My Heretical View of Vladimir Putin

 

Vladimir Putin is the south end of a north-bound Appaloosa. What he is doing in Ukraine thoroughly disgusts me because I hate thugs. A pox on Putin.

But…I think America needs him. Graciously grant me an audience, and if you disagree, you’ll still have all my respect. But hear me out.

I certainly opposed the Russian invasion of Ukraine. But I kinda understand why Putin would want to do it. Maybe he thinks Ukraine belongs to Russia (it has before), or perhaps he didn’t want Ukraine to join NATO and have that organization on his border (I have no clue why that should scare him). Or maybe he did it just because he’s a prick. If he is worried NATO might invade Russia, then he isn’t very smart. That package of Oscar Meyers is afraid of an 18-year-old girl. But whyever Putin did it, I think it was crummy to illegally cross some other country’s borders, without being asked, bringing in things that will kill lots of the local people. Joe Biden thinks that’s ok in his own country, but a nuclear war to anybody who does it to somebody else’s.

Understand Vlad or not, he did invade Ukraine, and everybody in Washington got into a tizzy over it. Why? Ukraine isn’t next to America, it isn’t even close. Ukraine provides nothing of any vital national concern to us, it doesn’t even provide Hunter Biden an income anymore (that I know of). Ukraine is a corrupt, one-party state whose leader is every bit as much of a prick as Vladimir Putin. Only politicians in Washington could concoct excuses to flush our money down a sewer like that. “Let them fight their wars.” (D. Trump)

So, what’s going on here? Why the fuss? Wars happen in Africa all the time and Joe and Mitch ignore those and don’t waste billions of American tax-payer dollars helping one prick fight another. Wars, and pricks who start them, are realpolitik. America has had to deal with them throughout our history; it can’t be avoided. Sometimes, we must hold our noses and make contracts with human scum because there is worse human scum out there than the scum we contracted with (Stalin, anyone?). It’s called “the world.” Accept it.

Russia is a considerable country that America should keep a wary eye on. However, Putin and Russia aren’t the major world threat right now. Putinville is mainly a concern because they have a big pile of nuclear weapons. And lots of resources. And lots of pricks. That is always disquieting, as in, what are all those pricks going to do with all that stuff they own?

And because Putin has that stockpile of nukes, it might be a reasonably good idea to at least try to stay on speaking terms with the guy. But what did Biden do? He got involved in Vlad’s war, against Vlad, a war where America has absolutely no essential national interest.

Making Vlad mad at us.

And driving him straight into the arms of Xi Jinping.

Brilliant diplomacy, Sherlock Biden.

Yes, Biden needed to distract Americans from his catastrophic policies. And he’s probably still sore at Vlad because he thinks Putin helped Trump win in 2016. But that isn’t worth a nuclear war.

I confess, I’m a China phobe, and that country scares me a whole lot more than Russia does. I lived there, and I can guarantee you that the Chinese are serious about ruling as much of this planet as they can get their thieving, murderous hands on. They aren’t playing transgender tiddly-winks, folks, and communists everywhere have proven they will kill anybody who gets in their way, even their people.

Three major world powers exist today: America, China, and Russia. The Chinese hate us, they envy us, and they think it is their racial right to replace us as the number one power on earth. They are single-minded in their determination to do just that. Russia is strong, but not in our or China’s class. But still…worth cultivating, if only because Russia is on China’s doorstep. Vlad isn’t stupid. Because of China’s proximity, Putin might be amenable to building stronger relations with America and the West. Virtually empty, resource-rich Siberia is due north of China. And China knows it. So does Vlad. At least a measure of affability with Putin could give us a 2-to-1 world power advantage. That isn’t hay. If a major war broke out, even Beijing would have to think about the Russians coming from the west and the Americans sailing in from the east. Fostering stronger ties with India—soon to be the most populous country in the world and no friend of China’s—would be wise, too. They could send hordes into China from the south. Bring Anzac, Japan, South Korea, and Taiwan into the deal as well. In other words, surround China. They wouldn’t like it, but who gives a rotten fig what a bunch of slimeball communist thugs likes or don’t like? IT’S ALL THEY UNDERSTAND! China needs to see a wall, not a bunch of placating pansies. You can call that a “Cold War” if you wish, but it already exists. But our glorious leaders would rather play ostrich until it’s too late and we are buried beneath another Mongolian horde (grant me the allusion, please). Vlad knows all about Mongolian hordes. Biden wouldn’t know one if one bit him on the butt.

But, our Bozo-in-Chief made it 2 to 1 all right—against us. For what? Ukraine? Sigh.

I think this is realpolitik here. You have to deal with, and sometimes even befriend, people you wouldn’t want to date your daughter. It’s just the way the world, which is not a utopia and never will be, works. Putin’s a prick, but I would like him on our side against the real danger, Communist China. But Joe doesn’t want to bite the hand that feeds his family.

That, and Ukraine, are more important than the well-being of Americans.

I’m out of space. More on this later. I may not know much, but Biden is clueless.

The Dumb and Dumber Administration

 

Americans are starting to realize that their country is in serious trouble. After 20+ months of President Joe Biden and his ill-advised policies, multiple crises are impacting the nation. 

When Biden assumed office, the nation’s economy was strong. There was minimal inflation, strong economic growth, a robust stock market, and low-interest rates. Today, we have a 40-year high inflation rate, negative economic growth, a recession, a bearish stock market, and the highest interest rates since 2008. 

Biden inherited a county that was energy independent, but, today, we are once again dependent on foreign nations and depleting our Strategic Petroleum Reserve to keep gasoline prices from spiraling out of control. Biden declared war on our domestic oil and gas industry, putting moratoriums on drilling in this country while begging Saudi Arabia for increased production. 

At the end of the Trump administration, the southern border was secure, and a security wall was being erected. After taking office, Biden immediately ended the construction of the border wall and opened our nation to illegal immigration.

Millions of illegal aliens have crossed the border since January 2021, breaking records. It is such a crisis that former President Bill Clinton noted that the country cannot manage such an influx. In a recent CNN interview, he said, “There is a limit to how many migrants any society can take without severe disruption and assistance.”

When Bill Clinton begins to criticize the Biden administration it is an admission that the country is seriously on the wrong track. It is a reason so many Democratic candidates on the ballot in the midterm election are not interested in campaigning with President Biden or Vice President Kamala Harris. 

The reality is that Americans are scared and angry and want change. Incredibly, Biden continues to insist the economy is strong, claiming that “The great American jobs machine continues to come back. American workers are back to work.”

While a 3.7% unemployment rate is good, wages are not keeping pace with the inflation rate. The increasing interest rates are supposed to tame inflation, but the negative effects include causing both credit card debt and mortgages to skyrocket, thereby making it more difficult to purchase a home. It is little wonder that the real estate industry is suffering, with home sales 20% below last year’s level. 

All this negative economic news is souring the mood of investors and the stock market has turned negative. On Friday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell below 29,000 for the first time since November 2020. This marks an 8.8% decline in just a month of September. 

In contrast to Biden’s misplaced optimism, there is nothing positive on the economic horizon. Inflation will not be tamed soon, especially since the Biden administration refuses to instill any fiscal discipline. The signature bills passed by Congress in the Biden administration have been extremely costly, adding to our national debt, which nears $31 trillion. 

With massive spending bills passed that require more borrowing, inflation will continue to be a problem. Until there is a change in leadership in Congress and the White House, there will be no appetite for any adjustment in our fiscal policies. 

On Friday, Biden signed another stopgap spending measure that funds the continued operation of the federal government in the short term and includes another $12.3 billion in aid for Ukraine. While the United States sends a steady stream of funding to Ukraine, our borders remain open, our cities have become crime hellholes and over 100,000 Americans are dying each year from drug overdoses, exacerbated by the Chinese fentanyl pouring into our country from Mexico. 

None of these problems seem to matter to Biden and Harris. They are not worried about the economy but seem to be focused on issues such as abortion and “right-wing extremism.” Instead, there is much more violence committed by unhinged liberals. For example, in McHenry, North Dakota, a deranged motorist, Shannon Brandt, was charged with murder after he used his vehicle to kill a young man, Cayler Ellingson, who he believed was a “Republican extremist.” 

Sadly, Biden and Harris are not interested in dealing with the harsh reality that their policies have created. As Americans have noticed for months, Biden does not have a firm grasp on reality at all. On Wednesday, at a White House Conference on Hunger, Nutrition, and Health, he asked “Where’s Jackie? I thought she was going to be here.” 

Of course, U.S. Congresswoman Jackie Walorski (R-IN) could not be there since she died in an automobile accident in August. Supposedly, Biden knew she died and sent a condolence note to her family. He forgot about her death in the span of a few weeks. 

Biden’s mental incompetence is getting worse. Often, he looks lost after finishing speeches and extends his hand to greet a person only he can see. 

Vice President Harris offers her own set of problems. This week, during a visit to the Demilitarized Zone in the Korean peninsula, she mistakenly praised our country’s “alliance with the Republic of North Korea.” On Friday, at a Democratic Party forum, Harris asserted that the federal government should be “giving resources based on equity.” 

This claim, in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian, was denounced by Florida officials. An assistant to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Christina Pushaw, blasted Harris and noted that “FEMA Individual Assistance is already available to all Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian, regardless of race or background.”

Thus, Biden is mentally incompetent, and Harris is the “word salad” queen. Some are calling for the removal of Biden via the 25th Amendment. Ideally, Republicans should demand that Biden submits to a mental competency test. If he fails and is removed, he will be replaced by Harris, a chilling prospect. 

No matter how embarrassing his behavior, Biden remains in office, for the foolish Vice President is his best insurance policy. Unfortunately, America is stuck between a rock and a hard place as our troubles continue to mount.

The Twisted, Racist Logic Behind The Left’s Soft On Crime Agenda

There’s generally a sinister, selfish motive behind most of the left’s supposedly ‘compassionate’ policy positions. At its root that motive comes down to raw power. Exploit fears over a novel virus, or the natural human tendency to care about the beauty and cleanliness of our environment, for more power and control. Create and maintain a wide-open border so more future voters will come swarming in. Give enough money away via welfare and other social programs, thereby purchasing multiple generations of dependent voters who believe they can’t afford to vote any other way. You get the picture.

But of late, many of the left’s obsessions don’t seem to be about power alone. Instead, they are about belief in the tenets of what can only be described as a cult … the cult of wokism. To the wokist, a quasi-religion that has captured the hearts and minds of a vast majority of Democrats and even some Republicans, the logic, the viability, and even the popularity of their truth claims do not matter in the least. Instead, what matters is that those truth claims, however absurd and however unlikely most people are to believe them, are openly assented to by all and openly challenged by none.

To what end? It’s difficult to say. Maybe they believe the public will come around eventually if all dissent is crushed and the insanity is pummeled into enough brains. It’s worked to some extent on some issues, at least on the surface. Maybe a few believe their BS and that they have to adhere to it all to be a ‘good person,’ and that being a ‘good person trumps all, even power. Which would be somewhat altruistic, I suppose, if their beliefs were grounded in any actual truth. But they aren’t, sadly, and so we’re stuck with nonsense like women are men, men are women, all cultures are of equal value, ‘whiteness’ is the cause of all evil in the world, and driving an electric car will stop hurricanes, or something.

Of course, belief is one thing. Believe what you want. I don’t care. But when the wackiest of those beliefs start driving implemented policies, things start to go especially awry. Enter the left’s inexplicable (at least until this column) soft-on-crime agenda, a perfect example of a woke policy position that has few electoral upsides. Is emptying prisons, arresting almost no one, and filling the streets with violent criminals a recipe for electoral success? History and polling suggest otherwise, yet here we are, with most Democrats advocating vehemently, as if their souls depend on it, for exactly those things.

Insane policy positions like this don’t lead to obtaining power, only losing it. Law and order have always been and will continue to remain a key issue driving GOP turnout. Yet, leftists continue to insist on giving their political opponents fuel because, in a twisted way, soft-on-crime policies perfectly align with their wokist religion, a religion that demands adherence despite all political downsides.

I believe the explanation for their weird stand on this particular issue involves digging deeper into a key foundation of wokism – the desire for equity. Instead of fostering equality of opportunity and letting the chips fall where they may, people who believe in ‘equity’ – as I explain in this Townhall column from July – seek to use any means necessary in pursuit of equality of actual results. Thus, if one favored group is doing poorly in a particular area, it must mean that the ‘oppressor’ group (read: white people) are in some way hoarding resources or doing something to actively hold the protected group down. The leftist ‘solution’ to this on the economic front tends to be a radical redistribution of wealth and even, in some places, land. 

While that’s disastrous enough, it’s even worse when applied to criminal justice. Here’s the problem: In America, a significant percentage – and sometimes the majority – of violent crimes are unfortunately committed by black people, particularly young black males, less than a quarter of a group that itself only comprises 13% of the population. Now, without belaboring this and while acknowledging the fact that the majority of black people in America are law-abiding citizens who don’t like being victims of crime any more than any other people group, this presents a real dilemma for equity believers.

Tragically, their ‘solution’ to this problem is as evil, destructive, and unjust as it gets. On the one side, they believe in arresting fewer black individuals for crimes, which typically starts with reducing policing in majority-black areas. While this is a horrible cost to law-abiding black families just trying to raise their children in safety, it’s a small price to pay for equity, or so the ‘reasoning’ goes. On the other end, I think they believe the numbers can be balanced by arresting and imprisoning more white people. One might think the fact that white people tend to commit fewer violent crimes would be a problem for them, but it’s easily overcome by making as many non-violent paperwork and process crimes punishable by prison as possible.

Don’t believe me? Do you hear the Garland Justice Department promising to “crack down” on actual violent crime on our streets with the same energy they’re ‘protecting’ society from ‘dangerous’ white-collar criminals? This is the kind of logic that drops charges against looters, street thugs, and arsonists but imprisons and ruins the lives of hundreds of people for basically walking into the Capital building on January 6th. It’s the kind of evil that lets violent crime reign on the streets of Chicago but sends twenty FBI agents to arrest a father of seven for pushing his son’s assailant down on the steps of an abortion clinic. It’s the worst kind of anarcho-tyranny, made even eviler because of its twisted racial tinge.

No, I’m not excusing genuine white-collar crime. But – and I know some conservatives will disagree with me here – just as with minor theft and drug offenses, the punishment for such crimes, regardless of race, should focus more on restitution, rehabilitation, and prevention than incarceration, while society should be physically protected from violent criminals – again, regardless of race. If you believe race should enter the equation on such matters at all, you are the very definition of a racist. But then, leftists have always been the greatest at accusing others of evils they are actively participating in themselves.

Joe Biden Compares Himself to Satan in Tweet About Democrats’ Plan to ‘Codify Roe v. Wade’

 

President Joe Biden has been incessantly bringing up abortion, in hopes that the issue will save the Democrats from losing their narrow majorities in the House and Senate in the upcoming November midterm elections. On Sunday night, Biden’s tactic got even more desperate, and bizarre, as he appeared to compare himself to the Devil.

My dad used to say, “Joey, don’t compare me to the Almighty. Compare me to the alternative.”

And here’s the deal: Democrats want to codify Roe. Republicans want a national ban on abortion. The choice is clear.— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 3, 2022

Biden’s tweet mentions how his father told him “don’t compare me to the Almighty,” but “to the alternative,” presumably the Devil. The president then goes on to tweet a seemingly unrelated point claiming “Democrats want to codify Roe. Republicans want a national ban on abortion,” and that “The choice is clear.”

In addition to making quite an odd comparison, Biden isn’t even being all that truthful. As Guy has highlighted, the Democrats don’t merely want to “codify Roe v. Wade,” but rather expand it through extremist legislation known as the Women’s Health Protection Act (WHPA). The bill would not only make abortion legal up until birth without limit, it would invalidate pro-life laws passed at the state level. 

Further, the “national ban on abortion” that Biden is referring to is a 15-week abortion ban, with exceptions, to reflect that unborn children can feel pain at this point and that the particularly brutal method is also more dangerous for women. Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-SC) introduced the legislation last month. 

Last I checked republicans wanted a national time limit for abortion. A 15 week limit. Why do the democrats constantly lie? For real it’s all they have.— Ashley (@ashleykaycromer) October 3, 2022

The Sunday night tweet brought about considerable attention, and as our friends at Twitchy highlighted, some suggested the tweet was so nonsensical that it actually made it likely Biden himself wrote it.

This is the first time ever I believe you might send your own tweets.— Fuzzy Chimp ???? (@fuzzychimpcom) October 3, 2022

50 years after Roe you want to codify it? Get real! You had your shot and blew it. Because you used Roe to raise money for your party. Your party used women to enrich themselves.— TheOpinant (@OpinantThe) October 3, 2022

Other users also pointed out how Democrats have a veto-proof majority in Congress before, and yet failed to pass such legislation then. This included during the first few years of the Obama administration, during when Biden even served as vice president. Along with such urgency has also brought about a more radical position from the Democratic Party, which has not only rejected the mantra of keeping abortion “safe, legal, and rare,” but even opposes the Hyde Amendment, which protects taxpayers from having to fund elective abortions.

Biden, who presents himself as Catholic, has brought up faith in the context of abortion before. “I happen to be a practicing Roman Catholic, my church doesn’t even make that argument now,” Biden claimed just last month, as Sarah covered. The president was referring to Graham’s bill. As Sarah also pointed out, Biden lied about the bill’s exceptions as well, which include rape or incest that a woman receives treatment for and for when it is reported if there is a minor involved. 

The Catholic Church takes an abundantly clear stance against abortion. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), who is similarly pro-abortion, has been told by Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco that she should not present herself for Holy Communion. 

In response to such a tweet, RNC Director of Faith Communications Andrew Brennan told Townhall that “Democrats will lie and desperately try to distort their pro-abortion agenda to mislead voters. Folks aren’t buying it. In 36 days Americans will vote to reject Democrats’ radical, out-of-touch late-term abortion extremism.”

Such fear-mongering from Biden and fellow Democrats doesn’t appear to be working, as polls not only show that abortion just isn’t that major an issue for voters, but also that Republicans are gaining in the polls.

Dish Network Ditches ESPN, Leaving Sports Fans High and Dry

 

Disputes between television providers and networks are nothing new. They happen all the time, but rarely does one of these disputes leave so many viewers high and dry as the current spat between Dish Network and Disney, the corporate parent of ESPN.

Dish Network is in the midst of a contract dispute with Disney, which takes Disney-owned channels like ESPN, Disney Channel, Freeform, and even ABC out of the hands of Dish subscribers, as well as subscribers to Sling TV, the streaming service that Dish owns.

The dispute affects 10 million subscribers and puts sports fans in particular in a bind on a busy college football Saturday. Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic points out that there’s an unprecedented wrinkle this time.

“What makes this particular dustup between a content provider and distributor noteworthy is it may be the first time the trend of moving material off of cable and onto a streaming service, like ESPN + and Disney +, has been cited as one of the reasons,” Kaplan writes.

Disney’s streaming services aren’t bringing in money. The company reports losses of $1 billion over the past quarter between ESPN+, Disney+, and Hulu. Disney is asking for more money from cable providers as well as other stipulations, and Dish doesn’t want to bite.

“We don’t think this is fair and that is why we are fighting hard for a fair rate to ensure you get the best possible value from Dish,” a statement from Dish reads.

“After months of negotiating in good faith, Dish has declined to reach a fair, market-based agreement with us for continued distribution of our networks,” said Disney in its statement. “The rates and terms we are seeking reflect the marketplace and have been the foundation for numerous successful deals with pay TV providers of all types and sizes across the country.”

In the meantime, Dish customers who want to watch football games — and other sporting events — on ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, ESPN News, ESPN Deportes, ACC Network, SEC Network, and the Longhorn Network get the shaft.

My aunt and uncle in Washington state were among them. They were eager to watch tonight’s University of Georgia football game against the University of Missouri, and Dish Network left them scrambling to find an alternative.

“I hope everyone that has Dish network goes thru the trouble to cancel their subscription,” my uncle wrote on Facebook. “They have taken ESPN and all Channels owned by Disney off. Months ago they took the Mariners off now I cannot watch game day or the Georgia game. The only way these big companies will listen is if we quit giving them our money. So done with cable.”

My aunt wrote that today was “going to be a heck of a day” if they couldn’t access the UGA game. They wound up signing up for Hulu to be able to watch tonight’s game.

Baseball fans who rely on Dish will also miss ESPN’s breathless coverage of everything Aaron Judge does.

Here’s hoping Dish Network and Disney can work out their differences quickly. Otherwise, millions of sports fans could be finding new providers.