I think the universal health care and basic income are good ideas. That $1000/mo income idea from the guy who ran for Prez (can’t think of his name) was good. Most important would be raising the tax rate on the wealthy, esp the obscenely wealthy.
Re talking to whales. Whatever we manage to discuss with them, we oughta start with apologies for centuries of nearly hunting them all to extinction, and since then continuing to run them over with ever larger ships that make so much noise they can't hear themselves navigate. We might want to say sorry about the oil exploration that deafens and blows out whales' ears, and the toxic spills that kill their food and then their calves. Also, won't it be a pisser when we can talk to the vaquita, and the last survivor of the ten still currently alive in the whole world, asks us to explain why we hated them so much, and we have to tell them it wasn't personal, you were just in the way of our making that big fish you used to school with go extinct so people on the other side of the globe could eat their swim bladders?
Free universal paychecks would be a disaster and would play right into the GOP narrative of welfare cheats and redistribution of wealth. Anyone WITH a job would immediately lean to the right. But I'm all for DEMs to redirect when GOP uses identity politics to mask their raiding of the treasury and deconstruction of regulations, healthcare, and the rule of law. "We support equal rights, but let's stay focused on fixing the economy so it works for everyone..."
Could be, but it might be necessary at some point. AI will destroy millions of jobs and I think people intuitively understand we have to do something about it.
You say it was the economy, I say it was bespoke bigotry. I live in ruby-red Kansas and work in MAGA-filled Topeka. If these folks really were concerned about the economy under Biden, you would probably expect them to be furious with trump's trade wars, spiking prices, and calls for individual austerity. Surprise surprise, they aren't. Not one that I have seen. They are, however, thrilled about punishing trans kids and find the idea of terrified Hispanics absolutely HILARIOUS.
No one who loves trump gives a shit about the economy, they just want to see the people they hate suffer. That's the truth behind 2024. That's trump's power. Write about that.
“The daring move has its downsides though — it risks escalation with Russia at a time when peace talks are finally happening, and it could alienate Ukraine from its allies. Ukraine also hit nuclear-capable bombers, so this could potentially trigger serious nuclear escalation from Russia.”
Rare for me to disagree with you but every point in this paragraph is wrong.
Any notion of running the war against Russia on the basis of avoiding escalating it is strategic and tactical madness. Putin will do what Putin will do. Any weakness, ie accommodation, will be exploited not lead to peace.
Far from alienating Ukraine from its allies (these no longer include the USA) a show of continuing strength, power, penetration of the enemy, and material damage to the enemy will fortify Ukraine’s allies in their belief democracy can be saved in Ukraine thereby protecting the eastern border of Western Europe.
The nuclear threat which fooled particularly the Biden administration with almost devastating consequences is just that, a threat, not a reality. Unless that preposterous bluff is routinely called when made by Putin, all countries bordering Russia might as well cave now and save themselves the terrible struggle Ukraine is enduring right now. What bullshit.
This paragraph is just another serving of appeasement. As Zelenskyy well knows, this is the time for 1940 Churchill, not 1938 Chamberlain.
Wise comment Alan. Sadly you are accurate and issuing a much needed dose of reality & tone check.
Most never do appreciate such things, so I feel to say thank you for saying that which is unlikely to be popular with those who resonate with the tone of this article- which is neglecting the considerations you have raised. Thanks 🙏
If Ukraine got help from all the countries Mobb Boss has offended, they'd be able to win!
I think the universal health care and basic income are good ideas. That $1000/mo income idea from the guy who ran for Prez (can’t think of his name) was good. Most important would be raising the tax rate on the wealthy, esp the obscenely wealthy.
Yes, Andrew Yang's idea. I think we're going to have to implement it at some point. AI is going to destroy so many jobs it's unreal.
Andrew Yang is who you’re thinking of.
Re talking to whales. Whatever we manage to discuss with them, we oughta start with apologies for centuries of nearly hunting them all to extinction, and since then continuing to run them over with ever larger ships that make so much noise they can't hear themselves navigate. We might want to say sorry about the oil exploration that deafens and blows out whales' ears, and the toxic spills that kill their food and then their calves. Also, won't it be a pisser when we can talk to the vaquita, and the last survivor of the ten still currently alive in the whole world, asks us to explain why we hated them so much, and we have to tell them it wasn't personal, you were just in the way of our making that big fish you used to school with go extinct so people on the other side of the globe could eat their swim bladders?
Fair points!
Free universal paychecks would be a disaster and would play right into the GOP narrative of welfare cheats and redistribution of wealth. Anyone WITH a job would immediately lean to the right. But I'm all for DEMs to redirect when GOP uses identity politics to mask their raiding of the treasury and deconstruction of regulations, healthcare, and the rule of law. "We support equal rights, but let's stay focused on fixing the economy so it works for everyone..."
Could be, but it might be necessary at some point. AI will destroy millions of jobs and I think people intuitively understand we have to do something about it.
You say it was the economy, I say it was bespoke bigotry. I live in ruby-red Kansas and work in MAGA-filled Topeka. If these folks really were concerned about the economy under Biden, you would probably expect them to be furious with trump's trade wars, spiking prices, and calls for individual austerity. Surprise surprise, they aren't. Not one that I have seen. They are, however, thrilled about punishing trans kids and find the idea of terrified Hispanics absolutely HILARIOUS.
No one who loves trump gives a shit about the economy, they just want to see the people they hate suffer. That's the truth behind 2024. That's trump's power. Write about that.
“The daring move has its downsides though — it risks escalation with Russia at a time when peace talks are finally happening, and it could alienate Ukraine from its allies. Ukraine also hit nuclear-capable bombers, so this could potentially trigger serious nuclear escalation from Russia.”
Rare for me to disagree with you but every point in this paragraph is wrong.
Any notion of running the war against Russia on the basis of avoiding escalating it is strategic and tactical madness. Putin will do what Putin will do. Any weakness, ie accommodation, will be exploited not lead to peace.
Far from alienating Ukraine from its allies (these no longer include the USA) a show of continuing strength, power, penetration of the enemy, and material damage to the enemy will fortify Ukraine’s allies in their belief democracy can be saved in Ukraine thereby protecting the eastern border of Western Europe.
The nuclear threat which fooled particularly the Biden administration with almost devastating consequences is just that, a threat, not a reality. Unless that preposterous bluff is routinely called when made by Putin, all countries bordering Russia might as well cave now and save themselves the terrible struggle Ukraine is enduring right now. What bullshit.
This paragraph is just another serving of appeasement. As Zelenskyy well knows, this is the time for 1940 Churchill, not 1938 Chamberlain.
Wise comment Alan. Sadly you are accurate and issuing a much needed dose of reality & tone check.
Most never do appreciate such things, so I feel to say thank you for saying that which is unlikely to be popular with those who resonate with the tone of this article- which is neglecting the considerations you have raised. Thanks 🙏
You and I are far from alone in our views. See Adam Kinzinger here and the number of people who agree with him:-
https://open.substack.com/pub/adamkinzinger/p/ukraines-counteroffensive-20-russia?r=2nzz7&utm_medium=ios