House Speaker Mike Johnson has turned into a do whatever it takes to spend more money on warmongering campaigns. He now has a divide and conquer plan that will likely work.
Divide and Conquer
Bloomberg reports House Speaker Plans Separate Ukraine, Israel Aid Votes
Splitting the aid into separate packages could ease passage. Ultra-conservatives have balked at Ukraine spending, which has been widely supported by Democrats. Progressives, meanwhile, oppose funding to Israel without restrictions but have pushed to get Ukraine needed aid quickly.
Representative Andy Biggs of Arizona, an ultraconservative and Ukraine aid opponent, said he approved of Johnsons’ choice to break up the aid decisions into separate bills.
Johnson was against funding for Ukraine before he is speaker. He was a fiscal hawk too. Now he has a divide and conquer strategy to get more money for everybody. Biggs is on board.
How Divide and Conquer Works
- Most Democrats do not want more money for Israel, but some do.
- Most Republicans do not want more money for Ukraine, but some do.
- By splitting the vote, it makes it easier for both to pass.
To ensure there are enough votes, expect sweeteners for both parties.
This is what Republicans got for booting Kevin McCarthy.
What a total joke.
What is the Best Way to Help Israel?
The above also applies to Ukraine. Just change Israel to Ukraine in question number one, and Netanyahu to Zelenskyy in question number two.
Are Biden’s Red Lines to Netanyahu Really Yellow or Green?
On March 10, I asked Are Biden’s Red Lines to Netanyahu Really Yellow or Green?
The answer, in case you have not been following the recent news, is green.
Iran Attacks Israel with Drones. What Happened?
Also see Iran Attacks Israel with Drones. Supposedly It’s Over Already. What Happened?
What happened is Netanyahu has repeatedly crossed Biden’s red lines.
That turned the screws enough to push more money for everyone through Congress, just what Netanyahu wanted.
Mission accomplished.
There are several philosophies of the best way to handle foreign policy problems. It is worth considering the furthest left and anti- point of view: = that we withdraw from all those defense treaties, bring all our troops home, and stop selling or gifting arms. With the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans protecting two sides of us we are much safer than, say, Russia is.
The above policies would have major foreign policy consequences, waving good-bye to American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariannas and maybe even see Hawaii and Puerto Rico go away as an independent nation. And ceasing our claim to be the leader of the free world. To reference a statement of Jesus, we have plenty of logs in our own eye that need fixing.
Ukraine was and is a ridiculous waste of Peoples Lives, Money, and Equipment. No way was Ukraine going to win anything against Russia, without the help of NATO. Of course that was the goal, but once it failed, Ukraine should have stopped the shenanigans. I blame the U.S. for a lot of the reason it took so long, but the money, underground work, and such had to get removed immediately. A Peace Plan was and is the only thing that would have and may still be able to work. Just don’t look for more handouts to rebuild your Country, when every Country has rebuilding to do. You blew it Ukraine!!
Israel, is a fully functioning, mostly self sustaining Country. It is often attacked as they are alone in the wilderness of the Middle East. They talk different, and act more civilized than most of the Middle East, so they want them gone. They really only require Weapons and Money at times. They do not, as most Countries don’t, manufacture weapons for war. So they must rely on the U.S. as their strongest and closest ally to support them in this endeavor. Also being so small, and without many resources, it is quite expensive to live at times. With a Great Military a must for survival, they rely on some financial or man/machine assistance from the U.S. as well. A very small ask, for what they provide in that part of the World. Great to have them on our side!
Surely it would make more sense for Israel to become a state of the USA?
Why?
What exactly does Israel provide for in that part of the world?
Oh yes – Israel provides free land to settlers taken from Palestineans, yes – I almost forgot.
Correction : Some Democrats don’t want more money for Israel, but most do.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Johnson had more blackmail skeletons in his closet than Hastert.
yeah, the “turnaround” is so abrupt, it’s as if they swapped out the chip in his head.
the US is racking up an extra trillion in debt every 3 months -from where I sit in the uk it’s clear that your politicos care nothing for your welfare or your savings, because they are being destroyed. I know this, because the same process is going on over here.
Agree. Let Israel deal with own issues.
The same people who complain about national debt, want endless wars. It’s all b-sht.
When I first read Mish’s post on Ukraine, I felt it was none of our business. We should stay out.
The more obnoxious “pro Ukraine” comments I read, the more I start to lean toward helping the Russians. Ukranian commenters are nasty people.
No wonder Zelensky himself is spending millions on his retirement villa in Italy. No matter how Victoria Nuland’s war ends, why would anyone want to stay around such nastiness?
You didnt get the memo? Ukraine is now the 50th state.
Hawaii is no longer part of the United States anymore….you know, lack of help and rebuilding after the fire?
How come know media outlet is talking about that? Not one? Did i miss the memo too?
Did nott get the memo.
Didn’t get the $650K per month Bursima “consulting” bribe either.
Only thing I got was to read pro-Ukraine comments about isolationism and a contractual obligation to fulfill Victoria Nuland’s BS promises to fight Russia until the last Ukranian, and F the EU.
Not a group I want to help.
Willie. Put the joint down for a second. In case you missed that Willie i was being sarcastic. Its not a group I want to help either and I despise those you mentioned.
How about helping the state of Hawaii? that was my point
no you were being ironic, but you’re too thick to know the difference.
US and Europe have spend 170 billions ( some said 270 billions ) already.
What is the purpose of this 62 billions ( 62000 millions ) support?
To win the war ? You’re dreaming.
Ukraine lose even with military support, financial support, media support, mental support.
We don’t hear reconstruction words any more.
Do reconstruction instead of supporting unwinnable war.
Next year there will be no Ukrainian left, no support left.
it’s so the Ukraine elites can buy gold and bitcoin before the halving, silly.
So, “ultraconservative” is the new euphemism for MAGA positions on Ukraine? Why not just call them Putin’s useful idiots? At least the Russians would understand.
“Conservative” refers to conserving what worked at some point in the past.
In the European context, that could legitimately refer to Ancien Regime style feeding peasants to the privileged’s hobby warmachines.
In the US, not at all. Conservative in the US context, not to mention “ultraconservative” (at least assuming one is not referring to going back to nomadic tribes, scalping etc.); can not properly refer to anything other than the government of The Founders. As in: No standing army; citizen militias with access to ALL and ANY piece of kit; no income taxes, no non-specie money etc.
Non of the utter rabble polluting DC; nor anyone clogging up any other institution of power and influence in our current failed joke of a state; even remotely qualifies. Not even close. The Taliban, literally, is a vastly superior alternative to any of them. By a landslide.
why not just call them evil satanic monsters – or are you running out of hyperbole?
Ah, a McCarthy-ite slur. How original. Do you have any substantive arguments?
Drop a big H- bomb on them – problem solved!
What is the Best Way to Help Israel and Ukraine?
Hmm. At this point in my life, I wonder why I should.
Pretty sure you wouldn’t have been much help at ANY point in your life.
says you!
Don’t forget that everyone that isn’t onboard with these disgraceful taxpayer giveaways is instantly smeared as an, “isolationist.” It’s one of regime media’s favorite and most disingenuous tactics used to keep screwing over the citizenry and the will of the voters. No taxpayer funds for anything abroad until the border is sealed and the millions of illegals here are deported.
Stop the nonsense. Idiots who don’t realize that the Russian playbook hasn’t changed since the Soviet Union. No Warsaw Pact 2.0 allowed. Putin has already lost the USSR and will NEVER get it back. The Russians do poorly by comparison, so they need to inflict their suffering on the Countries who have been free for decades.Europe and NATO can stop them now or be fighting a much bigger War in Poland and Germany in Ten or Twenty years. Punch a Bully in the mouth or he’ll come back and take your money and freedom for decades. The US thrives on trade and NOT isolation. Learn from history and stop being foolish.
Ok everyone let’s give ’em a big hand.
The clowns have arrived.
Project for a new American Century. The playbook hasn’t changed.
Who is free? How many countries locked down during Covid? You speak of fools. How many fools took the Covid shots? The WHO wants power over all countries, with it’s Pandemic Treaty and International Health Regulations and One Health agenda. Ed Dowd says the CBDC is slavery.
The U.S. bullied Japan and Korea into trading with it, during the 1800’s. Humiliated, the Emperor of Japan at the time decided to modernize it’s military. It came into play during the 1900’s, when Japan created an empire.
Isolationist is a pejorative propaganda term of those with an ulterior agenda, just as the term anti-vaxxer is used as a pejorative against those who disagree the agenda of the CDC.
Which one is the bully? I mean you people seem to oppose EVERYONE!
Yes… Russia can be defeated with some money to Ukraine but at the same time is a threat to the world! Amazing, those Ruskies.
”
…smeared as an, “isolationist.”
”
The indoctrinati is, literally, so dumb and illiterate by now, that they think that is a smear.
As if minding your own business; while keeping your retarded nose out of the affairs of others, was; EVER; anything but purely, 100% positive.
I guess if your neighbour is beating their family to death, it’s none of your business?
Please. Let’s not assume Ukraine is better off without American support. We’ve seen how the Russians treat the parts of Ukraine they occupied and it’s simply bad. I’m not saying the US has an obligation to support but I hope it does. But let’s not pretend that Ukraine would benefit from withdrawing support.
As for Israel; I couldn’t agree more.
How Russia treats Ukraine would not be an issue except we goaded them into it from 2014 onwards. So now that the Ukrainians took the bait, Russia is punishing them for aligning with the US. And being an ally of the US is typically deadly
Worse. We (the US) pushed Russia into closer alliance with China, and to develop its own banking systems that the BRICs are using, to start trading oil in currencies other than the US, proving that sanctions don’t work and that the US will simply take your money if it doesn’t like your politics (confiscating Russian reserves). We are isolating ourselves and helping the US decline more rapidly than otherwise.
“Let’s not assume Ukraine is better off without American support.”
Without American so-called “support”, Ukranians would not be killed by the thousands. A chunk of them; some willingly, others less so; would be ruled by Putin instead of Zelensky.
Being ruled by someone you don’t want to be ruled by does suck. Being ruled by Biden, or Trump, comes to mind….. Neither of whom are meaningfully different from Putin. I can’t imagine Zelensky being all that different, either. They’re all unlimited progressive, totalitarian governments. Any differences are minuscule enough tobe rather irrelevant.
Compared to being kept in a state of war for years on end, only to in the end still be ruled by; a by that time even more vengeful; Putin, is absolutely even worse than just sucking it up and suffering under Trump/Putin/Biden without the additional burden of war.
“We” are not helping anyone. All “we” are doing, is affording negative-talent idiots in DC opportunity to run around pretending to be “statesmen” with Americans’ money and Ukranians’ (and Russians’) lives.
Joost mag het weten …..maar Joost heeft geen flauw benul…..das duidelijk
Zelenski is a martyr and has destroyed his country.
The better question is what is the best way to help the native Palestinians.
…… if only Jordan and Egypt would open up their borders and let them in
.
.
Maybe the US should use the MICC murder money and instead of funding murder, genocide, the worst worldwide refugee crisis in human history, “we” could do something positive and offer it to the Jordanians and Egytians as a bribe to let them in.
.
.
I didn’t even have to attend an Ivy indoctrination center to come up with a new option either. It’s like magic 🎩
Return them to their stolen land and pay reparations for holding them seventy five years in the Gaza concentration camp.
It’s the Jordanians pretending to be “Palestinians” who are on stolen land, pretending with Egyptians like Yasser Arafat.
Somebody needs to read some genetic studies about the origins of the Palestinian people.
What are Palestinians doing in Ukraine?
Pretending that it’s stolen land probably, along with the other Jordanians in Israel.
Hmmm. If they are Jordanians in Israel, are there Poles, Ukranians and Belorussians in Israel too?
There aren’t any – there are Jordanian arabs who piled in after WW2 to join existing jews.
Read some genetics, rinky…. T’aint so. Paly DNA can be traced back to Palestine since Neolithic times. Many Palestinians are descendants ofJews (who later converted). Both are descended from Canaanites. Go read…. you’ll find me correct on this.
Officer I’d like to report I was robbed, 50% of my life savings. I got a good look at them. There were 535 of them, called themselves the Capitol Hill Gang. There was one shady guy standing a block away. Yeah, he was wearing aviator sunglasses.
You should not carry cash near the Capital because if the robbers don’t get you the crooks will.
Biden claimed the US government had no money to help Ohio after train derailment. Pete Buttigig ignored Ohio.
Biden refused to help Florida after hurricanes, out of spite for Trump.
Biden refused to help Hawaii after Oprah “didn’t burn down her neighbor’s to buy their land cheap. Elvis did it. Or Putin. Or Sasquatch. But not Oprah, she donates a lot of money, and she has video of kids not being abused at her camp in Africa. Definitely nothing to do with Epstein et al.
McConnel couldn’t wait to send money to Ukraine. We need more war! More profits for defense contractors! More bribes and kickbacks!! One moment, McConnell needs to reboot.
Schumer refuses to protect the US border, but wants to give us a lecture about protecting Ukraine? Is this guy serious?
What an insult to ask what we can do to help all these other countries after ignoring the USA itself.
“Andy Biggs of Arizona, an ultraconservative…”
“Conservative” USED to mean FISCAL conservatism.
HOW can anyone pushing for RAISING MORE CAPITAL for wars be called an “ultraconservative”
is beyond me.
in WW2 just like WW1 it was ALWAYS trigger happy England that wanted war !! Churchill’s words :(+-)whether it is under Hitler or a Jesuit priest Germany is becoming far too strong ! The same goes for Russia; let s attack Russia with Whorekrainian cannon fodder ! Hey, your nation IS a fn warmonger ! Worse than Russia ! China , should be NONE of our fn business ! Nor was Iraq, Libya , Syria, Afghanistan, Yemen and many other countries over the world, whether financiallly bribed or military/ politically destroyed ….Venezuela being one example ….
I don’t know where you learned history. In WW1, from my understanding, Britain was still a World Power. In WW2, Hitler attacked Poland (via false flag ops that Putin seems to have read about in some history books) and had a scheme going that gave Germany the West half of Poland, and gave to Stalin’s USSR the East of Poland. At that time England had a treaty with
Poland to come to its aid. Hitler’s attack triggered that treaty, so England and Germany were at war. If you tell me you believe the opposite, then come on, and think what is more reasonable and believable. To me the facts are as follows: Hitler’s 7 years of prepping for war since 1933, compared to Poland’s not doing so in the same 7 years. Poland had hardly any tanks, any air force, had not too many trucks, mostly horse drawn WW1 systems. So, clearly, if you think that Poland would have attacked Germany in the early 1940’s, I have the Brooklyn Bridge to sell you.
It is true that Churchill, way before he became Prime Minister, saw the dangers of Germany building up a strong military force. But, at the time, the Prime Minister was that guy with the name, ah, yes, Neville Chamberlain who went for appeasement politics between 1935 and 1939, which didn’t work, in the end. One cannot blame Chamberlain too much, as trying to keep the peace is honorable as a task or purpose, even if it was carried out without the big stick you ought to carry, when you speak softly to power hungry madmen. Think about it.
In WW2, England was caught off guard by Hitler’s insane behavior. England would not have survived, if Hitler hadn’t gone bonkers and attacked what was then the USSR.
In WW1, we know that there were numerous treaties to come to each other’s aid militarily, and all were triggered in the fateful 1914 Austrian vs Serbia (re the assassination of crown prince Ferdinand) which in short order caused Russia, Germany, England, France, Italy, etc to enter into that great war.
This was not the sole fault of England, as you seem to believe.
You also seem to believe that Ukraine is at fault with the war with Russia.
No, it isn’t.
Before you even start arguing, consider the following: Around 1991 the USSR
fell apart. Suddenly, East Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, the then Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, Romania, Bulgaria, etc. .. all the countries that were under the strong arm of the USSR since 1945, were suddenly on their own. Now ask yourself this: Which of any of these countries has ever asked to re-join Russia, because it had been treated so nicely by the USSR from 1945 thru 1991? Come on, tell me! Well, the answer is: Exactly not a single one! Now explain this to me! Why wouldn’t they love their USSR overlords? (Yes, there is some sarcasm in the last question).
I can explain it with regard to the Ukraine: Between 1931 to 1933, the USSR wanted to turn all Ukrainian farms into USSR owned & controlled cooperatives. This was done by first killing all those who were against that,
and, secondly, the comrades in Moscow commanded the remaining communized farms to produce more than they could produce. They told them the farms could keep whatever they produced that was MORE than the impossibly high demanded crop. When these farms didn’t deliver, because they couldn’t deliver, special forces from the USSR came into the Ukraine and confiscated all grains and crops, leaving the Ukraine farmers and other people with less than nothing. This resulted in the greatest human-caused
famine in Ukraine, with about 4 million people starving.
I don’t know what you think in Brussels, but the Ukrainians will NEVER FORGET THAT, and therefore they will fight to the bitter end.
To me, Putin is this era’s new Hitler, followed by China, USA, Islamic fanatic states, etc. No shortage of little Hitlers far and wide.
I ask you: Wouldn’t you do the same, if someone caused your wife and kids and family etc to starve, because they stole your food?
Fast forward to today: I think that you might want to think about to what extent the so-called “Green Climate-change-fighting and Planet-saving forces” in Brussels are doing, with regard to passing “climate saving laws” without regard to the consequences. If you ruin and starve your own farmers with “single-issues, more or less fear-based, narrow-minded law and regulations”, then you might just cause another famine, this time in the European Union.
Which could mean the end of the EU, because people want to live. I see parallels between “fanatic climate people” and the “Spanish Inquisition” and
the “Puritan Witch hunts” and “the Religious wars between Catholics and Protestants”.
I know you won’t believe me, because the one badge of honor any fanatic carries is : “My issue is the most important, and no matter the consequences, I am going to push it through”.
Meanwhile, maybe study a little more history.
God has a special Providence for little children, drunkards, imbeciles and the United States of America.
– Bismarck
So there’s that, which is nice.
England declared war on Germany, joined by France. That’s history. God didn’t appoint England as the ruler of middle Europe. I recommend politicians mind their own business or we will be involved in another righteous crusade.
“history” , my eloquent friend,is mostly western propaganda…
which propaganda, would sir prefer? would sir like to see the menu?
STHU Hitler was one of the worst people in history. He slaughtered MILLIONS of civilians and destroyed massive amounts of infrastructure and deserved to be taken down. Unfortunately it should NEVER have been allowed to happen.
JUST LIKE Russia should NEVER be allowed to take Ukraine. They’ll put any able bodied Ukrainian men or older children into the NEXT War against Poland or the Baltic States or Moldova or wherever they see a weakness. Putin wants a Warsaw Pact 2.0 and will kill his own countrymen (and definitely any Ukrainians who are under his rule) to capture more and more countries and Resources.
1. Mao
2. Stalin
3. Hitler
4. Guy Who Invented Leaded Gasoline
Hitler was a national socialist…. i.e. a populist socialist… just like Biden.
Yes, of course. Russia has so many military bases all around Europe… wait… what…?
My personal favorite was invading Grenada.
They won that one.
Not ostrich, chicken!
To all fiscal hawks around here: Russian attackes in Ukraine are currently being stopped by commercial drones that are financed by crowdfunding, NOT the weapons that the US is holding back for 6 months by now. The help from the EU has already surpassed help from the US. So be very proud: you are being fiscally responsible while the US is disappearing from the world stage…
Also, the US *used* to be a country that adhered to its contracts. It does not look much different from Russia in that regard now. Or how about all kinds of security guarantees given by the US when Ukraine gave up its nuclear weapons in the 1990s? You think Russia would have attacked had Ukraine still had the nukes?
Ukraine is not our problem, and there is no contract.
You sir, have a worthless promise from Victoria Nuland. She is not an elected official, in any country, and has no authority to enter into any contracts.
Your president zelensky has millions to refurbish his retirement villa in Italy. Maybe you can get some money there?
The EU is not a country, its a committee. it has no standing anywhere.
The people of Germany, Italy and France did not vote for the EU nor did they vote to neglect themselves to fund an illegal war started in 2015 by unelected bureaucrats.
The only contract is the one your country signed in Turkey, but then breached at the behest of Boris Johnson. Good luck getting him to keep his word, the Brits couldn’t.
Nope you Jack arse. Clinto was at the signing of the Budapest Memorandum that pledged that Ukraine would keep it Border Integrity in exchange for giving up the Nukes in 1994 and would get support from the US and UK (and Russia but who’s ever going to trust them again??)
The fools who think that Russia won’t take part of Europe every couple of years until they try to take something that leads to a REAL World War. They can be stopped right NOW before they stack up a few more countries and Tens of millions more potential soldiers and civilians, who could be sacrificed in Poland or Germany or the Baltics for Russia to try and steal more resources from those countries just like they are doing in Ukraine now.
If Putin gets Ukraine he will immediately slash across Europe and capture Portugal. He needs it for south Atlantic shipping.
How do you imagine a war in Russia will work? Talk us through it, using your expert knowledge of Russian history and military strategy, technology, and logistics – prove that you are not a complete fool.
Smart man!
Rob, I’m not Ukrainian. Intelligence is the capability to look forward a few steps. If you insist that all is well where I sit then you won’t care about a falling rock that will smash you in 2 seconds.
No intelligence if the capability to obtain information; analysis is what you do with it, but also how you assess the quality and value of information, and whether it can even be used to look forward at all.
Back in the fall of 1787 a group of American representatives signed a contract. But the current crop of Americans don’t seem to honor a lot of it.
Ukraine never had the launch codes, The Soviet Union kept those codes, and ukraine could not break the safety locks.
A good thing for humanity – you really want a fanatic crazy N A z i country like ukraine armed with nuclear weapons?
STHU they’re led by a Jewish president you wanker. Ukraine should have been left with a couple dozen nukes and this entire invasion would NEVER have happened. Now get your Vodka Ration like the good little Russian Troll you are.
Actually they are being led by a retired professional comedian.
How do you explain away the bombardment of Russian-speaking/ethnic Russian citizens of Ukraine by Ukraine post-NATO coup government for about 8 years? Is it like Gaza or not like Gaza?
Yes these are mostly examples of warmongering or at the very least stealing money from taxpayers to pay for other countries expenses, money we don’t have.
No fool, they’re examples of stopping imperialist aggression from Russia, just like they showed in the 40’s and 50’s in taking over Warsaw. Pact countries and governments.
The absolute absurdity of these type of comments is astounding. Get a grip before we need to send your relatives to fight in Europe because we moved too slow…just like WW2.
How about stopping imperialist aggression by America?
When Russia was fighting the Nazis – who failed to invade Russia – “just like WW2”?
Oh look another worthless cretin lobbying for the MIC welfare state.
Do you know why so many veterans are homeless?
Because if they had not joined the military in a Hail Mary to save themselves they would have been homeless – just a few years earlier is all.
It’s taken 25 years of 24/7 propaganda to convince people the worst among us (volunteer military) possess a semblance of noble traits. These wastrels contribute nothing and the whole system is comprised of parasitical buffoons.
Mostly Alcoholics!
And choosing to live with men 24/7 at the prime of your male life? Kinda gay.
Be gone Ticks
Begone
Nah. Being a mercenary is an honorable profession.
I thought people like you liked gays?
Why after several thousand years of men teaming up to fight wars is it suddenly “gay”? Is it just that you get aroused by such things and can’t control your alphabet feelings?
clueless, msm brainwashed simpleton !
which MSM? which message is the one being brainwashed in? continuity please!
The attack in Ukraine was by NATO in 2014 with the coup and attempted ethnic cleansing of 7m Russians forced to have the passports of a made-up country of Ukraine, when they had been there since before “Ukraine” (the borders) was thought of.
If only the U.S. hadn’t been suckered by the banks and the Brits to enter WWI …
So many points of view in the comments. The isolationist view, adding together the right “Don’t bother me” and the left “We bother the rest of the world too much”, has some good points.
(sarc)Everything would have been better if we had made a different decision in the past. (/sarc)
Similar logic applies to Congress. We would be better off if we take some of that isolationism and loosen our federal union and exclude Washington DC from much of our lives.
As the airlines tell you on every flight: Put your own mask on first. You are no good to your child or loved one if you pass out while failing to help them.
Its not isolationist to put your own house in order before meddling halfway around the world.
It is not isolationist to refuse to get suckered into a conflict by an unelected official famous for saying “F#ck the EU”. its her war, not ours.
Picking our battles only after getting our own house in order first is not isolationist. Its the smart thing to do
You’re the richest country in the world. Your house is in order or if not then money is not the issue
$2 trillion spending deficits as far as Congress tries to project. $34 trillion in official debt. $140 trillion in unfunded promises. Highest tax rates compared to domestic government services in the G20. We have serious money problems.
We also have a corrupt President who took bribes from Ukraine and Moscow and China (that we know of). We have a Congress that makes decisions based on what defense contractor board they want to join, and about half of them are senile as well as corrupt (the President is senile too).
We have unelected bureaucrats starting wars, assassinating foreign leaders, and funding illegal bioweapons labs – on their own and in violation of US laws. We have a legal department run by third world hacks who use the law to go after political opponents (standard for emerging economies, but disastrous for an established power).
The past 4-5 elections have been a chore to pick the lessor of two evils, instead of picking the best candidate. The best candidates don’t want to have their lives picked apart by nasty, half-wit media personalities.
We have plenty of problems to deal with right in the USA
Quit lying you Russian Troll. Go back under your bridge Comrade.
You smell Russian to me… the perfect cover, eh “David”.
Nope it’s stupid as shite and it’s stupid for the same reason as NOT doing anything about Russia earlier. Just like Hitler and Germany could have been curtailed much sooner.
Ukraine was promised sovereignty in 994 and the Budapest Memorandum. This has nothing to do with 2014, the Russians have been invading their neighbors for decades. And the US will end up coming to a War after it’s too late to keep it smaller because of Trolls like you, just like the Nazi sympathizers in WW2. You’re the problem.
What “anything” would you have done about Russia? D-day style landings at St Petersburg and Rostov with naval and air support from NATO air bases? A flurry of nukes on Moscow? What would that lead to?
…yet American rarely does do it… most wars the US fights, it loses.
The Dumbness is strong in this one!☝️
You’re too dumb to know what dumb is, self-evidently.
If some of Iran’s ballistic missiles hadn’t been intercepted by the US, and had instead killed thousands of civilians, would the odds of Israel responding with a significant strike, possibly using nuclear weapons on Iran be higher or lower?
If Israel significantly struck Iran, how would other regional actors respond?
Providing Israel with conventional weapons and support reduces the odds of escalation into a real regional war. It is much more cost effective than not doing so.
well, Iran did NOT send ballistics in the first place , so, what you on about ?
Iran sent 106 ballistic missiles.
Really?
Really.
as an agent you do have access to secret info of course , thanks for sharing it with us …
Do you think it was a good idea for Trump to have officially recognized Morocco’s possession of the Western Sahara when he was President?
Don t change the subject….and i am going to sleep now, it s almost midnight….this stupid world s exhausting me…
Too deep for you? Come on. Give it a shot.
Stupid is as Stupid Does. You can’t fix Stupid by going to sleep.
As a Troll you have access to your own Arse and it’s showing!
https://news.usni.org/2024/04/14/u-s-warships-in-eastern-mediterranean-down-iranian-ballistic-missiles
It’s publicly reported by leftist wokefascist MSM platforms, idiot.
Yes Fool.
Iran sent 6 Gorillian missiles
600 million Jews died
Yes they did idiot.
The problems are the neocons and the Israeli lobby. Both use America as a cash cow to push their agendas. The agenda is typically to do what Israel wants: Israel first, America last.
America has enough problems to deal with domestically. It doesn’t need to venture abroad looking for fights to involve itself in.
Same foolish comments that the idiots who denied that Hitler and Germany were a problem that the US should deal with sooner rather than later. Instead the US gets a huge portion of the Pacific Fleet sunk and had to get the Germans taken care of instead of keeping the Pacific Fleet prepared.
Same fool who knows nothing but repeats MSM talking points and thinks he’s a genius.
Separating the bills is probably the best way to get the votes to pass them. We will also see who is for whom and by how much. It will bring clarity if they pass. Politics being what they are, I will not hazard to predict the outcome.
The Ukrainian Bill would pass TODAY if put up for a vote. Russia has been a threat for decades and will be one for decades more if not contained now.
A threat to who? The woke cryptofascist Maoist authoritarians in NATO?!
Johnson, McCarthy, etc.,just peas in the same pod doling out the money to the pod gods.
Mish, you really need to review your comments. You want free markets? A large number of your commenter’s are supporting countries and territories that don’t even have freedom of speech or press. I’m not sure you want that kind of drivel here.
LOL…. do you really think WE have freedom of speech, that we still live in a fckn democracy ?! What an ignorant fool you are ….
Yeah joker, the same freedom that gives Trolls 🧌 like you a comments section to rail against the government enables us to call you a Troll and to go back under your bridge.
DavidC is a troll calling everyone else a troll, proving that he’s a troll. QED.
Calling people names. . . Just what Mish wants here. Drivel.
“Delete comments I don’t like because free speech!” Do you people even listen to ourselves?
Useless comment. Drivel.
really not.
You are correct – ukraine is like the USA, they arrest opposition politicians on bogus made up charges. America home of cancel culture and Dumbocracy – hell yeah!
Ukraine has a self- declared President For Life, who canceled elections, banned opposition parties, arrested some of them. and banned any media that disagreed with him.
Sounds like the perfect country for The West to support in the name of freedom and democracy!
Man you Trolls are sooooo good at self projection. The only Leaders for Life are Uncle Xi, Kim jong UNO and Putinsky the Not so Great.
One has been invaded by a former Superpower that has imperialistic ambitions and is having their Civilian Population targeted by Missiles and Drones and a massive army.
The other is in the process of trying to steal back an empire and Warsaw Pact 2.0 to go and attack OTHER nations of fre people. NOT going to happen anymore Russia. No longer a Superpower and will likely collapse just like the USSR did after an 8 year War that failed in Afghanistan.
Russian propaganda. Drivel.
Really not.
The best way to help Ukraine & Israel is to LET THEM FEND FOR THEMSELVES.
Or to tell Trolls like you to FO.
OK, FO David.
“What is the Best Way to Help Israel and Ukraine?”
That’s entirely the wrong question. “Should we help Israel and/or Ukraine?” would be more like it. And the answer is no, don’t help either of them. Not in my name. I do not consent.
No problem. Well pack up your shite and ship ya off to Russia. You’ll get a first hand look at how bad things are.
Why? They are foreign countries, nothing to do with us, or you.
won t use f words for a change 🙂 but as far as Whorekraine is concerned, it is just a matter of agreeing with the pre smo conditions that Zelensky was eager to sign in Istanbul in order to avoid war…..JUSTBEFORE the representative of what is most likely the world’s warmonger N° 1? the fckn(excuse me) UK, eternal pathetic vasal of the US of A., visited Kiev with his straw covered head full of delusions that there was a way to military exhaust and defeat Russia … Oh sht ….they had shoooo mâny washing machines there , we really didn t know, the straw covered idiot must be thinking now, considering the hundreds of thousands of victims as a consequence of his visit …. psychos don t give a f shit of course …
I was referring to Boris fckn Johnson ….but, intelligent as you all are, you already knew that of course …
BoJo The Clown
Russia has been invading its neighbors for decades. They didn’t live up to the Budapest Memorandum in 1994 and they’re never going to live up to any agreements they sign in 2022 or in 2024 or anytime in the future as long as Putin is in power.
Russia will lose this War eventually JUST like they did in Afghanistan 30 years ago. They’ve failed as an Empire several times over the previous century and are now in danger of failing as a Federation just like they did 30+ years ago.
Ukraine is made up of land stolen from all it’s neighbours, and never existed as a country before it was invented in 1991. It’s just a region of Russia, the borderlands, most of the cities were built by Russia, some by Poland.
I’m hearing chatter a good many Jews are leaving Israel. I don’t blame them. No way to diffuse the situation and the support for Israel is rolling downhill fast.
I was off the Israel train a long time ago. One only needs to acquaint oneself with the history of the region to know who the real terrorists are: King David Hotel, the Nakba, US Liberty, JFK assassination,… and now Gaza.
Cut the crap
The best way to help mankind is to shut down the United States Government, the primary fount of all evil in the world.
That’s because the Lobby and the Neocons ( basically the same tribe) have gained control of our corrupt and venal politicians.
Jerome Corsi PH.D. : Was LBJ involved in the #JFK Assassination? (youtube.com)
11/22/1963
Tinfoil Hat: Find One QUICK!!
You’ve eaten them all Dave.
Why is the American right so eager to deliver the Ukraine to Russia?
Troll.
maybe cuzz more than half are/speak Russian??
they ALL spoke Russian before it was forbidden by the Nazi regime !
Plenty of people speak Spanish but Spain doesn’t get to Invade them. Same goes for the Russian Imperialists. Sorry Charlie! These countries have been free for decades. Time for Putin to pull back and deal with the consequences of a failed coup attempt that is now costing them more than they can afford. It’s blatantly obvious that this is 30 years ago repeating in Real time.
What a fckn utterly stupid comparison from a obviously CNN brainwashed fckn idiot knowing shit about what he s obviously ever so eager to talk about !
You get the award for the stupidest remark.
Why are the warmongers in the US so willing to sacrifice ukrainian boys in order to fail at weakening Russia? That’s the question you were looking for.
Russia has weakened itself massively. The Soviet Union collapsed in a much smaller and less costly War in Afghanistan and an Arms Race that they couldn’t win against the US. Russian Federation is smaller and weaker than the USSR and taking WAY more casualties every year in Ukraine than they lost in the ENTIRE Afghanistan Debacle.
Hopefully the Russians don’t lose control of their nukes when the RF fractures like the Soviet Union did only about 30 years ago.
I guess you believed these headlines too:
Russia is 10 days away from exhausting men and ammo in March 2022[i] (US General Hodges), That Ukraine had regained momentum in the battle for Bakhmut on May 20th, 2023[ii], Russia is running out of missiles in April and May 2022 and Dec 2022[iii] and the Russian army may be unable to revive itself in May 2022[iv], Ukraine could win the war by December 2022[v], Russia is on the brink of collapse by September 2022[vi], on the brink at end of 2023[vii], rotting from within in September 2022[viii] , overextended in March 2023[ix], edging into collapse in Jan 2023[x], on the brink in December 2022[xi], Russians fighting with SHOVELS![xii],[xiii], facing a military catastrophe in January 2023[xiv], running out of munitions in May 2023[xv], near Russia’s collapse[xvi], the invasion is failing in November 2022[xvii], at a breaking point in October 2022[xviii], on the brink in June 2022[xix], on the brink in October 2022[xx], Russian resources were running out in Spring 2023[xxi], Putin is terrified in May 2023[xxii]
links are to snapshots of headlines on my laptop.
We aren’t. But stupid Obama and Biden hatched a plan to deal Putin a blow and it blew up in their faces. I don’t support stupid evil policies by moron grifters.
Nope you support stupid evil policies by thugs and thieves who kill innocent civilians in towns and cities that their own Russia speaking people have lived in for decades. Yeah, don’t live in Russian controlled areas.
your contribution here s fckn worthless, go back to your fckn cave boy !
Because the Dems are FOR helping Ukraine and all the Reps have done for twenty plus years is vote AGAINST anything the Dems do.
As an Independent I am completely sick of both parties and we need Campaign Finance Reform and Term Limits IMMEDIATELY. Need Citizens United revoked asap and get the SuperPACs out of politics.
This is not a movie about if Putin or Netanyahu are good or bad guys. It’s about America’s interest.
It’s a good idea that the Red Sea and East Mediterranean be controlled by those who chant Death to America?
It’s fine to see russian tanks strolling through half Europe and robbing american bussiness there?
And no american soldiers are needed. USA only needs give weapons in exchange of commercial agreements, for example.
You’ve got cause and effect backwards, bucky. They hate us because we bomb their countries and fund those who also bomb their countries. And I see you’ve been bitten by the “Putin wants an empire” bug. Perhaps reconcile that with “US aid to Ukraine is enough to stall Putin”. If Russia is stoppable by Ukraine + US weapons then he’s not a threat to Europe. Anyway… we picked this fight.
No Arsehat Putin picked this fight, just like they picked the fight in Chechnya TWO Times over the course of years and Just like they picked the fights in Georgia and In Moldova and just like they picked the fight in Crimea and just like they picked the fight in The Donbas. Putin has severe delusions of grandeur and has self destructed the opportunity for Russia to become the dominant player in Europe. Russia could have won WAY more wealth and territory eventually with trade and economic dependency after another decade or two than anything they will gain from this foolish War. They’ve likely already caused a tipping point for the Russian Federation to crumble Just as the Soviet Union crumbled after the Afghanistan Debacle and an unwinnable Arms Race against the US.
Right. Putin’s lust for territory has pushed the Warsaw Pact to the border of Mexico… wait… oh, it’s Nato on Russia’s border, not the other way around? I’ve been misinformed!
Put down CNN, google “Volgograd gap” and learn something.
leave Russia alone boy ! , You would not like Russa in Mexico , would you boy , angry boy !?
Nurse! Fetch his meds, Dave’s starting to convulse again.
Helping the only democracy in the Middle East against terrorists that will butcher teenagers in front of their parents and throw babies into ovens while their poet laureate (who has since achieved room temperature) is :warmongering”? The moral bankruptcy of people libertarians like Amish “I got mine and who cares a fig about anyone else:.
You have a strange definition of democraty. Probably the same kind of “democraty” you had in South Africa before 1991.
“The only democracy in the Middle East” controls 5mn Palestinians yet doesn’t give them a vote. It expels Knesset members who want ceasefire. It closes down inconvenient news agencies. It arrests and holds people indefinitely without charge. It continues to steal land. It celebrates the death and destruction it rains down on nearly defenseless populations. Before attacking Mish’s moral code, you might want to revisit your own.
is Gaza a country? Do they have a constitution?
I see you missed my point. And I most certainly missed yours.
It’s just not our war, and I am not interested in seeing immigrants ruining my country protesting over something that is nothing to do with my country, I want them all out, and they can go and butcher each other on their own land.
MU HAHAHA
I’ll tell you what I tell my Hollywood friends.
Israel is done put a fork in it.
Hey Mish chart the Hasidic birth rates in Israel
VS
The Israeli Zionists birth rates
Then have a laugh. Some Hasidic sects have 8 children almost all have 5 or 6. I believe the Zionist have 1.7 per coupling.
From memory;
In 5 Hasidic generations (they start at 18 reproducing) with 7 kids you have from one initial couple 117,000 off spring
From one Zionist couple
You have like 6 or 7 offspring in 5 generations 2 of whom will be gay or trannys.
The other issue is GenZ was raised not watching TV – they don’t believe the Jews mythologies that enamored the Evangelicals.
What is it? 70% of Gen Z do not believe that holocaust narrative. In the next 15 years US support for Israel will wane or evaporate especially after the Gaza holocaust museum is built in Cairo.
The entire world is suffering from Jew fatigue. It’s too bad cause I like my Jewish friends almost all of whom see Israel as committing suicide. Note the Gen Z’s protesting the Gaza murder fest today.
Israel will never recover from this unless it’s lost in a bigger war of WW3 – that’s the issue that should concern us all.
The Ultra Orthodox were called the greatest threat to Israel’s future in newspapers there before this mess started. They breed like rabbits, want to be supported by the state and won’t join the army. Good Luck with all that.
Great points. But I see all the normies are offended.
Trolls belong under bridges.
I hope you see this!
I like Jews and can see why they want their own country. On some level I’m not really against the greater Israel project except people are already living on the land. It makes sense that a prideful and motivated group of people like the Jews would want their own country.
No one deserves anything but if you wanted to see the first country with flying cars, electric everything – levitating scooters zipping around it would be in Israel. Hydroponic organic farms and smooth roads clean sports facilities amazing technology hubs. The Jews could and would make this happen on a grand scale,
So I’m not a troll. I feel sorry for Jews who are making a HUGE MISTAKE and acting in a manner beneath them – soiling non deranged Jews in the process.
…BUT …what the bloody f*ck are sophisticated jews actually doing there among “primitive murderous palestinians”, occupying and stealing palestinian territory on top of that ??!! , Ever so smart, fckn Rules Based Order respecting, mostly affluent jews, could go anywhere, I am sure they would ve been more than welcome in NZ , Australia,US and many other ‘democratic ‘ nations …WHY the fck do they have to bang their heads against that fckn particular war in fckn Jerusalem ?? Gowd(Elohim) knows why the fckn ‘allied’ gang, decided bringing them ‘poor mfrs’ there post WW2 …..Get their fckn asses out of there again , the world will be a better place !
Not so sure.
as far as ‘the better place’ bit ….neither am I , there s always hope though ! There should be anyway , otherwise we d better run like the lemmings….maybe we actually should , when you come to, think of it…
Oh please! You believe the crap they peddle on the MSM. Time to grow up. This may come as a shock but there isn’t a Santa Claus and Israel ain’t a Democracy. And even if it was, it is a very flawed form of government and in no way provides any excuse for the genocide taking place.
Yes Comrade your Trolling is so much better form of government. Now get your Vodka Ration and back under your bridge!!
You’re very repetitive Dave, are you a Russian bot?
It’s no longer about America or Americans, it’s all about other countries borders, other countries wars, other country citizens aka illegal immigrants. We are doomed in the long run. It is downhill from here.
Please move to another country and let the grownups do the real work while you batch about stuff you’re too lazy to do anything about.
You’re not a grownup, are you Dave?
Off topic but breaking news from WSJ:
JPow says no more rate cuts!
https://www.wsj.com/economy/central-banking/powell-dials-back-expectations-on-rate-cuts-00e3e5d0?mod=hp_lead_pos1
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said firm inflation during the first quarter had introduced new uncertainty over when and whether the central bank would be able to lower interest rates later this year.
It’s turtles all the way down and inflation all the way up! -MPO45v2
What Powell says doesnt matter in the medium to long term. Fed will follow whatever happens
What Powell says does matter-CD rates will increase if no rate cuts. Neither Powell, the Fed or any other government agency will be able to control inflation. Gas prices, food, insurance cost won’t decrease if they cut rates
You don’t have a good grasp on how Economics works do ya?? The Frd will cut JUST like they always have. Too late and in a hurry because they absolutely suck at their jobs. Just like they screwed up being too low for too long, then they jerked it up too quickly too high instead of a reasonable amount per period of time.
I know economics well enough that I was able to retire in my mid 40s.
There isn’t anything that David doesn’t know about – he’s from the internet.
He is kind of saying that he hasn’t got a scooby what to do, though.
Splitting the vote seems like a great idea to me. I wish they would split the vote on everything, voting on everything individually and end doing omnibus bills that lump all kinds of stuff together.
I would like to be able to see who votes on what – for and against each item.
We need two create two Special Ops groups… one comprised of Congress members who vote to mess around in Ukraine, and another who vote to mess in Israel.
Send Congress to fight. None of them return until taxpayers get our money back with interest.
See how many of them are willing to put their own lives where their mouths are.
Eyepatch McCain
Nope those Special Ops Groups gonna grab you and ship you off to Russia for you to get a first hand look at what it’s like to get sent into a Meat Wave attacking the dug in Ukrainians.
In general, a great idea for the reasons you stated. Yet this time it will produce bad outcomes. I’d still support vote splitting on principle.
Cut them off, announce the end of all foreign aid and watch the rats all over the globe scurry
Yep. We would feed you to the rats and ship you out to the places you refuse to help. See ya Troll!
Hey David fuck off you little cunt. I put on a uniform and did my time back when I was blinded and fully propagandized. You seem really invested and passionate about helping Ukraine so lemme see you sell all your possessions, pack up your shit and go carry a rifle against putin. Cmon tough guy you can do it. Quit squaking and man up
well said !
If your friends marriage is on the rocks, the best way to help is to stay out of it.
Period. End of story.
No matter what side you take, you will lose at least one friend if not two. And it might mess up your own marriage.
In the case of Ukraine… most of us still can’t find Ukraine on a globe. Ukraine is Victoria Nuland’s obsession. if she thinks its so important, she should go fight herself. Seize all her money, her house, her belongings — sell them and send the cash to Ukraine. if (when) she refuses, and only wants to send other taxpayers money, we know the whole thing is a fraud.
Russia is going to prevail no matter how much of our tax dollars get embezzled.
Who won the crusades several centuries ago? is there any reason to think sticking our nose into the middle east is going to end differently this time?
Just send your contribution to Lockheed Martin and Raytheon directly. I’m sure they will bribe members of Congress and spread some cash around the pentagon. The crusades will still be going on centuries from now.
well said , Willie
I’d have to say get our balls back and bomb the hell out of Iran. Tired of this weak perception on the world stage. Remember when we ruled the world with strength not too long ago? F Iran, turn them into green glass and tell everyone if they want some, we got some for them too!
I think you vastly overestimate the power of your country. You will certainly be completely disillusioned.
If only your neighbors believed and did the same….. we could be done with your death cult stupid ass
Oh, yes, please… and Russia and China and Gaza and Venezuela. We’ll show ’em who they’re messing with, dadgummit.
Mike Johnson may get booted and right before the election. I’m sure this will do wonders for republicans in the next election. Another circus coming to town…
https://www.nbcnews.com/politics/congress/second-republican-thomas-massie-oust-speaker-mike-johnson-rcna148004
“Rep. Thomas Massie, of Kentucky, who is a member of Johnson’s own Rules Committee, said he informed the speaker directly in a closed-door meeting of House Republicans on Tuesday that he is co-sponsoring a resolution offered by far-right Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., to remove Johnson, R-La., from the top job.”
Republicans foolishly brought this upon themselves by ousting McCarthy
I agree with you Mish, but I never thought they would delay the bill allowing $60 billion in aid for Ukraine for as long as they have. I figured opposition in Congress would have caved back in January. Who know what may have transpired had McCarthy still have led the House of Representatives? We’ll never know.
If you make a series of promises to obtain the leadership then you better fulfill those promises to retain the leadership.
Why? I would imagine that one’s perspective might change once they were in charge of the cat herd and needed to look at the big picture.
When there’s a handful of illiterate idiots that can call the leader to task for not being whackadoodle enough for them…Looking at You Marjorie Traitor Green.
The mistake was not removing the other 534 other members of Congress at the same time. The First Geezer and the cackling hyena too.
Everything about the USA was better when the government was smaller. More people helping their neighbors. More civility. More economic opportunity.
The more power and wealth gets concentrated in DC, the more everyone wants to kill everyone else to get “our share” of the spoils.
“Everything about the USA was better when the government was smaller. More people helping their neighbors. More civility. More economic opportunity.”
You mean like when native Americans were slaughtered, blacks were enslaved and women had no rights. What a dream! /s
Government slaughtered native americans. Government enslaved lots of people, not just blacks. Catherine the Great ruled Russia long before American women got the right to vote.
Government stole what little wealth native Americans had, put it under the custody of corrupt government bureaucrats.
Private citizens fought to free slaves, while Martin Luther King worked to improve civil rights — so the FBI assembled an illegal dossier on MLK, harassed him endlessly, and probably had something to do with his assassination.
So yeah, before government started “helping” things were better
Government isn’t some third party entity, “Government” is composed of people not robots or aliens. The people who put those members of government in are the problem.
But go ahead and try to change any of it, too many pigs are feeding at the trough. Just mention cutting social security here and see how that mob (that elects government) reacts. And this is supposedly a libertarian site!
You can watch it in motion just by typing a few words.
I was just gonna comment the same about government requiring people to do what it does. Everybody loves to bitch and moan….that ” the government did this or the government did that”. They hold it up like it’s some kind of divine monolith.
Everything done by a government, corporation, religious institution, group, sect, etc was ultimately thought of and executed by a human being.
This is the best we can muster folks. Get used to it. You’d do yourself better by focusing more time on improving your own life instead of worrying about what the string pullers are doing or attempting to do.
It’s the usual “I hate big government” then “where’s my medicare, social security, disability, VA, border patrol, military, roads, bridges, etc”
I’d love to see the “big government” privatize every major highway, bridge and road then watch these morons howl to the moon that they have to pay for everything now not understanding that someone somewhere always has been paying for it.
The worst are the rural leeches that don’t comprehend most of all they have comes from the Fed or the closest large city center subsidizing these idiots.
Welcome To The Chicago Skyway
Artificial Intelligence will take care of the ‘human beings’ of which you speak. HAL-9000 is our future.
OR hear us out… you could get off yer arse and put in the work needed to change things in government. That’s how it’s been done in the past and it’s the way it still happens to make changes.
Govt is TOO BIG ya dummy, of course its made up of morons like yourself
Quit lying. PEOPLE owned Slaves NOT the GOVERNMENT.
Pretty sure that the majority of Slaves weren’t actually freed until the Emancipation Proclamation. Pretty sure that Women were (and in some cases still are) denied rights by Individuals and not until they were granted Legally Protected Rights of Suffrage by the Government.
Don’t twist things to suit your BAD takes.
Time for a race baiter like you to move to Chicago or New York City or any other rat infested blue city
Oh, yes, OF COURSE when we want a constitutionally limited government that maximizes freedom, we MUST mean slavery and slaughter. How silly of me.
natives have reservations, which are similar, but better than, settlements, like for example, Gaza, or the Japanese internments in Utah….
I’d have no problem with turning over New York City back for the beads.
Nah, we’re just going to send you to a reservation, so you can get a first hand experience for the next decade.
Just saw this on another news site, and I agree complete circus.