Make sure to NOT add @CrixusTheUndefeatedGaul to that list. Though it would be fun to see him lose another bet, not pay, and change his name again.
Going to point out the bet, at least with me, the proceeds go to Clutch. Even if I win I'm happy to support Clutch.
Nd the people spinning conspiracies and sowing doubt in this nation purposely are somehow "nice" people ? You do realize that when I vote for biden I'm voting against my own interest right? His tax hikes will impact me directly and I'm more than willing to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars more in taxes for a more just society that helps income inequality
This is why Putin so badly miscalculated. He and Russia 10 years ago were much stronger. The economy internally was better and they were fully integrated into the World economy. They had hosted the Olympics and World Cup, while yes they did get them through corruption, they world still generally looked favorably upon them. Starting with the invasion of Crimea things have been going downhill. Putin should've looked to Deng Xiao Ping instead of Russian history. Or he should've at least considered that Peter the Great wasn't just great for military victories but also for reforming and modernizing Russia. If he had done those things Russia could now be far more economically powerful. Could use it's resource advantages and strategic advantage to push its geopolitical position.
If Russia treated its neighbors as people instead of buffer zones then maybe they’d be in a different situation. Russia conquering its neighbors goes far past the creation of NATO… Russia conquering until it hit mountains or water is their MO. Russia was constantly fighting with Europe and the horse lords of the Eurasian steppe so it’s centuries long doctrine is to conquer its neighbors.
Yep, Kotkin makes the connection convincing for any American to see by framing The West as an ideological group rather than a geographical/racial construct. The anti-west crowd has been picking at the alliance for decades with the Russians as bad cop aggressors and the Chinese as a wedge between US and Old Europe through potential free trade access ( and maybe more ...). The awakening of Europe in light of Russia's one foreign conflict per President trope AND China's lack of condemnation against the invasion of sovereign Ukraine has started the transformation of NATO into a credible counterweight against anti-West nations. "Anti-globalists" were cheering when Donny called out NATO countries to spend more and pull their weight. They're beginning to now and the "anti globalists" are against that too. ::shrugs:: The only nitpick I have while listening to his interviews is how unflinchingly effusive he is for the Ukranians. Like he could know more on the ground without telling you, but understandably he has to choose words carefully or be parsed/dissembled the wrong way by bots and state media. This discussion between "China" expert and "Russia" expert was interesting to me, especially about Deng's reforms and what really happened to cause China's capitalistic growth...
Archer says the president didn’t always realize he was on speakerphone. Okay - so first, this is nothing new. I remember an article years ago, discussing how there were some in the Obama administration that did not like that the brother for Joe Biden and Hunter Biden were involved in business related to issues involving the President and Vice President. It has been pretty well known for awhile the money and degree of interaction the Biden brother and son have had with business interests. I have complained about it before. According to Walker, Biden never discussed business with Hunter's clients - that he would give his greetings and then leave. Archer is supposedly going to testify that Joe Biden didn't even know he was on speaker phone. I think the critical question is whether Archer will testify that then Joe Biden was actively involved in discussing business with these people or if he simply made his introductions and left. If he actively sat down and discussed business - then he could be in trouble..... if he didn't, then this is just another side show by the Republicans where they promise gold and produce a lead filled balloon. Even if Archer testifies that Biden met and talked business - I don't know how much it will matter just because the prior President was such a shady criminal that the bar is set so low, especially if Trump in the Republican nominee. I will say - even if Biden did not meet and actively talk business with these people, having someone like Archer and Hunter Biden associated with the President is a bad look.
Like I don't want people to riot on the streets, but if they had a reason, I'd want it to be white collar corruption at the top and a demand for accountability. I guess they don't teach rot and decay in trickle down theory.
I mean, it's not like its some coincidence Burisma, a Ukrainian company, looked out into the world and landed upon Hunter Biden, as someone it needed to pay exorbitant amounts of money because of some wonderful merits he had. What skills or services to Hunter Biden even perform to earn his millions from Burisma? did he actually do any work? It's clearly influence peddling and dirty AF. They hired Hunter Biden to peddle influence with Joe Biden. How much, if at all, Joe is involved in all this is in interesting question.
Right - but was it illegal? That is the question. I have never liked the fact that the family of Biden, the family of Trump - the Kennedy's or the Adam's before then profited from office. Same as I do not like that senators and congress people profit off their position - it isn't in the best interest of the country. Still - ultimately it comes down to whether it is criminal or not. Let's wait and see what comes out.
Russia was never coming into the West - the culture of Russia does not fit well with the concept of democracies - and further, those in power would not profit as much had they aligned with the West. They were always going to go their own way short of long term occupation.
