Friends, everyone can agree that paying the Ayatollah not to murder us is a masterstroke of U.S. foreign policy. Well, everyone can agree on that when Biden does it. If Trump did it, presumably consensus would be more...elusive? I expect so. This is just one of many hard-hitting analytical flourishes that Brian and I pursue on this week's Newsmaker Show. We also discuss the practicalities of potential Chinese aggression against Taiwan, the absurdity of the inflated rhetoric of Ukrainian warlord/President Zelensky, the growing Dem jitters about Candidate Biden, the acquittal of Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the politics of abortion in the Republican Party, the significance of the demise of the Senate's dress code, and the establishment media's contempt for the public's concerns about the strength of the U.S. economy.
Golly! Can one twenty minute interview really get to the bottom of ALL of those hot-button issues? Yes! Yes, it can.
https://wlea.net/newsmaker-september-20-2023-dr-nick-waddy/
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In other news, check out some of the early state polls in the race for the Republican presidential nomination, i.e. polls from Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina. There's one clear theme: Donald Trump is way ahead. There's another clear theme: the majority of voters in these critical states aren't sold on Trump, but, of those, they are dividing their support between a number of different contenders. If that keeps up, DJT will sail to the nomination. On the other hand, if the anti-Trump, or Trump-skeptical, wing of the GOP ever coalesces behind a single candidate, he/she could make a race of it. In short, it ain't over yet! In fact, it hasn't even begun.
https://www.realclearpolitics.com/epolls/latest_polls/
Here's an interesting analysis of international aid to Ukraine. Of course, the U.S. tops the list, but many European countries are forking over many, many billions to support the Zelensky regime. It's been a long time since the West was so united in advocating and funding any cause -- in this case, a rather dubious one!
https://www.bbc.com/news/66870559
Arguably, Americans won't care much about the progress of the Trump trials in 2024, or even their outcomes. They might write all this off as "politics as usual", even though there's nothing terribly "usual" about 91 felony indictments against a former president. Be all this as it may, the most important aspect of the Trump prosecutions may be efforts by prosecutors to muzzle Trump, which could limit his effectiveness as a candidate, or even incarcerate him for critical periods during the campaign. Note the moxie of Special Counsel Jack Smith's stated reason for a gag order against Trump: he "has an established practice of issuing inflammatory public statements targeted at individuals or institutions that present an obstacle or challenge to him". Oh really? And Biden doesn't??? Every politician trashes those who "present an obstacle or challenge" them. It's called...politics! It's also called free speech.
https://www.newsmax.com/newsfront/trump-smith-gag-order/2023/09/20/id/1135261/
Dr. Waddy from Jack: The fact that willingness to back Ukraine is so prevalent among Western countries, together with the astonishing accession of Sweden and Finland to Nato, gives me pause. It's one thing for the antiamerican left in the US to use Russophobia as a pawn against DJT; but for all these nations to demonstrate such fear of Russia they must perceive in its Ukraine onslaught considerable possibility of further Russian aggression or even expansion. Their concern must be plausible at least. I still think Russia invaded solely to prevent Ukrainian membership in Nato- but could it be that it now has intent beyond that? Has Russia been moved by western hostility to it's action against what they consider an unendurable national security threat to think of this? Perhaps the Western countries hope that Russian strength will be greatly reduced by its effort in Ukraine and that a Russian threat will be thereby reduced. Can it be that ignorance or dismissal of the profound historical and geographical relationship of Ukraine and Russia obtains even in those countries sharing a continent with Russia? I doubt that but then: what are their reasons?
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: In saying what I said above I do not intentionally gainsay the hatred of Russia in any country which has suffered the Russian boot.
ReplyDeleteThose are wise observations, Jack. That the countries in close proximity to Russia are most vehement in condemning the invasion, and most generous in aiding Ukraine, tells us something. Their fears of Russia may be overblown and partially irrational, but I will admit that there's a grain of truth in Western Russophobia: however we got to this point, IF Russia had subdued Ukraine with ease, it MIGHT have been tempted to pursue military adventures elsewhere, even inside NATO. That it has struggled in Ukraine makes it far less likely that the Russians would be so bold. In that sense, NATO's obsession with Ukraine makes a little sense and may profit us, in the end, and even help keep the peace -- more or less regardless of Ukraine's fate.
ReplyDeleteDr.Wady from Jack: Russia savaged incalculable millions of people, Russians and many others,often to death, in the last 100 years. Their historical brutality appears to have lessened only in that they have not used their most destructive weapons, yet. They are a hard people, coarsened by their history and climate. For sure the media cannot be trusted but these factors do make accounts of hellish Russian enslavement of Ukrainian children at least plausible. We should have considered this possibility when we foolishly encouraged Ukrainian intent to join Nato and brought upon Ukraine the wrath of a still barbarian Russia which finds this possibility unendurable! We should stand consciously reminded of the inhumanity of which Russia is lamentably capable, and that especially in light of the many admirable aspects of their culture and their rugged people.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: How would India react to a Chinese assault on Taiwan? If it considers itself part of a crescent of lands defensive against China ,for which Taiwan is a keystone, they may see it as a fundamental threat to India. And especially if the US fights for Taiwan they might well join it. Perhaps even if the US stayed out of it, they might,if they could be sure of Japanese and Australian alliance and maybe that ,in addition, of the Philippines and/or S. Korea and/or Indonesia and/or Malaysia and /or Singapore - maybe then they would help Taiwan. They are of all these lands, the only one with nukes.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Taiwan does not have the air or naval power to break a Chinese blockade. So consideration of it being broken must include American naval power.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Chinese determination that Taiwan not formally declare independence is roughly analogous to Russia's determination not to endure Ukraine in Nato. I say "roughly" because;it lacks the historical and even geographical motives that Russia has. China's nonetheless equally intense and menacing resolve in this stems from it's unshakeable position that all that was once China's WILL be once again China's. They conquered Taiwan in the 1600s only and savaged the native Taiwanese, as did the Nationalists in 1949.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Often Federal charges have been brought when state charges or lack thereof or acquittal have appeared unjust to the Feds, eg when civil rights may be involved. Naturally, with the blatantly antiamerican left biased and weaponized DOJ we have now, Ken Paxton will be further tasked, this time criminally, for, well, whatever. He has excited the wrath of the vindictive left and besides, he insolently enacts the views of the majority in a Texas which is culturally detested by the left.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: The by now obviously routine leftist politics by prosecution onslaught advances apace!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Dressing down in the Senate will be a statement of political partisanship affirming consummate bias. Look who enabled it!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Many people reflexively support neo marxist measures without knowing what marxism is. A fundamental far left intent is the forced redistribution of wealth. That necessitates taking from some (typically the productive). As with many doctrines, original purpose may have been obscured. Those who celebrate Bidenomics may do so because they "feel" it's consequential drop in public buying power is by definition desirable, with no consideration of how wealth be thereby redistributed. "Why, it's just wrong for us to have so much prosperity!"
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: A subject I suggest should be broached: the execrable antiamerican onslaught on Rudolph Guiliani. We know that the hate filled left routinely savages anyone they "feel" deserves it for contradicting their unimpeachable wisdom and justice. Politics by prosecution are a reflex for them. But they have outdone even themselves with their detestable efforts to discredit and criminalize the Mayor. It is said that the mob celebrates this, since Guiliani was disrespectful enough to convict so many of them while a US Attorney. That's just the company the guttural antiamerican left belongs in . Rudolph Guiliani is the singularly most political, moral and YES ,physically courageous public figure of our time!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: By the early '90s NYC was a truly pitiful husk of the "Great Lady" it once was: arguably once the world's greatest city. Decades of leftist misrule, featuring the cynical celebration of criminals and the denigration of the lawful had left the city at the mercy of lawless thugs. It appeared to be beyond redemption and bound for complete surrender to anarchy. Rudolph Guiliani,a man who risked mafia murder for tasking them beyond their endurance, said he could deliver NYC back to civilization. "Rubbish!" and equivalent obscenities, sneered the disdainful left and the limousine liberals. But the electorate gave him a chance and, using simple common sense and indefatigable fortitude he worked what can only termed a MIRACLE! He redeemed a huge metropolis from degradation beyond measure and put the thugs to rout. I was able to take my 10 year old daughter there in 2000 and enjoyed almost universal courtesy, friendliness and security. I think his monumental accomplishment was the premier act of public administration of our time!
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack. Naturally he incurred the wrath of those he had so thoroughly gainsaid: the leftists whose hate knows no statute of limitations. Their tragic return to power has, incredibly, returned NYC to it's pre Guiliani depravity. Their now rampant politics by prosecution gives them a way to slake their thirst for revenge so thorough that no new Guiliani will ever vex them again. This is CAPITAL INJUSTICE worked by lowlifes on a great American. I learned this term from criminals while working in state prisons so the antiamerican left should be familiar with it: "STEP OFF!!!"
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: I should say ". . .so thorough that, they earnestly desire, no new Guiliani. . . . Perhaps he could return(?) Perhaps his avatar is on the way.
ReplyDeleteJack, I would agree that the Russians are capable of cruelty. I would disagree that their modern facility for it bears any resemblance to, say, what they inflicted on themselves and half of Europe in the 1930s and 40s.
ReplyDeleteJack, I doubt that India would fight for Taiwan. I frankly doubt even that WE would fight for Taiwan. Japan, maybe. The problem is that almost everyone recognizes Taiwan as part of China. That makes fighting for it more than a little ridiculous, not to mention risky given China's might.
Would Taiwan need to beat China at sea? I don't think so. It would need to prevent a successful amphibious invasion. That's all. If it can do that, everything else remains on the table. Taiwan's best strategy, in my view: develop "secret" nukes.
I agree: Ken Paxton is about to be hounded by federal prosecutors in a big way. Lest we forget, it was he who argued to SCOTUS that the 2020 election results were invalid, because numerous states did not follow their own laws. That was our best hope to overturn the 2020 outcome. SCOTUS whiffed.
Good point that the leftists cannot even get on the same page about whether consumerism and economic growth are desirable.
Jack, your homage to Rudy rings true! It glosses over his rather embarrassing efforts on behalf of Trump in 2020-21, but I agree that he served his city and his country very well, by and large. He sure has fallen from grace. Of course, he may get the last laugh. It was him who introduced us to the Hunter Biden laptop, and that little gem may yet bring down a president, or it may bring a president defeat in 2024.
Dr. Waddy fromJack: If a blighter like Slick Willy can skate then I hope as profoundly great an American as the MAYOR does.Enough is enough.
ReplyDeleteDr. Waddy from Jack: Our original reason for supporting Taiwan, opposition to virulently antiAmerican Maoist China, is no longer valid. Chinese extention of communism is no longer to be feared; how can you take pains to spread a doctrine you loath because of bitter first hand experience with it?But: if we consider Taiwan the strategic key to the arc of East and South Asian nations who have good reason to fear current Chinese power, then we have a hard decision to make should China invade Taiwan. Indian nukes could make a solid alliance of the nations in that arc one which might give China pause.
ReplyDeleteJack, I don't like Rudy's chances. The forces that want to take him down are not to be trifled with!
ReplyDeleteI'd say the chance of India using nukes against China are approximately zero. If I were China, I wouldn't be scared of "Indian aggression" in the least. That being said, what could India do to help Taiwan, realistically? Send its navy and parts of its air force? You're right that China now poses more of a nationalist threat than a Marxist one, but I'm simply not convinced that Taiwan is anywhere close to being as important as you suggest. In my view it's a medium sized island with some chip-making factories. It's maybe Asia's Ireland. Not high stakes, for those of us in the good ole USA.