Gordian Knots
Link to quote: Running out of patience, Trump could abandon peace negotiations in Russia's war on Ukraine
The final term of the Trump Presidency has been dedicated to fixing the big problems, the ones that were kicked down the road. Some are really hard issues. At this point, which is only the beginning, Trump is up against a lot. The latest polling shows that the President is losing support because of it:
The New York Times
I decided to take a look at the most difficult issues that Trump has taken on and seeing how he is faring 100 days into his final term.
The Ukraine war: Sadly, this looks like one that couldn't be peacefully solved. Both sides would rather fight on than give up even on the most unrealistic of outcomes. Zelensky is talking about getting back the Crimea, which was taken from him in another war and possibly becoming a NATO member, which nobody wants. Putin on the other hand has obviously sought to drag out the negotiations conceding nothing. Europe has thus far paid lip service to stepping up and giving Ukraine an iron clad guarantee of security. The Secretary of State is right, and enough time has been spent on this. This is one that Trump cannot solve.
Trade Deals: This is another complex matter that the world is resisting. Trump wants fair trade deals, and he wants what Obama said we could never have back - America's manufacturing sector. Trump set up some strong negotiation positions, but them gave countries a 90 day pause to negotiate terms. We are getting late into the 90-day window. On the positive side Scott Bessent has emerged as a widely respected negotiator and the voice of reason in the matter. He alone has been able to calm financial markets. Trump desperately needs a deal soon.
Legislation: As with his first term, congressional Republicans are taking a long time in enacting the President's agenda into legislation. The most important, politically, is preserving the Trump tax cut, which will mean so much for the economy. Many other important issues also need to be enacted into law. The longer it takes, the higher the stakes will be in the midterm elections. The verdict is still out on this one.
The Border: This is the one Trump delivered on immediately. The border is secure and only the matter of deportations is an issue. I expect Trump to easily win the problem he is having with District judges when the issue is taken up by the SCOTUS on May 15th. A majority of the Court has long told district judges to stop with the nationwide injunctions. Since Trump's inauguration, the injunctions have come in fast & furious. I expect the district judges to finally have their authority limited to their districts.
In the news:
"On Monday, the Department of Justice dropped two major indictments involving 27 members of Tren de Aragua on Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations charges. The alleged crimes range from sex and drug trafficking to racketeering to firearms crimes.
"Of the 27 defendants, 21 are in federal custody, including 16 who were already in federal criminal, immigration, or state custody and five who were arrested last night and today in operations in New York and other jurisdictions," a Monday media release from the Department of Justice read.
The indictment alleged that the gang's purpose included "[p]reserving and protecting the power and territory of TdA and its members and associates through acts involving murder, assault, robbery, other acts of violence, and threats of violence, including acts of violence and threats of violence directed at former members and associates of TdA who associated with a splinter organization known as Anti-Tren."
Pam Bondi Drops the Hammer, Begins Bringing RICO Charges
Scott Bessent, the Treasury secretary, said that the tariff levels between the U.S. and China were not sustainable.
Senator Richard Durbin of Illinois, the chamber's No. 2 Democrat, announced that he would not seek reelection next year.
President Trump blasted Vladimir Putin on Thursday and urged the Russian president to “STOP!” after Moscow launched its deadliest attack on Ukraine in almost a year.
Tags
Who is online
108 visitors
Good morning and welcome to the news.
From St. Peter's Square:
Tomas Munita for The New York Times
The Pope wanted the very plain box for his coffin. He was after all a man of the left. May the new Pope be a man of the Church.
pathetic ...
What is it you think the church is supposed to be about that you think this is in opposition to it?
seems to be a case of savior worship confusion ...
The Church should be dedicated to the religion which it represents and its people. It should stay out of politics.
That’s a meaningless platitude. Of course a church is dedicated to the religion and its people. How is being buried in a wooden box political?
Pope Francis was very concerned with the poor. His choice of casket probably reflects that. That has nothing to do with secular politics. Helping the poor was at the core of Jesus’s ministry, so promoting that absolutely reflects a concern for the religion and its people.
"In the interview, Fr. Matt Malone, S.J., departing editor-in-chief of America, said to Pope Francis, “ In the United States, there are those who interpret your criticisms of market capitalism as criticisms of the United States. There are even some who think you may be a socialist, or they call you a communist , or they call you a Marxist.” 2
The Argentine pope’s answer is stunning: “If I see the Gospel in a sociological way only, yes, I am a communist, and so too is Jesus . Behind these Beatitudes and Matthew 25 there is a message that is Jesus’ own. And that is to be Christian. The communists stole some of our Christian values. ”
Pope Francis: “If I See the Gospel in a Sociological Way Only, Yes, I Am a Communist, and So Too Is Jesus”
OK?
Have you read the Gospels? Acts? Jesus and his followers shared everything. Helping the poor, the hungry, the sick, and the stranger were the core of their ministry. If you have a problem with that, you have a problem (with)Jesus.
Christianity - genuine Christianity, not some bigoted, white supremacist bullshit - is political, in that it is concerned with people. It is not concerned with the machinations of political parties, which is what we usually mean by “politics.”
If you’re concerned with how much money you can make and keep for yourself, and not with the state of poor people, I can see why this very Christian pope would make you uncomfortable.
Or if you’re concerned with how you can exclude people based on what they look like, where they’re from, or who they love, I can see why this very Christ-like pope would make you uncomfortable and you might seek to dismiss him as “political” or being of “the Left.”
But the truth is, he didn’t care about your politics. He cared about people. And we need a lot more of that.
We know. That is what we will hear from the leftwing media.
He tried for peace.
Biden didn't.
putin wasn't going to listen to any american leader then or now. trump is only interested in saving putin and russia for selfish commercial reasons. trump and putin are equally untrustworthy. I already equate maga with russian collaborators.
russia ranks below mexico in GNP and putin has one foot in the grave. ukraine has done all the heavy lifting in decimating russia for europe and the west. they are our nation's enemy, their economy is in ruins, they have lost their military influence in the world, and now is the time to finish them off by letting their coming internal power struggle run it's course. their corrupt military leadership will sell all access to their nuke stockpiles for profit and to save their own skins.
ukraine gave up it's nukes for a guarantee of sovereignty from russia and they need to be held to that deal. russia will withdraw to the borders established when that agreement was made and then start reparation payments with their oil once sanctions are relaxed, or the US should resupply ukraine with a like number of nukes they gave up, preferably attached to cruise missiles.
maga is already on the wrong side of the pending constitutional crisis. they should go all in by taking the side of our 80 year enemy and then watch what happens next in this country ...
This is not a left or right thing. It is a reality thing.
Biden understood that Putin is evil. Trump didn't.
Today, Putin did his worst bombing of Kyiv. Hundreds are dead.
You can't make peace with an evil man.
Even if Putin were a decent human being, there is no way that Zelensky is getting Crimea back or ever being a NATO member.
I hate Putin as well, but neither side has been reasonable.
Who did they make that deal with?
looks to me like somebody in the white house has got that handled ...
Yeah, it sucks when someone tries to hold him accountable for the shit he says. Don’t these people know that the purpose of journalism is to promote the great leader in all things?
that definitely isn't trumpski's version of freedom of the press ...
Bingo...and trump still hasn't figured it out.
Oh yeah, brilliant effort by the buffoon in chief.
Instead of establishing a position of strength to encourage Putin to come to the table, Trump does the exact opposite and parrots Putin's talking points on the world stage and thus his words are used as propaganda to show the PotUS declaring that Ukraine started the war. Then he publicly berates Zelensky and essentially tells him that Ukraine has lost the war. Then he cuts off communications and aid that Ukraine needed for war as Putin continues his attack.
After weakening the position of our ally Ukraine and emboldening our enemy Russia, is there any wonder in your mind why Trump has not been able to get Putin to the negotiating table?
Trump is an idiot. How is it possible that you do not recognize that?
Hmmmm. Seems you may be a little bit off.
Do you actually believe this bullshit? Trump has met with Putin before. Trump has claimed being close to a deal before.
When dealing with Putin (and Trump) there is no truth until an actual deal exists that is agreed to by all parties (and that includes Ukraine).
Ah, to dream the impossible dream.
Russia was one of many signatories...
... I doubt that would matter.
"Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lee Zeldin is demanding a company that deliberately sends sulfur dioxide into the air to combat global warming provide detailed information on its practices. Critics of the practice, which is called geoengineering, say it puts potentially harmful pollutants into the air and needs more oversight.
The company Zeldin is scrutinizing, Make Sunsets , sells “ cooling credits .” The credits pay to launch weather balloons made of biodegradable latex containing hydrogen and sulfur dioxide. According to the company, each $5 credit it sells offsets the warming impact of one ton of carbon dioxide for one year. "
EPA head demands answers from company putting sulfur dioxide into the air to address global warming | Just The News
This from Wesley J Smith:
"The Canadian health care system is melting down — and yet the country still embraces radical euthanasia policies .
Here’s a current example: A woman injured in an auto accident has waited nearly two years for a consultation with a spinal surgeon — despite now having to use a wheelchair. So, she wants to come to the U.S. for a simple diagnosis, which will cost $40,000! From the CBC story :
What a bitter tragedy. Ill and disabled Canadians with non-life-threatening but serious conditions have no assurance of prompt medical care, and some people wait in agony for many months — or, as in this case, years — to receive proper clinical services.
In Canada, Euthanasia Might Be Easier to Access Than Medical Care | National Review
"A Democratic New Mexico judge who had an alleged Tren de Aragua gang member living in his home has been permanently banned from the bench by his colleagues, according to state Supreme Court documents.
Jose “Joel” Cano resigned in March after agents from the US Department of Homeland Security arrested suspected TdA gang member Cristhian Ortega-Lopez at Cano’s home in February.
The discipline handed down by the Supreme Court of New Mexico makes it so: Cano “can never hold a judicial office again, be a candidate for a judicial office, and cannot exercise any judicial authority in the state.”
Dem Judge Joel Cano banned by New Mexico Supreme Court after alleged Tren de Aragua gang member arrested in his home
meh, so much for presumed innocence thru due process, huh maga?
A judge hiding a criminal, huh the fucking left?
... you mean like SCOTUS did?
Stupid comment
Not good. But then again Trump supporters elected a felon PotUS. Which is worse for the nation?
It is called a democracy.
Most voters disagreed.
Which is clearly imperfect since too many of the demos can be conned by a demagogue.
I assume that is better than being conned by left wing ideologues who kept a presidential candidate locked in a cellar during the 2020 campaign and continually lied about his cognitive state for about 8 years.
No contest. Judges hiding criminals. That is a total breakdown of the rule of law.
Democracy does not always come out with the best choice according to every person in the country.
No, this has absolutely nothing to do with the rule of law. This is about a judge breaking the law. The rule of law is about a society where right and wrong are determined by adjudicating extant laws rather than determined my a monarch or dictator who makes up the law at their whim.
This is a case where one individual broke the law. It has limited effect; the judge is suffering the consequences of his actions.
The breakdown of critical thinking that allows people to follow a demagogue and, much worse, elect him to the presidency has not only national impact but impacts the planet.
Did you not notice?
There is no comparison to the damage Trump is doing and will do to the breaking of the law by a single judge.
Nice deflection from the topic at hand..........
Once again, what fucking damage?
And leave the world stage out of it........at this point, until the dust clears, we won't know precisely the effects of what he is doing. You are wishing upon a star, just HOPING that something sticks.
Fix your quote
Anyone who asks that question at this point is clearly ignoring facts that conflict with his chosen reality. You apparently also ignore the recent polls and the analysis as to why Trump's support is nose-diving.
I want the stock market to be back where it was when Trump took office. I want our trading partners to have the trust in the USA they had when Trump took office. I want consumer confidence to be the same as it was when Trump took office. I want companies to have the certainly of what is coming next they had before Trump was elected.
I do not want this damage. Your claim is desperate and stupid.
Note my comment said judges.
Then why did you try to compare the two in 5.1.4
Was there anything illegal about it?
That's one person's opinion.
Lol. Perfectly encapsulates the current moment.
Yet another complex problem that Trump is trying to fix.
... like he's fixing the US economy.
You mean the US economy that Brandon did jack shit of nothing for except lie about for 4 years?
And has since been arrested.
As was the scumbag judge from Wisconsin.
Btw you had those stories right away. Nice going.
You notice that those on the left are silent about their own being held to the "Rule of Law"?
They have been exposed.
An interesting and pathetic concession. The claim he could end the war in one day was one of Trumps most prominent campaign promises.
He could have done something if he had approached it as a necessity to extract concessions from BOTH sides. But as the clueless subservient fool he is he took Putins part virtually to the exclusion of anything else. Zelenskyy sees right through it, and stiffens his own position as a response. Now Trump is left holding an empty water logged paper bag in his role as "peacemaker". What if Ukraine would rather go down fighting than agree to national humiliation? If and when that happens Trump's position as one of America and The West's greatest traitors will be set in stone.
Did you read?
Zelensky wants Crimea back! He wants to be in NATO! He is as bad as Putin.
Trump can't bring peace if neither side wants it.
Trump should have demanded a complete cease fire, and then facilitated negotiations over a period of time, most likely a long period of time.
He is in fact a terrible peace broker, because all he thinks about is his own immediate gratification.
Why didn't biden just do that then? If a President can control both sides and make them accept whatever terms he wants, what the hell was Biden doing for three years besides napping?
Unfortunately he lives in the real world and knows that would never fly with either side.
Oh. Thanx for the clarification, cause Trump said he could end the war in a day and he didn't mention the fairy tale part. So now he is living in the "real world" >>>?
Is this the one on MTV with Flava Flav and Bridget Nielson smacking Puck around, cause I missed that episode, but Flava Flav did have a big Clock, around his neck. By the way, was Trump one of Snookies boyfriends, or Peter Brady's ?
You are most welcome
He did. Russia refused.
You think Putin and Zelenskyy listen to anyone?
Never have two fascists deserved each other more.
Wow, blaming Trump for Zelensky being unreasonable. That is quite the stretch.
trump is a russian asset ...
And the Pee tape is real. S/
[deleted][✘]
Right where it says: IN THE NEWS
Yup, Putin is 50% of the problem.
Hardly. He is 100% of the problem, since he was the one who invaded. And if he wins this one, he will move on to Poland. He has already hinted at it.
Then we must go to war with him?
He's spent three years trying to conquer Ukraine. How in the hell could he succeed against a much stronger country,even if NATO didn't get involved?
Ukraine has exposed how weak Russia is. This was supposed to be a six week war. The last thing Putin's going to do is start a war with NATO after what has been a debacle for him in Ukraine.
meh, no need for war if we start doxing putin's friends in this country and let human nature run it's course ...
That is an interesting comment. Have you got the personal info on those you consider Putin's friends?
No! Let Ukraine fight him for us. Supply them and they will wear him down. Our troops don't get shoot but Putin's do.
He is 100 percent of the problem why the war started. Since both sides seem to have deal breaker demands they are both the reason there will be no peace.
Best time to support somebody already fighting your enemy is when the enemy is weak and wore down.
That was the strategy of the previous administration. Europe may now go on with it.
What it costs us to break Russia will be well worth it
If we weren't broke, or if the Russian army were a threat to the US, I'd be more open to that. We spent a ton of money, more than the Marshall plan, to weaken the russian army. Our strategic goal has been accomplished.
Germany and the Eastern European countries should be borrowing money and sending as much aid they possibly can, not us. Russia is much more a threat to them, than us. The Russian army is as much a threat to the US as Pakistan's at this point. It can cause damage locally, but it's distinctly second tier.
why lrt them recover? and get to be more of a threat
some people should be more concerned with what information they disclose on the internet ...
So long as that does not have anything to do with members of this site
reading the personal information that others have disclosed on the internet isn't a crime ...
How would that be possible? First, China is propping them up economically and we can't stop them from doing that. But Ukraine is the last, desperate roll of the dice of a dying Russia. For the all the reasons Ukraine is in trouble, they apply just as much to Russia. It's a dying country with an aging and sick population. While in a better position than Ukraine, they can't afford the losses they've taken either. They simply don't have the human capital to maintain an aggressive posture towards Europe. Russians, particularly ethnic Russians, are dying off and not replacing themselves. There simply won't be enough Russians to threaten Europe in a decade or two.
A Russian recovery to what Russia was in the say the 1980s, if it were to happen, will take generations. It's so remote that worrying about is pointless. At this point, the near term trends are irreversible. It's such a desperate issue Russia is kidnapping kids because there is such a shortage. All we have to do now is let the wounded bear bleed out and keep it from nuking anyone on the way out.
... finish them off now while the opportunity is ripe.
That's what we should do
But doxing is against this site. Just FYI
We are not going to war with him. We are just supporting the other side. There was a time that the US was concerned about totalitarian states and that is what Russia is.
You do realize that was what we thought when Germany marched into Poland. That didn't work out so well.
I agree that Europe should help pay, but we can't afford to let Russia gain Ukraine as they did with Crimea, and then regroup and go on to the next ex-USSR satellite state.
no worries, I can take care of my own interests ...
ou do realize that was what we thought when Germany marched into Poland.
I don't think there was a single person in the world who thought Germany was a washed up, dying country that posed no real threat to any other country after it conquered Poland in about a month.
If Germany took 3 years to conquer 20% of Poland, the comparison might be relevant.
d then regroup and go on to the next ex-USSR satellite state.
If they couldn't steamroll Ukraine, they can't take on a NATO country which would involve fighting NATO troops. They are using cold war era equipment and have almost as bad a manpower problem as Ukraine does. Unless China starts providing troops as well as material, there's just not enough russians left to fight a war with NATO.
cut the head off the serpent when it is at it's weakest ...
At what point was it that Ukraine invaded Russia again? Guess I missed that part.
Because that's exactly what trump wants.
Yes, we have.
There was a time that the US was concerned about totalitarian states and that is what Russia is.
We are still concerned with such regimes.
That is an odd question.
China is supporting Russia. What makes you think we can break them?
when they are weak, we can get rare materials cheap
let Russia drag them down
SO, supporting Ukraine will hurt Russia and China. More bang for our bucks.
That was the strategy. Now it has been tweaked. Europe supporting Ukraine will hurt Russia and China.
We did.....On November 5th
This is like saying "Well, the burglar 100% broke in, but now the homeowner refuses to let the burglar have half his stuff and the burglar won't leave without it which is a deal breaker so until they can compromise there will be no peace."
Putin is a criminal genocidal maniac who assassinates or imprisons political opponents and dissenters. He invaded one of our trading partners and an ally of western democracy in an attempt to stop the spread of western democracy. That means this is an attack on all western democracies and if we just abandon Ukraine as the sniveling Putin appeasers suggest he will only grow bolder and believe he can do anything he wants to western democracies and the US will just back down so as to not upset Putin and risk starting a nuclear war. According to those already on their bellies crawling in subservience to Putin like Trump and his sycophants, Putin apparently rules the world and we should do all we can not to upset the little shit eating bitch Russian President who clearly has rightwing conservatives by their tiny little balls. You can tell how tight he's gripping them by how often the sniveling conservatives suggest rolling over and giving up on Ukraine.
No it is not.
The last three years has already shown Putin can do anything he wants to Ukraine since the west has not given Ukraine what they need so as to not upset Putin and risk starting a nuclear war.
I'm so sorry, I should have said "the genocidal burglar 100% broke in and started murdering innocent people" to be closer to what Putin is doing in Ukraine.
It really does amaze me that there would be anyone willing to defend Putin and still pretend to be an American. They might as well stand out on their lawns flying Russian flags, why do they bother pretending anymore?
Leaving out Obama and the NATO assclowns that backed a coup against a duly elected pro Russian Ukrainian president?
What would we do if Canada or Mexico were about to become a Russian or Chinese puppet?
Putin wasn't subtle about what he was going to do; he didn't mince words; but NATO kept poking the Russian bear and this is the result.
Only good thing is that Democrats/Leftists can finally STFU about Russia being a threat militarily to Europe and the rest of the world. If it were for their nukes we would already have rolled into Moscow long ago.
How is that working out right now?
This BS proxy war is draining our financial and military resources.
The only country loving this right now is China. Russia has become their vassal state; and the US is losing capability to respond militarily when China finally decides it is time to move on Taiwan.
How many damn years are we supposed to supply the Ukrainian fascists so they can fight the Russian fascists.
Since when is supporting Ukraine hurting China?
China received a great deal from Russia on oil, gas, and wheat. Russia is now dependent on China, North Korea, and Iran for drones and munitions. How is that weakening any of our other enemies outside of Russia?
Russia is not a normal military threat of NATO countries- I know it is hard to get over decades of being lied to; but it is true. If they can't defeat a third world shithole like Ukraine- then they can't defeat NATO- even w/o the US.
If Ukraine doesn't like the proposal it can always keep fighting.
I think they will fight on. The question will be how does it end?
As John Imbriale used to say, "Too close to call!"
Nothing's ever certain, but there seems to be no reasonable reason to believe it gets better for Ukraine. Russia continues to grind Ukraine up and advance foot by foot. They enjoy the manpower advantage and with ongoing support from China and North Korean there's no reason to expect an economic or logistical collapse that would allow Ukraine to launch a successful offensive. Just more dead Ukrainians, just more lost land and more of their country destroyed. All of those things make rebuilding much more difficult.
If Ukraine does come out of it on top, they will emerge as the most powerful military nation in Europe. I do wish them well.
and It would be good to be with the winning side
I don't think that's possible. There aren't that many Ukrainians left and those that remain aren't having kids. As long as human soldiers matter, countries that are in population death spirals are going to have a very hard time maintaining strong armies. An independent Ukraine will likely be a client state of Germany and Poland.
"Parting is such sweet sorrow"
I'll be back in a few
On this 94th day of the 2nd Trump term, what have we learned so far?
We've learned that Joe Biden dragging the United States into another European quagmire was a really, really stupid thing to do. Ukraine cannot win. Vladimir Putin wants a stalemate. And NATO wants the US taxpayers to pay for everything. The progressive left has harped about Russian aggression to cover their own duplicity and waste of taxpayer money. When did Russia invade Ukraine? Was it 2022, 2014, or 1992? All this started when Bill Clinton occupied the West Wing. And we're just enjoying another Clinton dividend.
We've learned that the progressive left has flipped 180 on labor. The progressive left is now telling us that manufacturing won't come back because the progressive left demanded higher wages, more benefits, and support for labor unions. The progressive left is telling manufacturing cannot come back to the United States because of the progress left. What an eye opener. Here's the next question for the progress left: If the US can't afford to manufacture then why are we wasting so much taxpayer money on science and innovation? R&D expenditures are supposed to benefit our economy but, according to the progressive left, that's impossible because we can't afford the labor costs. That's even more stupid than dragging US taxpayers into a European quagmire to score political points.
In three short months we've learned that US taxpayers have been carrying the interconnected global order piggyback since Bill Clinton signed NAFTA. And the progressive left has confirmed that was the plan from the beginning. Without free money from the United States the entire world collapses. Germany is replacing the United States with increased deficit spending. Shouldn't the tell us something important? China faces economic collapse because it has been denied access to American consumers. Shouldn't that tell us something important? Without the United States every threat to humankind, from climate change to pandemic, becomes existential. Shouldn't that tell us something important?
it's going to be hilarious when maga catholics and evangelicals are finally reduced to worshiping under tents and in large shipping containers, with services being led by a volunteer that has a real job the other 6 days a week ...
You mean, when the followers of Allah have become the dominant faith in America?
That is their long-term goal as exemplified by the growing antisemitic movement in the US
it won't matter to me which sect of thumpers attempt to breach the establishment clause of the constitution ...
I suspect that even you don't know what that means. Are you turning into a Reagan Republican?
why would I idolize a child molesting, cocaine distributing, war criminal and traitor?
That seems to be what grifters do to butter their bread. Didn't Jeffrey Epstein cater to the progressive left?
Yeah, that is obvious. This is one campaign promise I thought Trump had a chance to deliver on. Not via a phone call of course, that is insanity. But by peace through strength. Instead he attacked our ally and created wonderful propaganda for Putin to play 24x7 on his state media with the PotUS claiming that Ukraine started the war and have no cards to win it. And then reducing the strength yet again by pulling aid.
Trump did the exact opposite to achieve a negotiation. Just as he has done the exact opposite on improving consumer prices.
But he is still a hero to his remaining supporters. Fantasyland.