Kirk Gallaway

I'll go with that. I agree with you about Obama , particularly in some areas that many here don't know about. But in the U.S., the parties have pushed each other into their ideological corners, so while the Democrats with a big corporate funding base, they have a voter base emphasizing bread and butter issues in the midterms about keeping a safety net the R's want to cut drastically. Beyond culture wars, Issue wise the only people would vote Republican should be people making over half million a year and a handful of people who rationalize that they're trying to get their businesses off the ground. Still there's worldwide inflation, But no party can just turn that around. So in the midterms right now, that should only give the Dems continued control of the Senate but will probably lose the House. Some of it is a working class feeling of betrayal by Democrats, but given their alternatives. Some of it is just plain stupidity as the average American is not political and simply doesn't vote in their interest. maybe not the answer you were looking for? ...... Sorry "We're not sheep! We just have the exact same viewpoints as Fox News by coincidence! Now where's that Kool Aid?"

Hi Jean Paul, I was wondering why Matthew urged us to stop his European clip at 3:50. For the next minute or so they mentioned the stiff energy restrictions being enacted throughout Europe, and directly tie the cause to the War in Ukraine. Do you think this might be a stumbling to funding the war over the winter, that people won't be willing to put up with the hardships? It's interesting these days how the far right is using the far left for their talking points!

John, It sounds like your views are very hierarchic. Which is not to judge it, as maybe it's practical. But contrary to Putin's claims. Is Ukraine a sovereign nation with a right to determine it's own destiny? i say that because after you get out of the general indifference to Nato in Western Europe prior to this invasion, I found on a recent trip just 3 months ago that a general theme among people in Eastern Europe, Croatia Bosnia Herzgovina , and Montenegro is that the every person did not like Putin, was cheering for Ukraine and was just thankful Putin hadn't invaded them. So the aspirations of these countries to be closer to the West are dismissed because we want Putin to be happy and not invade? So they are just to be considered pawns in a greater geopolitical game, because that's the way it's always been? I'll agree with Ben that no one was planning to invade Russia. In fact the great migration of old Easter Bloc countries to Nato (10 countries) happened by 2004! Since then only 3 countries have joined Nato in the last 18 years! Putin never even made a public acknowledgment that anything was wrong until 2007. So this trumped up Russian Nationalism is just a last ditch effort, (assuming that Nato was weak) for Putin to salvage his name in Russian history. I'm disappointed that when Ben badgered you , you would feed Ben's conspiracies that in our all knowing American Exceptionalism Intelligence, we set up a trap for Putin to invade Ukraine. It's more of the same abnegating of Putin free will that we see from the followers of Trump. They never had a chance before the American "Deep state!! Right? Biden was true to his NATO agreements, and by law, he reaffirmed that Russia was in no direct threat of military intervention from the U.S. or Nato. I will remind people that even after a Russian troop buildup there were few political pundits, or influential people, like Oliver Stone who thought Putin would invade, as well as a few Putin apologists here on the forum, who said there was absolutely no way Putin was going to invade Ukraine! To assume the U.S. and Nato would take such such foolhardy gambles(while offering Zelensky a ride no less ?) that there wouldn't be great world economic fallout and displacement, which there's been! and they would never be caught and Ukraine would eventually win out, is a new realm of crazy but in fairness I have heard other foolhardy "low hanging fruit " on the JFKA side as well, so I guess it comes with the territory.

John, I really like the last conversation you and W. had and I wish there were more of them. I have seen one of Mearsheimer's talks at the beginning of the conflict. It looks like it could be this one. We definitely have people here who bring up the U.S. involvement in Ukraine in 2014, Russia's history , Nato expansion since the dissolution. Oliver Stone, a big favorite here, after interviewing Putin, was incensed enough to make a whole movie supporting Putin's "Ukraine Nazification" claims to provide some context for his eventual invasion, which I saw. I don't have an hour and a quarter to cite where I may disagree with him. But i thought he was well spoken and his tone was moderate.

What are you taking offense at here? Whenever your challenged in any detail, you answer in short, glib responses. The conversations never grow or get anywhere, and you act hurt that anyone would dare challenge you. By the sheer volume of your posts , you're obsessed with demonizing HRC, Liz Cheney and Pelosi. What is this problem you have with assertive women? Give me an example of a woman you admire? In 2 years, I've never heard one example. Let me give you an example of your hypocrisy. You were the foremost China hawk here, which was fine with me.You were always attacking Nancy Pelosi as being the globalist instrument of the CCP. Then Pelosi goes to Taiwan, and you do an about face and accuse her of trying to score points solely to make some commentary on "new age women's assertiveness". Or were you just embarrassed that she showed more balls and has steadier conviction than you? You're certainly more impossible than any date I've had. heh heh Since you also did an about face from the Ukraine super hawk position. Why shouldn't we question someone whose emotions just change with the wind?

Ben: Some suspect Russia was lured into Ukraine, to enter a stalemate, that would either weaken Russia dramatically, or would lead to regime change. Neo-con, neo-lib type thinking. Probably HRC is chortling away, now re-reading Curtis LeMay manuscripts. For sure, this was not Germany's idea, but perhaps Poland's, the US-Deep State and Great Britain's. Some suspect? That sounds like more "conspiracy woke" talk that will never be revealed as true, and for that reason will be seen as more fodder to them as to the inscrutability of the "deep state." No one can talk with any certainty about regime change. All contingencies are being considered as they arise. Why is that unbelievable? Actually Ben from Thailand, we in the U.S. are not a monarchy. HRC holds no political position now in the U.S. and is completely powerless to effect Ukraine policy, so why is she even mentioned? The people in the U.S. running this show we're never as bellicose and warmongering as you at the start of this conflict,Ben. They played it much more cooly, and they've actually managed the PR quite well, granted with small Biden gaffes that haven't amounted to much. I understand you're not an advocate of TR's "speak softly". I mention this only as an example of what not to do. Ben:Biden/NATO are flatfooted? Seems so. No new plans, no initiatives, no means to deliver some real losses to Russians. Biden may not be a Putin-stooge, but the results are the same. But the US invents reasons to not enforce a No Fly Zone in Ukraine, bowing to Putin threats. I happen to be hawkish on Ukraine, and would prefer going to No Fly Zones. I now advocate a No Fly Zone for Ukraine, and possibly even NATO boots on the ground. Times change and so yes, I have moved to a more-hawkish position on Ukraine. **** Ben: It does appear Biden bungled matters, by offering Zelensky a ride instead of guns. How did Biden bungle it? There's absolutely nothing unconventional about this. Biden offered Zelensky exile at the beginning, Then offered them arms when they expressed resolve to fight. When they made a go of it, they gave them more. Now that they're taking back land, they're giving them more weapon systems , but not everything they want. Biden's gradual escalation pretty much mirrors public sentiment. No Americans coming home in body bags, which has been pretty much the Democrat policy for 50 years actually. All the while Biden has been able to adjoin a NATO alliance no one, particularly Putin thought was possible at the beginning. Though it faces it's first big test with European fuel shortages this winter. People can disagree that we shouldn't have gotten involved, but the sentiment now, is that it is a cautious success. It's been handled so well, at this point we have to consider the problem of the dangers of too much success, which is actually the subject the article deals with. What's critical to know. Which no one really seems to know, is how is power structured in Putin's Russia? Doug's article talks that Putin has further isolated himself that now he's now under the greater influence of right wingers, and is as unpredictable as ever, and thinks the everyday people will by in large go with their historic fears of invasion from the East and hunker down as the did in WW2. He says times are more dangerous and the U.S. has to balance their approach with more diplomacy, but he doesn't really offer any tradeoffs or possible solutions. There is probably a critical moment to be seized to maximum advantage. It doesn't seem immediately, and I'm not sure we will when it arises, but it would seem to me, the current episode involves watching to see what success Ukraine has in regaining territory, at least before the winter, which is true, could be dangerous. JMO

Of course, I'd like to hear more specific details about her reaction. But wherever you stand on Ruth Paine, she's had to deal with this for almost 60 years. She's resigned to the fact that people are going to think whatever they think. If you don't see her as sinister, a certain resignation, when you're 90 years old, is a healthy thing.

Real world hint that is badly needed: Yeah our deep state has the infinite power to dupe everyone, including Trump and take away all their free will to act on their own. So we may as well pardon them all! They never had a chance anyway! I get it.They can do everything with impunity.They'll get away with everything and no one will ever be able to trace them just as they did with bombing the Russian pipeline. So they never have any fear of being caught. The biggest scam they're successfully perpetuating is that very fact. Schumer's "Six ways to Sunday," CIA comment is meant to perpetuate this myth of American Exceptionalism that our intelligence is like our country itself, far superior than anywhere else. And the CIA is the crown jewel with the historic naughty reputation that sends shivers through the rest of the world. Of course, even here on a JFKA forum this thinking is is very prevalent also. Which is to be expected, as many assume government agencies were part of a plot to kill a standing President, and they've gotten way with it! However i think the broadening of the conspiracy is because the government decided a conscious course of action,and decided not to pursue leads and cover up and suppressed the truth from it's citizens. As a U.S., citizen, for me it's an interesting phenomena to see here how foreigners buy the American Exceptionalism idea here more often than Americans themselves, that literally the U.S. could brazenly do the most sinister plots, absolutely anything on the world scene and get away with it. Many, though by no means all people from across the pond are willing to believe that, and interestingly people who once lived here but now live abroad like Ben. That includes Canada and of course Jeff and Len O. Of course in those cases, there is this natural inferiority complex of the great superpower U.S. "Superman." that's been going on all their lives. It seems the author's here buy into it also, though there's some I suspect who have their own views about the current dangers of the government "deep state", but don't want to be involved in speculating. Which is fine. As evidenced by your comments, The myth of American Exceptionalism wins hands down, throughout the world, without even firing a shot! Tell your friends

Real world hint: Re: Tim Poole, You know he's a bore when he expects you to buy the perpetual ski cap. Maybe these tough talking guys at the Capitol will like a boring existence in jail.

Ben said: Biden/NATO are flatfooted? Seems so. No new plans, no initiatives, no means to deliver some real losses to Russians. Biden may not be a Putin-stooge, but the results are the same. But the US invents reasons to not enforce a No Fly Zone in Ukraine, bowing to Putin threats. I happen to be hawkish on Ukraine, and would prefer going to No Fly Zones. I now advocate a No Fly Zone for Ukraine, and possibly even NATO boots on the ground. Times change and so yes, I have moved to a more-hawkish position on Ukraine. It's your sheer repetition Ben. This is probably the 4th time you've mentioned Shumer's comment over the last year. And then the Biden fist bump 5 times, then the Democrats love Bush probably 3 times, even though you know we hate him. Then probably a dozen times that Liz Cheney is a Democrat favorite, when you know the only reason is that the Democrats approve of her courage for standing for democracy, when you hated her before she was on any committee for no other reason than she stood up to Trump after 1/6. But the truth is, if you were here, you and her would have identically voted for Trump in 2020. We were well aware of her Father at least 30 years before you even got here! Re: Shumer It's really just a general common sense warning a parent may give a child. It's like warning Roger Stone that it isn't wise for him to shred on twitter the judge who was presiding over his trial. heh heh Quote

Heartfelt sympathies to the people in Florida. I suppose many people East of the divide here have vacationed there many times. Ian sure made a lot of those manufactured homes look like cardboard. Last year I went across that bridge that was washed out leading to Sanibel. That island was beautiful with a lot of multi million dollar homes. The road ended at a beach that i recall costed $21 bucks to enter! I shined it on and went to their free public sort of aquatic park with trails and walkway through the swamps. *** That was truly disappointing to hear Robert Reich talking about endorsing Liz Cheney. I mean the differences in philosophy are just staggering! 'He must think things are really bad!

And who else is sharing campaign ads but you? This ad is targeting old Boomers, but isn't it refreshing to see the youth embrace that old time boondoggle campaign messaging.? Who says we can't rule another generation? What I really think is the youth has to break away from their parents homes and get over their dependence on Republican corn pone fear baiting and their Southern law and order, old gizzard, Supreme Boomer politicians. John Kennedy, is about as mundane as it gets! As for the Rafael Warneke, as if that incident could be near the equivalency of Hershel Walkers paying for an abortion while running as a righteous anti abortion candidate, among many other hypocrisies. Are you actually charging that he tried to run over his wife's foot? It's somewhat embarrassing, but I can safely predict when you get out in the world you'll learn that sometimes living in a relationship isn't some idyllic dream. I can only imagine the impotence you'll experience the moment when you find that not only you can't influence anyone online, but you can't even influence her. That's the next step to happen and that will be the true awakening. (light bulb behind the head, actually becomes a reality!)

Well now we have the "MSM", or it is the "New Yorker?" writing an article. "Has the CIA done more harm than good?" Going over a quick history, starting with Wild Bill. Asking if we couldn't use other agencies and reconfigure their turf wars. And highlighting some historical ineptness as well, sort of refreshing to hear in an era now that some are trembling as they think the CIA is as omnipotent as ever and after a 40 year hiatus, they actually single handedly overturned Ukraine in 2014! I didn't even know Patrick Moynihan in 1995 introduced a bill to abolish them! https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/2022/10/10/has-the-cia-done-more-harm-than-good

Ben said: Biden/NATO are flatfooted? Seems so. No new plans, no initiatives, no means to deliver some real losses to Russians. Biden may not be a Putin-stooge, but the results are the same. But the US invents reasons to not enforce a No Fly Zone in Ukraine, bowing to Putin threats. I happen to be hawkish on Ukraine, and would prefer going to No Fly Zones. I now advocate a No Fly Zone for Ukraine, and possibly even NATO boots on the ground. Times change and so yes, I have moved to a more-hawkish position on Ukraine. It's your sheer repetition Ben. This is probably the 4th time you've mentioned Shumer's comment over the last year. And then the Biden fist bump 5 times, then the Democrats love Bush probably 3 times, even though you know we hate him. Then probably a dozen times that Liz Cheney is a Democrat favorite, when you know the only reason is that the Democrats approve of her courage for standing for democracy, when you hated her before she was on any committee for no other reason than she stood up to Trump after 1/6. But the truth is, if you were here, you and her would have identically voted for Trump in 2020. We were well aware of her Father at least 30 years before you even got here! Re: Shumer It's really just a general common sense warning a parent may give a child. It's like warning Roger Stone that it isn't wise for him to shred on twitter the judge who was presiding over his trial.

You didn't answer my question. Ben:Believe it or not, there is this thing called supply and demand in economics. Boost supply, and prices tend to go down. Cut supply, and prices tend to go up That would be nice. That's truer in theory than the reality. It's not that fluid. California has one of the most productive agricultural areas in the world, You have a minimum wage of $15.00 but if market conditions drove up the wage 50%, (which it never does anyway )you'd only have a handful more white people working in the fields. They don't compete for the same jobs. But it's not just "plantation owners", there are people trying to make it in small businesses such as restaurants and small hotels.who are going belly up. But what did it really do for people in the bottom half of the labor pool? If some of your friends in LA got a job at Mac Donald's, I'll agree that's something, but those are the jobs that I saw increase, and they still are under Biden. I'm not sure how much more righteous it is to feed the corporate masters than the "plantation owners", particularly if they're small farm business owners, but in many cases, they could be likely the same. You've always seemed sort of lukewarm to Bernie Sanders. Isn't he the candidate who most represents the employee class?. Ben:Trump even tried to build a wall on the southern border, He tried but he failed to even get the money Mitt Romney could have gotten because he couldn't negotiate with politicians and they just ended up using him for their purposes .Then Steve Banon gets millions from contributors to buy a wall and steals it from people who had faith in him. There's so much hipocrisy on this , then we find that Trump himself was using illegal aliens, and Trump was just baiting people through fear. Apart from your love affair with the idea of falling in love with Trump economics. In the macro did you know that unless a President enacts an unusual economic policy such as say Nixon initiating a wage price freeze, the economic policies of any president take at least 2 years to materialize at all? So maybe Trump had some effect in 2019, before the covid pandemic blew that all to hell, which wasn't at first his fault. Biden then took the ball, the pandemic ended, and effortlessly delivered levels of employment that exceeded Trump so much that we now have an employment picture where there's 1.8 jobs for every 1 person seeking work but there's inflation. There use to be a very successful bracero program. You'd think we'd be able to swing some of these people who are already in the nation temporarily to help these shortages, but no. Now they're just a political football being kicked around, and nothing gets done at all. It's very cute to take a side that the Democrats want to open all borders and the Republicans want to close borders and if you have to choose you'll get more support from your peer group to close the borders, but that's just dummying down. That ignorance pervades Washington because the D&R don't want to negotiate with one another and come up with a solution. If you bothered to watch your entire Nancy Pelosi video clip you'd see that the smirky Republican guy, who I've never particularly liked at least acknowledges what point Pelosi was trying to make. This is grown up stuff and nobody wants to act like a grownup. Right now the Trump appointee to head the the Fed, Jerome Powell has botched nipping inflation in the bud and now is religiously trying to stop inflation and what inflation is he specifically targeting?- Wage inflation! So how are Trump's appointees working for the employee class now?

No man! , it was on TV, I swear! He's an Economic Professor with a minor in Underwater Ballistics, man! He knows!. We've seen the depths of Matthew's research. ***** Ben: in another thread you were actually comparing Trump's Presidency with Hilary's Presidency. But of course there wasn't a Hilary Presidency so in what universe are you qualified to even speculate about what a Hilary Presidency would be like? You made a reference as to Trump was much better for the "employee class". But we actually did have a Trump presidency. I was living in the U.S. What did Trump do for the employee class? !

I'm just going to add my commentary Mark. Another example. Mark:And the last-name reference is to Charles and the late David. Which would be obvious to nearly anyone else. Matthew: Mark.. you forgot to Clarify what my Last name means ; ) "And the last-name reference is to Charles and the late David. Which would be obvious to nearly anyone else." That's a lot of Caps lock shouting! You seem pretty upset dude... Mark makes a reference to the most famous, powerful Koch's on earth, a right wing family who are among the biggest contributors to American politics behind the throne, who actually share's his name. And it's clear here he has no idea who they are. But what's really lame is he tries to steal out of it, like he knew all along who the Koch's were. This despite the fact that 1)he left an email trail and 2. He left it in a conversation with a mod! Matthew's right. Hilary Clinton would never make such a dumb mistake to leave such an email trail. That's why she gets the big bucks! heh heh True to form to his picture. This dude's like a meteor!

Hi Mark, The Former Mayor of NYC has the same spelling of his last name. Can you please clarify, your projection is too vague. Lol Matthew;Hi Mark, The Former Mayor of NYC has the same spelling of his last name. Can you please clarify, your projection is too vague. Lol Ron, When Mark was referring to "them", being the Koch brothers, Matthew not knowing at the time who the Koch brothers were, thought Mark was slurring him and Ed Koch for being a Jew. Good grief!

Ron, He didn't even know who the Koch brothers were, even though he shares a name with them!, and he says he was once a Libertarian! He confused Marks reference as being against Ed Koch, a former NYC mayor who was Jewish. We've seen this before, the rights not very broadly read. I'd say we need the equivalent of K&K to get people up to speed about politics here. Of course I guess that would be Jim's politics. Hmmm........ Well I'm 90% down with that. At least we wouldn't have these massive dislocations!ill

Joe, as a visitor, I'm familiar with some of the places you're talking about. Have you ever been to the La Mesa Military Housing Complex off Farargut Rd.? I happened to cruise up there one day and found that housing complex. That's a pretty nice hidden little enclave! A friend of mine wanted to move from the East coast to the Monterey area and I inquired about it for her about a year ago, and they do rent , the smallest 1BDRM. I bath started at $2350 and the biggest were 3/2's as I recall up at $4500-4800! , You could be a civilian, but they had a waiting list of at least 6 months, and a pretty thorough vetting process from what I remember. The cost was prohibitive for her.

Ben:Mar 26, 2565 BE — President Joe Biden said Russian leader Vladimir Putin “cannot remain in power” over his invasion of Ukraine. In a sweeping speech in Poland ... I live in the U.S. You're the only one who fixates on that statement anymore. It was a gaffe. But Trump has established that a President can say anything one day and something different the next, and no one will remember. I don't think Biden was aware of that and played it brilliantly, but he got over to the public and his allies that he cares, which is important for a politician. It's also important that he hasn't hammered "Regime Change" as a war aim, because that would harden Russian resolve. All those words are chosen carefully. Ben: It was Rolling Stone that published a pretty solid article (as I recall) that the GOP swiped Ohio in 2004, If you glean your own writing, you were making a statement to Matthew concerning a hegemony of consensus among people on this thread. I answered all 3 of your assertions, and regarding 2004, I did read the RS article way back. I'm telling you I don't fit into that category, which disproves your theory that we all think the same. I'll go even further and say I opened your link and the only substance offered in your link was that RFK Jr., Jesse Jackson and Howard Dean are believers. Of those 3 , Howard Dean, in my judgment is the most credible. Not that RFK Jr. is incredible. Now how does that play into your thread hegemony theory? Ben: Very few of the problems concerning the hacking or manipulation of voting machines and counts, detailed in the 2018 NYT cover-story article, have been fixed. The popular vote, in the national election, does not count. Gaming a few key close states is what counts. The first sentence goes into the category of "I answered you precisely why that continues to happen, but you're not listening." The second sentence no one disagrees with, we attain thread hegemony! Ben:It is also fair for any citizen to ask, "What is the goal of this war?" Is it regime change, or a stable peace, an armistice, or complete elimination of Russia troops from Ukraine, including Crimea? This also goes into that category. I've already told you this as well. Biden and the U.S. are playing a waiting game right now. There's no political pressure to defund, which you can disagree with. They'll continue and see how their NATO allies react to fuel shortages this winter.They'll continue monitoring and they'll take what they can get as the situations arise. What don't you understand about that? * Ben:The US spent 20 years in Afcrapitsan, and never had a goal. Some say it was only the unorthodox, mercurial Trump who got the US out of Afcrapistan. "Afcrapistan", that's very clever. I expect to hear it 1000 more times. That's even more clever than the "donks and the phants". So that officially admits Afcrapistan into the Trump category of sh-thole countries? Ok *We both agree on a goal to cut U.S, military spending. Unfortunately that's not going go happen soon.And it doesn't help when there are many more voices like yours who seem to forget our long term goal and chide Biden for not being macho. Biden/NATO are flatfooted? Seems so. No new plans, no initiatives, no means to deliver some real losses to Russians. Biden may not be a Putin-stooge, but the results are the same. But the US invents reasons to not enforce a No Fly Zone in Ukraine, bowing to Putin threats. I happen to be hawkish on Ukraine, and would prefer going to No Fly Zones. I now advocate a No Fly Zone for Ukraine, and possibly even NATO boots on the ground. Times change and so yes, I have moved to a more-hawkish position on Ukraine. Since there were only 2 old east bloc NATO admissions since 2005. Why now? Sure there was some chicanery in 2014, but it was a popular uprising against a corrupt elected government. And Putin seized Crimea and that was 7 years ago! No one's completely blameless, But Putin bears responsibility for his actions. In the final analysis, Ukraine is a sovereign country. Do these people have the right to decide what government. they want to have?

OK, Just to show we don't always disagree.In your first 4 paragraphs (or sentences) I'm largely in agreement. Ben:All along, Biden has seemed adrift, behind the curve, unable to counter Putin. Maybe NATO will wake up. No he just doesn't mouth off like you, and why should he? I assume you're not much of a poker player. Ben: Maybe NATO will wake up. No, just the opposite,it's nato that would crack. Ben:Also, concern abut mission creep is legitimate. Is this war to preserve Ukraine, or has it morphed into a regime change operation on Moscow? Biden was waffled on that. Is that Biden "was" waffled or "has" waffled on that? To use the correct term, I assume you mean "has". And Biden hasn't. Since he hasn't committed American troops, he's under no obligation to state any goals, than for Russia to get out of Ukraine.And publicly stating a goal of regime change would be stupid and self defeating, and ensure the opposite! . Obviously Putin being forced out of power would be a great thing for his Presidency. Despite what you hear that's probably not realistic at this juncture and he knows that. He's playing a waiting game.Nothing mysterious. That's just politics. Now you're commentary on the "free speech" of this thread. Ben:dogmatic partisan sentiments can become hardened beyond reason. -Yes, it is a crime to say the 2020 election was stolen, It's not a crime, its completely inaccurate and wacko. This was the most successful election we ever had. In 2016 there was around 123 million people voting and in 2020 there was 155 million!. That's an increase of 25% and the greatest increase in participation in American history! That's why the hysteria about this is so stupid and slavish! For both the increase and the hysteria, you can credit Trump. There's no way the election was thrown by 7 million votes! Ben: but OK to say Putin stole the 2016 election-- I haven't heard anybody say that here, but he did try to influence the election, but I personally don't think it altered the result. Ben: and the 2004 election was stolen by Bushie absentee ballots in Ohio (the latter charge probably true, btw). I've heard that a few times here. Including you right now, but I think you're wrong. Don't assume something because you read it in the NYT, but it is a good article, and I do think the 2000 election ended up being stolen. But one side was very gracious about that, while now the other side lost by a margin that wasn't even close and are causing a lot of trouble. But the reason we don't get a better election system is for the same reason that the IRS is using 40 year old computer systems and is manned by mostly near retirees, and the same reason the SEC is undermanned in regulators and Wall Street can get away with murder. it's because the Republicans have chose for the last 40 years to defund the government, and strip it of regulators, and there are too many other things on the Democrats plates to make it a priority. The election problem they are talking about in the NYT article is agreed upon by both parties. Period!

Yes well done W.! Wow!, I just came in here as if entering Matthew's space ship! Matthew I can tell by your self portrait that you fathom yourself as an illuminating presence, and were probably a big childhood fan of ET, the movie? Is this indicative of your social skills at introducing yourself to everyone you meet?

Intercepted talks from soldiers on the Russian front lines in Ukraine. Warning! I can't emphasize enough! Explicit language! heh heh Russian soldiers made thousands of calls from the battlefield in Ukraine to relatives at home. Here are their conversations. (Note: They contain explicit language.) https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/09/28/world/europe/russian-soldiers-phone-calls-ukraine.html?campaign_id=9&emc=edit_nn_20220929&instance_id=73232&nl=the-morning&regi_id=61798350&segment_id=108417&te=1&user_id=48552702f942aacb0810b9de5ca41c55

Poor Dennis, he had such great hopes to gather in the spoils when 80 % of the human population die as result of taking the spike protein vaccines to protect against the covid hoax. But that didn't materialize. What a shame! , it was so elegant too! And true to norm, as all grand plans that go awry, he thinks the fact that it didn't materialize is the result of a conspiracy. But wait!... wasn't the fallacy because he assumed it was all a huge conspiracy in the first place?. Oh well! Unfortunately it looks like mankind has put the pandemic largely in the rear view mirror, Tough break! P.S. But wait!, maybe he was trying to discourage us from taking the vaccines because he was trying to get us to get full blown covid? Well. it didn't work anyway. **** Dennis:Sounds like biden just gave the far-far-far-right wing WEF (started by Kissinger/Schwab, good ole Republicans) an early christmas gift. Get ready for a whole new level of MK-Ultra coming at you and your children! Just occurred to me, Ben: You might find some good websites to post in from Dennis where your "Biden bombed the Russian pipeline" idea, might get off the ground. Just a suggestion.