Phil1111

President Putin has used the Russian Orthodox Church as an arm of the state. As a part of his own political agenda. Just as the GOP uses religion in the US. Just as trump uses evangelicals and they use him. Patriarch Kirill, head of the Russian Orthodox Church has endorsed the war and as near as can be ascertained one, or only a few ministers have spoken out against it. Russian Orthodox priest arrested for anti-war stance But for Patriarch Kirill, its fire the cannons and god bless the Russian solider. Look the other way at their war crimes. Just as evangelicals blessed trumps actions. "The relationship between the president and the prelate escalated rapidly. Kirill, allegedly a former KGB staffer like Putin, hailed the Russian Federation president’s leadership as a “miracle of God.” Meanwhile, Putin worked to frame Russia as a defender of conservative Christian values, which usually meant opposing abortion, feminism and LGBTQ rights. The pitch proved popular among a broad swath of conservative Christian leaders, including prominent voices within the American religious right: In February 2014, evangelist Franklin Graham offered cautious praise for Putin in an editorial for Decision Magazine, celebrating the Russian president’s decision to back a law barring dissemination of “propaganda of nontraditional sexual relations” — a statute which, activists argued, effectively banned children from accessing media that presents LGBTQ identities and relationships in a positive or normalizing light. Graham would travel to Russia the following year, where he met with both Kirill and Putin, and told local media that “millions of Americans would like (Putin) to come and run for president of the United States.”

Brent will forever not understand the differences between: Marxism, fascism, dictatorship, dictatorship Kleptocracy, communist Kleptocracy and theocracy. Such nuances only mix together in his mind to be less than the ideal GOP America.

There is a whole series of books from that group. The Tuttle Twins and the Case of the Really Bad Libertarian Propaganda Its unfortunate that nuance of ideas, even gross irrational representation of fact. Can be so readily swallowed by adults. Its why propaganda is so powerful.

FOX, Hannity, Carlson, fanboying over authoritarianism. Why has the US banned RT and Sputnik. Then left the biggest champions of Putin and his network on the air?

Do you mean if Putin asked him? Ordered him? Threatened him with chemical assassination if he failed to withdraw?

Just trump pandering. GOP leadership before and during his presidency disavowed those statements. But just today Biden initiated a BUY USA steel policy Biden to require US-made steel, iron for infrastructure "The Biden administration is taking a key step to ensure federal dollars will support U.S. manufacturing" which is a clear violation of NAFTA...er.... the United States–Mexico–Canada Agreement (USMCA) the new trump negotiated free trade agreement. US administration after administration routinely panders to its political base. By breaking free trade agreements. "Peter Clark, a trade strategist involved in Canada-U.S. Free Trade and NAFTA negotiations, said Canada has had a winning record — but it depends where you look. Clark said Canada has had lots of success with NAFTA challenges. “They’ve won a lot of them,” he said, adding that it explains why the U.S. lumber industry wants to get rid of the Chapter 19 dispute settlement tool in the agreement."

Some nation states welshing on promises is hardly new. Not even unexpected. Probably a given.

Disagree that you have the personal capability of opening up your mind at any point in your entire life? Oh come-on, I'll give you more credit than that.

FIFY by adding the fourth. Makes me wonder if there will be yet another this Easter Monday.

At least some part of your thinking is honest. Some conservatives think the ACA is good but not yourself. You say "some conservatives are not totally closed minded" but that doesn't include yourself. Perhaps later in life you'll open your mind like "some conservatives". If you do then you'll join the liberal majority.

Its been widely reported that up to 150 FSB officers have been arrested. Along with more than 20 generals and the admiral of the Black sea fleet. A ceremony was just held in Sevastopol where the crew of the Moskva paraded. Evidently about 400 of the crew already had been transferred to the Black Sea submariners service. Others have suffered "heart attacks" or been transferred to Lefortovo prison for reeducation. Rumors have circulated that Stalin would have approved this purge.

The fear of every German general in WW 2 was a posting to the Russian front. Today the fear of every Russian general is a posting to the Ukrainian front. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CID0IgNRWZ0

Typical Russians. Closing the barn door after the horses get out.

Resurrection A large group of Russian soldiers in the border area in 2022 are moving down a road when they hear a voice call from behind a small hill: "One Ukrainian soldier is better than ten Russian". The Russian commander quickly orders 10 of his best men over the hill where Upon a gun-battle breaks out and continues for a few minutes, then silence. The voice once again calls out: "One Ukraine is better than one hundred Russians." Furious, the Russian commander sends his next best 100 troops over the hill and instantly a huge gun fight commences. After 10 minutes of battle, again Silence. The calm Ukrainian voice calls out again: "One Ukraine is better than one thousand Russians: The enraged Russian commander musters 1000 fighters and sends them to the other side of the hill. Rifle fire, machine guns, grenades, rockets and cannon fire ring out as a terrible battle is fought... Then silence. Eventually one badly wounded Russian fighter crawls back over the hill and with his dying words tells his commander, "Don't send any more men...it's a trap. There's two of them."

It has, but feigning ignorance of certain aspects of energy supply and demand. Is all apart of his shtick.

I can see it now. Segal and Putin working out on the tatami. Then Carlson cheering Putin on as always.

Even my cat gets it!

Following Kremlin and FSB directives Russian TV. Together with other state sponsored media. Has increased the quotes from Tucker Carlson and FOX news. In its coverage of the Ukrainian special operation. "Tucker Carlson has once again questioned why Americans should side with the Ukrainians over the Russian military. He asked his tens of millions of viewers on Monday night: “Why is it disloyal to side with Russia but loyal to side with Ukraine?” His response? That “they’re both foreign countries that don’t care anything about the United States. He also suggested that US support for Ukraine is established entirely upon “massive lobbying campaigns by Ukrainian politicians and American defence contractors” and not on shared democratic values." Yet his love by the US, GOP right continues. He has had special programs in which he has labeled the seizures of Russian oligarchs assets. Unjustified and unreasonable. Its unknown when his all expense paid trip to visit President Putin in Russia will take place. Its also unknown if President Putin will award Carlson with the Hero of the Russian Federation Medal. Which for foreigners automatically entities them to Russian citizenship.

Ditto, hope your family is happy & healthy.

Yet every time the party you support has held power it's refused to table legislation. Let alone any serious attempt to reform. trump and the GOP had every opportunity to fix ACA shortcomings. They refused to do so. Only now have they conceded to allow it to stand. Of course they tried to kill it under trump. "House Republican leaders, facing a revolt among conservatives and moderates in their ranks, pulled legislation to repeal the Affordable Care Act from consideration on the House floor Friday in a major defeat for President Trump on the first legislative showdown of his presidency."

After the Moskva accidentally caught fire. Its captain, in accordance with his Kuznetsov Naval Academy training. Ordered the Moskva to submerge in order to put the fires out. The operation was entirely successful.

Immediately after the claimed Ukrainian attack. Russian warships in that area of the Black sea moved farther offshore according to US officials.

Personally Russia, China, Turkey, Pakistan and Which five countries voted against the UN’s resolution to condemn Russia and who abstained? Are all on my list.

Perhaps a better source, The New Yorker Its a similar story to what was reported on BBC. Arrests, suspicions about western spies insiders vanishing. Just a normal state of affairs when rats turn on each other.