So it’s a bit of a catch22 situation… Shutdown the government by blocking the new CR or have the government demolished by accepting the new CR …

But the government will get derailed regardless.

The one thing that seems to be overlooked is that the Democrats are supposed to give opposition/resistance to the Republican plans, which does mean blocking a bad new proposal …

If it were up to me I’d use whatever media I can find and prior to the vote just loudly announce being against the new regulations, so just pre-empt republican fingerpoiting and take the sting out of their shutdown accusations…

No more Champagne at $100, drink Crystal bubblies for $200 a bottle!

No more French Pinot Noir, everyone do the Zinfandel!

Or perhaps just switch to boxes of USA wine only, glass bottles are too eco friendly anyway :-D

“Let them eat plastic straws!”

“Very tasty, very nutritious! High in fiber, especially the paper wrapper. It’s the best food!”

A king met with other leaders before inviting a wannabe king …

So, how many in the government are called Gaylord? Will they be detained and forced to give up their name? Mandatory change to Petey?

I guess there’s also a Gaylord street and monument here and there?

It’s kind of interesting because it directly echos Trump’s own thoughts. As personal or his business strategy Trump alwaslys tried to block payment after contracted work was done.

And now part of his supreme court is showing the same tendency, I suspect this will come back again and again untill more justices fall in line and the ruling for non payment of delivered work sticks.

Perhaps at some point Trump or the supreme court declares:

“Doing work for/in name of King Trump is it’s own reward, outstanding bills are null and void”.

To those with an inkling of thought on education in the US this should hit home…

Actually he is doing a:

“Give money, or I let the guy with the gun shoot you”

It’s the same scheme he uses to pressure Zelensky/Ukraine.

(The NATO agreement was “attempt for 2%” and no way to enforce it if it didn’t work out, so Trump’s whole “or else” point is a form of blackmail outside of the written agreements)

Doesn’t detract from your other point, the European armies do need a boost, have needed one for a while now. And as a combined bloc the EU should muster up a permanent standing (modern) army.

They should also buy/manufacture their own equipment to be less dependable on the whims of the US and keep their defense funds within the EU. But I’ll bet this is something Trump does not want to happen, perhaps he’ll start shouting the EU should pay HIM 5% and not NATO…

Ad a sidenote, the EU should now be seen as one financial entity and count the % to that, not individual countries.

Yeah uh about that … let’s brainstorm …what if Zelensky is taken hostage on his next visit to the White House?

Or what if his plane flying him back suddenly dissappears?

Falling out a window only happens because of weird Russian glass, yes?

“The great peacemaker” needs big wars so that he can eventually “make” a peace…

You’re right, but what you’re not quite mentioning is that most of these defeats came from Russia instigating the conflict (even well before the communist revolution). Ie. it performed small invasions in various Baltic states, sweden and finland in the Napoleonic eras and was a general nuisance at the borders.

Russias long time battle strategy of using its populace as cannon fodder, and seeing individuals as worthless workers for the state, is also the reason why it never amounts to actually realizing the huge threat outsiders think it is.

In potential they can amass every citizen in the working force for their military complex.
But if those same citizens are bereft of anything that inspires them the fighting spirit dwindles and force must be used to push them to fight which isn’t a great thing for morale.

It showed in the Russian defeat against Napoleon, Napoleon took his inspired armies deep inside Russia, and all the Russians had as a strategy was just torch every town, city and granary in Napoleon’s path, untill he got stuck in the freezing winter without supplies nor local inhabitants to aid his conquest. The same thing it did with its own people during the communist revolution, it torched villages and killed livestock of any single Russians against the regime change. World War 2 also saw this tactic being used, and in Ukraine we’re seeing it again.

So the thing is, be it under the Tsar, the communist regime, or under Putins hybrid oligarchic communism, the cannon fodder doctrine never left the Russian way of thinking.

And this, in essence, also is why Russia is considered the antithesis and “the enemy” to the West’s view of individualism.

Seeing how the European members are one financial bloc it would be appropriate to count them as one and average their spending, then it would probably go past the 2% easily (I don’t have nor know how to use the relevant data, so correct me if I am wrong).

But this is not useful for Trump’s reasoning to want to leave NATO so he will not do that and count everyone separately, be it EU or other members.

He needs the excuse, and seeing how the EU is thwarting his and Putins plans for Ukraine, I can see Trump will come with an ultimatum this or next year to actually leave/dismantle NATO.

I am convinced that the only thing keeping Trump from leaving NATO right now is the income the Military Industry is receiving from this.

Ofcourse they had …

The way Trump was speaking of using the military on US soil months ago tells you it was thorougly discussed between him and his inner circle.

He will never acknowlege fault from his side so he’ll need to find more and more enemies and institutions to attack and blame in an endless cycle…

Don’t be surprised if at some point he’ll demand previous presidents be arrested and interrogated for destroying the US economy and standing…

…

;-)

Ofcourse all political deals are -finalized- behind closed doors, but the whole world, including Zelensky knew he was expected to be there for protection for his country, not to be attacked by bullies still trying to blame him for a war he did not start…

It is strange how you keep blaming Zelensky for being verbally attacked by Trump, someone who is supposed to be an ally, how is that Zelensky’s fault? Trump invited a LEADER of a foreign country, supposedly an ally, and starts disrespecting and berating his honored guest immediately …

Think about it, Trump visiting Israel and Netanyahu and 2 of his staff begin insulting Trump, strongly suggesting the president of the USA kiss their shoes on camera for whatever reason…

Zelensky and Ukraine are fighting for their right to exist, they are not the cause for the casualties as you keep inferring. Only one person is responsible for the bloodshed and that is Putin. And only two people can almost instantly stop the bloodshed, Putin with an immediate withdrawal, and Trump by 500% supporting Ukraine. Zelensky can not do this, not even if he literally kisses Trump’s feet on camera, it serves only to demean him in front of his soldiers back in Ukraine. And it is very good he has a backbone.

One thing you, and Trump seem to ignore, is that if Zelensky now fully surrendered Ukraine to Putin the bloodshed will continue, Putin will kill all Ukrainian soldiers, burn villages that withstood his plans, demolish internal industry and markets, brainwash the children and wipe the history, every product is to be shipped to Russia and Ukraine is left to starve in its ruins…

So the enemy needs to hear it spoken loudly that the US fully protects an ally and backs it, this should not be a matter of secrecy. And the world expects it to be spoken out loud.

The moment a question of protection/security needs to be whispered about something is not right…

And somehow, clearly, there was no sign anymore of Trump offering protection in out in the open.

(Yet he can do it for Israël, with his hellfire threat on Gaza, and Netanyahu did not need to grovel, nor get bullied)

And sure the deal was probably laid out before that, but perhaps we did not see/hear Trump do an “I altered the deal…” as he has done before. Who knows what crumpled up note Zelensky received as he stepped from his ride, perhaps it even said there will not be a 2nd meeting.

But the minerals were the payment and not the important part, and the payment could be done behind closed doors.

… A small example on why the main objective shouldn 't be hidden:

Loudly and publicly proclaiming “I paid $500!” then walking off makes no sense, everyone hearing you say that will ask “for what”.

The deal is not important, nor are the minerals, Zelensky was there for security guarantees and they should not be hidden, what kind of nonsense is that. Why shouldn’t anyone hear of security guarantees?

Trump should have shaken Zelensky’s hands, in public LOUDLY proclaiming full and lasting protection and NATO membership or NATO boots on the ground. Make explicitly sure everyone knows Trump and the US supports and backs an ally that is invaded by a centuries old enemy.

And THEN do a deal for minerals behind the curtains, THAT is the way to do it.

This is the end of a once great america, no matter Trump’s promise…

All trust is gone for years, perhaps decades to come.

The petrol dollar that gave the US it’s hegemony by stepping away from gold reserves into the dollar as backing financial system will be dismantled.

It already was on shaky grounds with the US printing infinite money without guarantees to pay off a huge debt beyond the petro dollar’s shield, but now all trust in the US is gone and the shift to another monetary system will start.

BRICS will take off and Trump can not stop it (not even counting him being under russian influence to let it happen). Europe will pay oil in euros for a while.

In a decade we might see rise of a global traders currency based on a true, set value.

I fully agree. But to add to it:

Vance had no rights to be there, the only reason he was is so they both could gang up on Zelensky in front of the cameras and bully him, Trump probably felt he was unable to do it alone.

Sell yes, meaning Ukraine gets something in return…

But Trump goes “ok give us the minerals, bye”.

What kind of deal is that, Ukraine gets nothing, that’s not even a proper business transaction…

Thats plain saying give me your money or the guy with the gun takes it from you.

In a real deal the least Zelensky/Ukraine expects to get in return is full and lasting protection against Putin walzing in and taking Ukraine anyway.

In his WW3 rant Trump also seems to forget Zelensky/Ukraine is already at war (though putin is the one calling it a 3 day police action), and the only one gambling for WW3 is Trump by whining about demanding minerals for nothing in return.

Ofcourse it’s full on clear by now Trump expects Putin to walz in anyway, destroy Ukraine and pay Trump personally a 1% finders fee for the minerals.