Today I realized part of the reason I have been so enthusiastic about the war in Ukraine.
Some of the more odorous Republicans have supported Russia and Putin in the past – Dana Rohrabacher in California, many of the QAnons, and Insurrection Josh Hawley who pushed for Sweden and Finland to be left out of NATO because it would “stretch NATO too thin.”
And Trump, of course, who famously trusted Putin more than our intelligence services. Even before he tried to blackmail Zelensky to get dirt on Joe Biden, I identified Trump with Putin, because, of course. (We all know had Trump won in 2020 he would have fought tooth and nail over helping Ukraine, although like COVID masks eventually reality would set in and the non-MAGA public would demand we help.)
And although Trump hasn’t really succeeded in anything since his election in 2016, it always felt like he gets away with everything.
And although the war is not over, with Ukraine so forcefully repelling Putin back, especially recently, it feels like the decisive, visceral win we could never get stateside.
They call it a proxy war between the West and Russia – but I call it a proxy for beating the dictators of the world, be they communist, Nazi, Soviet imperialists, or MAGA.
After whatever happens to Russia over all this, happens, hopefully the dominos will fall and we will see similar progress in Turkey, North Korea, Hungary, Venezuela, and China.
China, OK, now I’m dreaming.
Ukraine Deflates MAGA Macho Myths (Paul Krugman, NYT)
It’s been fun to see Tucker Carlson squirm. Putin has shown that all these little lady emperors have no clothes. Very ironic that they would be so against drag queens when they are so fiercely effeminate themselves:
Fashion Statement
Ukraine’s drab-clad leader makes honor au courant.
By Nick Catoggio
“Where do you stand on the momentous question of Volodymyr Zelensky’s attire?
I’m okay with it. Eschewing a suit and tie for what might be described as “wartime casual” when visiting the White House is unorthodox, admittedly. But it’s something of a tradition for foreign leaders trying to rally the free world against fascists bent on conquest.
I didn’t expect to be writing about men’s apparel today. But this is, after all, a newsletter about populism, and American populists are having a collective aneurysm over the fact that Zelensky wore a green sweatshirt and slacks during his visit to Washington.
“This ungrateful piece of sh*t does not have the decency to wear a suit to the White House — no respect [for] the country that is funding his survival,” an indignant Benny Johnson tweeted. “Track suit wearing eastern european con-man mafia.” Numerous other populists agreed, with Charlie Kirk scoffing at Zelensky’s “costume.” Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-MAGA) attended Zelensky’s speech to Congress, albeit not enthusiastically, and was asked afterward if there was anything he liked about it. “I loved the fashion choices,” he sneered.
If you’re a post-liberal populist, particularly of the Very Online variety, watching Putin go belly-up in Ukraine has dashed all sorts of political illusions,” wrote Catoggio. “Your faith that strongmen are the best, most competent instrument for achieving political prerogatives is shaken. Your belief that woke Western militaries are no match on the battlefield for fascist machismo looks silly. Your hope of a great authoritarian victory over Ukraine that might inspire Americans to embrace nationalism and reject the global liberal order has disappeared along with 100,000 or so Russian soldiers.
Even your sense of Putin as a champion of traditional Christianity has been … complicated by the Kremlin’s babbling about ‘desatanization’ while bombing schools and hospitals.
Putin has embarrassed you in every conceivable way.
Naturally, you hate Zelensky for it.”
…..
Behind every one of these flippant fratboys is a raging homosexual just dying to get out.
Thank you, God, for kicking Trump out. Or, rather, thank you America.
