Taking that video at face value (as I don't have the time or expertise to evaluate it factually) that's so extraordinarily interesting tat it deserves an instant *promote.

In particular, it gives better explanations of of America's disgraceful treatment of Cuba, and the the environmentally terrible practice of fracking than I've ever seen, let alone from a single source.

Not only that, it's also demonstrated the value of a few practices I've personally seen in Russia (and read about elsewhere), such as the move from globalisation to self-sufficiency, and the value of control of boundaries/borders, regardless of the short-term and local impact.

What it doesn't go into is the American push to control the cultural narrative globally, particularly in the western hemisphere, but that's more a consequence of their supremacy in other areas, and doesn't depend on geography. i.e. while I ramble about further aspects, the video stayed expertly on topic. Bravo.

LOL. Communism is only in the CCP's name, hardly in practice anymore. As a country, it's arguably a more capitalistic system (there's far less tax bailouts for the rich in China than the Communist Republicans in the USA) with a socialist political agenda (in order for the party to stay in power, mind, but I'm calling a spade a spade). Still, it's less socialist/communist than many Western Europe countries.

There are far too many idiots who don't bother to understand and distinguish the differences between communism, capitalism, socialism, facism, authoritarianism, democracy, freedom, government regulations, checks & balances in the private & public sectors and all the grays, mixes-and-matches in between systems & ideals.... it's sadly all too laughable.

OMG!

First it was “I took absolutely nothing, fake news.”
Then “I maybe accidentally took some documents I immediately returned.”
Then “when they came with the second subpoena we gave them everything and swore under oath we had.”
Then “What’s the big deal that we still had top secret nuclear documents unsecured, all they had to do was ask for the documents, we always cooperated.”
Then “No crime, I automatically declassified any document I removed from secure locations by secret overreaching decree I never memorialized.”
Now it’s “yes, I stole hundreds of top secret nuclear documents hurting the country and making everyone less safe because I thought maybe I wanted to put them in my public presidential library that I haven’t started planning to build for everyone to see, so I kept them in an unlocked closet and a public hallway outside the unlocked basement.….because that’s what you do with top secret highly classified nuclear documents.”

His claim other presidents did this is nonsense. Other presidents went through the proper process to screen out secret classified documents, and never took any of the documents, the national archive held them until they were transferred to presidential libraries.

He’s now admitted he personally illegally stole them, and that he personally ignored multiple subpoenas demanding their return, that he personally kept them completely unsecured, and that he (through his legal representatives at his direction) lied and swore to the FBI he had turned them all over. Not what you do when you think you have a legitimate reason for having them….and all public admissions to multiple felonies. Every attempted excuse is an admission of multiple serious felonies involving national security….tell me it’s nothing, prove absolutely nothing comes before your allegiance to the Ochre Ogre. (It’s ok…we know it already.)

Over 700 classified pages….each one carries 5-15 years in prison.

Traitors - “nothing burger”

BTW- turns out records prove that Barr NEVER considered the charges against Trump when he publicly exonerated him, didn’t even read the evidence, just said “nope, not prosecuting”.
The secret memo he tried to hide even from the judge determining if it could be kept secret says clearly that Barr needs to make a statement and not release the full report because it clearly implies/shows the president committed obstruction. This was Barr’s legal team telling him there are legitimate legal charges in the report, and he needs to obstruct the courts and public from seeing them.
At least 10 instances listed in the unredacted Mueller report of Trump obstructing justice that Barr covered up.
That is an underlying crime Barr insisted didn’t exist.
He may be facing obstruction charges too. Likely about to be disbarred, after courts determined he outright lied about the Mueller report. Gonna be great to have an administration reunion in the yard at Levenworth. Everyone will be there.

Edit: aren’t you going to tell us how awful student debt relief is? What a travesty it is to exclude millionaires from getting $10-$20k back in the pocketbooks of those struggling with crushing school debt, some to horrific for profit “schools” like Trump’s totally fraudulent “school” scam? Don’t you need to scream “SOCIALISM!!!”?

No? *crickets*? Isn’t this sending the message that you can just walk away from debt you contracted to pay back? Isn’t it the hard left swing deep into socialist communism that will destroy western civilization? I’m begging you, take the bait and talk shit like the rest of the extreme right…I double dog dare you.

@newtboy,

And it’s in the origins that I think our disagreement lies. It’s convenient for both the Arab and western worlds to agree that Israel owes it’s existence as a state to Western powers gifting palestine to them as ‘reparations’. That it’s convenient for both parties though is about as far as the truth of it really goes.

As a realist, I don’t see anything going much differently if the west had opposed Jewish settlement in Palestine at the time. The Jewish people were fleeing the anticipated holocaust. In the aftermath of the actual holocaust, it was their own actions of settling in Palestine, and defending themselves once there that made them a state. Nobody gave it to them, they fought and bled for it themselves.

The closest interference of Britain came in trying to wash their hands of Palestine and declaring a 2 state solution, with borders drawn around the territory in Palestine currently occupied by Jewish and Arab populations. I still hold the key to the ongoing problems are not Israel’s declaration of independence accepting that 2 state solution, but instead the entire arab world’s declaration of war on them and intention to drive them “into the sea”. A declaration like that 3 years after the holocaust, towards a population made up largely of holocaust survivors deserves condemnation. I an’t side with the notion that in that conflict, and the immigration leasing up to it, that the European Jewish refugees are the bad guys and aggressors…

The level of education and discernment of the average westerner in general is really depressing.

Well put. But what's the % of Western (or the whole World in general except the Middle Eastern region) population who can make the distinction? It's really depressing.

Here in Canada, IMO the political landscape is very much the same as in the US. It is firmly drilled into people's mind that anyone criticizing the government of Israel's constant harrasement, military action, and land grabs in Palestinian territories are automatically branded as Anti-semitism by the likes of the JDOs (Jewish Defense Organizations). There are many legit Anti-Semitism incidents in Canada that need to be condemned, true, but there are also real over-reaction and subpression of objective opinions by the JDOs. These "false branding" hurts people's lives. And we almost NEVER hear the word Zionist (or anti-Zionist) in the media, mostly isolated to academic circles only.

Nobody would be offended hearing someone criticize any country's policy and military incursion (say, you don't like Trump/Biden? No one will say you're anti-American), but any negative comment involving Israel? Damn it boy, you're begging for trouble. As if Isreal, Likud, Netanyahu and the Jewish people are one and the same. Criticize one, you criticize all. But why is that? What makes Isreal, above all other countries, well above any reproach?

Now, I'm not pro- or anti-Semite nor pro- or anti-Zionist. Such generalised sentiment is wrong to me. I'm just pro-peace, the history of that land is way too complex and the blood spilled between its peoples ran for generations and gone on for centuries. It's unrealistic for any leaders to settle anything between their peoples in a political term or two (and not even factoring outside influences that DON'T want them to settle). There are too many hate and zero trust between the peoples right now. Just let peace reigns for a decade then it'll be time to talk settlement of statehood. Give Isrealites & Palestinians some peaoce & prosperity first. Everyone, including the media, politicians inside and outside of that land, the UN, etc. just need to recognize that and not be just so lopsided in their support.

ANY government?!

Eh, whatever about the rest of that work of fiction you posted... you do realise that pretty much the entire western world goes far beyond gun registration and confiscation, and have done for the past hundred years or so, don't you?

I haven't noticed any tyranny, subjugation, slavery, or mass slaughter of the non-elite class, around here, unless you count over-the-top American globalist capitalism worming its way into our power structures.

I suppose since you don't bother to look outside your bubble how can we expect you to look outside your borders.

I don't believe this was ever about taking Ukraine with the Russian military. I believe this is about destroying Ukraine and squeezing Europe's energy-dependent balls until the EU cracks under the economic pressure caused by the sanctions. This is already happening with Germany whimpering to Daddy Vladdy for all that precious, precious oil and gas. "Oh, we gave Zelensky a billion euros!"; yeah, and you gave Putin 25x that in oil/gas purchases.

The mealy-mouthing and dissembling has already begun, most shamefully from the New York Times, who is calling for Ukraine to make "hard choices". "This isn't capitulation" -- fuck you NYT, yes it is.

I had honest hopes that the western powers would show some spine and resolve, but as soon at their economies started to feel a little pain, the number of fucks given for Ukrainian lives went to zero. Russian is going to rape and murder its way from Odessa to the Belarus border until the western powers figure out some way to make it all Zelensky's fault or force him to cede massive amounts of Ukrainian territory before any real economic pain felt.

The worst part is that Finland and Sweden are going to be granted NATO membership, but Ukraine still is denied. Why are these two the hills NATO is willing to die on and Ukraine not? If NATO isn't willing to risk nuclear war over Ukraine, what happens when the tip of a single Russian boot touches Finnish soil? What happens when Finland then calls for Article 5 and the rest of NATO suddenly realizes shit just got real? What happens when it's time to shit or get off the pot; put up or shut up? Either NATO charges into the teeth of a potential nuclear war, or NATO is shown to be a paper tiger. If someone sees a middle ground, I'm interested in hearing it.

(Incidentally, NATO's Article 5 is pretty porous. A-5 doesn't say every NATO nation commits whatever forces are deemed necessary by the whole to defend against an aggressor. Instead, it says that in the event of A-5 coming into play, each member will take "such action as [the member state] deems necessary, including the use of armed force, to restore and maintain the security of the North Atlantic area."

Notice the whole 'each member' and 'deems necessary'? Yeah, to quote a popular movie 'I don't think this mutual defense pact means what you think it does'.)

If you haven't seen it , this doc may interest you.

"Ukraine on Fire"

Across its eastern border is Russia and to its west-Europe. For centuries, it has been at the center of a tug-of-war between powers seeking to control its rich lands and access to the Black Sea. 2014's Maidan Massacre triggered a bloody uprising that ousted president Viktor Yanukovych and painted Russia as the perpetrator by Western media. But was it? "Ukraine on Fire" by Igor Lopatonok provides a historical perspective for the deep divisions in the region which lead to the 2004 Orange Revolution, 2014 uprisings, and the violent overthrow of democratically elected Yanukovych. Covered by Western media as a people's revolution, it was in fact a coup d'état scripted and staged by nationalist groups and the U.S. State Department. Investigative journalist Robert Parry reveals how U.S.-funded political NGOs and media companies have emerged since the 80s replacing the CIA in promoting America's geopolitical agenda abroad.

Can watch here if interested https://youtu.be/fCWBRg6_VsM

western conservatism has been morally, ethically, and logically bankrupt for 50+ years.

I wonder actually...
He is such a narcissist maybe it does hurt.
Mostly I just forgot to press the sarcasm button.

What does he care about? Because his legacy project for Mother Russia looks like it is backfiring. His own legacy is also about to go down the drain. It will be difficult for his western friends to remain his friends, just like that pedophile whatshisname that was friends with everyone but no one will admit it now.

Putin broke his own treaty, his word, sent his soldiers into a sovereign country where everyone speaks russian. Some of those soldiers dont know where they are and what they are doing there, have no gas and no food after 4 days. He is lying to his own people and censoring information. Some legacy.

Unfortunately no one in the USofA gives much of a shit, but maybe Europe can get its act together based on this shitstorm.

Trump didn't start any wars yet Biden was instrumental in conflicts like Syria and Libya that killed and displaced millions, both Russian allies.

Not only that Biden had a hand in the 2014 coup in Ukraine where a democratically elected Russian friendly leader was ousted with backing from the Western powers.

Now in response Putin may have overstepped in Ukraine, and painted in to a corner he'll make the people of Ukraine suffer for it.

Biden's foreign policy is an immature black and white version of the world that despite the rhetoric leads to the results no one wanted.

Oh no @bobknight33….Joe’s leadership in NATO, which Trump wanted us out of and wanted destroyed as capitulation to Putin, is surprising the Russians and giving the Russians serious pause.


Lavrov conceded NATOs unity, advising Putin that at this past weekend’s Munich security conference “every western representative declared their absolute commitment to a unified approach,” which “confirmed that we need to negotiate with Washington.”

This unity was created by Joe, who’s spent days/weeks/months cajoling members into that unified front. When did Russia ever negotiate with Trump? A: never, he never made them negotiate, he simply gave in to every wish and ignored every crime.

@newtboy,

??? How exactly do you figure cancellation of a billion dollar project is no where near the economic cost of blocking a border crossing for awhile at similar cost???

I'll tell you what the difference in Canada is, the dollars lost from the pipeline were being lost in Alberta, the dollars lost from the convoy were in Ontario. In Canada we've got a pretty sad history of if it happens to western provinces, it doesn't matter. Much like the urban/rural divide in the US. The response is pretty similar as well, the urban side just laughs at the loss of the stupid backwards country folk. When the same thing hits them though it's a national emergency.

I've tried pointing out costs and your just rejecting them out of hand , while whole hog accepting the highest estimates for the convoy cost as gospel truth. Like the literally a company walking from a multi-billion dollar project and you insist that's nothing and the days the border was blockaded clearly must have cost more...


For years now I've insisted that illegal blockades of worksites, job sites or trade routes should be met with prompt arrests and re-opening of the route/site.

Until January of this year, the entirety of the Liberal minded half of my country(Ottawa centric) called that authoritarian, repressive and were against the notion. Now I find myself in a weird spot, as suddenly that same crowd DOES want that action and more to be taken promptly. And the conservative crowd that agreed with me before is now kinda walking things back.

Yeah, the crutch of it for me is the UBI moniker.

What you describe at the end of your post, minimum income, is really just a rewording of the existing social security and welfare systems across the western world. I know they look different in each, but here in Canada what you describe is more or less our already existing system's design goal. Welfare money exists for those that straight up can not work, and an employment insurance system exists to protect those inbetween jobs, meanwhile other multiple programs are aimed at distributing financial assistance to the lower income groups.

Despite all of that already existing, UBI is still being heralded up here in trials as well as a replacement. The problem being that for the needy the UBI pitches are generally a step backwards.

Eg. $500/month is the UBI pitch, and they say it'll be great because everyone gets it no matter what so it's simple and fair and nobody is left behind. The trouble though is that the reality is the truly in need people were already benefitting more than the $500/month under the existing systems, and the cost was much less because it was targeted.

I here UBI and get very worried about folks just selling snake oil 'solutions' that in the end are just a demand to adopt their own particular flavor of wealth redistribution.