Mark Levin is smokin!

[ScottW]

He did a long monologue on the opposition to support for Ukraine in the war.
While not calling out anyone specifically by name, he shredded Tucker.

It was a great monologue IMO and pointed out in great detail that this debate with all the false accusations from both sides from being pro-Putin to anti-American is not a partisan argument. It's not even a left vs right ideological argument. It's more a pacifist versus the non-pacifists.
Regardless, Levin is very pro support for Ukraine and read off a long litany of threats from Putin and his henchmen like Medvedev which makes the need to defeat Russian aggression crystal clear.

Is there a schism in the Republican party? Clearly. But I think that is largely in opposition to Biden. My own opposition to Joe is he has been too slow in providing assistance which is clearly different than Trump or even DeSantis right now. Niki Haley caught my ear this week with a very pro Ukraine support speech and how slow Joe has been to provide much needed weaponry.
He's drawn so many redlines in the levels of our assistance only to eventually rescind them. And in some cases they're contradictory.
He approved the delivery of JDAMs and even JDAM-ER but Ukraine has few planes to deliver them. Slovakia's done more than we have on that front.
Their 13 aircraft may nearly double the operational planes Ukraine has that can deliver a JDAM-ER on Russian targets.

BTW, This goes all the way back to Obama who refused any lethal aide to Ukraine so dems have had their major changes in policy and attitude toward Ukraine.

ScottW

[Art Sackman]

I agree with everything you say except that the schism involves Biden.. I think it's an internal Republican
matter pitting neocons vs libertarian America Firsters. I am more of an America Firster, definitely not a neocon,
but I support Ukraine as it is i America's interest. Being an America Firster doesn't mean you
have to be an isolationist. Putting ourselves out into the world to promote our national interest is part of putting America first.

[ScottW]

You may be right but I have to take exception to forced into a neocon role if I support Ukraine.
I opposed the Afghan and Iraq wars as lacking merit and winnability.
Regardless, if the outcome of this war is still in question dependent upon US support, I'm going with
Niki over what I've heard from Ron or Don.

ScottW

[Art Sackman]

Although immensely important, Ukraine is not the primary issue.
The economy, the border, and insane wokism and gender obsessions top that.

[ScottW]

IYO, My feeling is the border has long lasting domestic impact while the rest are transitory
while Ukraine falling will have long lasting worldwide impact.

ScottW

[Art Sackman]

The loss of proper democratic elections, the poisoning of our children's minds, and the decay of
American cities due to wokism in police protection, homelessness and drug addiction are less transitory
than removing the sex organs of a thirteen year old nor just as easily reversed. The damage is done
and continue to accumulate even more, and has long term
consequences. In foreign affairs, our dealings with China are much more important than with Russia.
However, Ukraine falling is still important and long lasting.

But I'm not a one issue voter on that

[ScottW]

All are issues best handled at local levels.

> than removing the sex organs of a thirteen year old nor just as easily reversed.

Need congress to act on that....but also best handled at the state level.

> The damage is done
> and continue to accumulate even more, and has long term
> consequences. In foreign affairs, our dealings with China are much more important than with Russia.

I think what happens in Ukraine has direct impact on China's calculation re Taiwan.

ScottW

[Art Sackman]

These are problems affecting the entire country and need to be addressed in the national forum.
The border issues certainly are not local, nor is the prevalence of fentanyl that is smuggled
in from Mexico.

It is correct that standing with Ukraine will affect ChiCom thinking on Taiwan. Unfortunately, the
anti Ukraine Dems don't see that, though they still remain tough on China, otherwise.

The right, just a year ago, was touting American exceptionalism, and now it seems they are backing off.

But most disturbing is their cowering in fear of Russia using nukes.
Their solution seems to be to submit to Russian nuclear extortion.
What kind pf American exceptionalism is that,

[ScottW]

Not gonna happen.

> The border issues certainly are not local,

Wasn't in sentence I was responding to. At the rate Biden is going, he'll have all of Trumps
policies on migrants back in place before '24.
We pick our priorities. I have mine and you have yours. Right now I'm looking more at Niki
after her pro-Ukraine speech.
DeSantis comments are thin but he seems to have wimped badly calling it a territorial dispute.
That was f'in nuts.

ScottW

[Art Sackman]

Two days ago Sec Defense Austin proclaimed that DEI is the military's highest priority.
That means that readiness to combat China or any other enemies is not the miluatry's highest priority
DEI indoctrination is encased in all three military academies.

it impacts our ability to counter China more than our Ukraine policy influences it.
A broken military is a crucial flaw. With a dysfunctional and ill prepared military, it doesn't matter
what our Ukraine policy is. We can't have any effective policies with a broken military.

[mINE109]

On 3/22/23 2:13 PM, Art Sackman wrote:

> Two days ago Sec Defense Austin proclaimed that DEI is the military's highest priority.

This so blazingly unlikely I'm going to look this up.

https://news.yahoo.com/senator-grills-pentagon-six-figure-174545655.html

Looks like a Fox-adled Congressman says it, not Austin. I assume this is
the memo:

https://www.defense.gov/News/Releases/Release/Article/3316641/secretary-of-defense-lloyd-j-austin-iii-message-to-the-force/

> That means that readiness to combat China or any other enemies is not the miluatry's highest priority
> DEI indoctrination is encased in all three military academies.

Doesn't sound correct.

https://media.defense.gov/2023/Mar/02/2003171462/-1/-1/1/MESSAGE-TO-THE-FORCE.PDF

The first priority is: DEFEND THE NATION Prioritize China as the "Pacing
Challenge."

> it impacts our ability to counter China more than our Ukraine policy influences it.
> A broken military is a crucial flaw. With a dysfunctional and ill prepared military, it doesn't matter
> what our Ukraine policy is. We can't have any effective policies with a broken military.

https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/22/gop-accusations-of-wokeness-00088058

Leaders of the military branches are also preparing to use data to
combat congressional criticism on the issue. In detailed talking points
for a recent media event, obtained by POLITICO, “wokeness” was the first
bullet — and a lengthy section — under a list of the Army secretary’s
priority topics.

“The Army’s mission remains to fight and win the nation’s wars. At the
end of the day, to accomplish our mission we must build cohesive teams
founded on respect and acceptance,” the talking points state. “Nothing
in the Army’s personnel policies … are implemented to detract from that
mission. Data does not support such claims.”

Yes, data does not support such claims.

[Fascist Flea]

mINE109 wrote:
>
> Yes, data does not support such claims.
>

You are insufficiently obeisant to the primacy of religious faith.
You're going to Hell!

[ScottW]

That's nuts too.

> That means that readiness to combat China or any other enemies is not the miluatry's highest priority
> DEI indoctrination is encased in all three military academies.

I don't see us going to war with China for one simple reason. It will be a war in the South China Sea
and now and for the foreseeable future....we would lose that war.
And China knows it. Just as China would lose a war against us in the Gulf of Mexico or the Carribean Sea.
What they're trying to do is build a bunch of international relations
that would let them minimize damage by western sanctions.

>
> it impacts our ability to counter China more than our Ukraine policy influences it.
> A broken military is a crucial flaw. With a dysfunctional and ill prepared military, it doesn't matter
> what our Ukraine policy is. We can't have any effective policies with a broken military.

I don't think reversing DEI crap (which is nuts) in our military is going to fundamentally change
the military outcome of conflict with China over Taiwan. It's a war in their back yard that we
cannot win. Our military knows this and has been reporting the outcome of war games and simulations
for years. We lose. Only thing that has been changing is we lose faster.
So relying on our military to deter China when China knows it has the upper hand militarily is nuts too.

ScottW

[Art Sackman]

> > The loss of proper democratic elections, the poisoning of our children's minds, and the decay of
> > American cities due to wokism in police protection, homelessness and drug addiction are less transitory
> All are issues best handled at local levels.

They are NOT going to be handled at local levels. The localities where they are worst are the localities that
are least likely to address them. Its the local governments and school boards that are fueling this.
Portland, Seattle, Minneapolis, Philadelphia, NYC, San Francisco, Los Angeles

> > than removing the sex organs of a thirteen year old nor just as easily reversed.
> Need congress to act on that....but also best handled at the state level.
> > The damage is done
> > and continue to accumulate even more, and has long term
> > consequences. In foreign affairs, our dealings with China are much more important than with Russia.
> I think what happens in Ukraine has direct impact on China's calculation re Taiwan.

So does wokism in our military, and the devastating effect societal wokism has on the recruitment of young people
into the military.

[Fascist Flea]

Sackoo the Shmoo has discovered a bottomless pool of outrage juice.

>
> The loss of proper democratic elections, the poisoning of our

> children's minds, and the decay of American cities due to wokism ...

> removing the sex organs of a thirteen year old
>

You do realize those scenarios are all fantasies of your cabal's
leaders, don't you? None of them are the least bit real.

From over here in the dimension of reality, one might well wonder
why the devil you continue to bleat about those imaginary shibboleths.
Also, why you consistently attribute all of your irrational fears and fixations
to those whose politics scare the crap out of you - i.e. liberals, progressives,
and Democrats in general.

I think you need to increase your nap times. Either that or switch medications.

[Art Sackman]

Why do you accept a military weakened with DEI indoctrination? Imminent war or not, it
would be a detriment to preparedness. It also affects the recruiting pool.
We already have a problem with that.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/every-branch-us-military-struggling-meet-2022-recruiting-goals-officia-rcna35078

[ScottW]

I don't. But you want to argue that this is the game changer re China
and I think that's just plain stupid and ignorant of the reality of the
situation.
And stupidity of that magnitude is only going to get a lot of American's killed in a lost cause.

> Imminent war or not, it
> would be a detriment to preparedness. It also affects the recruiting pool.

I don't disagree with that. But I'm sticking to the reality of conflict with China DEI or not.

> We already have a problem with that.
> https://www.nbcnews.com/news/military/every-branch-us-military-struggling-meet-2022-recruiting-goals-officia-rcna35078

Yeah...that's not good....but I think the stupid wars in Iraq and worse, Afghanistan along with military pay scales that don't match
the current economy have a lot more to do with that than DEI BS.

https://www.todaysmilitary.com/careers-benefits/salary-compensation

Single out of HS...26-34K.

Anyway, successful recruiting won't change the outcome of a military conflict with China in the S. China sea. We still lose.

ScottW

[Fascist Flea]

It's so very dark inside the Caverns of Shmoo.

>
> Why do you accept a military weakened with DEI indoctrination?
>

Out here in the Real World, we don't swallow the horseshit disinformation
and propaganda that dominates your blathering. There is no such
thing as "DEI indoctrination", just as there is no such thing as CRT for
high-schoolers.

You should be asking YOURSELF why you accept brainwashing that serves
only to stoke your irrational fears and paranoia. As one of your movement's
(using the term advisedly) forebears once shrilled, Just Say No.