GOP= GO Putin

[pasayten]

[Rideback]

Pension funds for large corp's as well as for unions are often invested in foreign companies and even countries. The BC fund holds GasPro, which is now part of the sanctioned entities. GasPro also had a large ownership interest held by BP, which is now trying to divest.

I suspect that there's going to be a whole lot more individuals who are going to discover shortly that what they thought were secure investments, were indeed risky. Wall Street is just now discovering how widespread the fallout will be of Russia's collapse.

[Rideback]

Talking with a friend up in BC who has retired with a great pension from BC Union. Problem is that the BC Union of govt workers invested in Russian stocks to the tune of $465 million and now, of course, is having a helluva time divesting those investments. With the Russian stock market closed and the ruble worth only 1 cent chances are that investment is worthless.

I have to think that a whole lot of retirement investments were active in Russia and shaking this out is going to hit the pockets of a whole lot of people who are counting on those dividends in their retirement.

[Rideback]

Lest we forget, at the Rep National Convention in 2016 the platform set up, with the help of Paul Manafort, included support for Russia's claim of Ukraine, the Trump Tower meeting included passing along paperwork for supporting Russia's claim of Ukraine.

Currently, Fox news hosts were promoting Putin heavily, even after he invaded. At CPAC last weekend there were chants of 'PUTIN PUTIN PUTIN' from the crowd.

MTG attended a meeting the day before where one of the speakers encouraged the crowd to support Putin. Here's Nick Fuentes, the organizer of AFPAC, attended by MTG and Paul Gossar, asking the crowd for a round of applause for Russia.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AWbzHszCy2o

[mister_coffee]

... Trump and Putin are two men cut from the same cloth. ...

Not really.

If Donald Trump operated in Moscow how he has in New York and elsewhere in the states, he'd have a serious case of dead. If you scam people, refuse to pay them, or otherwise behave like a fiend you'll die very messily in Russia.

Anyone who has been able to stay in power in that madhouse and hall of mirrors that is Russia for over twenty years is a dangerous and formidable individual.

Note that I have actually visited Russia and Ukraine multiple times. In public interactions people there can be suspicious, often boorish, and oddly standoffish. However in private nearly all of the people I met turned out to be genuinely friendly, interesting, and kind. On the other hand, Russia is a dangerous place in a way that Americans who haven't been there can't really appreciate.

If you are an American traveling in Russia for any length of time outside of a tourist bubble, you will be shaken down by the police. You will be shaken down by the Mafia, possibly when they pose as the police. You will also be shaken down by the police when they are moonlighting for the Mafia. You might well have assault rifles pointed at you by visibly intoxicated people as well.

[pasayten]

We have Hillory and her mail server and Trump and the top secret documents in Mar Lago... Lock him up! Lock him up! Lock him up! Go Putin!

[dorankj]

I don’t think anyone who didn’t already believe it now thinks the GOP = GO Putin. If only one side can stray off topic to make their point or broaden the topic I don’t think you’ll ever persuade anyone. Let’s Go Brandon!

[pasayten]

Spin, spin, spin and Soros is nothing?

Yeah, Soros is a bad guy too... But this thread is more about Trump and his version of the GOP... Lie, lie, lie... Go Putin!!!

[dorankj]

Spin, spin, spin and Soros is nothing? You guys are a riot! ‘Have fun storming the castle’.

[PAL]

Yes! And the Koch bros. are quite a force. Close to evil.

[Rideback]

The Koch brothers infiltrated the Trump WH; see VP Pence. https://www.citizen.org/news/44-trump-a ... zen-finds/

Inflation is due to the supply chains being broken globally, not just here in the US and then from transportation to fuel to manufacturers and retailers jumping on the bandwagon to take a cut of the price gouging. Covid19 was disrupted the markets and without a doubt has played a major role in the inflation today. But don't forget, the Biden admin has added record numbers of jobs every month, the most of any president's first year. Wages have gone up for the first time in 30 years. And the economy is growing at a record rate, with the beginnings of a pay down of the borrowing that Trump's administration lapped up. The debt under Trump ballooned.

'World turmoil' is directly linked today to the Ukraine issue, as are gas prices. But this is also a time to recognize that thanks to Putin's irrational attack the people of the world are coming together with a common purpose which translates beyond the moment of compassion for the Ukrainians and gives strength & unification of all global democracies vs the autocrats, kleptocrats and kingdoms that were hoping to weaken democratic governments.

[PAL]

Do you really think the pull out of Afganistan would have been any better if Trump were in office? It is an evcauation that Trump wanted and I'm glad it happened. Biden carried it through. It still would not have been pretty even if it was Trump or anyone else.
Gas prices will go up as we have seen here in the Valley the last couple of days. Did you know the Us exports alot of oil? Just Google it. If we didn't export that oil we might not have a problem. But the oil companies are makin' alot of money. Plus ultimately we do need to try to reduce and maybe if we can get off of some fossil fuels. Notice I didn't say completely off.
In another posting on this BB I give a link about an interview with Fiona Hill who knows Trump very well, and states that Trump did indeed help do all the work for Putin.
There is no justification for anyone to back the likes of Putin.

[dorankj]

I just don’t see it that way, i.e. CNN gave Trump all the air time that put him in, most of fox didn’t even take him seriously.

Furthermore, you’re tilting at windmills (Koch and out of office Trump) what’s going on right now, inflation, gas prices, world turmoil, afghan exit, etc., etc. is do to the current Pres and congress (Dems) and yet your only boogeymen ever are repubs and Trump whether in power or not. Heads you win, tails I loose is not a realistic position to convince people!

[Rideback]

In answer:
The Koch family, starting in the 50's began building their empire of persuasion; they created universities, put college classes taught by like-minded libertarians and began a well organized political plan into place. Their influence rose into recognition on the national level with their introduction of the Tea Party, which they funded and stocked with their ALEC organizers. Ginny Thomas joined in and the Tea Party rocked into power. Its power is what opened the doors for Fox News, Alec Jones and the you tube enterprises to create the disinformation arena where Trump's natural abilities at the con fit right in. So yes, the Kochs have a direct connection to how & why Trump made it into the oval office.

N Korea's dictator didn't stop firing rockets during Trump's 4 years. Look it up. Trump didn't hold him accountable for anything, that's not a sign of a powerful leader.
Putin didn't need to invade Ukraine during Trump's encampment; Trump was doing all the work for him. Trump tried to end NATO and promised that he would do so 'for sure' in his 2nd admin. Putin couldn't have asked for a better partner than what he found in Trump; he was gullible, greedy and could be bought.

[dorankj]

You guys are such manipulators and twisters of the truth!

First of all, I don’t recall any real alliance between Koch and Trump, he is a billionaire and doesn’t need any particular funding or was beholden to them. Koch’s are rather libertarian and not widely supported in conservative circles.

Secondly, Trump handled Kim Jon Un quite similarly to Putin and had very similar results. Kim stopped firing all those rockets and was far less provocative like Putin was under Trump. Immediately when a weak leader takes office they both ramp up. If that takes ‘love letters’ and particular rhetoric for that outcome, fine.

You guys will apologize, accept or just flat ignore your side with demonstrable crappy results but you freak out over a guy who really did a better job even though he used a different approach, that hypocrisy is noticed by many and may very well lead to getting what you hate back in office!

[Rideback]

It's a fascinating moment because for all the work that the Koch brothers did to create and fund the modern day party of trump, apparently no one thought of what to do when the members heavily promoted an idea like 'Russia good, Dems are bad' or 'I love Putin' 'Putin is so smart' 'I believe him/Putin (over his own Intelligence Community assessments) and then suddenly the Russian hero was exposed as the vile, unstable man that he's been all along right on camera while the whole world watches moment...and the Fox crowd/Pence/Trump have to figure out a way to rewrite history and condemn Putin...literally while their CPAC crowd is still chanting Putin Putin Putin.

Koch's left out that chapter in their playbook. Now, even the crickets have fled.

[pasayten]

Pence to GOP: ‘There is no room in this party for apologists for Putin’

https://www.marketwatch.com/story/pence ... ewer_click

[pasayten]

[PAL]

Yes, it was good to see.
However, here is a spoiler alert. And it is perhaps dwelling on the negative and it involves the class clowns.
Marjorie Taylor Greene and Boebart were heckling Biden the whole time. They stood up and yelled at one point, "build the wall". And, unbeknownst to Cathy McMorris Rodgers, who represents the 5th district, her face at the bottom of the photo, below the be-riches, shows her smiling broadly. Maybe she wasn't smiling about that. I hope not.
Boabart also yelled out when Biden mentioned his son and the 13 others with draped coffins, that he put them there. She shocked the Dems across from her. I heard someone in the background go Whoa, and somebody said Shame to her.
Shame on them!

[Fun CH]

It was refreshing to watch most of the GOP stand and clap in support of Ukraine along side Dems and independents during Joe Biden's state of the union address last night.

For just a moment it felt as though we were one United country in our quest for peace and freedom.

[mister_coffee]

GOP more likely stands for "Gang of Putin".

[pasayten]

Good summation of Trump's buddy... Go Putin!

Mitt Romney: Putin is a 'small, evil, feral-eyed man who is trying to shape the world in the image where once again Russia would be an empire'

Bloomberg - Donald Trump stood by his widely criticized praise of Vladimir Putin this week in a speech to conservative voters, even as Western nations tightened sanctions on the Russian leader for his continued assault on Ukraine.

That's our boy!

[PAL]

One man cannot, will not, hold hostage the whole world. Putin can try. But the Russian people need to take care of him and hopefully they will. He has much blood on his hands. Well, this woke some people up evidently.
This may be one thing that may unify our country somewhat, with Trump seemingly supporting Russia.
The more stuff that comes out, like the poster the Chris posted, the better.

[Fun CH]

Volodomor Zelenskey is my new hero. Quote from him earlier today:

"I need ammunition, not a ride."

We'd be a very different country if we had elected officials, from any party, that had 1 percent of the courage and honor that fellow has. Unfortunately, it is unlikely he is going to survive coming events.

Last night I watched an interview on Christiana Amanpour's PBS show with one of the members of the Ukrainian Parliament. She, the MP, showed incredible courage and said among other weapons at her home she (and her family) is armed with a AK-47 and will "fight to the last".

Same goes with every other member of their Parliament.

When push comes to shove, you stand up for your county and the freedom that is a privilege in this world.

Meanwhile our recent history:

[Fun CH]

Now Putin has said that he will kill the families of the Ukrainian soldiers if they do not stop fighting. Wonder what Heir Trump says to that?

Protesters in Russia are carrying this sign.

download (1).jpeg (4.05 KiB) Viewed 3774 times

They remember their history and many lost entire families to the Nazi's during WWII. Ukaine lost 8 million souls fighting Hitler.