Back..

 

Front..

 

The second GOP presidential debate was full of arguments, one-liners and strained attempts for attention, but none of the candidates made a case strong enough to challenge Donald Trump as the front-runner.  

Seven Republican presidential candidates participated in a debate Wednesday night in California, while the front-runner in the party primary, former President Donald Trump, skipped the debate and instead gave a speech in Michigan amid a strike by auto workers.  

On the other side we Got Biden. 

Just a thought.

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 Fault..

$1.00

 
House lawmakers passed an amendment to a defense spending bill that would reduce Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s salary to just $1.

The amendment, offered by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.), was agreed to in the House by voice vote on Wednesday afternoon.

The provision states clearly: “None of the funds made available by this Act may be used to pay Defense Secretary Lloyd James Austin III a salary that exceeds $1.”

Greene hailed her victory in passing the amendment, saying Austin should be fired from his post for the chaotic U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 and for low military recruitment.

The advise. Provided by Austin to the administration to fully engaged in the Russ/Ukraine war and send Cluster Ammunition to kill more now and more later, is a terrible advise. The poor people of the world, are paying heavily for it.

Abrams..

 

As the first Abrams tanks started to arrive in Ukraine from the United States, a top Ukrainian general warned that they could be destroyed quickly if not deployed properly.

In an interview with The Drive published, Lieutenant General Kyrylo Budanov, chief of the Main Directorate of Intelligence for Ukraine's Ministry of Defense, said that the tanks being sent by the U.S. needed to be used strategically, as they would be quickly destroyed by Russian forces if deployed straight to the frontlines.

should be used in a very tailored way for very specific, well-crafted operations because if they are used at the front line and just in a combined arms fight, they will not live very long on the battlefield,"

Behind..

 

The former governor was also asked about his stance on the path to citizenship and the way he flip-flopped from 2010 to 2016 and said that the issues at the southern border should be treated “like the law enforcement problem that it is.”

Christie went on to say that he would act like he did as governor and “enforce the law” and implement a “law and order agenda.”

As the GOP presidential frontrunner, Trump has strayed from participating in both debates with his opponents. Christie, who trails far behind in the polls, again called for him to appear on stage.

Smooth..

 

Corrupt..

 

Fighting for Democracy

Iron Clad..

 

The greatest danger that multiparty democracy faces is “lawfare”—the weaponization of national judicial systems by political parties to delegitimize, harass, bankrupt, disqualify, and sometimes imprison politicians of other parties.
Just a thought.

The Zone..

 

Fixing..

 

The Democratic party is testing the slogan of "Protecting Our Democracy" to be used for the coming election. In order to stay away of Inflation, Rising cost of living, Higher prices in food and gas, South Border chaos and the sanctions that back fired at the world. 

Inflate..

 
Judge Arthur Engoron, ruling in a civil lawsuit brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, found that Trump and his company deceived banks, insurers and others by massively overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing loans.

Apple's market value fell below USD 2 trillion during trading on Tuesday. This translates to the tech giant losing market cap of USD 1 trillion in just 1 year. Market values!!!
Just a thought.

Increase..

 

Undermine..

 

 

In the wake of the ongoing Ukraine war and subsequent sanctions, Russia's adoption of the Chinese yuan could potentially undermine long-term dollar dominance, according to Beata Javorcik, Chief Economist at the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). This shift is primarily attributed to the diversification of invoicing currencies.

The statement was suggesting that Russia's strategic move towards the Chinese currency is a part of a broader trend of de-dollarization. 

This trend has been gaining momentum due to geopolitical tensions and economic sanctions that have isolated Russia from Western financial systems.

The EBRD economist pointed out that this shift towards the yuan may lead to a significant change in global currency dynamics. The diversification away from the dollar in international transactions can potentially erode its dominance in the long run.

Want..

 

Bi-Part..

 

"The Russia Ukraine war started"

Record..

 

Must..

 

Stunt..

 

Falls..

 

Poll..

 

A new Washington Post-ABC poll showing Joe Biden trailing his presidential predecessor Donald Trump by 10 percentage points.

The Washington Post acknowledged its survey was not in line with most polls.

The Post wrote in its analysis: “The … poll shows Biden trailing Trump by 10 percentage points at this early stage in the election cycle, although the sizable margin of Trump’s lead in this survey is significantly at odds with other public polls that show the general election contest a virtual dead heat.

Bleed..

Ukrainian President announced he would pursue fast-track NATO membership, yet the application failed to draw.  

US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan articulated that it was "not the right time." His underlying message was: The US does not need Ukraine as a NATO member, but needs Ukraine, rather than the whole of NATO, to fight against Russia. 

The value of Ukraine as a pawn has not yet been fully exploited by the US. Before Russia is exhausted by the war, the US will have no appetite to end the crisis, or stop taking advantage of Ukraine.   Ukraine is the one that literally keeps bleeding. 

 Ukraine has been trapped in an ethnic conflict for a long time at home. Worse still, it is now in a war. 

NATO has a clear standard when it comes to expansion - to gain more advantage, rather than taking on a burden. Only when Ukraine develops itself into a stable and prosperous country without conflict both at home and broad will it be the realistic timing for it to become a NATO member.   [GT]

Declared..

 

That was then, Now he released 200 Million Barrel of the central reserve with no impact what soever. He asked for more production of the American producers but for what reason. He a;;ready showed his hand.

Then the G7 initiated sanctions on Russia's oil, Natural gas and other energy product.

Then they needed energy from other sources three fold the prices.

The Saudi realized there is too much oil available, they cut productions to keep reasonable prices for them. Then comes Bidens with the standard threat.

It went all in full circle. His attitude against fossil hasn't change and the high prices hasn't changed either. That caused hundred of billions of dollars spent due to high prices in this process. Just a thought.

Peace..

 

Yak Yak..

 

The relationships might be close, the handshakes might have been firm, but President Volodymyr Zelensky had to roll his sleeves up during his trip to the US and Canada.

The latter was the easier end. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau promised to support Ukraine "for as long as it takes" against Russia's invasion, and he has cross-party support in that endeavor.

America's pockets are deeper, but its politics are far more complicated.

President Zelensky secured another $325m (£265m) military package from the White House, but it wasn't the $24bn biggie he'd been hoping for.

Let us not forget the Ukraine wanted to join Nato where the G7 wanted to surround Russia with Military bases. The war then broke up with a cost so far in GDP, Inflation cost, Oil Prices, food shortage and food prices exceeds trillions of dollars to the G7.   Just a thought.

Alliances..

 

Close..

 

Are we really that close? Think about it. 

Humanitarian..

 

Joe Biden has defended the “difficult decision” to send widely banned cluster munitions to Ukraine, after he was condemned by human rights groups and a fellow Democrat said it was “unnecessary and a terrible mistake”.

Hana..

 

U.S. Attorney Damian Williams said: “As the grand jury charged, between 2018 and 2022, Senator Menendez and his wife engaged in a corrupt relationship.

As part of the scheme, MENENDEZ provided sensitive, non-public U.S. government information to Egyptian officials and otherwise took steps to secretly aid the Government of Egypt.  For example, in or about May 2018, MENENDEZ provided Egyptian officials with non-public information regarding the number and nationality of persons serving at the U.S. Embassy in Cairo, Egypt.  

Although this information was not classified, it was deemed highly sensitive.
At various times between 2018 and 2022, MENENDEZ also conveyed to Egyptian officials, through NADINE MENENDEZ, HANA, and/or DAIBES, that he would approve or remove holds on foreign military financing and sales of military equipment to Egypt in connection with his leadership role on the SFRC.

However, IS EG Halal had little to no revenue until the spring of 2019, when the Government of Egypt granted IS EG Halal a monopoly on the certification of U.S. food exports to Egypt as compliant with halal standards, despite the fact that neither HANA nor his company had experience with halal certification.  The monopoly generated revenue for HANA, through which he paid NADINE MENENDEZ as promised.   

Mis..

 

FFF

 

Since the F35 was first pitched in the early 1990s, a host of catastrophes, setbacks and cost overruns have made the F-35 the object of mass ridicule outside the Pentagon. 

The plane hasn’t exactly been the most reliable in general. The likely crash in the Carolinas makes the ninth total crash since the plane came into operation and has been grounded multiple times for reasons ranging from “can’t deliver oxygen to pilots” to “it’s allergic to its namesake.” 

Other issues have included one variant having machine guns that can’t shoot straight and the Pentagon needing to cap how long the planes can handle flying at top speed.

Indict..

 

This is the most fun cartoon I have seen lately. Look carefully and get the message, understand what is being said. The Democratic DOJ will not indict a setting one.   Just a thought.

Fetterman..

 

Failed..

 

The U.S. intelligence community assesses that Ukraine’s counteroffensive will fail to reach the key southeastern city of Melitopol, (Washington Post) a finding that, would mean Kyiv won’t fulfill its principal objective of severing Russia’s land bridge to Crimea in this year’s push.

The grim assessment is based on Russia’s proficiency in defending occupied territory through a phalanx of minefields and trenches, and is likely to prompt finger pointing inside Kyiv and Western capitals about why a counteroffensive that saw tens of billions of dollars of Western weapons and military equipment fell short of its goals.( Around 300 Billion Dollars so far.)                                                                                                                                                                         These reports are coming out purposely at this time. After all the assistance in Military hardware, the continue inelegance services provided by the west and the many claims of Defending the fragile democracy, the outcome is just grim.  May be peace ought to be sought, where less killings, less war machineries, less hate, less hurt, less inflation, less poverty and less refugees.  A year and a half passed. We don't have that much Human and non human resources to hate Peace.

Joining..

 

President Xi jinping is in South Africa, attending the BRICS Summit.

As he said, The BRICS countries are important force in shaping the international landscape. We independently choose the development path, jointly defend the right to development, and move towards modernization together, which represents the direction of human society and will profoundly affect the development process of the world.

The influence is changing. the Economic power, the dollar, the military might of the USA with sanctions activated on many countries, is not much attracting now a days. 

Protest..

 

Last September, Italians in Rome, Milan and Naples burned their energy bills in a coordinated protest against soaring prices. 

In October, thousands took to French streets to decry government inaction over the high cost of living. And in November, Spanish workers rallied for higher wages, chanting “salary or conflict.” 

Researchers have defined an unprecedented global wave of more than 12,500 protests across 148 countries over food, fuel and cost of living increases in 2022. And the largest were in Western Europe.

Prices of food and especially energy were pushed up first by the war in Ukraine and enhanced it by additional USA sanctions on Russia's Energy.

Point..

 

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Monday that a landmark deal allowing Ukraine to export grain safely through the Black Sea amid the war won’t be restored until the West meets Moscow’s demands on its own agricultural exports.
Russia refused to extend the deal in July, complaining that a parallel agreement promising to remove obstacles to Russian exports of food and fertilizer hadn’t been honored. 
It said restrictions on shipping and insurance , sanctions by USA,  hampered its agricultural trade.

Earlier:

President Joe Biden said that the world will experience food shortages.
 The price of the sanctions is not just imposed upon Russia. 

Gravy..

 

President of Ukraine is finding his latest visit to Washington a much tougher occasion. 

Zelenskiy was given a standing ovation  addressing a joint sitting of Congress in December. 

This time, he addressed the Senate in a closed session, but House Republicans turned down a request to address both chambers again. They are also reported to have turned down an administration briefing on Ukraine. (The USA is 150 Billion Dollars shorter by now)

Zelenskiy arrived on Capitol Hill in the midst of a bitter spending battle that could trigger a government shutdown, and he faced difficult conversations when he met congressional leaders behind closed doors. 

The (deep) gravy train is drying out.

Spend..

 

Yuan..

 

A recent House Financial Services subcommittee hearing on the dollar focused primarily on how Washington uses it to enact sanctions on countries like Russia, as well as the risks of emerging economies moving away from the dollar.

CPA believes that industrial dominance is what gives America its geopolitical might and that an over-valued dollar makes us weaker.

 There is no near-term risk of the dollar losing its so-called “reserve” status in the short or medium term so long as the U.S. economy was seen as strong, Debt is reduced, and inflation is under control.

The process of de dollarization by mainly the BRICS, even partially, will impact the price of the Dollar, cause Inflation, limit the power of economical sanctions, and eventually the US geopolitical power. 

Fun..

 

Hunter Biden sued the Internal Revenue Service, alleging its agents illegally released his tax information and that the agency failed to protect his private records.

Specifically, Hunter Biden’s attorneys point to details Gary Shapley (IRS agent) shared in an interview with CBS News that aired in June. 

During the interview, Shapley alleged that Biden took certain personal expenses as business expenses, including “prostitutes, sex club memberships, hotel rooms for purported drug dealers,” and that Biden owed $2.2 million in unpaid taxes, the lawsuit alleges.

Shapley’s attorneys called the lawsuit a “frivolous smear” and said the agents only discussed information allowed under the statute. Ziegler’s attorney said the lawsuit is an effort to “distract from the ever-growing evidence that supports the testimony of the two IRS whistleblowers.

Chance..

 

Win..

 
Five Americans detained for years in Iran walked off a plane and into freedom Monday, most arm-in-arm, as part of a politically risky deal that saw President Joe Biden agree to the release of nearly $6 billion in frozen Iranian assets owed by a third country, South Korea.

The successful negotiations for the Americans’ freedom brought Biden profuse thanks from their families but heat from Republican presidential rivals and other opponents for the monetary arrangement with one of America’s top adversaries.

“Today, five innocent Americans who were imprisoned in Iran are finally coming home,” Biden said in a statement released as the plane carrying the group from Tehran landed in Doha, Qatar. A plane carrying the Americans home to the United States was due to land Monday night.

What took so long? The money is Iranian money so what caused the delay? Just a thought.

Musk Rat..

 

Looming..

 

Ironic..

 

 "The total contribution by the EU to Ukraine since the start of this war is about €72 billion. Europe has given roughly the same as the US."

Very odd... US agreed to send weapon of war, mass killing Cluster Munitions, and depleted uranium anti-tank rounds to Ukraine. 

However, for the American people, they can't put a budget together.

Bidenomics..

 

Air Tag..

 

Hard..

 

Power..

 

Paul Kennedy posits that continued Debt and deficit spending, especially on military build-up, is the single most important reason for decline of any great power. 

The costs of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan were as of 2017 estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion, which Kennedy deems a major victory for Osama bin Laden, whose announced goal was to humiliate America by showcasing its casualty averseness and lack of will to persist in a long-term conflict. 

By 2011, the U.S. military budget — almost matching that of the rest of the world combined — was higher in real terms than at any time since WWII.

Kennedy made similar assessments about American decline in his book The Rise and Fall of the Great Powers in which he projected "a need to 'manage' affairs so that the relative erosion of the United States' position takes place slowly and smoothly".

Now with other countries advancing like China and India, the BRICS coalition which 

control 43% of World GDP, the deDolarization aspect of the trade and finally the oil/Energy control, No war, all will have a great impact on the current 

G7 decline.  "Its the Economy Stupid"