of our elections, but will continue to be blamed (one assumes) for most of what ails our country.  So...is demography "destiny", as the saying goes?  Not entirely, but it's a relevant factor, to be sure!


https://today.yougov.com/topics/politics/articles-reports/2022/03/15/americans-misestimate-small-subgroups-population

 

Finally, congrats to Novak Djokovic who, just weeks ago, was the unvaccinated bad boy who the whole world loved to hate.  Now, though, COVID is old news, and the new bogeyman is Putin, so Djokovic is...back in business!  Good for him.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/sports/2022/03/16/there-is-nothing-stop-him-unvaccinated-novak-djokovic-to-play-at-french-open/ 

Tuesday, March 15, 2022

Canada To The Rescue?

 


Friends, in a strategic masterstroke, Ukrainian President Zelensky is calling on Canada to institute (along with NATO) a no-fly zone in his country.  Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau, in response, praised Zelensky to the high heavens -- but held back his many squadrons of fearsome fighter-bombers in what might be considered a classically Canadian strategem of bashfulness.  Will Canadian fury soon be unleashed, though?  Stay glued to CNN for minute-to-minute updates on this evolving story!


I jest, but the absurdity of the West's adulation of Ukraine and Zelensky, combined with its unwillingness to do anything meaningful to assist it/him, is growing painful to watch.  There won't be any no-fly zone.  Period.  Any Ukrainian who thinks or thought otherwise was either deceived by the West, or deceived himself.  And, in fact, there are signs that even President Zelensky is starting to understand this.  His most recent statements essentially convey submission to Russia's core demand: that Ukraine desist from its efforts to join NATO.  That's a start.  Russian forces seem to have paused their offensive.  Could they be under orders to hold fast, while negotiations proceed?  Time will tell.


https://thepostmillennial.com/breaking-zelenskyy-urges-trudeau-to-back-no-fly-zone-over-ukraine?utm_campaign=64487

 

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/volodymyr-zelensky-says-ukraine-wont-join-nato/ar-AAV5q1d 


In other news, leftists are hurling accusations of treason against conservatives, Republicans, and Trumpers -- and even against a few of their own -- with such abandon that it's beginning to feel like the aftermath of January 6th all over again!  This outstanding article explores in depth the consistent escalation in intolerant rhetoric in American politics, and in particular the Left's use of charges of "treason" -- uniformly bogus -- to tarnish the reputations of its critics.  Sadly, as we see here, RINOs like Mitt Romney are also major offenders.


https://greenwald.substack.com/p/romneys-treason-smear-of-tulsi-gabbard?s=w

 

Progressives tell us that they care ever so much about the poor, but have you noticed that some of our bluest states and cities are also the most unequal in terms of the distribution of wealth?  They're also commonly places where, for the vast majority of people, including the middle class, home ownership is out of reach.  Is this a result of defective leftist policy...or is it a sign of leftist policy that's working exactly as intended: to enrich the already wealthy?  It's a question worth asking.

 

https://prospect.org/infrastructure/housing/great-housing-inflation-long-term-policy-failure/ 


One of the perverse side-effects of the Russia-Ukraine War, and the West's declaration of economic war versus Russia, will be that the decline of the U.S. dollar as the world's reserve currency will accelerate -- and countries like Russia and China will step on the gas.  They would be foolish not to!  Now, in my view, there is a silver lining: it's the dollar's reserve currency status that allows us to live, in the good ole USA, way beyond our means, individually and collectively.  Maybe it's time we came back down to earth?


https://www.zerohedge.com/markets/petrodollar-cracks-saudi-arabia-considers-accepting-yuan-chinese-oil-sales

 

Finally, say what you will about Russia and Ukraine, about the border, about COVID, or about Sleepy Joe's personal and political foibles, but none of these factors explain why the Dems are going to get hammered in November.  There's one factor, as a matter of fact, that trumps everything else: inflation.  Americans hate it, they fear it, and they blame it (correctly) primarily on Democrats.  Could it magically disappear in the next few months?  Sure, and pigs could fly, too!  Don't bet on it, however.

 

https://townhall.com/tipsheet/spencerbrown/2022/03/15/producer-price-index-sets-new-inflation-record-n2604579 

Sunday, March 13, 2022

The Trump Factor

 


Friends, DJT held a rally last night in South Carolina in which he pointed out that, as President, he had been extremely "tough" on Russia, but, at the same time, he would seek to end Russia's current invasion of Ukraine by engaging in dialogue with Vladimir Putin.  Trump hastened to add that, if he were still President, Putin never would have invaded in the first place.  All in all, there's a lot to digest in these comments.  The Trump Administration did institute some tough sanctions against Russia -- tougher than anything the Obama Administration pursued -- and it supplied weapons, for the first time, to Ukraine.  On the other hand, Trump was notoriously skeptical of NATO, and perhaps Putin may have felt it was far less likely that Ukraine would be enrolled in the Western military alliance as long as Trump was in charge.  Trump was also respectful towards Putin in their various meetings, a fact that the Western press viewed as confirmation of Trump's (alleged) subservience to Putin.  Probably Putin appreciated the fact that Trump was cordial, and he has repeatedly complimented Putin's intelligence and savvy (to the Left's consternation, naturally).  What do you think?  Would Trump have allowed our position in Afghanistan to deterioriate in such a rapid and humiliating way, as Biden did?  Would Putin have felt comfortable invading Ukraine with Trump looking over his shoulder?  Would he have felt such an invasion was necessary?  Of course, we'll never know for sure...


https://nypost.com/2022/03/12/trump-says-he-would-be-speaking-to-putin-to-avoid-wwiii/

 

In other news, both the Ukrainians and the Russians are reporting progress in their talks aimed at resolving the current conflict.  This is most intriguing.  It's also not a huge surprise to me, since I would imagine virtually all stakeholders can see how destructive and dangerous this war could become, if it continues.  Fingers crossed for a settlement that will return us, more or less, to the status quo ante, but will remove the irritant of potential Ukrainian memebership in NATO once and for all.  And, if both sides can't agree right away on the formula for peace, perhaps we could have a ceasefire in the interim?

 

https://www.newsmax.com/headline/russia-ukraine-negotiations/2022/03/13/id/1060951/ 

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Biden Immortalized


 

 

Friends, Dear Leader Joe Biden reached a level of infamy this week that few of us could ever dream of: a prehistoric proto-octopus/sea monster was named after our 46th President.  It's the Syllipsimopodi Bideni, and suffice it to say you wouldn't want to meet it in a dark alley -- much like Biden himself.  What's so funny about this turn of events is that the eggheads who named the Biden monstrosity thought doing so would be a neat-o way to honor Biden as a champion of climate change mitigation.  Ha!  This is what happens when your closest relationship is with a petri dish, apparently...


https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/03/10/the-decapus-scientists-name-ancient-multi-tentacled-sea-monster-the-syllipsimopodi-bideni-after-joe-biden/

 

In Ukraine news, the Russian invasion presses on, and signs are appearing that the Russian Army intends to besiege the capital of Kiev rather than storming it.  One would hope that the (eventual) fall of Kiev would signal that the war is winding down, and the time has come for the Zelensky government to capitulate in some form.  Then again, there are forces in the West that would probably like this conflict to drag on for years, regardless of how many Ukrainians fall in battle and how prostrate their country is by the end of it.  Let's hope that won't come to pass.

 

https://www.cnn.com/europe/live-news/ukraine-russia-putin-news-03-12-22/h_02974460104113e286afc4374ecc9f90 


Sleepy Joe is "sick of" being blamed for inflation, when everyone knows that it's old Putin's fault!  Ha!  Yeah, good luck with that argument.  Our inflation problem predates Putin's move into Ukraine by a year or more, and frankly you, Joe, bear responsibility for precipitating the current conflict in Ukraine too!  I mean, isn't it your job to maintain world peace and prosperity?  Heaven knows that if the same adverse events had occurred under Trump's watch you and your Dem allies would have wasted no time in declaring that "the buck stops" with Trump.  Well, now it's your turn to feel the heat.  Enjoy!  As Tucker opines, inflation is, and should be, Biden's cross to bear.


https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/03/11/joe-biden-rages-im-sick-of-americans-blaming-me-for-inflation-not-vladimir-putin/

 

https://video.foxnews.com/v/6300404818001#sp=show-clips 


Finally, Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis is taking a lot of heat from Disney and from leftists.  Republicans passed a bill in Florida to prevent teachers from introducing the topics of homosexuality and "gender identity" in kindergarten classes through the third grade.  And lefties, naturally, view this as a gross violation of human rights!  I mean, what's to become of us if we can't indoctrinate small children in woke ideology re: gender and sexuality???  What's the alternative?  Let parents choose how to address these topics?  That's a non-starter!  In all seriousness, I applaud DeSantis's direct broadsides against Disney, and Disney's shameful capitulation to the LGBTQ+ lobby is yet one more reason for parents to avoid Disney products.  Take note that the Left's position on LGBTQ+ issues is now very simple: openly endorse our warped worldview and be an "ally" to gays and the transgender movement, OR you'll be considered Nazi scum.  Well, I hereby cast my lot with the scumbags.


https://news.yahoo.com/florida-gov-desantis-disney-butting-000738072.html

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

Breaking News: Waddy is a Peskovite!

 


Friends, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov recently revealed Russia's conditions for ceasing its invasion of Ukraine.  My latest article considers those conditions and recommends that Ukraine and the West take Russia up on its offer.  We need to end this conflict ASAP, before more damage is done to Ukraine, to the economies of Ukraine and Russia, and to the prosperity and security of the world as a whole.  See what you make of my point of view.


A Ray of Hope: Russian Proposals Offer a Way Out of Our Common Predicament


Early this week, Russian spokesman Dmitry Peskov made explicit the terms under which his country would be willing to cease its invasion of Ukraine. Peskov said that Russia insists that: the Ukrainian military lay down its arms, Ukraine's constitution be amended to guarantee the country's neutrality, Crimea be recognized as part of Russia, and the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in Ukraine's east be recognized as independent.

While anti-Russian zealots in the West, and fervent Ukrainian patriots, may balk at these demands, they nonetheless reveal a path by which Russia, Ukraine, NATO, and the United States could reverse the current momentum favoring constant escalation in fiery rhetoric, harsh economic sanctions, and direct military action. We should, in fact, consider meeting some of Russia's demands, or encouraging the Ukrainians to do so, in order to unwind the toxic dynamics of a conflict that, arguably, serves the interests of no one.

Russia's demand that the Ukrainian military cease its operations amounts to a proposal for an effective ceasefire. Many such ceasefires have been proposed in the course of the long-running war in eastern Ukraine, and in the course of more recent hostilities, but few have worked, in practice. Nonetheless, if sufficient will exists on both sides, the termination of active fighting is achievable.

Russia's demand that Ukraine pledge its neutrality, forswear NATO membership, and enshrine these commitments in its constitution, represent the core Russian proposal, the spurning of which necessitated, in Putin's eyes, the invasion of Ukraine in the first place. Ukraine was encouraged by the West to reject Russian suggestions that Ukraine's burgeoning ties with NATO and the EU represented a threat to Russian security. Ukraine is now reaping the bitter harvest that such well-meaning advice has produced.

It is hard to see why Ukraine would not have agreed to pursue a neutral political-military course before Russia launched its invasion, given its obvious exposure to Russian political, economic, and military power. Now that the very survival of Ukraine as an independent state has been cast into doubt, one would think that the arguments for a policy of strict neutrality have become, if anything, even more compelling.

Ukraine should agree to give up its ambitions of joining NATO, and if necessary the EU as well. Positive, fruitful relations between Ukraine and the West can and will be achieved, but only if Ukraine gets its house in order in terms of Russia-Ukraine relations and avoids provocations that offend its much more powerful neighbor. Simply put, Ukraine cannot prosper, and it may not even endure as a country, unless it finds a way to coexist amicably with Russia.

Probably, if Ukraine had learned these vital lessons earlier, it would not be facing the more-or-less inevitable loss of its pro-Russian regions, including Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk. Ukraine should accept that these areas will not again come under its direct control. Formalizing its loss of sovereignty over Crimea, Donetsk, and Luhansk would, as a matter of fact, be preferable to leaving these regions in political limbo, and thus leaving open the possibility that their status might be resolved in future by military means. Forfeiting these areas is thus the price Ukraine must pay for a comprehensive, lasting solution of its poor relations with Moscow. It is a price worth paying, especially given the fact that Russia is militarily capable of taking even more of Ukraine and of causing far greater harm, to vulnerable Ukrainian civilians and to Ukraine's vital infrastructure and social and economic fabric.

Western leaders are clearly now in the full bloom of moral indignation against Vladimir Putin and the Russian military. Their outrage and their anger will make it difficult for them to make clear-headed decisions about what is best for Ukraine, for NATO, for the West, and ultimately for Russia, too. The current conflict is one which imposes, or could impose, horrific damage on all the interested parties. The longer the conflict goes on, moreover, the more the Ukrainian and Russian peoples will suffer, albeit in different ways. Worse, the longer the conflict lasts, and the more it escalates, the greater is the danger of a fatal miscalculation leading to armed conflict between Russia and NATO, the full consequences of which would be horrific in the extreme.

Leaders in Ukraine, Russia, and throughout the West should thus consider the risks of proceeding on our current path, and they should make affirmative decisions to change course. The differences between Russia and Ukraine are far from irresolvable, and they need not – must not! – drag us all into World War III.

Now is the moment for statesmanlike leaders to step back from the brink, therefore, before the war of words between Russia and the West becomes a shooting war, and stakes considerably graver than the peace, prosperity, and freedom of Ukraine are on the line.


Dr. Nicholas L. Waddy is an Associate Professor of History at SUNY Alfred and blogs at: www.waddyisright.com. He appears on the Newsmaker Show on WLEA 1480/106.9.

 

To complement my article, here's a very good analysis of the economic risks the West is taking by throwing everything but the kitchen sink, sanctions-wise, at Russia all at once:

 

https://www.politico.com/news/magazine/2022/03/08/west-gamble-financial-war-russia-00015156 

Merciless

 


Friends, this week's Newsmaker Show with me and Brian O'Neil takes on some fascinating historical topics in our "This Day in History" segment.  For instance, I describe the comprehensive U.S. firebombing of Tokyo in March 1945 that killed approximately 100,000 civilians.  Who needs atomic bombs when you've got firepower like that -- and the ice water in your veins to make use of it?  Brian and I also cover Ike's private criticism of Senator Joe McCarthy, the birth of Russia's "Communist Party" in 1918, Portugal's role in World War I, and Pancho Villa and the U.S. intervention in Mexican unrest during the presidency of Woodrow Wilson.


When we tackle current events, we naturally have a lot to say about the ongoing fighting in Ukraine, and about the potential for a negotiated solution that would pull Russia, Ukraine, NATO, and especially the United States back from the brink of a much wider and more destructive conflict.  Brian and I also consider Russia's role in a potential new Iran nuclear deal, and why Iran may, in the final analysis, decide that nukes are critical to its security.


It's a show that you mustn't miss -- not if you value the gray matter sloshing around in that skull of yours!


https://wlea.net/newsmaker-march-9-2022-dr-nick-waddy/

 

***

 

According to the Israelis, negotiations between Russia and Ukraine have reached a critical stage.  Let's hope both sides do the right thing.

 

https://www.breitbart.com/middle-east/2022/03/09/report-israel-believes-ukraine-talks-at-critical-juncture/ 


And here's a great refutation of the Liz Cheney approach to the Russia-Ukraine war, which would maximize America's involvement thoughtlessly and needlessly.


https://amgreatness.com/2022/03/07/reject-liz-cheneys-war/

Monday, March 7, 2022

At Least He's Honest

 


Friends, I don't know Elie Mystal from Adam, but I must say I applaud his candor.  He calls the U.S. Constitution "trash", since it was written by wicked slaveowners and such.  He's speaking for a substantial segment of the Left, of course.  He doesn't call for the Constitution's abolition, mind you.  He merely suggests that we interpret it "in a way that makes sense for our modern world".  In other words, we should ignore all the parts that leftists don't like!  It may sound like an abomination of a judicial philosophy, but I'll bet you Ketanji Brown Jackson doesn't think so, and she's about to become a Justice of the Supreme Court.  Yikes!


https://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2022/03/07/the_nations_elie_mystal_the_american_constitution_is_trash_written_by_white_people_willing_to_make_deals_with_slavers_and_colonists.html

 

In other news, realizing that their control of the House and Senate is likely to slip away this November, Democrats are starting to build a firewall around their purple state Governors.  There's method to their madness, too: they figure that Governors, plus Attorneys General and Secretaries of State, are in a position to adjust the terms of the 2024 presidential election in ways that will benefit the eventual Democratic candidate.  They're right!  Look what they accomplished in 2020...

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2022/03/06/democratic-party-priority-save-governors-00014364 


Here's an olive branch offered by the government of Russia, should Ukraine wish to take it up.  The Russians are describing the terms under which they would be willing to suspend their invasion of Ukraine.  Basically, the core demand is that they want Ukraine to be permanently committed to neutrality, and thus they want the country to eliminate any possibility that it will ever seek membership in NATO.  Since there are some signs that such an accommodation could be agreeable to Ukraine, I say: get it done!  It's an open question, though, whether the Russians will insist on achieving some of their key military objectives first, like the storming of Kiev.


https://www.newsmax.com/headline/peskov-terms-russia-ukraine/2022/03/07/id/1059982/

 

Here's the best map I've seen so far of the progress of Russian forces in Ukraine.  It hasn't exactly been the Blitzkrieg we expected, but it's also not a map that spells victory for Ukrainian forces.  How much of Ukraine must Russia occupy before the Zelensky-ists cry uncle?

 

https://twitter.com/remilitari/status/1500503131049897985/photo/1 

Sunday, March 6, 2022

What To Do About NATO?

 


Friends, there isn't much in the Russia-Ukraine war to take heart about, but here is an optimistic sign: the Ukrainians now appear to be open to exploring a "non-NATO" future for their country.  In other words, they correctly perceive that Russian aggression might have been avoided simply by taking Ukraine's potential membership in NATO off the table -- and now, with Ukraine ravaged by Russian forces, it might still be able to reestablish its sovereignty and territorial integrity (kinda) by forswearing NATO membership in perpetuity.  I suspect NATO would be thrilled!  Anything that both sides could claim as a "win" would be welcome at this stage.  Might cooler heads prevail?  I hope so.


https://www.newsmax.com/headline/ukraine-nato-russia/2022/03/06/id/1059887/

 

Trump, meanwhile, has renewed his criticism of NATO.  He calls it a "paper tiger".  Well, it may be, and it may not be.  Technically, NATO, as a defensive alliance, has no role in the Russia-Ukraine war.  That conflict simply doesn't involve a NATO member.  On the other hand, if Putin made a move on Estonia, or Poland, or Romania, he would be challenging NATO directly.  Trump is suggesting that NATO is ill-prepared to respond, and might not have the will to do so.  There's only one way to find out, in the final analysis...  Also present in this article is some frank discussion about the rift between Trump and Pence.  Apparently Pence is beginning to think of himself as a rival to Trump for the 2024 nomination.  Good luck with that, Mikey!

 

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/trump-russia-ukraine-nato-elections/ 


Here's another article about how, by freezing Russia's foreign currency reserves, we may have inadvertently signed the death warrant of the Western-backed global financial system.  Among other things, if other countries flee the dollar as a reserve of value, this could worsen our problems with inflation.  Just what we need!


https://www.wsj.com/articles/if-currency-reserves-arent-really-money-the-world-is-in-for-a-shock-11646311306?st=wfsoydkf8mo1u38&reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink

 

Elon Musk, who shows a growing inclination to buck the establishment view, is advocating for an increase in U.S. oil and gas production -- and this is from a guy who makes a living hawking electric cars!  If Musk can see that the Democrats' anti-energy policies are misplaced, you better believe a lot of swing voters are thinking along the same lines.

 

https://thehill.com/policy/technology/596990-elon-musk-us-needs-to-increase-oil-gas-production-immediately?rl=1 


Finally, Secretary of State Antony Blinken says he's okay with Poland sending Ukraine fighter jets -- and, if they do, we'll make up the difference by sending Poland more jets in turn.  Personally, I would tread carefully.  Don't give Russia an excuse to intercept these jets en route, or, worse, attack them on the ground in Poland.  Then NATO would truly be on the hot seat!


https://www.cbsnews.com/news/ukraine-russia-war-fighter-jets-antony-blinken-face-the-nation/

Saturday, March 5, 2022

Give Peace A Chance

 


Friends, I strongly recommend this fine article to you.  It makes the very sensible point that, as Americans and Westerners applaud the resistance of Ukraine to the Russian assault on its independence and territorial integrity, the fact is that applause, per se, won't save Ukraine.  In fact, it's very doubtful whether the Ukrainians can save themselves, by force of arms, and whether Western economic sanctions, combined with a massive campaign of virtue signalling, can make much of a difference either.  Ergo, the article advises us to shelve our "bellicose talk" in favor of constructive efforts to bring both sides together to negotiate peace.  After all, there's a good chance that, right about now, the Russians would love to find an exit ramp leading away from this madness.  Wouldn't offering them one be the right thing to do?


https://thefederalist.com/2022/03/04/if-western-leaders-will-not-stop-putin-by-force-they-should-help-negotiate-peace/

 

This article observes that pro-Ukrainian propaganda has, overnight, taken over the internet, and has in many cases obliterated common sense.  Not surprisingly, the Russia-Ukraine war was also instantly weaponized by the Left, to deride Trump and Republicans as Putinesque, and to suggest that Putin and Republicans are engaged in a broad struggle to destroy Western democracy.  These arguments are, of course, absurdly weak, but, in a "fact free" media environment, people will believe almost anything.  Nothing new about that!


https://spectatorworld.com/topic/media-turned-russia-war-ukraine-trump-redux/

 

Efforts to isolate Russia from the global economy and even from Western culture continue to escalate.  Probably most troubling is the closing down of Russian media in the West, and Western media in Russia.  In other words, if we continue down the present path, pretty soon it will be well nigh impossible for Russians to communicate with the West, and the pursuit of peace could become a logistical impossibility!  I hasten to add that misunderstandings which lead to war are much less likely when major powers share information and remain in contact.  Raising the drawbridge that allows for intergovernmental and intercultural communication is not a sign of strength.  It's a sign that the juvenile intolerance of woke cancel culture is now the guiding principle of U.S. foreign policy.  I disapprove!!!


https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/visa-mastercard-russia-sanctions/2022/03/05/id/1059821/

 

https://www.newsmax.com/politics/ny-financial-russia-ukraine/2022/03/05/id/1059822/ 


https://www.cnbc.com/2022/03/04/sp-dow-is-removing-all-russia-stocks-from-indices-stripping-country-of-emerging-market-status.html

 

https://www.theepochtimes.com/cnn-to-stop-broadcasting-in-russia-after-fake-news-law_4317996.html?utm_source=partner&utm_campaign=BonginoReport 


In some rare, non-Russian/Ukrainian news, the United Methodist Church is soon to become...a lot less united.  Conservatives are splitting from the mainline Protestant denomination because they disagree with the ordination of homosexual clergy, and the performance of gay marriages.  My opposition to gay marriage is a matter of public record, but I do find it regrettable that social issues are causing the dissolution of one of the great Protestant churches.  Every other facet of modern life is being politicized, though, so it's unrealistic to expect that the Christian religion will be immune.  In any case, I wish the Global Methodist Church much success, I hope its millions of members will stay true to their faith, and I pray that their new leaders will be upright men of God.


https://www.theblaze.com/news/united-methodist-church-splits-over-lgbt-beliefs

 

Lastly, here's a neat little piece on the declining appeal of the four-year college degree.  Apparently, more and more young people are finding alternatives to a traditional university education, and more and more businesses are deciding to evaluate job candidates based on their skills instead of their formal educational credentials.  I say: hear hear!  I'm not one to pooh-pooh higher education, naturally, but I've long believed that a person is more than the sum of his degrees.  In fact, I think it would make a lot more sense to judge us all based on a standardized test, which would be normed and objective, rather than by the mere acquisition of a piece of paper that claims that we're "smart".  Neither method yields the equality of results that lefties are looking for, of course.  The only way to achieve that goal is to subordinate all measures of merit to neo-Marxist ideology...and we're well on our way, especially in higher ed.  Hip hip hooray?


https://thehill.com/opinion/education/596000-post-pandemic-the-glow-is-gone-from-the-college-degree?rl=1

Friday, March 4, 2022

Shades of Chernobyl?

 


Friends, there was a lot of consternation yesterday about fighting around Europe's largest nuclear plant, but as it turned out the reactor buildings were never in the line of fire.  They now appear to be in Russian hands.


https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/russia-ukraine-nuclear-plant-shelling-fire-invasion-putin-rcna18685

 

Senator Lindsey Graham recently made a public call for Russian insiders to assassinate President Putin.  Senator Cruz calls this an "exceptionally bad idea".  You can see his point: an assassination of Putin would plunge Russia into all kinds of uncertainty.  That would be the kind of scenario that could produce WWIII!  Plus, you should always be careful what you wish for: Russia's next leader could be worse!  I bet a lot of people thought, once upon a time: "Whew!  Thank heavens Lenin is dead.  The next guy has to be an upgrade, right?"  Not necessarily!

 

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2022/03/04/ted-cruz-rebukes-lindsey-graham-exceptionally-bad-idea-to-assassinate-putin/ 


The sharing of sensitive Westerh military intelligence with Ukrainian military forces is apparently taking place on a large scale, and it could be seen as a provocation or as an act of war by Russia.  I recommend that we tread carefully, although the chances that Russia would make the first move against us are slim to none, thankfully.  In a perverse way, thoiugh, we almost have to hope that Russia completes its conquest of Ukraine quickly, because if it runs into major problems then not only will Ukrainians suffer more, but the dangers of NATO-Russian conflict proliferate astronomically.


https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/biden-administration-ukraine-intelligence-share/2022/03/04/id/1059649/

 

Finally, the Western seizure of Russia's sovereign assets, apparently unprecedented in post-WWII history, is a major step, and as this article suggests it will get the attention of the Chinese and of all current or future "rogue regimes".  Basically, the West reserves the right to run the international financial system according to its prejudices and agendas. Ergo, your property is only your property as long as the G7 says so.  The Chinese have to realize that, sooner or later, their trillions in dollar-denominated assets could be confiscated.  As the article points out, that gives them every reason to undermine the Western-dominated financial system and explore alternatives to it.  Can you say: backlash???

 

https://www.intellasia.net/gold-will-soar-as-china-seeks-us-dollar-alternatives-1024480