Thanks so much, Adam, for sharing all your knowledge and wisdom about these important issues, in a way that is easy to understand. As an Army vet who served during the Cold War and was trained as a Russian linguist, aid to Ukraine, should be a top priority of our government. The fact that it isn’t just makes me furious. Please let those of us in the “choir” know how we can help to bring about change. ~ Sue Ruggero Kohler
Thanks for letting me know! I was at DLI in 76-77. My late husband, Al, was a Czech & Russian linguist who was stationed in Rimbach Germany, then taught at Goodfellow, where we met!
This was well done and said. I agree with the separation of Ukraine support package but ..... we need to start working on the border issue. I have thought, from the beginning, that the Democrats should let the republicans own the border issue politically, as you suggested. What was new to me was the military equipment replacement and how we account for it. That should be made as public as possible.
Thanks for taking your time to produce this. It's really good to here some reality and practically from a politician.
Biden talks to Romney - if you don't have a personal channel, get this thought expressed thru him - or Nancy! I agree it would help Americans who want the aid anywsy - and calling out every congressman whose districts benefit from buying the replacement systems.
Regarding impeachment of Joe Biden, I "love" (not really) Speaker Johnson's recent remarks:
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Johnson attempted to contrast the Democrats' "sham" impeachments of former President Donald Trump with that against Biden, saying that Republicans were committed to the rule of law.
"We have no choice but to fulfill our constitutional responsibility. We have to take the next step. We're not making a political decision. It's not. It's a legal decision," Johnson said at the House Republican Conference press conference, per Fox News.
NOT holding my breath. Gawd, this is exhausting. Can we stop this crap? We have no choice we MUST. Thanks for the info. Gee why do the Repubs want Hunter's testimony behind closed doors? THAT is a rhetorical question. There is NOTHING they can ask in a deposition they can't ask in an open inquiry. IF they would stop bloviating and preening for CSPAN and actually ask a question and let it be answered, we could get the information Hunter has to offer.
Lots of good stuff on this podcast. May it reach a wide audience.
Have you read the book John McCain raced to publish just before he died? It's called "The Restless Wave", a cheesy title for sure but it makes up for that with wisdom, experience, and virtue. Probably the topic to which he gives most attention is Ukraine. But he also discusses his efforts to get comprehensive immigration reform passed in (I think) 2006 and again in 2013. Both times, painstaking work leads to bipartisan compromise that is ultimately torpedoed by right-wingers (especially media figures) repeating the word "amnesty" over and over again... as if amnesty were somehow a wicked idea (and as if the compromises really counted as amnesty in the first place).
Now those voices have a lot more power. It's hard to believe they are sincere about their specific demands for the border. I don't think it's ever really been about the border, or immigration more broadly. It's about rage and dominance and the exploitation thereof. The "wall" isn't meant to solve any problems. It's meant to scream "go to hell" in a way that's visible from space.
As for the trafficking, the more we militarize the border, the harder it becomes to cross and the more willing people will be to pay for help doing so, setting themselves up for exploitation. The answer cannot just come from force alone, even if force is the only method simple enough for Donald Trump to understand.
Thank you for explaining to folks in simple terms what Presidential drawdown actually is. I have been asked far too many times to explain it. You do it better, and you have the reach to do it right.
Thank you, Adam. A very thought provoking podcast and one that has the big issues of the day. I agree with your assessment of Hunter Bidens statements today. I have family members who are now sober and know how hard it is. Addiction is a powerful force and not easy to get through. He was in DC and made himself available, of course it’s not what Jim Jordan wanted. The GOP wants it behind closed doors so they can spin it any way they want. Biden’s impeachment is such a joke, it’s tit for tat. Ukraine is sadly being screwed by the GOP. They need to wake up, get their shit together approve the aid that they need. The GOP is really trying to get to all time lows. Very sad.
I looked it up. Hopefully this helps: Exporting a video from Riverside involves a few key steps. After your recording session, you can access your recordings by navigating to your dashboard and selecting the studio where your recording is stored. Look for the recording session you wish to export. Riverside offers a variety of export options, allowing you to choose from different video and audio-only formats, and you can select the resolution and format that best suits your needs. If necessary, you can also utilize Riverside's editing tools to make any required adjustments or combine multiple tracks. Once you're satisfied with the final version, you can proceed to export and download the file. The process involves the file being processed by Riverside, after which it becomes available for download to your local storage. Additionally, depending on your subscription level, there might be options to directly upload the final product to platforms like YouTube or integrate with other editing software. This flexibility in exporting and editing ensures that your final video meets your desired specifications and is ready for use or distribution.
This was, as usual, a great talk. (Sorry I can‘t give you any tech tips on how to get your video going--I‘m basically a Luddite.) I always find it particularly beneficial to get your inside scoop on what is happening behind the scenes and why; your explanation of defense funding and foreign aid was particularly helpful to me in understanding why Biden is doing what he‘s doing (and also explains in part why there is bipartisan support for Ukraine aid). This also illuminates the ridiculousness of the Freedom Caucus position on aid conditioned on border policy changes. Incidentally, while I was listening to your podcast I got a phone call from Mike Johnson asking for my „prayers“ and my money--I hung up before I was tempted to scream into the phone about his failure to fund Ukraine aid. Ah well, opportunity missed I guess. Thanks again. Looking forward to pics with Santa.
Today I wrote President Biden, as I have a few times before. He won't read it, but someone will.
1) Get the F-16s to the front as soon as possible! They can rip the bloody hell out of Russian defenses and troops. (paraphrased last sentence).
2) Threaten Netanyahu with stopping US aid if he doesn't agree to consideration of a Palestinian state. Impoverished and oppressed people support or at least don't resist terrorism because it's a last resort - nothing to lose. You cannot stop terrorism without addressing the fundamental issues of poverty and oppression.
3) Get teams on the ground, on the air, and on TV to interact with Latinos or you're going to lose that vote.
4) You have to deal with the border issue! I've lived in the East, Midwest and West. Easterners feel unaffected by the border; for Westerners it's visceral. I blame Congress for not enacting a route to citizenship; without Congress passing sensible immigration laws it will grow and fester
I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat; I will not live under a dictator, and T has clearly stated that's what he will be. You know, only one day, but then it's Tue, W, Th, Oh no? Am I still a dictator? I don't know how that happened. We are at a critical juncture; if we do not provide continued aid to Ukraine, Russia will win a war of attrition, and continue east, and we will have no choice, but to fight that war with US Troops. Write you Congressman!
Write your Senator! Let them know in no uncertain terms they are flushing the US and it's reputation (fading) of reliable ally down the toilet and we will all be paying in a much bigger way than they can possibly imagine!!!
Thanks Adam. Great stuff. Sent it to some who have no clue. But also sent it to a friend of mine whose dad is 96 and a very knowledgeable about history. I am sure he will enjoy it . Die hard democrat and thinks the world of you for what you did with Jan 6.
John McCain had some great videos on Ukraine and Russian aggression. Look them up. There is 2 reasons the Ukrainian conflict will never go nuclear: One, Xi said "don't" (so did Biden) And more importantly two: Putin is a gangster. And gangsters are easy to understand. They care only about their own skin and power. He cares nothing about people. Russian or otherwise. McCain tried to tell us. We should have listened in 2014.
I think today's message is outstanding, especially the segment on Ukraine and the parallels with the run up to WWII. Since high school, I have read extensively about this time periodl, so for more than 50 years. The similarities are terrifying, including how the U.S. seems willing to turn its back at the crucial juncture. I fully agree that, if we take this road, our allies will ultimately abandon us.
Thanks also for the very clear explanation about exactly what the U.S. is giving Ukraine in the form of military aid. I suspect most Americans think we are handing over a bunch of cash as opposed to old equipment that we are ready to junk. I know people who object to supporting Ukraine because they say it's "a corrupt country." Ugh!
Anyway, please keep up the good work that you are doing.
Thank you so much about the short introduction to how USAID works. And addressing the Impeachment. As far as getting worn out? Yes. But finding time to decompress. Reading longer pieces and staying away from click bait. Leaving the trolls alone to spin and refusing to let them feed off me. Really feeling hopeful. Grateful for being a part of a group of people from different political alignments acknowledging we need to come together to win.
Thanks so much, Adam, for sharing all your knowledge and wisdom about these important issues, in a way that is easy to understand. As an Army vet who served during the Cold War and was trained as a Russian linguist, aid to Ukraine, should be a top priority of our government. The fact that it isn’t just makes me furious. Please let those of us in the “choir” know how we can help to bring about change. ~ Sue Ruggero Kohler
Makes me angry beyond belief. Thanks for serving my friend
Fellow DLI grad here. German linguist who served in Berlin 84-87!
Thanks for letting me know! I was at DLI in 76-77. My late husband, Al, was a Czech & Russian linguist who was stationed in Rimbach Germany, then taught at Goodfellow, where we met!
I was at DLI 82-83.
Devine is my maiden name. My husband is retired air force and we used to live in Germany
Where in Germany, Kimberlie? PS: I’m originally from Pittsburgh.
This was well done and said. I agree with the separation of Ukraine support package but ..... we need to start working on the border issue. I have thought, from the beginning, that the Democrats should let the republicans own the border issue politically, as you suggested. What was new to me was the military equipment replacement and how we account for it. That should be made as public as possible.
Thanks for taking your time to produce this. It's really good to here some reality and practically from a politician.
with respect.
Scott
Thanks. I wish the BIden admin would explain how aid works. Would def help
Biden talks to Romney - if you don't have a personal channel, get this thought expressed thru him - or Nancy! I agree it would help Americans who want the aid anywsy - and calling out every congressman whose districts benefit from buying the replacement systems.
We need Civics Education on a lot of subjects! Thanks for all you are doing.
Regarding impeachment of Joe Biden, I "love" (not really) Speaker Johnson's recent remarks:
Speaking with reporters on Tuesday, Johnson attempted to contrast the Democrats' "sham" impeachments of former President Donald Trump with that against Biden, saying that Republicans were committed to the rule of law.
"We have no choice but to fulfill our constitutional responsibility. We have to take the next step. We're not making a political decision. It's not. It's a legal decision," Johnson said at the House Republican Conference press conference, per Fox News.
Insane especially from them
I saw that too and on Meet the Press the guest panel tore his statements apart labeling him a hypocrite. What a bunch of jokers.
this Biden impeachment is ridiculous...and purely political nonsense from the GOP...will the madness ever stop???
I sure hope so
NOT holding my breath. Gawd, this is exhausting. Can we stop this crap? We have no choice we MUST. Thanks for the info. Gee why do the Repubs want Hunter's testimony behind closed doors? THAT is a rhetorical question. There is NOTHING they can ask in a deposition they can't ask in an open inquiry. IF they would stop bloviating and preening for CSPAN and actually ask a question and let it be answered, we could get the information Hunter has to offer.
Excellent explanations and insight. Very informative. Thank you for doing this.
Thanks!
Lots of good stuff on this podcast. May it reach a wide audience.
Have you read the book John McCain raced to publish just before he died? It's called "The Restless Wave", a cheesy title for sure but it makes up for that with wisdom, experience, and virtue. Probably the topic to which he gives most attention is Ukraine. But he also discusses his efforts to get comprehensive immigration reform passed in (I think) 2006 and again in 2013. Both times, painstaking work leads to bipartisan compromise that is ultimately torpedoed by right-wingers (especially media figures) repeating the word "amnesty" over and over again... as if amnesty were somehow a wicked idea (and as if the compromises really counted as amnesty in the first place).
Now those voices have a lot more power. It's hard to believe they are sincere about their specific demands for the border. I don't think it's ever really been about the border, or immigration more broadly. It's about rage and dominance and the exploitation thereof. The "wall" isn't meant to solve any problems. It's meant to scream "go to hell" in a way that's visible from space.
As for the trafficking, the more we militarize the border, the harder it becomes to cross and the more willing people will be to pay for help doing so, setting themselves up for exploitation. The answer cannot just come from force alone, even if force is the only method simple enough for Donald Trump to understand.
Thank you for explaining to folks in simple terms what Presidential drawdown actually is. I have been asked far too many times to explain it. You do it better, and you have the reach to do it right.
Thanks. I wish more people would hear and explain that
I will be reposting it, attributed to you, as you say it well. I always end up into the documentation and technical end of everything that I discuss.
And I still think that you would be a better POTUS than any of the current candidates in any party.
Thank you, Adam. A very thought provoking podcast and one that has the big issues of the day. I agree with your assessment of Hunter Bidens statements today. I have family members who are now sober and know how hard it is. Addiction is a powerful force and not easy to get through. He was in DC and made himself available, of course it’s not what Jim Jordan wanted. The GOP wants it behind closed doors so they can spin it any way they want. Biden’s impeachment is such a joke, it’s tit for tat. Ukraine is sadly being screwed by the GOP. They need to wake up, get their shit together approve the aid that they need. The GOP is really trying to get to all time lows. Very sad.
extremely sad. Politics is temporary but this has permanent real impacts on real lives
I looked it up. Hopefully this helps: Exporting a video from Riverside involves a few key steps. After your recording session, you can access your recordings by navigating to your dashboard and selecting the studio where your recording is stored. Look for the recording session you wish to export. Riverside offers a variety of export options, allowing you to choose from different video and audio-only formats, and you can select the resolution and format that best suits your needs. If necessary, you can also utilize Riverside's editing tools to make any required adjustments or combine multiple tracks. Once you're satisfied with the final version, you can proceed to export and download the file. The process involves the file being processed by Riverside, after which it becomes available for download to your local storage. Additionally, depending on your subscription level, there might be options to directly upload the final product to platforms like YouTube or integrate with other editing software. This flexibility in exporting and editing ensures that your final video meets your desired specifications and is ready for use or distribution.
Ok great thanks! Next time…
I need tech support full time!
This was, as usual, a great talk. (Sorry I can‘t give you any tech tips on how to get your video going--I‘m basically a Luddite.) I always find it particularly beneficial to get your inside scoop on what is happening behind the scenes and why; your explanation of defense funding and foreign aid was particularly helpful to me in understanding why Biden is doing what he‘s doing (and also explains in part why there is bipartisan support for Ukraine aid). This also illuminates the ridiculousness of the Freedom Caucus position on aid conditioned on border policy changes. Incidentally, while I was listening to your podcast I got a phone call from Mike Johnson asking for my „prayers“ and my money--I hung up before I was tempted to scream into the phone about his failure to fund Ukraine aid. Ah well, opportunity missed I guess. Thanks again. Looking forward to pics with Santa.
Hanging up was a good start!
Today I wrote President Biden, as I have a few times before. He won't read it, but someone will.
1) Get the F-16s to the front as soon as possible! They can rip the bloody hell out of Russian defenses and troops. (paraphrased last sentence).
2) Threaten Netanyahu with stopping US aid if he doesn't agree to consideration of a Palestinian state. Impoverished and oppressed people support or at least don't resist terrorism because it's a last resort - nothing to lose. You cannot stop terrorism without addressing the fundamental issues of poverty and oppression.
3) Get teams on the ground, on the air, and on TV to interact with Latinos or you're going to lose that vote.
4) You have to deal with the border issue! I've lived in the East, Midwest and West. Easterners feel unaffected by the border; for Westerners it's visceral. I blame Congress for not enacting a route to citizenship; without Congress passing sensible immigration laws it will grow and fester
I am neither a Republican nor a Democrat; I will not live under a dictator, and T has clearly stated that's what he will be. You know, only one day, but then it's Tue, W, Th, Oh no? Am I still a dictator? I don't know how that happened. We are at a critical juncture; if we do not provide continued aid to Ukraine, Russia will win a war of attrition, and continue east, and we will have no choice, but to fight that war with US Troops. Write you Congressman!
Write your Senator! Let them know in no uncertain terms they are flushing the US and it's reputation (fading) of reliable ally down the toilet and we will all be paying in a much bigger way than they can possibly imagine!!!
Thanks Adam. Great stuff. Sent it to some who have no clue. But also sent it to a friend of mine whose dad is 96 and a very knowledgeable about history. I am sure he will enjoy it . Die hard democrat and thinks the world of you for what you did with Jan 6.
Great podcast!
Thanks!
John McCain had some great videos on Ukraine and Russian aggression. Look them up. There is 2 reasons the Ukrainian conflict will never go nuclear: One, Xi said "don't" (so did Biden) And more importantly two: Putin is a gangster. And gangsters are easy to understand. They care only about their own skin and power. He cares nothing about people. Russian or otherwise. McCain tried to tell us. We should have listened in 2014.
I think today's message is outstanding, especially the segment on Ukraine and the parallels with the run up to WWII. Since high school, I have read extensively about this time periodl, so for more than 50 years. The similarities are terrifying, including how the U.S. seems willing to turn its back at the crucial juncture. I fully agree that, if we take this road, our allies will ultimately abandon us.
Thanks also for the very clear explanation about exactly what the U.S. is giving Ukraine in the form of military aid. I suspect most Americans think we are handing over a bunch of cash as opposed to old equipment that we are ready to junk. I know people who object to supporting Ukraine because they say it's "a corrupt country." Ugh!
Anyway, please keep up the good work that you are doing.
Thank you so much about the short introduction to how USAID works. And addressing the Impeachment. As far as getting worn out? Yes. But finding time to decompress. Reading longer pieces and staying away from click bait. Leaving the trolls alone to spin and refusing to let them feed off me. Really feeling hopeful. Grateful for being a part of a group of people from different political alignments acknowledging we need to come together to win.