Ukraine literally has a land border with the EU, where the US has large equipment stockpiles and perfect logistics. Logistically it is likely much easier for the US to send stuff to Ukraine.

Look at Stalin after 1945, who was just as insane. Everybody near Stalin knew he was insane, and causing immense damage to the Soviet Union. And nobody did anything, because the first person to make a move would be killed by Stalin. They only got rid of Stalin by “failing” to send in a doctor when Stalin had a heart attack.

I assume that in the case of both Trump, the root of the problem is the broad support among the common people. Any Republican politician who speaks strongly against Trump will 1) receive death threats from MAGA 2) be ignored and 3) be primaried HARD.

t’s almost impossible to overlook the fact that there’s no tribal belonging here

Trump approval rating among Republicans prove you wrong. I don’t like it either.

My impression is that the Fox News propaganda works because it makes the viewers want to believe that Republicans are the good guys. It is a psychological trick, brainwashing. The lies being easy to refute is irrelevant - the viewers don’t want them refuted.

My impression is that the main tool of Fox is not the factual claims, but the feeling of tribal belonging.

Some interesting comments from https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/1sh66ol/comment/ofb285t/

Its the Michael Wolff anti-SLAPP lawsuit that was filed Tuesday, Oct 21 in NY. Nearly six months ago. lines up perfectly.

https://iapps.courts.state.ny.us/nyscef/DocumentList?docketId=xa7yy7bTaeiM2Y61WePLaA%3D%3D&display=all&courtType=New+York+County+Supreme+Court&resultsPageNum=1

Not a lawyer but looks like her lawyer played every card to delay, including avoiding being served and then moving court venues. That gets us to January.

Her counsel would have filed a motion to dismiss. Wolff’s counsel would send an opposition brief that would preview the evidence they intend to present to the court (that she met Trump through Epstein, was a prostitute, etc.) So, that might be interesting if it is attached to/ included with the court’s decision. NY has anti-SLAPP statutes that mandate the court needs to rule within 60 to 90 days.

So, court ruling is due any day now. Until they rule, discovery is frozen.

As soon as that ruling comes down, everyone in Epstein’s circle is going to get subpoena’d including Melania herself. Probably Trump, too.

and

Melania threatened to sue author Michael Wolff for $1 billion in October claiming he was lying about her having connections to Epstein. Wolff counter sued her because she was trying to get him to shut up with the lawsuit threat and you can’t do that in the US. Melania’s lawyer has been delaying the lawsuit using procedural maneuvers. Those finally ran out. Soon the judge will rule if Wolff’s lawsuit can move forward. If it does, the lawsuit will enter “discovery” which is when both sides gather evidence to present in court. During discovery, the court can issue subpoenas which are legal orders that require people to testify or go through an interview answering questions that will serve as evidence in the case. Wolff’s attorneys will probably force Melania, Trump, and other Epstein connected individuals to testify. They don’t want testify because either they’ll have to admit things they don’t want coming out or they’ll be caught lying in court

They are too busy turning it into a reenactment of Idiocracy…

They’re trying to rewrite history in realtime.

I just read this from CNN:

President Trump has also denied any wrongdoing related to Epstein and has said he cut off ties with him in the early 2000s before his criminal conduct came to light. There is no evidence of wrongdoing by either of the Trumps.

And yet, the Epstein files includes stuff like “Unnamed victim alleges Trump raped her”. Testimony is evidence. How can CNN claim there is “no evidence”?

Yup - and Trump can un-undermine those sanctions.

Like what? Putin needs his missiles himself.

And remember that the US, is way, way more militarily powerful than Russia. The US has tons of spare military capacity, unlike Russia. Russia would lose an escalation war, and Russia knows it.

The US is already sending a large amount of military material to Ukraine

No it isn’t. Trump stopped all new aid.

Only what Europe paid for is being sent.

what could anyone do to prevent it?

Just send a few hundred tomahawk missiles as military aid to Ukraine. Then tell Russia that if Russia does not stop, the US will send more.

Trump could absolutely stop it, if he wanted to. Just send a few hundred tomahawk missiles as military aid to Ukraine. Then tell Russia that if Russia does not stop, the US will send more.

Even if acknowledged, the US is not going to go to war with Russia. The US could sanction Russia, though.

Or kinetic sanctions - resume aid to Ukraine. Just give more stuff for Ukraine to shoot into Russia. Let Russia learn its lesson real fast.

Republicans are “governing” as if they know a Democrat will never be in power again, to hold them accountable.

In my opinion, this level of absurdity and criminality cannot even be concealed by the massive propaganda machine at the regime’s disposal

Trump’s COVID response was a total shit show. And a million other shit shows. Trump got re-elected.

I would like to live in a world where propaganda did not work. But the propaganda seems pretty powerful.

I think you forgot to watch your mandated daily 3 hours of Fox News. After watching that, I assure you that you will think everything is going great in the USA. Well, except for those brown people causing all the crime.

Ah yes, the classic blame Democrats for Trump. Because Trump voters don’t have agency.

Trump is already trying to cheat and misuse the DoJ all he can. It is not like going easy on these criminals will save Democrats.

The US would never agree to paying reparations. […] The US government pays

Why would Trump care about the US government paying Iran money? It is not Trump’s money.

As long as the billionaire-owned Trump supporting media in the US doesn’t make a big deal out of it, why would it have negative consequences for Trump? While not completely analogous, Trump seems to have gotten away just fine with giving Argentina $billions.

Congress can find someone in contempt

Remind me which party controls Congress?

they can direct US Marshalls to round up anyone who tries to run off.

The United States Marshals Service is part of the executive branch, not controlled by Congress. Remind me which party controls the executive branch?