The estimable Anne Applebaum, scholar, author and journalist, had the perfect social media post after the US House of Representatives passed a massive foreign aid package over the objections of fascists, who want America to side with Russia, Hamas, China and a bevy of other enemies of freedom.
Give credit where credit is due. I read a piece that Johnson was invited to the Oval Office by President Biden, where he received an intelligence briefing by the CIA Director on the dire military situation facing Ukraine and also the barbaric terror being inflicted on ordinary Ukrainians by Russia. It opened his eyes.
We must remain vigilant because none of what happened changes anything with the Putin Wing of the Republican Party.
Myself ? It takes a lot more affidavit for me than one ‘about face’ to square any soldier intents. That the Shift in the Wind TCinLA eloquent writes in Substack also today isn’t a last grab for Johnson’s ambition remains suspect.
But in light of James Garfield’s mention this weekend we buried his many greats- grandchild ‘Teddy’ . Ted was the spectacular of quiet, ‘noble’ fit him in the simplest of ways ,a friend to so many of us, coming into this fray in the early 80’s , finding the nitch in rural Appalachia so many looked for.
James you’d be proud of him.
America has some catching up to do, NO thanks to another unsettled time of traitors handing out BS and too many falling prey to their bray. I am by no means sure the fallout/BS/lies are over but there’s a rumble of growing awareness The Ruse Is Up!
That it culminates in the many more needing held accountable …clear to the top …I will continue to lend my ‘hand’ . Let there be no saving grace afforded, nor any seat had hereafter by their likes.
The lesson is noteworthy, the countless who have stayed the course to warn, teach…help me applaud.
Thank you. You know who you are.
👏🫶👍🤝
Please finish this off with a Blue Tsunami for standing principle and hold their feet to high standards.
Ok. He did the right thing, thank you. So did Pence. They did their jobs. I don’t trust either one of them. I admit I am a skeptic. We shall see over the next weeks and months.
Should the Democrats save him if MTG tries to remove him? I believe yes. Not because I think he is worthy necessarily, but MTG & her crew need to be shut down.
Yes, he did. It was a great surprise to me, I thought his background would surely cause him to go down with the ship, but he didn't. Now, we have Green to worry about. Some day, hopefully soon, her district will come to their senses and vote her out in favor of someone who will really do the work to get something done.
It may be simpler than that. If I remember my American history correctly, after the Communists took over continental China, there was a constant refrain from U?.S. Republicans: "Truman lost China". Whatever else we think about Mike Johnson, he realizes the last thing the GOP needs, especially in an election year, are Democratic campaign commercials saying "the Republicans lost the Ukraine and "bent the knee" to Vladimir Putin".
Bravo to Mike Johnson! I love it when facts and evidence make a difference.
A few passages from the NYT:
I really do believe the intel,” Mr. Johnson said. “I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Baltics next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies.”
Mr. McCaul, who repeatedly huddled with Mr. Johnson and the chairmen of the other congressional national security committees in a secure room of the Capitol where lawmakers can review classified material, described Mr. Johnson’s journey as “transformational.”
“All of a sudden, he’s realizing that the world depends on this,” Mr. McCaul said. “This is not some little political game on the floor.”
Anyone with a modicum of knowledge about world history could see months ago what would happen if Putin faced no pushback re Ukraine. Did Mr. Johnson not study any world history while in K-12 school or college?
True. But I'm going to enjoy this moment. A MAGA person actually considered the evidence and changed his mind! Perhaps that will happen again. How about we pass that border bill now
Exactly. I left a message yesterday at Johnson's DC number thanking him for getting that bill passed. I also said that I look forward to such cooperation in the future. We'll see.
If he attended religious schools, he probably wasn't exposed to world history - at least, not the whole story. That, with a lack of curiosity, would lead to dangerous ignorance. Might even say willful ignorance. Fingers in ears, la la la la la.
Agree with you Dennis Kostyra. Saying this is “courageous” when all MJ had to lose was his job. That’s not courage. The Ukrainians and their soldiers are the ones with courage.
He also will face condemnation from Trump and any remaining MAGA followers. That has been enough to scare many House members who fear for themselves and their families.
Agreed! Johnson defied the “Peter Principle”; he had risen above the level of his incompetence, yet defied all expectations to actually do the job. In other words, we are all pleasantly surprised.
And also the reason democrats will come to his rescue when the “tin-foil” hat caucus comes for him.
Why we wouldn’t do the same for McCarthy? Because McCarthy was a duplicitous scoundrel who neither his party, nor democrats believed in; at all….:)
Yes, but it seems more of an accident or miscalculation by the MAGA right that installed him than anything else. I am reminded of Justices Brennan, Warren and Souter who when they were nominated were also thought to be hacks for the clubhouse politicians who selected them. They turned into monumental principled justices. But for everyone of them there’s a Thomas, Alito ready to fulfill the bidding of their patrons.
We set the bar so low that we are "wowed" by Mike J doing what should have been done six months ago. The damage Ukraine suffered in these past six months cannot be overstated. I guess "better late than never" is appropriate.
Hopefully we will not see a fawning piece by George Will about Mike Johnson.
This has not been a good thing. Will praised Nikki Haley as Presidential material, who a week later was afraid to use the word slavery for fear of angering the MAGAs. Will also praised Tim Scott as Presidential material, who a week later got up on TV and told Trump “I love you.”
Jake broe on utube said it was trump who caved and gave the ok for Johnson to push the aid package. T rump was tired of being asked why he didn’t support the aid package for Ukraine so let’s not applaud Johnson for his courage he’s still trumps puppet. The new plan is for Johnson to withhold certification of votes in some swing states after Biden wins to throw the election into the house where it’s 26 agenda republicans bs 23 democrats so trump would be appointed president. I see the only way to stop this is to pressure the republicans who are not running for reelection to resign before term is over and switch to a democratic house. Get the story out to forestall their
I see Trumps standing deteriorating to the point that Niki Hailey wins the Rep convention. Is there any evidence that money has begun to flow her direction?
I read somewhere that some official Baptist group asked Johnson to help Ukraine and pointed out to him that Russians were targeting evangelical churches in Ukraine. That may have also played a role. Whatever the reasons, he gracefully rose to the occasion in the end, and we are so grateful he did.
Sorry Steve, but if you give this election-denying, hard-core fundamentalist Christian Mike Johnson a chance, he'll gladly burn down Democracy worshipping at the right hand of his Orange unholy Father.
How soon we forget what a dangerous, deslusional, deeply Trump-supporting, wannabe-demagogue Mike Johnson really is. Only four months ago he said this:
"And the Lord began to wake me up through this three-week process we were in, in the middle of the night, and to speak to me. And [I began] to write things down, plans and procedures and ideas on how we could pull the conference together. I assumed the Lord was going to choose a new Moses. And “Oh, thank you, Lord: You’re going to allow me to be Aaron to Moses.”
Gee...If Johnson is Aaron, I wonder who Moses might be in that equation.
So let's quit congratulating and lifting up people for doing the obviously right thing and continue seeing these "annointed ones" for who they really are.
Anne Applebaum’s lofty post at the same time can be seen as a backhanded compliment, it took six months and who knows how many deaths and other losses to pass this aid package..
What is laudable is doing the right thing out of the gate..
I love it when you throw in a little history with your article. Being a scientist, I was never very interested in history as it seemed so subjective, but I have come to realize there is truth to the past. Thank you.
The appearance and distribution of people’s honorable and dishonorable instincts and prioritizations of their own and their communities’ welfare seem to recur, don’t they?
pS I am a mathematician with mostly hard science experience. I remember my young ideals (give peace a chance!). In a way i mourn having moved to a more skeptical attitude, but a lifetime of experience demands it. Remember the saying about “being a “liberal” when you’re young unless you have no heart and a “conservative” when older unless you have no head”? Well im still a liberal, but less optimistic, maybe. I try to comfort myself by thinking of it as “realistic”. Sigh.
Some observations become cliches because they are true. One such observation is "Reality has a liberal bias." If you're realistic, you're still a liberal.
Thank you— i had never heard that before and for sure it rings true and comforts and strengthens me.
There is this dimension called “time” and “the arrow of time” points one way.
“Conservative” can mean many respectable things—approaches to economics, government, etc. Fine.
But in the sense of MAGagain it is going back to some former state. Not only not possible, but whatever state that was cannot be defined completely — or even close—and in fact is being defined as something where freedoms must be sacrificed to authoritarians.
Truly is it said that this has little to do with traditional conservatism. I wonder if the most deluded people in the country aren’t the Project2025 people who aim to show a “ conservative” President how to reform the US government along traditional conservative ideas of government. What makes them think Trump wants anything like that? He wants an all- powerful executive-namely Him!
I an not trained in governing philosophy so i suppose this sounds (and/or is) naive and foolish.
It is never foolish to exercise one's intelligence. Keep on observing. Keep on learning. Keep your chin up. Experience may make us less optimistic, but don't let that attitude descend into fatalism. We're not doomed unless we fall asleep.
Give credit where credit is due. I read a piece that Johnson was invited to the Oval Office by President Biden, where he received an intelligence briefing by the CIA Director on the dire military situation facing Ukraine and also the barbaric terror being inflicted on ordinary Ukrainians by Russia. It opened his eyes.
We must remain vigilant because none of what happened changes anything with the Putin Wing of the Republican Party.
Agreed John, stay vigilant.
Myself ? It takes a lot more affidavit for me than one ‘about face’ to square any soldier intents. That the Shift in the Wind TCinLA eloquent writes in Substack also today isn’t a last grab for Johnson’s ambition remains suspect.
But in light of James Garfield’s mention this weekend we buried his many greats- grandchild ‘Teddy’ . Ted was the spectacular of quiet, ‘noble’ fit him in the simplest of ways ,a friend to so many of us, coming into this fray in the early 80’s , finding the nitch in rural Appalachia so many looked for.
James you’d be proud of him.
America has some catching up to do, NO thanks to another unsettled time of traitors handing out BS and too many falling prey to their bray. I am by no means sure the fallout/BS/lies are over but there’s a rumble of growing awareness The Ruse Is Up!
That it culminates in the many more needing held accountable …clear to the top …I will continue to lend my ‘hand’ . Let there be no saving grace afforded, nor any seat had hereafter by their likes.
The lesson is noteworthy, the countless who have stayed the course to warn, teach…help me applaud.
Thank you. You know who you are.
👏🫶👍🤝
Please finish this off with a Blue Tsunami for standing principle and hold their feet to high standards.
💙💙VOTE ALL THE COMPLICIT OUT💙💙
I read the same
Ok. He did the right thing, thank you. So did Pence. They did their jobs. I don’t trust either one of them. I admit I am a skeptic. We shall see over the next weeks and months.
Should the Democrats save him if MTG tries to remove him? I believe yes. Not because I think he is worthy necessarily, but MTG & her crew need to be shut down.
Should all be interesting.
Yes, and the hundred or so evil followers of the big lie(s) who have thwarted the majority need to be isolated , outed, and thoroughly trounced.
This can ensure Biden’s victory over Trump (assuming trump is ‘“@ liberty” when the R convention and election happen. )
Im praying Speaker Johnson will look into the BIGGEST LIE ( trump won in 2020) next.
Yes, he did. It was a great surprise to me, I thought his background would surely cause him to go down with the ship, but he didn't. Now, we have Green to worry about. Some day, hopefully soon, her district will come to their senses and vote her out in favor of someone who will really do the work to get something done.
And who won’t be the poster child for “ridiculous”.
It may be simpler than that. If I remember my American history correctly, after the Communists took over continental China, there was a constant refrain from U?.S. Republicans: "Truman lost China". Whatever else we think about Mike Johnson, he realizes the last thing the GOP needs, especially in an election year, are Democratic campaign commercials saying "the Republicans lost the Ukraine and "bent the knee" to Vladimir Putin".
Bravo to Mike Johnson! I love it when facts and evidence make a difference.
A few passages from the NYT:
I really do believe the intel,” Mr. Johnson said. “I think that Vladimir Putin would continue to march through Europe if he were allowed. I think he might go to the Baltics next. I think he might have a showdown with Poland or one of our NATO allies.”
Mr. McCaul, who repeatedly huddled with Mr. Johnson and the chairmen of the other congressional national security committees in a secure room of the Capitol where lawmakers can review classified material, described Mr. Johnson’s journey as “transformational.”
“All of a sudden, he’s realizing that the world depends on this,” Mr. McCaul said. “This is not some little political game on the floor.”
Anyone with a modicum of knowledge about world history could see months ago what would happen if Putin faced no pushback re Ukraine. Did Mr. Johnson not study any world history while in K-12 school or college?
True. But I'm going to enjoy this moment. A MAGA person actually considered the evidence and changed his mind! Perhaps that will happen again. How about we pass that border bill now
I am waiting to see if Mike Johnson’s change of heart re Ukraine bill is indicative of a fad or an actual trend.
Exactly. I left a message yesterday at Johnson's DC number thanking him for getting that bill passed. I also said that I look forward to such cooperation in the future. We'll see.
If he attended religious schools, he probably wasn't exposed to world history - at least, not the whole story. That, with a lack of curiosity, would lead to dangerous ignorance. Might even say willful ignorance. Fingers in ears, la la la la la.
God it’s terrifying how stupid these people are-
Mike waited too long to do what was obvious. No courage. Praise to brave Ukrainian soldiers and prayers for those who died waiting for Mike. Shame.
Agree with you Dennis Kostyra. Saying this is “courageous” when all MJ had to lose was his job. That’s not courage. The Ukrainians and their soldiers are the ones with courage.
He also will face condemnation from Trump and any remaining MAGA followers. That has been enough to scare many House members who fear for themselves and their families.
This is true
Agreed! Johnson defied the “Peter Principle”; he had risen above the level of his incompetence, yet defied all expectations to actually do the job. In other words, we are all pleasantly surprised.
And also the reason democrats will come to his rescue when the “tin-foil” hat caucus comes for him.
Why we wouldn’t do the same for McCarthy? Because McCarthy was a duplicitous scoundrel who neither his party, nor democrats believed in; at all….:)
Yes. MJ went against the moral turpitude of the GOP. Alas, he is still who he has told us he is, I'll not start throwing confetti just yet.
Not only did they not believe in McCarthy, they couldn't believe a single word out of his mouth.
Exactly. The man could speak out of both sides of his mouth, but he mostly let his a** do the talking…:)
300 missiles from Iran to Israel might have caused Mike Johnson to see the light, may be.
Yes, but it seems more of an accident or miscalculation by the MAGA right that installed him than anything else. I am reminded of Justices Brennan, Warren and Souter who when they were nominated were also thought to be hacks for the clubhouse politicians who selected them. They turned into monumental principled justices. But for everyone of them there’s a Thomas, Alito ready to fulfill the bidding of their patrons.
We set the bar so low that we are "wowed" by Mike J doing what should have been done six months ago. The damage Ukraine suffered in these past six months cannot be overstated. I guess "better late than never" is appropriate.
Hopefully we will not see a fawning piece by George Will about Mike Johnson.
This has not been a good thing. Will praised Nikki Haley as Presidential material, who a week later was afraid to use the word slavery for fear of angering the MAGAs. Will also praised Tim Scott as Presidential material, who a week later got up on TV and told Trump “I love you.”
Such are the kisses from George F. Will.
We all should remember . . .sometimes people surprise you! Hoping for better decisions in our near and far future.
Jake broe on utube said it was trump who caved and gave the ok for Johnson to push the aid package. T rump was tired of being asked why he didn’t support the aid package for Ukraine so let’s not applaud Johnson for his courage he’s still trumps puppet. The new plan is for Johnson to withhold certification of votes in some swing states after Biden wins to throw the election into the house where it’s 26 agenda republicans bs 23 democrats so trump would be appointed president. I see the only way to stop this is to pressure the republicans who are not running for reelection to resign before term is over and switch to a democratic house. Get the story out to forestall their
I see Trumps standing deteriorating to the point that Niki Hailey wins the Rep convention. Is there any evidence that money has begun to flow her direction?
Do you have evidence for these claims, or did you imagine that this must be what happened?
I read somewhere that some official Baptist group asked Johnson to help Ukraine and pointed out to him that Russians were targeting evangelical churches in Ukraine. That may have also played a role. Whatever the reasons, he gracefully rose to the occasion in the end, and we are so grateful he did.
Sorry Steve, but if you give this election-denying, hard-core fundamentalist Christian Mike Johnson a chance, he'll gladly burn down Democracy worshipping at the right hand of his Orange unholy Father.
How soon we forget what a dangerous, deslusional, deeply Trump-supporting, wannabe-demagogue Mike Johnson really is. Only four months ago he said this:
"And the Lord began to wake me up through this three-week process we were in, in the middle of the night, and to speak to me. And [I began] to write things down, plans and procedures and ideas on how we could pull the conference together. I assumed the Lord was going to choose a new Moses. And “Oh, thank you, Lord: You’re going to allow me to be Aaron to Moses.”
Gee...If Johnson is Aaron, I wonder who Moses might be in that equation.
So let's quit congratulating and lifting up people for doing the obviously right thing and continue seeing these "annointed ones" for who they really are.
I think we are just relieved and Im betting we will soon see the “old Johnson”.
You don't need to bet.
Maybe “the Lord” spoke to him and showed him why it was important to back Ukraine. Oh, sorry, that was Biden;)
Anne Applebaum’s lofty post at the same time can be seen as a backhanded compliment, it took six months and who knows how many deaths and other losses to pass this aid package..
What is laudable is doing the right thing out of the gate..
I love it when you throw in a little history with your article. Being a scientist, I was never very interested in history as it seemed so subjective, but I have come to realize there is truth to the past. Thank you.
The appearance and distribution of people’s honorable and dishonorable instincts and prioritizations of their own and their communities’ welfare seem to recur, don’t they?
pS I am a mathematician with mostly hard science experience. I remember my young ideals (give peace a chance!). In a way i mourn having moved to a more skeptical attitude, but a lifetime of experience demands it. Remember the saying about “being a “liberal” when you’re young unless you have no heart and a “conservative” when older unless you have no head”? Well im still a liberal, but less optimistic, maybe. I try to comfort myself by thinking of it as “realistic”. Sigh.
Some observations become cliches because they are true. One such observation is "Reality has a liberal bias." If you're realistic, you're still a liberal.
Thank you— i had never heard that before and for sure it rings true and comforts and strengthens me.
There is this dimension called “time” and “the arrow of time” points one way.
“Conservative” can mean many respectable things—approaches to economics, government, etc. Fine.
But in the sense of MAGagain it is going back to some former state. Not only not possible, but whatever state that was cannot be defined completely — or even close—and in fact is being defined as something where freedoms must be sacrificed to authoritarians.
Truly is it said that this has little to do with traditional conservatism. I wonder if the most deluded people in the country aren’t the Project2025 people who aim to show a “ conservative” President how to reform the US government along traditional conservative ideas of government. What makes them think Trump wants anything like that? He wants an all- powerful executive-namely Him!
I an not trained in governing philosophy so i suppose this sounds (and/or is) naive and foolish.
It is never foolish to exercise one's intelligence. Keep on observing. Keep on learning. Keep your chin up. Experience may make us less optimistic, but don't let that attitude descend into fatalism. We're not doomed unless we fall asleep.
Navalny supposedly left instructions for his followers in the event of his death: “Remember, you are not allowed to give up!”
After the SCOTUS oral argument on Thursday, i’ve been holding on to this and trying to keep my chin up. Thanks !