‘Putin’s oldest enemy’ warns the West that the Russian despot will only be tamed by sheer force, while a Congressional Putin apologist and national laughingstock insists Russia only wants to be our friends

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‘It is the fanatic and the moderate who are poles apart and never meet.’ Marjorie Traitor Greene and other figures on both the far-right and hard-left say Russia just wants to be our friend and we’re being awfully unfair to them. - Who the hell does Marjorie Traitor Greene think she is? Who the hell do the likes of Ilhan Omar and AOC think they are? Who the hell does any American who stands against aiding Ukraine and praises Putin think they are? Ukraine is protecting the entire world from the biggest menace to global security since the days of Hitler and Stalin. Do we not understand what is at stake here? Clearly, no. Ukrainian people are dying so rednecks, hillbillies, and other assorted bigots, racists, and awful human beings can whine about gas prices, watch ‘reality TV,’ eat junk food, and boast about how superior they are in peace. 

Nationalist populists praise men like Trump and Putin as virtuous leaders who are going to save the world for Christianity and the white race, but in the end they’ll meet the same fate as the lay Germans who went along to get along in Nazi times. The German people were held liable for the crimes of their leaders and were punished - they were forced to tour the ruins of the concentration camps they had previously heard the rumors of but steadfastly denied existed, their nation was divided into two with the eastern half living under a tyrannical Communist regime for 40 years. Even today, elderly Germans who participated in Nazi war crimes are being brought to justice. Germans were able to rebuild and redeem themselves, because the Germans are an exceptionally industrious and intelligent people; they learn from their mistakes and do not hesitate to correct course. #Murica and Americans possess none of these qualities. 

In time, the American people will be held to account, when this experiment with being a global Fascist menace is brought to an inglorious end. Held to account for allowing Trump and the rest to coddle our enemies, betray our allies, and pervert Christianity. Held to account for oppressing millions of their own people, and for destroying America’s international standing. Americans are already the most hated people on earth, and will never regain the world’s trust and friendship; nor does it appear interested in doing so. Ukrainians will not forget who stood with them, and who did not. Ukrainians will not forget that the overwhelming majority of Americans saw men, women, and children being killed and maimed, and those Americans shrugged their shoulders, declared it wasn’t their problem, and that it probably was the Ukrainians’ own fault. The U.S.A. is no longer a good country, and few embody what we have become better than Marjorie Traitor Greene - her star within the Republican Party will only continue to rise and her approval ratings will soar, the further #Murica goes down the dark path of Christofascism. (Peter Burns, Medium 7/06)

Atlantic Council

{VIDEO} Oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky, known as ‘Putin’s oldest enemy,’ stresses the only way Putin will be stopped is by force - One of two things will happen: America will either firmly reject Fascism at home and stand with Ukraine and NATO to put down the Russian menace, or #Murica will capitulate completely to the Fascists and join the Russians in directly waging war on Ukraine and all of Europe. Right now, I’m sorry to say, my money is on the latter; and there will be a very harsh price to pay if Americans decide to not merely turn the other way as Putin commits genocide as is happening now, but to actually participate. But I fear that’s coming. Ukrainians need to understand that while some Americans and the Executive branch of our government do support them, millions more are increasingly hostile to Ukraine and admire Vladimir Putin. This is so because their cult leader, Donald Trump, commanded it (at Putin’s behest), and #Cult45 is just about at the point where their brainwashing is leading them to commit atrocities, as Voltaire warned of long ago. (‘Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities.’) One way or another, Americans will be drawn into battle, domestically and abroad. All that our country purported to stand for is now being thrown away so we can help a Russian despot satisfy his bloodlust. All of this would have been unimaginable 25, 30 years ago. (CBC News 7/10)

Ukrainian officials: Powerful long-range US rocket systems have helped destroy 20 depots of Russian artillery ammunition, disrupting Putin's firepower. (Business Insider 7/10)

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Congress finally passes infrastructure bill, heads to president’s desk for signature

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It is passed, albeit significantly cut back from the original proposal, but how shameful that 193 Republicans and six Democrats (all from the radical ‘progressive’ wing) chose to put the personal ideology ahead of the needs of the country - 

WASHINGTON (AP) — The House approved a $1 trillion package of road and other infrastructure projects late Friday after Democrats resolved a months-long standoff between progressives and moderates, notching a victory that President Joe Biden and his party had become increasingly anxious to claim. 

The House passed the measure 228-206, prompting prolonged cheers from the relieved Democratic side of the chamber. Thirteen Republicans, mostly moderates, supported the legislation while six of Democrats’ farthest left members — including Reps. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York and Cori Bush of Missouri — opposed it. 

Approval of the bill, which would create legions of jobs and improve broadband, water supplies and other public works, whisked it to the desk of a president whose approval ratings have dropped and whose nervous party got a cold shoulder from voters in this week’s off-year elections. 

Democratic gubernatorial candidates were defeated in Virginia and squeaked through in New Jersey, two blue-leaning states. Those setbacks made party leaders — and moderates and progressives alike — impatient to produce impactful legislation and demonstrate they know how to govern. Democrats can ill afford to seem in disarray a year before midterm elections that could result in Republicans regaining congressional control. 

Simply freeing up the infrastructure measure for final congressional approval was a like a burst of adrenaline for Democrats. Yet despite the win, Democrats endured a setback when they postponed a vote on a second, even larger bill until later this month. 

That 10-year, $1.85 trillion measure bolstering health, family and climate change programs was sidetracked after moderates demanded a cost estimate on the sprawling measure from the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office. The postponement dashed hopes that the day would produce a double-barreled win for Biden with passage of both bills. (Read more)

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‘Progressive’ Democrats and nationalist populist Republicans alike holding the nation hostage

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Petulant extremists on both sides holding everything up until they get their way, or merely for the purposes of obstruction. Everything is broken, and we are being represented by the very worst among us – a kakistocracy. Keith Naughton: Do progressives prefer Trump to compromise? - 

Heading into the 2022 mid-term elections, the Democrats’ best asset is Trump. Despised by the Democratic base, Trump is only focused on himself and has little to no interest in helping Republican candidates. Using Trump to drive Democratic turnout is just about the only hope Democrats have to prevent a mid-term rout. 

Enter the progressives. 

Faced with the prospect of at least a Republican House of Representatives in 2023 and not enough votes even now for their agenda, one would think they would take what they can get and at least advance some of their policies. Instead, they are threatening to blow up President Biden’s legislative agenda and the painstakingly won trillion-dollar infrastructure compromise. 

Already Biden’s numbers are reeling from the Afghanistan withdrawal debacle — but that is recoverable. The public thinks getting out was the right decision and does not put foreign policy high on their list of concerns. As long as the withdrawal is not connected with terrorism against American targets or on American soil, Biden should survive. 

But domestic priorities are another matter. An inability of the Biden administration to deliver on domestic policy could prove fatal. Yet, progressive Democrats remain oblivious. (Read more)

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A tale of two populists: AOC and Ted Cruz

I am seeing a lot of folks comparing Ted Cruz's escape attempt and Ms. AOC's efforts in Texas. Not a fan of either one (once supported Ted Cruz before he lost his mind to populist idiocy, a/k/a Trumpism), but if this is a battle between the two, AOC wins this round. There, don't say I never said anything positive about the great AOC, but she is a dangerous populist just as Cruz and these phonies on the right are. Maybe a bit smarter - if the nationalist populists were smart, they'd be on the ground helping people as she is doing - but also young and still given to naivety. She may more sincerely believe what comes out of her mouth. Certainly much easier to look at, and don't think for a second that isn't a reason the media gives her so much attention. I don't think her rhetoric and ideology are helpful, but good on her for at least practicing what she preaches in this instance. As for Ted Cruz, I have to believe he and many other Republican lawmakers were caught in some very compromising situations and were forced to give themselves over to this nationalist cabal, likely controlled in part or wholly by Vladimir Putin. I wouldn't want to be in the man's shoes for all the riches on earth.

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