markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Jay, your latest video was awesome. Showing the sites of Russian atrocities is powerful. Utter moral clarity in what’s at stake for the world: freedom backed by the rule of law or a regression to the rule by oligarchs, despots and tyrants..
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Gross and unamerican
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Moral courage of the highest order! Putting life and limb on the line to do what is right.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Clever psych op, Anders: Pretend tiny Russia has the power USSR and must be feared and appeased. They got their message on American TV and in the minds of US voters and MAGA diplomats.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Clever psych op: pretend tiny Russia is the power USSR and must be feared and appeased. Russia has 1/10 the global gdp that that USSR had and a much smaller population than the Soviet block.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Also read www.nytimes.com/2024/12/10/o... for a great analysis of how identity political and the "groups" led Democratic down rabbits holes and left democratic voters like me feeling very unloved. Basically, they got my vote mostly because the Republicans have gone bat-shit crazy.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
That and frustration with the democrats endless focus on identity politics, instead of getting stuff done for the working class and middle class families. Read Ezra Klein "Abundance".
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Honestly, not so different than Musk offer money for votes. ("Only registration", the trolls will cry!)
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Ok, prof O’Brien. Damn if you weren’t right again! I stand guilty of hope… At the same time, where are those Tauruses, Herr Merz?
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
That would be awesome!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
I think Russia’s on borrowed time. Their economy is getting worse and worse, while Ukraine is building deeper strike capabilities and domestic air defenses.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Not a fan of Trump tariffs, but roughly 85% of the US economy is domestic. You won’t pay tariffs on your mortgage, your groceries, your domestic flights, your gasoline etc. A better estimate is 15% tariffs on 15% = 2.25% additional taxes.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Just donated. Really appreciate you fighting for justice and for keeping Russia’s crimes in the public’s fickle consciousness. Looking forward to reading your book.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
I don’t see Europe announcing secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil, even after 3 years of war in their backyard. I am a paid subscriber of yours on Substack and your analysis has been excellent. However, please don’t let Europe off lightly to bash Trump (tempting as that is).
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Spot on. (I’m center left voter BTW.)
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Careful! If there's any IP theft, it's companies, not "Europeans" writ large.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Or the wing tanks of Su-34s sitting at military airports
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Sadly, Jay, the Senate is not investigating. Only a couple of Democratic Senators are, they do not have the Subpoena power of the institution. Better than nothing, but Republicans are still standing 100% with Trump.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Sink the shadow fleet when returning empty. Tax ICE car sales. Boycott Russian oil and gas. Build a gas pipeline in Syria connecting Europe to ultra cheap Qatari gas. Destroy Putin’s petroleum exports and he won’t be able to sustain the war.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
TACO (Trump Always Chickens Out).
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Russophobia = “fear of Russia”. I think we need a word which translates to “I f$&king hate Russia”.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Holy cow! Trump openly badgers the reporter to lie in exchange for press access!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
No, there is not
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
And China prepared well to screw Farmer Fred by investing $500 million in Brazilian ports to export Brazilian soybeans. China buys 50% of US soybean exports. That market just evaporated and won’t come back.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Europe really needs to create a European defense organization apart from NATO, or else be subjugated by Trump-Putin. I say this is a heartbroken American. Fund joint European defense projects, possibly with Korean and Japanese partnership. You need your own HIMARS, Starlink, Patriot systems.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Look what Jake Sullivan and Joe Biden have wrought. They failed to fully support a democracy under attack by an evil dictator and thereby set the table for Trump.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
I am literally sick and what my country is doing. I no longer recognize the US. Always viewed us as a force for good. No longer...
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Ouch!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Very weird mannerisms. Unbalanced liar-man. Scary.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Yep. It’ll be over schedule, over budget, and full of bugs - like all of Boeing’s government contracts. No European partners to amortize the development costs.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Democrats have painted themselves into a corner on unpopular social justice issues. They are unable to internalize this. Hence Schumer filibusters a Republican bill rejecting biological men in women’s sports, but votes for a CR giving Trump sequestration power to legally eviscerate of government.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
NIMBY = Not In My Back Yard. Another useful acronym in BANANA = Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Never Again.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Voters here approved high-speed rail in 2008. Construction on the easiest link started in 2015. Still nothing running. NIMBYs pervert environmental and permitting laws to prevent building homes for decades. I’m a Democrat, but Democrats need to govern more effectively. “All politics is local.”
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
I’m a Californian shocked at the this support for Trump. Large US majorities in same poll want to support Ukraine and see Russia as the rogue aggressor. But dislike of of administrative state and its intrusive rules apparently runs very deep.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
People don't know about the sequestration provisions of the CR. Trump can now legally cut any agency at will. Thanks Schumer! We need to coin a new term: DINO. Democrat in Name Only. Also short for Dinosaur a slow moving living fossil of low intelligence.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Not delusional, guys. This a cunning disinformation campaign to justify a bad peace that gives Russia everything.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Unfortunately, I wouldn’t be too surprised If he gets a pardon like the Silk Road crypto criminal did. Nothing makes sense anymore.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Anders, can you provide a link to authoritative source? All I can find is that Canada is issuing debt in US dollars. That would strengthen USD and weaken the Canadian dollar, if anything. Perhaps it helps counter the effect of the tariffs, but not exactly economic warfare.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
My first question too. I believe the cargo ships that dragged anchors in the Baltics were all captained by Russians.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
He likes power. Like the rest of the Republicans, and they’ll sell their souls to keep it.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Would love to hear your take on the macro economic impact of the MAGA budget on interest rates, USD exchange, and growth. Thanks!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Can we at least put "MAGA USA" in the middle?😖
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
2 republican congressmen with guts is all it takes to change everything: Vote no on everything until Johnson asserts their constitutional congressional authority over the executive branch, and pass a resolution supporting Ukraine against aggressor Russia.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Good work, Europe! Please boycott all American products. A US recession will make difficult politics for the MAGA cult. - Your non-MAGA American friends
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Europe, I’m sorry my country’s messed up politics elected a fascist. Now it’s time to for all of Europe to follow the Nordics, the Baltics, and Poland’s lead. There is no time to waste! Mass produce missiles and drones and build defensive lines.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Sad but true.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Biden’s and Merrit’s fault. They failed to defend democracy with urgency at home and in Ukraine. Cautious pathetic old men.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Maybe having an open primary is smarter than Dems anointing Kamala in 2024 or clearing the path for Hillary in 2016?
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Same
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
This should be easy: Dems need to forcefully reclaim the vital center and leave the luney left behind.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
A new low for Ruzzia... If a FPV strike happens on their ride to the front (as it often does), they will all burn together.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
So it is safer for Russian air defense to not do air defense. Sounds good to me!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Post war sanctions relief in exchange for denuclearization. Otherwise, let them stay broke, dysfunctional, technologically backward, and isolated.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Left a year ago, or are young men still leaving in large numbers?
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Elmo’s had a son that became a transsexual woman and underwent hormone therapy as a minor with Elmo’s consent. He now blames Californian wokeness. Putin has positioned himself as the great anti-LGBTQ crusader, and has been very successful at influence the anti-LGBTQ types everywhere.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Imagine what the US could have done with the $2 trillion wasted in Iraq and Afghanistan. Wars of choice are very stupid.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Look at his bio. Multiple stints working at Russian institutions. That’s all you need to know.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
The count of destroyed NATO armor going up is because Ukraine is getting better supplied. That’s actually a good thing. Let’s talk about total Russian armor destroyed and deployed and Ukraine growing capabilities.
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
All true. As an American, disgusted and sad that #3 is true which makes #4 true
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
And they claim they’ve achieved their goals in Ukraine. Prep for future cope?
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Solar and wind are only competitive because they are prioritized over NG and coal. Without batchable power sources, coal and NG will be with us forever. (Please calculate the battery sized needed to power a fully electrified US for a week before presenting that as an alternative.)
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
A man of many talents!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Let’s hope Putler fires his competent central banker and installs a lacky to drop interest rates. Full Weimar time!
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Maduro in Venezuela
markelb.bsky.social (@markelb.bsky.social) reply parent
Entomology lesson, my friends: A phobia means an irrational fear. So there is no Russophobia. Let’s start correcting calling this sentiment Russomisia, as in “I f$*#ing hate Russians.”