A Year Of Living Bravely In Ukraine

 Friday, March 17th, 2023

My Dear America:

Recently we Celebrated (If You Can Call it that) the First Anniversary of The War In Ukraine.  Well, it wasn't really a war.  It was an Illegal, an Immoral and a Reckless and Ruthless Invasion of Ukraine by it's Neighboring Country and a Country which many Ukrainians thought of as a Brotherly Country where many Neighbors, friends and Relatives lived.  That Formerly Brotherly Country was Russia.  

There were and probably still are many Ukrainians who speak Russian and always felt connected to Russia.  Not so much anymore.  Most of those Russian oriented Ukrainians have either gone to Russia or have been killed or entered the war on one side or another.

Remembering back to before the war started I recall thinking that Joe Biden was not thinking clearly when he was constantly sounding the alarm bell about the impending invasion of Ukraine by Russia.  Even though Russia was massing troops on the Ukraine border regions Vladimir Putin kept claiming that Russia was simply practicing War Games.  

At the time I was dumb enough to think that Putin's flimsy excuse was true.  Why in the hell would Russia be foolish enough to start an all out war with Ukraine.  It didn't make any sense to me and from what I recall it didn't make any sense to Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky. I clearly remember Zelensky requesting President Biden to tone down the Rhetoric about Putin's impending invasion.  That request stopped, however, when the Russian Forces crossed the border into Ukraine and the War Games were no longer games anymore.

As we now know, however, Joe Biden was right to be extremely concerned about Russian Forces massed on the border of Ukraine invading Ukraine.  Putin's reckless border crossing was certainly meant to be a Blitzkrieg Invasion utilizing Russian forces to quickly dominate and subdue any meager armed forces that Ukraine could put together.  Putin's cruel plan was certainly also meant to kill Zelensky, The Ukrainian President and defeat Ukrainian Forces on the battlefield quickly and completely before The United States or other European or NATO Forces could interfere with Putin's deadly plan.

Putin's Invasion of Ukraine didn't quite work out the way he planned, however.

Donald Trump's toying around with Ukrainian Politics and Security through trying to jerk Ukrainian President Zelensky around had also not turned out quite like Trump and Putin planned.  What Trump tried to pull off in Ukraine came back to bite Trump and his Puppet Lawyer, Rudy Giuliani in the ass and resulted in Trump's First Impeachment and in the end his loss in the 2020 Election.

It is my strong belief that Vladimir Putin had counted on Trump being Re Elected in 2020 and It is also my strong belief that if Trump had been elected in 2020 that Donald Trump would not have supported Zelensky and the Ukrainians when the Russian's invaded Ukraine but would instead have supported Putin and Russia.

Be that as it may, Donald Trump was not Re Elected.  Joe Biden was elected and unlike Trump who had tried hard to weaken NATO when he was in office Joe Biden tried hard to shore up NATO as a whole before the Russian Invasion of Ukraine and as a result NATO was united in the Condemnation of the Russian Invasion and in the continuing assistance of all kinds to bolster Ukraine's Democratic Government and Armed Forces.

Now, here we are a year later and Putin's planned quick takeover of Ukraine never happened.  President Zelensky of Ukraine and the Armed Forces of Ukraine have shown Vladimir Putin and the world just what Bravery and Determination look like as they have resisted Russian efforts to defeat their country and in so doing have resisted their Democracy from being taken from them by Vladimir Putin and the Russians.

It is doubtful that all Russians support the War in Ukraine, which Vladimir Putin insists needs to be called "A Special Military Operation".  You can go to jail in Russia by calling it a "War".

But regardless of what you call the Invasion of Ukraine it is a Tragedy of Epic Proportions.

Although Republicans these days seem to be quick to denigrate things as "Woke" It seems to me as though what has happened in the Democracy of Ukraine is something that genuinely "Woke" up the world and especially Countries in Europe to what Vladimir Putin and Russia was capable of.

Although Putin's forces had some initial successes in the Invasion of Ukraine and are still  incredibly dangerous and threatening to Ukraine, once the Ukrainians realized that they had no choice but to fight back against the Russian Forces they have done so and done so bravely throughout their fight for Freedom and Democracy.

Certainly Putin who undoubtedly figured Ukrainian President Zelensky to be a lightweight who would either run away in fear from Ukraine or could be killed quickly when the Russians took Kyiv now knows better.  Zelensky made it clear from the beginning of the Invasion that he was not going anywhere.  He was staying in Kyiv where he has become a Brave Wartime President who has become an inspiration to not only his country but to all the world.

Despite the continuing destruction of the country of Ukraine by Russian bombing The people of Ukraine and the Citizen Army of Ukraine have shown outstanding courage and determination to hold onto their country and their Freedom and Democracy.

As we in America and elsewhere in the world where there is no daily bombing to frighten us look at the daily destruction of the buildings and the lives of Ukrainian Citizens it should shock us to see that people like Tucker Carlson and Marjorie Taylor Green and other MAGA Republicans are trying to stop President Biden from continuing to assist Ukraine to continue to fight for it's right to be free.

What is clear to me is that those MAGA morons who are not supporting Ukraine and like Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis are OK with Putin are either not caring or not recognizing that those Freedom Fighters in Ukraine are not only fighting for themselves on the Front lines of Freedom in Ukraine.  They are also fighting for us against the kind of Brutal Fascism that Putin represents.  These are the same stupid fools who constantly rail about the evils of Communism while they seem to be alright with Russian Communists taking over the Democracy of Ukraine.

The Republican Party used to be the party of Anti Communists.  Clearly that party is gone now but should not be forgotten.  President Biden knows full well that we need to help Ukraine to defend it's Democracy.  We should keep in mind that as Republicans back in the day used to say "We need to fight them over there so we don't have to to fight them over here."

Clearly, investing in Ukraine is certainly an investment in Democracy and in the future of the United States Of America.  So far, Ukrainians are, for the most part, those who are doing the fighting and dying in Ukraine.

It is time to recognize that Ukraine deserves to belong not only to the European Union but also to NATO.  

It is unfair and unnecessary that Ukraine bears the full brunt of Russia's Cruel and unfair war against it's Democratic Neighbor.  We need to continue to support Ukraine's efforts to protect its Borders and its Democracy.  It is Certainly in our interest to do so.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher       

 

Why Shouldn't Joe Biden Run For A Second Term

March 2nd, 2023 

My Dear America:

Jill Biden in recent interviews has let the cat out of the bag.  

She has revealed that her husband, Joe Biden feels that he has a lot more to do and she is fully backing his decision to run for another term.  She said that it is only a matter of when and where Joe will make his formal announcement.

Well, actually the cat has been out of the bag for a fairly long time now.  

Joe Biden has been asked over and over whether he was going to run again for a second term and he has never answered that he was not going to run.  

In fact, President Biden has almost always answered in the affirmative stating that he was seriously thinking about running but was not willing to state that he was certain to run.  He usually stated that he would reveal whether he is running when he feels the time is right.  

There is certainly a lot of time left for President Biden to make his decision known regarding whether or not he is going to run again for the Presidency.  

While Donald Trump and Nikki Haley have already announced their intentions to enter the 2024 Republican Presidential Primary they have nothing to lose by doing so.  Trump is trying to stay one step ahead of the Jailhouse by throwing his dirty hat in the ring and Nikki Haley may be trying to position herself as Trump's Vice Presidential Nominee since there is not a snowballs chance in Hell that Trump's former VP, Mike Pence will get the nod again.

The truth is that if Joe Biden decides to run again there is not much of a chance that he will face any serious Democratic Challengers. 

As we have seen in the 2020 Primary Election the Democratic Party is loaded with talented Democrats who could certainly be serious Presidential Prospects if Biden chooses not to run.  Those Democrats like Pete Buttigieg and Kamala Harris are now closely aligned  members of  Biden's "Team of Rivals".   Bernie Sanders has already indicated that he expects Biden to run again and that if Biden does run for a second term Bernie will not run.  I think that it is unlikely for any of the Democrats who ran against Biden in the 2020 Primary will challenge him in 2024 if Biden does choose to run in 2024

Unlike the Democratic Party, The Republican Party is loaded with Losers and Lunatics, many of whom lost not only their Primary Elections to Trump but lost their souls, as well, during the past several years.  That is not to say that these damaged goods candidates can't win a primary or a general election.  The American Electorate is so skewed and screwed up at this point that in 2024 anything can happen and if the last decade is any barometer, who knows what in the hell is going to happen in the Republican Party in 2024.

But the Republican Back Bench is a bunch of desperate Wackos who seem to be more aligned with Vladimir Putin and his Toady, Tucker Carlson than they are with any Democrats.  Marco Rubio, Ted Cruz, Kevin McCarthy are all sad excuses for Politicians.  They are gutless individuals who, after Trump had mopped the floor with them, sat back and watched their party deteriorate as they became cheerleaders for Donald Trump's insane and reckless lies.

Why the hell shouldn't Joe Biden run for a Second term?

Oh MY God He is Eighty Years Old.

Yes he is Eighty Years Old but as we have learned over the years he has been our President he is a Spry, Talented and Accomplished President at 80.  

Would he have done any better job as President if he was 40 years old.

Maybe.

Maybe not.  Who knows.

But President Biden's age has not hampered him from turning the Republicans into cheerleaders for Social Security and Medicare during the recent State of the Union Speech.

It has not kept him from riding a train (Something he loves doing and is very practiced at) from Poland to Kyiv, Ukraine and dashing around the city with a much younger Volodymyr Zelensky and keeping the NATO Coalition together in order to assist Ukraine to defend itself from the Russian Killers who have illegally invaded their country.

It has not kept him from signing astonishingly progressive and far reaching legislation that will be improving matters in every way in every state in the union for many decades to come.

I ask you Who the hell could do a better job than this 80 year old man?

If he stays healthy, which I am convinced he will, Nobody else can do a better job at this time than the man who has been doing a Great Job since the day he became President of the United States. 

Yes, Indeed, Joe Biden will be running for President in 2024, If We Are Lucky Enough to have him.  

And if we are really lucky he will be leading our country for another Four Years.

Sincerely Yours

Jerry Gallagher