Republican divisions over military support for Ukraine were long simmering. Now, before Saturday’s extraordinary vote in Congress on a foreign aid package, they have erupted into open warfare – a conflict that the vote itself is unlikely to contain.
Mike Johnson, the speaker of the House of Representatives, triggered an all-out split in his own party’s ranks last week by finally agreeing, after months of stalling, to a floor vote on the $95bn foreign aid programme. Passed by the Senate in February, it contained about $60bn for Ukraine, $14bn for Israel, and a smaller amount for Taiwan and other Pacific allies.
Johnson’s decision to finally bring the package to a vote made a highly symbolic break with the GOP’s far right, the people who engineered his elevation to the speaker’s chair last October after toppling his predecessor, Kevin McCarthy. These Republican rightwingers – reflecting the affinity of their political idol, the former president Donald Trump, for the Russian president, Vladimir Putin – have grown openly hostile to Ukraine’s cause.
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It’s no coincidence that the Uniparty is seeking to pass sweeping new powers to ban websites and spy on Americans at the same time that it bankrupts America with forever wars. This agenda is increasingly unpopular and can only be propped up with authoritarian tactics.
@R1ghtWingBillGreen2yrs2Y
National security" means ensuring the stability of the state—even despite the objections of the People. Under unjust systems, "public safety" is of less interest, which is why the FBI spends its time chasing "enemies of the people" instead of the guys who robbed your local CVS.
It’s not “just” $61 billion. Ukraine will need massive annual cash infusions to stave off total defeat. So it’s $61 billion as the baseline for an annual appropriation in a new forever war.
@EmptyLizardLibertarian2yrs2Y
Note that the Iraq War and the Afghanistan War also began with annual appropriations in the $60B range. Those wars ended up costing trillions.
I've long been concerned that Biden, Blinken & Sullivan would blunder us into World War 3, but at least it would be a blunder. The Neocon wing of the GOP, which demands immediate war with Iran and even more escalation in Ukraine, wants to drive us right in.
@R3ferendumPhilNo Labels2yrs2Y
RFK Jr. explains the origins of the Ukraine War perfectly. The West could have made peace if it had been willing to take NATO expansion off the table. The claim that Putin wants to conquer all of Europe is a hoax to justify endless funding.
@C1v1cDutyBertieVeteran2yrs2Y
According to Seymour Hersh, CIA Director Burns had to warn Zelensky to stop stealing so much money. His subordinates were angry that he wasn’t sharing the spoils. Do you think that problem has been resolved and Zelensky will share more this time?
The main difference between Democrats and RINOs is that Democrats are smart enough to make up the hoaxes and RINOs are dumb enough to fall for them.
@AffectedL3ftWingForward2yrs2Y
Deep down, the smartest Democratic operatives were hoping that the Ukraine funding bill would fail so they could pin the inevitable collapse on Trump. Now Biden will own it completely.
@LazyR3publicanGreen2yrs2Y
Based on some simple math, the new funding bill that’s being widely hailed as saving Ukraine will buy precisely half of a Summer Counteroffensive.
@LolliesEvaLibertarian2yrs2Y
If you vote to send our money abroad while waving a foreign flag, you’ll be called an American patriot.
If you vote to keep our money at home to fund domestic priorities like the border, you’ll be called a foreign agent.
Bizarro world.
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
@ISIDEWITH2yrs2Y
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