Below is my column in The Hill on the recent appearance of California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D., N.Y.) in Munich. They found the perfect audience for pledging to reverse many current policies and re-embrace a high-taxation, high-regulation platform. The Europeans were giddy with excitement as they doubled down on policies that have stagnated many of their economies.
Here is the column:
This week, California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) joined the many Californians now seeking their fortune elsewhere. The difference is that Newsom is planning to come back to California, even as billionaires, investors, and companies flee his state for greener pastures.
Newsom and Democrats such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) were selling a brave new world that looked a lot like the broken old world. It was an ironic moment. They were addressing countries at the Munich Security Conference that had previously destroyed their economies through socialist and far-left policies.
The rush of liberal Democratic officeholders to Europe was telling. A new poll shows that a record 58 percent of voters believe their party is “too liberal.” But Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez found a welcoming audience in Europe.
The global elite gushed over Ocasio-Cortez and sat enraptured as she rattled off socialist platitudes. That included New York Times correspondent Katrin Bennhold, who thrilled the audience by treating it as a given that Ocasio-Cortez will run for president.
Both Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez spoke of returning the U.S. to the good graces of the global elite. Newsom assured the Europeans that Trump’s reign is temporary, and that the U.S. will soon enough dismantle the “wrecking ball” that the administration has taken to the EU.
Newsom offered his leadership and his state as the model, proclaiming that “California is a stable and reliable partner” for Europe. The model includes high taxes, massive spending programs and greater bureaucratic regulations — precisely the policies that have driven the European economy into its current stagnation. In other words, Democrats were in Europe to offer precisely what Newsom outwardly condemned: “doubling down on stupid.”
When not fumbling with security questions about issues such as Taiwan, Ocasio-Cortez was demanding that wealth taxes be implemented in the U.S. “expeditiously.” Such a tax on billionaires’ wealth, including unrealized gains, is currently being pushed in California. The predictable result is that billionaires and other wealthy citizens are rushing to leave the state and taking their investments and companies with them.
Ocasio-Cortez had the audience at hello.
Rather than having Vice President J.D. Vance shaming them for their attacks on free speech, the Europeans positively gushed over Democratic leaders pushing far-left agendas. It did not matter that such policies devastated European economies in the 20th century.
In my book “Rage and the Republic,” I discuss the rise of support for socialism in both the U.S. and Europe. Many of those supporting it are young voters with no memory of the collapse of socialist economies in the 20th Century. In 1977, Labour Prime Minister James Callaghan pursued many of the same socialist policies, leading to what was called the “winter of discontent” as inflation hit 25 percent. With the collapse of the British pound, the United Kingdom had to take the demoralizing step of securing a loan from the International Monetary Fund, as if it were a developing country.
In France, François Mitterrand was also elected to pursue his “rupture with capitalism.” The French economy collapsed; Mitterrand quickly had to reverse himself and restore capitalist policies.
That history is rarely discussed or taught today. The “warmth of collectivism,” as New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani put it, is back in vogue. It does not matter that, in Argentina, President Javier Milei is achieving one of the most impressive economic turnarounds in history — dramatically curtailing runaway inflation, government deficits and poverty — by reinstating free-market policies and reducing government spending.
What is chilling about Europe is that the EU has strangled growth with its increasingly centralized controls and massive bureaucracy. My book describes the instability of the EU and its global governance model. Europe is facing populist movements and, like many Democrats, the response has been calls for further consolidation of power. This included the creation of a new, uniform European corporate law, known as the “28th Regime.”
With an economy crushed by a massive EU bureaucracy and regulations, the solution of many is all too familiar: borrow more money. French President Emmanuel Macron and others want to issue “Euro bonds” to spend their way into an economic recovery — another policy ideal shared with many on the American left.
This week was only the latest effort of the American left to strengthen an alliance with the EU. Previously, American leaders such as Hillary Clinton pushed the EU to censor Americans online after free speech protections were restored by companies like Twitter. Likewise, the American left is enamored with the EU’s global bureaucracy and regulations.
Newsom and Ocasio-Cortez certainly found their element in Munich, and the EU certainly found the “reliable partners” it has longed for in creating “a new World Order with European Values.”
Jonathan Turley is the Shapiro Professor of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. He is the author of the New York Times bestselling “Rage and the Republic: The Unfinished Story of the American Revolution.”
Marco Rubio is currently in Hungary campaigning for Victor Orban who is trailing in polls leading up to the elections in April. He has pledged financial support for the Hungarian government if Orban wins. Looks remarkably like election interference.
Here is what he has been saying:
“US President Donald Trump would provide assistance if Hungary ever ran into financial trouble under Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said, giving an extraordinary endorsement to the long-time leader ahead of an election in April.
“I can say to you with confidence that President Trump is deeply committed to your success,” Rubio said at a joint news conference with Orban in Budapest on Monday.
“We want this country to do well. It’s in our national interest, especially as long as you’re the prime minister and the leader of this country.”
What exactly is our “national interest” in a minor East European country that is currently a vassal state of Russia ???
Oh !!!!
Now I understand.
Putin has issued instructions to Trump that he must step in to try to save Orban, his fellow autocratic strongman.
Birds of a feather as they say !!!!
What polls please? Prvada’s poll?
The pole provided by “Vlad the Impaler” that’s running through this clown’s head.
Typical bizarre thinking by MAGA morons.
You seem to be implying that the Hungarian polls are fake because they come from Pravda and Putin.
Orban is one of Putin’s strongest allies.
Why would Putin put out fake polls showing that Orban is trailing ?????
Idiot !!!!!!!!
Anon at 1:39 stated “trailing in polls” however did not state which ones. Because they do not exist. 1:39 lied.
Anon 1:45 did not state Pravda released a poll. Asked.
You, being the stupid ignorant liberal you are, could not understand simple English.
Public school?
The source and findings of the polls ARE NOT THE POINT !!!!!!
WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU !!!!
The point is that the Secretary of State of the United States is on the campaign trail for one of only two allies that Putin has in Eastern Europe.
Whether or not the polls are genuine or what they show is IRRELEVANT.
WHY IS RUBIO DOING THIS ?????
THAT IS THE POINT !!!!!!
Obviously he is acting on instructions from Putin.
Rubio is WINNING!!!
Obvious to the oblivious you mean. Are you having a liberal meltdown here? Get a grip on yourself man!
Rubio is working in the interest of America, for Americans. not you. wheeee!
Orban will win in a landslide now. Anything connected to Trump gets his “Midas Touch” and always adds to America’s greatness.
It’s like magic, and so many hate it but they see it, how it’s like magic. Everything Trump touches turns to gold.
As is typical for a MAGA moron you are completely missing the point.
The point is not the source of the polls.
The point is that for the first time in history, the Secretary of State of the United State is on the campaign trail for the authoritarian leader of a minor East European country that just happens to be a vassal state of Russia, and one of only two countries in the region that are allied with Russia.
Rubio is clearly doing this on the orders of Putin to try to bolster Orban.
Rubio is clearly WINNING!!!
“Rubio is clearly doing this on the orders of Putin . . .”
You left out the rest of the story.
Putin pressured Rubio by threatening to release the “pee tape.”
“What exactly is our “national interest” in a minor East European country that is currently a vassal state of Russia ???”
Has Hungary left NATO? I hadn’t heard.
Hungary is a member of NATO in name only.
Orban recently said in an interview, “that Hungary is now both in and out of NATO, or “non-participant”.”
https://balkaninsight.com/2024/05/30/hungarys-mooted-nato-opt-out-empty-threat-or-serious-proposal/
On May 24, Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán said that his country was looking to redefine its membership in NATO to ensure the country cannot be involved in operations outside of the military alliance’s territory. “Now a new term has been invented to describe the Hungarian position in NATO, it is called non-participation” – Orbán stated.
https://english.atlatszo.hu/2024/06/04/orban-wants-to-redefine-hungarys-nato-membership-over-a-fake-concern/
Basically Orban is saying that Hungary will remain in NATO, but will not “participate”, whatever that means.
I think that what it really means is that Orban is trying to have it both ways, and is actually acting as a spy for Putin and passing on classified NATO information to which he still has access
Is there a ledge somewhere calling to you?
They’re doing wonderful things with medications these days…
You don’t like Rubio? How could anyone not like him? He’s an amazing statesman! Have you heard him speak?
Sorry, We have national interest everywhere and Rubio is going pursue it. Don’t like it? excellent! right track then.
Please let us know what else you don’t like, it’s really helpful.
MAGA
Two examples of the success of the Socialist Dept. of Education in the United States.
Both went to private schools.
The wholly and irrefutably unconstitutional Communist Department of Education of the United States, per Article 1, Section 8.
Congress may not tax for, fund, or regulate education.
Where the —- is the Supreme Court?
The Supreme Court’s jurisdiction is limited to cases and controversies so feel free to work with a lawyer to bring a lawsuit.
AI Overview
The Supreme Court has not always waited for a traditional, fully argued case to rule on a controversy, especially in recent years with the rise of the emergency or ”
shadow docket”. While Article III of the Constitution generally requires a case or controversy, and the Court traditionally decides cases on the merits after full briefing and arguments, it now frequently issues fast-tracked, high-stakes decisions on urgent matters without standard procedures.
Key details regarding the Court’s timing and procedures:
Shadow Docket vs. Merits Docket: The Court increasingly uses the emergency docket (or “shadow docket”) to issue swift rulings—sometimes at night—without the lengthy, transparent process of the merits docket. These cases involve requests to halt lower court orders and can have immediate national impact.
– Gemini
So, you advocate that SCOTUS ignore the plain text of the Constitution in order to enforce the plain text of the Constitution. Schizophrenic much?
No, I advocate that, understanding that America has been illicitly and “fundamentally transformed” into an abject communist welfare state, the Supreme Court should continue, as Gemini states above, to “now frequently issue fast-tracked, high-stakes decisions on urgent matters without standard procedures” or that it pick and choose cases that will allow it to excise the communism and place America squarely back on the Constitution and Bill of Rights.
Let’s put things in perspective: Trump went to Europe to pitch war, chaos, and fascism.
Trump did not start the War in Ukraine – Biden did, Trump is trying to end it.
Trump did not start the mess in Iran – the Iranians did. In ,multiple different ways. Even Obama now admits he should have stepped in during the green revolution.
Trump did not start the mess in Vensezeula, but he appears to have ended it.
Trump wants a Europe that is able to defend itself – that is a GOOD thing.
Those of you on the left should not bemoan a bit of chaos, you cause it everywhere you go.
Trump is an actual anti-fascist. The modern left is incredibly fascist.
Yet more evidence that John Say lives in an alternate realty fantasy land of delusion and mental illness.
How exactly did Biden start the war ??
I believe it was Russia that started the war, and yet your insane comment makes no mention of Russia.
How exactly can a country START a war without participating in the START of a war ???
Are you saying that Biden actively encouraged Russia to START the war ???
What a lunatic !!!!!!
He thinks he intelligent.
Say has nothing to add with those 1,000 word mumbo jumbos; thoughts are disconnected and rambling. And ideas? What ideas?
Participate if you want fellow commenters.
Biden declared minor incursion a-ok.
Biden did not start the war in Ukraine. That Trump lie was debunked long ago.
Putin started the war in Ukraine because Russia’s poor emergence from the Soviet Union’s failed style of governance and a lack of important resources that were available when Ukraine was part of the Soviet Union. Ukraine’s consideration of joining NATO which it was its right, was something Putin did not want.
“ Trump is an actual anti-fascist. The modern left is incredibly fascist.”
Ooh that’s rich. You’re saying Trump is a member of ANTIFA? Really?
You don’t know what a fascist is. Those on the right have been using the term “fascist” interchangeably with anything they don’t like. Same with “Marxism”, and “communism”.
“ Trump did not start the mess in Vensezeula, but he appears to have ended it.”
Are you sure? Trump is running Venezuela, according to him. He’s making it harder for U.S. oil companies to invest in Venezuela. Why would U.S. oil companies invest billions to build up Venezuelan oil infrastructure? It would undermine their half a trillion dollar investment in Canadian oil infrastructure. Cheaper Venezuelan oil will cut into their profit margins. They only
“ positive” outcome from that expensive venture for Trump is starving Cuba of it’s oil.
Everyone knows X is wrong.
I distinctly remember Biden on TV threatening Putin with Nato expansion into Ukraine way way before Putin invaded.
Someone told biden at the time that Putin had enough of nato expansion and so biden pushed that button hard so the war could cover up the corruption in Ukraine. It worked. but he still had to pardon Hunter anyway. All according to evil plan. Biden started the war on purpose.
The week that the russian military buildup was near ready to burst potus puppet Briben was asked on video what he was going to do about it if russia attacked Ukraine. His answer was “depends on how much he takes”. Literally conveyign the message to pooty go ahead im wishy like obammy and red lines mean nothing to me too. But the people propping up autopen joey paid for this war and wanted what they made us pay for.
Russia and Ukraine have been in conflict for centuries. The latest war started with the Russian invasion of Ukraine a few years ago. Someone needs to explain why this is Biden’s fault.
Donald Trump has not gotten us into any endless wars.
Trump is also the ultimate anti-communist final boss, game over commie.
Trump is crushing communism worldwide!
If you are in Venezuala, Cuba, Iran, or any other enslaved country, NOW is the time to work toward instituting an American Style Democratic Republic based on individual rights and law.
“Trump did not start the mess in Iran – the Iranians did.”
Care to go back to 1953 with that analysis?
Dont forget the CIA , Vicky Nulland and all that taxpayer money funneled to Uke war by USAID.
Aahh, show me on.tbe doll where Trump made you a war monger and fascist?
Why are you trying to convince a lying liberal troll he is wrong. He knows he is lying he knows he is wrong. That is why.he comments like that to.upset you.
Ignore him, make fun of him or tell him you wii pray for him, but don’t argue with him, it only encourages more lies.
Another mid reader.
“Ignore him, make fun of him or tell him you wii [sic] pray for him,” Ok, if you say.
As it’s the day we celebrate George Washington, this excerpt from his farewell address has special significance given his warning about Europe and our current situations around the world. My apologies for the length of the post, but I just couldn’t figure out how to edit the great man’s insights, advice and warnings.
“…Nothing is more essential than that permanent, inveterate antipathies against particular nations and passionate attachments for others should be excluded and that in place of them just and amicable feelings towards all should be cultivated. The nation which indulges towards another an habitual hatred or an habitual fondness is in some degree a slave. It is a slave to its animosity or to its affection, either of which is sufficient to lead it astray from its duty and its interest.
“Antipathy in one nation against another disposes each more readily to offer insult and injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and intractable when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur. Hence frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests….
“So likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation for another produces a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the illusion of an imaginary common interest in cases where no real common interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other, betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the latter without adequate inducement or justification.
“It leads also to concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others, which is apt doubly to injure the nation making the concessions — by unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained — and by exciting jealousy, ill will, and a disposition to retaliate in the parties from whom equal privileges are withheld.
“And it gives to ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the favorite nation) facility to betray or sacrifice the interests of their own country without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding with the appearances of a virtuous sense of obligation a commendable deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good, the base or foolish compliances of ambition, corruption, or infatuation.
“As avenues to foreign influence in innumerable ways, such attachments are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic factions, to practice the arts of seduction, to mislead public opinion, to influence or awe the public councils! Such an attachment of a small or weak towards a great and powerful nation dooms the former to be the satellite of the latter.
“Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to believe me, fellow citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government. But that jealousy to be useful must be impartial; else it becomes the instrument of the very influence to be avoided, instead of a defense against it.
“Excessive partiality for one foreign nation and excessive dislike of another cause those whom they actuate to see danger only on one side, and serve to veil and even second the arts of influence on the other. Real patriots, who may resist the intrigues of the favorite, are liable to become suspected and odious, while its tools and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people to surrender their interests.
“The great rule of conduct for us in regard to foreign nations is, in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us stop.
“Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies, the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence therefore it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics or the ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.
“Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue a different course. If we remain one people under an efficient government, the period is not far off when we may defy material injury from external annoyance; when we may take such an attitude as will cause the neutrality we may at any time resolve upon to be scrupulously respected; when belligerent nations, under the impossibility of making acquisitions upon us, will not lightly hazard the giving us provocation; when we may choose peace or war, as our interest, guided by justice, shall counsel.
“Why forgo the advantages of so peculiar a situation? Why quit our own to stand upon foreign ground?”
George Washington’s Farewell Address
-g
relevance?
@Anonymous
It’s President’s Day, knucklehead, it directly addresses the disparity between current European neo-oligarchy and American liberty, and he said it centuries ago but still all too relevant today; it’s why we kicked them to the curb in the first place. Nothing has really changed across the pond, not fundamentally; they have never had the complete freedom we enjoy, so it is difficult for them to even imagine it. Be it a nation, a society, even a domestic violence victim – conditioning is conditioning.
“It’s President’s Day,”
The name has been batted back and forth for years, but officially today is George Washington’s Birthday:
“Today is Monday, February 16, 2026.
In the United States, it is a federal holiday officially known as Washington’s Birthday, though it is more widely celebrated as Presidents’ Day. Because of this, most federal government offices, post offices, and banks are closed. “
@-g
Thanks for remembering, and thank you for sharing.
Thank you for posting President Washington’s Farewell Address. 🎆
Thank you for the article. From your article, “Many of those supporting it are young voters with no memory of the collapse of socialist economies in the 20th Century.” I think the appeal of socialism runs deeper than just a lack of knowledge of history. Although I virulently oppose socialism, one should recognize the strengths of one’s enemies. Socialism offers a way to feel good, that is a way to ‘help others’ and to improve your own life style by making that which you must pay for cheaper or even ‘free’. Socialists conveniently evade the fact that that which is cheaper or ‘free’ under socialism was created, made, constructed by someone else and then grabbed at gunpoint by vicious power hungry politicians (PWPs) who violate the rights of those who actually actually work for a living every time they act. But in my view, the ultimate villain here is not necessarily the socialists or the PWPs who seduce them with lies and evasion. It’s the cowardly GOP politicians who go along with the Democrats in order to hold on to their juicy well paid sinecures in Congress and in state and local offices. Until the GOP fights for the concepts of freedom and individual rights including the right to keep what you earn, a crucial component of your right to your own life, in my view, the socialists will roll along comfortably on their way to the police state which they so desperately desire.
🇺🇸 Happy Presidents’ Day! 🇺🇸
It’s Presidents’ Day, the holiday to celebrate the birthdays of two of the nation’s most revered presidents — Abe Lincoln and George Washington — who were both born in February.
“Today is Monday, February 16, 2026.
In the United States, it is a federal holiday officially known as Washington’s Birthday, though it is more widely celebrated as Presidents’ Day. Because of this, most federal government offices, post offices, and banks are closed. “
I have followed this blog for about 15 years. We debate the same problems year after year. The names change. The headlines change. The patterns do not. I was part of that slugfest too. Then I stepped back and asked a systems question: we have many problems with many causes, but is there one root cause that keeps reproducing the same outcomes?
That is how I landed on formation.
The reason my question does not change while Professor Turley’s topics do is simple. He addresses events. I am asking about the conditions that produce them. Everything is downstream of formation. Like it or not, every society forms its citizens into something. That process never stops. Choosing not to discuss it does not make it disappear. It only makes it passive rather than intentional.
A constitutional republic presupposes citizens capable of self government. If we are not intentionally forming that citizen, drift is inevitable. Formation is not glamorous. It requires humility. It requires admitting that we, collectively, may not consistently be the kind of citizens our structure assumes.
If no one wants to talk about formation, fine. But then we should stop being surprised when we keep getting the same results.
Re: Olly
…” I am asking about the conditions that produce them. Everything is downstream of formation.” -Olly …
There are those that Devise (Divisive) by Division and Leverage to create control. Today they segregate communications into divisions by technology (internet – apps). These ‘Walled Gardens’ of the Internet are controlled by the overall structure, so that they can be ‘maintained’ (curated) by the Controlling Power(s). Freedom of Speech is Free but it is channeled into respective advocacy by the systemic structure of the technological medium.
The Ethos (Rhetorical Appeal) of the American Internet is different than Chinese, Japanese, French, Arabic, etc… but all are ‘controlled’ by the structure in a similar manner. This makes the overall technology ‘systemic’ in design for Total Control (Global).
It’s been this way since the invention of the printing press. Choose your version of the Bible (King James of the Gutenberg Press), Choose your News Paper, became choose you TV Station, that became choose your Cable Channel, that became choose your Internet Carrier, that became choose your ISP, that became choose your Walled Garden (a Blog, Facebook, Twitter|X, etc.).
It’s Your preference (choose you poison). Free to find the Manipulative-Medium you’re comfortable with, and suckle at the teat.
You will not stop Us from connecting-the-dots, all roads lead to King Midas.
[The story of Midas serves as a timeless, cautionary tale about the dangers of greed and the folly of unbridled desire – i.e.: Politics]
😇Anonymous
Systems influence us. They do not eliminate agency.
A republic assumes citizens capable of navigating imperfect media without surrendering responsibility. If we attribute everything to external control, we remove the very capacity self-government requires.
Formation includes us.
No they do not. A republic assumes nothing or the sort. You’re making stuff up. Proven by the fact that you have no sources.
When I say a republic assumes citizen capacity, I mean structurally. As Madison noted in Federalist 51, the system depends on human restraint and judgment while distributing power broadly. If that capacity weakens, power consolidates. That is not theory. That is structural design.
Olly: 😇Anonymous Says:
We are Media Lemmings
The founding generation was not perfect, but their daily lives required more direct civic responsibility. The system and the citizen were closely aligned. If the citizen capacity for self-government weakens, the structure compensates by centralizing. That is a systems reality, not a romantic claim.
. It’s a natural phenomenon as cream rises to the top.
Sue pal, lay off the crack.
Olly, love your posts but I respectfully am curious about your oft-repeated themes. You frequently speak of true and requisite ‘civic formation,’ and point to unaddressed “root causes” that result in these repetitive polemics. Is this circular for you? in that the lack of civic formation IS the root cause? Is lack of civic formation your identification of a cause or the result?
For me, lack of civic formation is a result, not the cause.
My response is that proper and strong “civic formation” requires curiosity, explorative inquisition, rationality, logic, and Socratic critical thinking with others. Theses and antitheses. Tunnel vision vs. Panorama. We cannot truly prevail in these pursuits without exposure to a wide spectrum of information. The “root cause,” therefore, becomes the manipulation and selective editing of ‘available’ information necessary for “informed” opinion or stance.
In a Republic, this is caused by COMPETING political ideologies, who control the selection, manipulation, and release of information. Accordingly, lack of civic formation is a result, not a cause.
But wait. I refine further.
(I note that your root word of ‘formation’ can also entertain the prefix variables of disinformation, malinformation, etc.—with much less emphasis on more comprehensive and toxic ‘reinformation” such as that which plagues our IT/mass communications technology.) Oddly enough, I found the most concise definition (to post here) on an elementary school-level site:
“Reinformation is the end-product of a communication process that has undergone a mutation by an outside force or third party. Usually reinformation is the manipulation of existing information by an information sender (or an individual or organization wishing to communicate a message) that completely changes its meaning by using methods such as subverting the original message, pulling it out of context, evolution through collaboration or a combination of all of these. The advent of reinformation as a modern form of communication is largely due to the world’s ever-growing dependence on digital information technology.” https://academickids.com/encyclopedia/index.php/Reinformation
That, my friend, is what I consider theeeee most significant “root cause.” In other words, in today’s world, civic formation may negatively manifest as the cumulative particulate of civic disinformation, civic misinformation, and civic reinformation,– with no surface tension to hold it together.
Thanks for reading.
hope this makes sense; I’m outta chocolate milk to stimulate my brain today.
Lin, I appreciate the way you are thinking this through. Let me try to clarify the distinction I am making.
We often discuss critical thinking here, and that matters. But critical thinking applied to isolated processes is not the same as systems thinking applied to final outputs. We can debate media manipulation, disinformation, platform curation, ideological competition, and refine each of those endlessly. Deming would call that “tampering” if we are adjusting internal processes without defining and managing the final output the system is producing.
In a constitutional republic, the raw material is citizens. The system’s input measure is citizen capacity for self-government. Ideally, the output measure should be the same or stronger. If the output measure declines, something within the internal processes is widening the gap.
The information ecosystem you describe absolutely matters. It is one of those internal processes. But it operates within a larger system. Weak civic formation is not merely a result of manipulation. It is also a vulnerability that manipulation exploits. A poorly formed citizen is more susceptible to distorted information. A well-formed citizen is more resilient to it.
That is why I continue returning to formation as the root lens. Information disorder influences the system, but formation capacity determines how much influence it has. If we never define the output we are trying to preserve, we will keep refining processes and debating symptoms without understanding why the results remain the same.
That is the distinction I am trying to make.
I have listened to Sec. Rubio’s remarks as well as Gov Newsom’s and AOC’s remarks. Sec Rubio was impressively able to convey American perceptions of where Europe needs to go in a very diplomatic manner indicating that American and European past, present, and future were intertwined. The talk by Newsom and AOC brought about, in me, a sense of revulsion. I can understand criticism of America in general and DJT in particular. There is, however, a time and place to do so. I do not believe that it is at all appropriate for a prominent American politician to go abroad and run down this country. There are plenty of appropriate opportunities to do so back home in America. On this I stand with Stephen Decatur in his toast, “Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.”
Kushner and Witkoff are in Geneva for negotiations with Iran with regard to their nuclear program.
I’m confused. According to Trump, Iran’s nuclear program has been “COMPLETELY OBLITERATED”.
So what exactly is there to talk about???
Interestingly, the US delegation includes Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, but NOT Secretary of State, Marco Rubio, who is supposedly in charge of US foreign policy and relations. Rubio is currently in Europe and yet will not participate in the negotiations.
So what exactly is going on here ??
The most likely explanation is that Witkoff and Kushner, who are not official representatives of the US government, are going to negotiate the size of the cash bribe that Iran will be required to pay into Trump’s personal Swiss bank accounts in order to avoid an invasion of their country. That is why they don’t want Rubio present for the negotiations.
The US has sent another carrier group to the region, and there are reports of preparations by ground forces at US military bases.
This is simply a large scale, mafia style shakedown.
Nice little country you have there, Iran.
It would a shame if something were to happen to it.
“I’m confused. According to Trump, Iran’s nuclear program has been “COMPLETELY OBLITERATED”.
So what exactly is there to talk about???”
Trump insists that to avoid US intervention right now Iran must agree to abandon any efforts to have a nuclear progream and the agree to regular IEAE inspections.
But that is only ONE part of Trump’s demonads.
Eliminating or limiting their ICBM program is another.
Eliminating their support of other terrorist organizations is the 3rd.
What everyone wants is a peaceful end to the unpopular rule of the ayatolahs.
But getting there is complicated.
Americans will accept near US causulaty free military intervention of short duration that actually accomplishes something.
Most mideastern nations want the Ayatolah gone. But they do not want that to happen as a result of US force.
And they really do not want their own people to see that happen as a result of popular uprising.
Israel want the Atatolah gone – and they will do it themselves if allowed.
The Iranian people want the Ayatolah gone, but WE know from Iraq that military intervention by the US or Israel gould easily undermine the forces trying to overthow the Ayatolah in Iran.
But another thing that is going on is the US has Thoroughly isolated Iran right now – very little is going in or going out.
The Ayatolah is losing his ability to pay those loyal to him.
I suspect there MAY be limited military actions to further disrupt Irans nuclear related programs,
But mostly – like what is going on in Cuba right now – this is just a very tight economic blockade seeking to bankrupt the regime,
and that may prove sucessful.
Further missing from your shallow understanding is that Trump’s recent “military” actions – while partly about drugs,
Is also greatly about isolating and neutering the “axis of evil”
Iran, Venezeuala and Russia were jointly engaged in “oil laundering” to evade sanctions on Russia, Iran and Russia.
While Iran is also the supplier of 40% of russian munitions.
The Russia Ukraine was has been a WWI style war of attrition that ultimately Ukraine would lose.
But Russia is running out of money, it is running out of armor, and it is running out of ammunition
In Jan 2025 Trump told Zelensky he hold no cards.
If you want a resolution to the war in Ukraine that does not result in Russia getting everything it wants
Then Russia must face the possibility of defeat, and if you want that – you need to either beat it on the battlefield
or defeat it logistically.
What is going on in Iran is part of the latter.
This is also a huge deal related to China – China is getting most of its oil as illegal sanctioned oil from Venezuela, Iran and Russia.
Trump is stopping that.
And lets not forget that much of this is possible because US oil and NG production is up, and the US is a significan net EXPORTER
of energy. That too changes global power.
John works closely with the Trump admin.
More insane demented gibberish from the mentally impaired John Say.
If the negotiations are so widespread beyond just Iran’s nuclear program, then why aren’t the negotiations being led by Secretary of State Marco Rubio and a huge team of diplomats from the State Department. Instead, Rubio is currently in Europe campaigning for Victor Orban ahead of elections in April.
Why isn’t he handling the Iran negotiations ???
Why are the negotiations through two real estate developers, neither of whom have security clearances, and who have no experience with such high level negotiations, and neither of whom are officially recognized representatives of the US. Neither of them have Senate confirmation to any official government position.
Witkoff is a long time friend of Trump. Kushner is a family member.
The answer is obvious.
This is just a shakedown of Iran for personal profit for Trump.
Nothing more, nothing less.
John Say, so what if Iran seeks nuclear power? North Korea has nukes. What did we do? Nothing. They still have their nukes and we are leaving them alone. That is what Iran wants. By having nukes Israel will think twice about attacking it as it has in the past. The whole point of preventing Iran from having nuclear weapons is that even if they don’t use them at all they still serve as a deterrent against Israeli attacks.
Iran has a right to defend itself just as Israel does. Iran has never attacked another nation outright. Israel has and so have we.
Why don’t we demand Israel open its nuclear weapons programs for inspection? Everyone knows they have them. Why should the get a pass?
Questions, questions questions lacking logic. Lay off the AI George. Makes you look stupid.
” By having nukes Israel will think twice about attacking it as it has in the past. ”
For decades, Iran has been attacking Israel with its proxies. If it could have done so, Iran would have destroyed Israel decades ago. Though Israel has nukes, it never attacked Iran, but if Iran gets nukes, there will be a nuclear war in the Middle East.
Israel is not the aggressor. Iran is, and since the overthrow of the Shah, the government of Iran has been focused on destroying Israel. Israel’s survival depends on Iran not having nuclear weapons or other weapons that can destroy Israel, because Iran will do it, even at tremendous cost. That is why in the present and future, Israel will remain ready to destroy those weapons because they are an existential threat.
S. Meyer, if these negotiations are so important to the United States and our allies, then why is Trump sending two of his least competent cronies to do the negotiating.
Why are Rubio and diplomats from the State Department not involved?
Why has Rubio instead been sent to Hungary to campaign for Orban in his bid for re-election in April ?
The negotiations are being handled by Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner.
Why do we have two real estate developer cronies of Trump doing these vital negotiations?
Neither Witkoff or Kushner have security clearances, and neither of them are officially appointed representatives of the US government.
They are Trump’s business cronies, obviously out to make some sort of deal where they make personal profits.
Xlax, one can only laugh at your ignorance. Check out the ones involved in the Abraham Accords. Listen to what Rubio has already said.
Though strategically, Israel has great importance to the US, like many other areas, that was not part of my discussion. Learn to read. However, if Iran gets nuclear missiles, it will use them against Israel, which means a nuclear war in the Middle East. Is that what you are hoping for?
The Abraham Accords are just a pathetic joke that were designed by Kushner for purely personal profit and no other reason.
The Accords were touted as a means to bring peace to the Middle East by normalizing relations and trade between Israel and their Arab enemies. However, the only countries to join were UAE, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, Kazakhstan, Somalia and Kosovo. These are small time Muslim countries with small populations that have not been engaged in hostilities with Israel, and already had some relatively friendly relations with Israel.
The real purpose for the Accords became apparent as Kushner brokered trade deals by inserting his company Affinity Partners as a middle man to skim off “management fees” from the deals. He collected hundreds of millions of dollars in “fees”, which in reality were bribes given to curry favor with Trump.
Kushner is nothing but an opportunist who is only interested in personal profit. He simply dresses up his plans as some kind of humanitarian effort for peace.
He will do exactly the same thing with these negotiations with Iran. His primary focus will be how to make a buck while giving the appearance of negotiating peace.
(By the way, resorting to insults and name calling is not arguing, and does little for your credibility)
Somalia never joined the Abraham Accords. While Israel and Kosovo normalized relations, Kosovo is clearly not an Arab nation. You should check your sources before responding and making a fool of yourself. Your facts were wrong, and your opinions are faulty because you don’t bother to learn the facts.
For the above reasons, there is no reason to read further or spoon-feed you any longer. We previously discussed the Abraham Accords, where you showed a total lack of knowledge, leaving with your tail between your legs. You are worthless.
Perhaps you should learn to read.
I specifically referred to the Abraham Accords signatories as “Muslim” countries, not “Arab” countries, because I know perfectly well that Kosovo is not an Arab country. However it is a Muslim country where 90% of the population are Muslim.
The only thing you say that is correct is that Somalia did not join the Accords. I meant to say Somaliland, which joined on December 26, 2025. I am not sure if that was a typo or autocorrect. However it is an error of no consequence that unfortunately you seize upon in a vain attempt to discredit everything else I said.
Nevertheless everything else I said still stands.
The signatories to the Accords are all small Muslim countries with no significant history of hostilities with Israel. Kushner created this farcical agreement for the sole purpose of skimming off profits in the form of “management fees” for deals between the signatories.
The agreement has done absolutely nothing to bring peace or stability to the Middle East, because all of Israel’s active adversaries recognize it for what is, and want absolutely nothing to do with it.
It is a farce, and your continued childish personal insults do nothing to change that fact.
“I specifically referred to the Abraham Accords signatories as “Muslim” countries, not “Arab” countries, because I know perfectly well that Kosovo is not an Arab country.”
That was a fortuitous accident on your part, and don’t forget Somalia never joined the Abraham Accords. No one has to “seize upon in a vain attempt” to discredit you. You do an excellent job at that yourself.
Your knowledge of the region is sparse and mostly erroneous. The Abraham Accords are a big thing, and are reshaping the Middle East.
There are no significant insults in my words. You are what you are, and that is recognized by most of the people on this blog.
How can the Abraham Accords possibly be doing anything at all to “reshape the Middle East.” ?
There are 26 countries in the Middle East with a population of around 400 million people. Precisely two of those countries have joined the Accords. Bahrain and UAE have a population of around 12.5 million people. They are perhaps the least significant countries in terms of influence and have no significant history of hostilities with Israel. The other 24 countries, who by and large are hostile to Israel, have absolutely no interest in the farce known as the Abraham Accords. Only around 3% of the Middle East population is included in the Accords, and somehow these few people from tiny countries are “reshaping the Middle East.”
You are out of your mind !!!!
The other 5 countries in the Accords are not even part of the Middle East. Somaliland is not really even a country. It is a breakaway region of Somalia, that is only recognized by Israel. No other country even recognizes this as a “country”. The US does not even recognize Somaliland. It is a joke. These countries are very small with no significant international influence.
Apparently your position is that 5 countries that are not even part of the Middle East, together with the 2 smallest and least influential countries that actually are in the Middle East, are somehow able to “reshape the Middle East”.
Not even Saudi Arabia, which is run by a family that has $2 billion invested in Kushner’s bogus hedge fund that is yet to show any returns at all to investors after 5 years, despite Kushner having extracted $157 million in “management fees”, has shown any in interest in joining this farce. They have explicitly stated that they would only join if Israel showed commitment to an irreversible path to a two state solution for Palestine, which of course will never happen under the Netanyahu regime. So obviously Saudi Arabia, the wealthiest and most influential player in the Middle East will never join.
And yet you continue to believe that the least influential countries can “reshape the Middle East”.
This is truly bizarre and wishful thinking, completely untethered from reality.
The Abraham Accords are nothing more than a scheme developed by Kushner to try to extract personal profits from these countries. He has been somewhat successful, but I am sure that the realization of this scam is actually less than he had hoped for.
I repeat, The Abraham Accords is a farcical abomination that is of no discernible purpose, other than as a mechanism for Kushner and Trump to extract personal profits.
It has not brought peace and stability to the region, and there is no possible way that the two least significant Middle East signatories can reshape anything at all, let alone the entire Middle East.
“How can the Abraham Accords possibly be doing anything…”
You lefties are all the same. Ignorant. Your statement is completely false and embarrassingly outdated. One need not read further. I didn’t think X to be the brightest crayon in the box, but you make him seem like a genius. X, above, finally got the count correct after more than one try.
Do you know what geopolitics is? The short answer is, no, you don’t. The impact that region has on the rest of the world is immense. The UAE alone punches far above its weight class and has major financial and diplomatic strength. I will stop now because your ignorance requires a book to set you straight.
What you do not seem to understand is that the Abraham Accords exist only as a piece of paper. It has done absolutely nothing for stabilization in the Middle East in terms of peace or economic prosperity. All the signatories had to be bribed by Trump to join.
The only reason UAE signed the Accords is because Trump promised to sell them F35 fighters. UAE has had unofficial economic and defense relationships with Israel since the 1990’s. Both countries have cooperated for decades because of their shared defense interests against Iran. All the Abraham Accords did was to formalize already existing cooperation by opening embassies in each country. Nothing more, nothing less. Absolutely nothing has changed between UAE and Israel apart from formally opening embassies. The promise of F35 aircraft was a straight out quid pro quo bribe.
The only reason that Bahrain signed is because Trump declared a domestic Islamic opposition group to be a terrorist organization. Bahrain is an absolute monarchy, but has faced opposition from Saraya al-Mokhtar, a militant group dedicated to overthrowing the king and his government. Simply a straight out quid pro quo bribe.
The only reason Morocco joined is because Trump officially recognized Morocco’s claim to the disputed region of Western Sahara, a former colony of Spain. Most of the world recognizes this region to be an independent country. The only countries that now recognize Morocco’s claims to the region are the US and Israel. Surprise, surprise !!! Simply a straight out quid pro quo bribe.
The only reason Sudan joined the Accords is because Trump removed them from the State Sponsor of Terrorism list. It was a straight out quid pro quo bribe. Sudan is quite literally the poorest nation on the planet, with absolutely zero influence on the world stage, let alone the Middle East, of which it is not even a part.
The only reason Kosovo joined is because Trump strong armed Israel into recognizing Kosovo as an independent country. The sovereignty of Kosovo is disputed in the region where most of its neighbors consider it to be part of Serbia. Kosovo is 90% Muslim and was historically a part of Serbia, but they broke away from Orthodox Catholic Serbia after the civil war that destroyed Yugoslavia. Israel had always refused to recognize Kosovo independence because they believed it would set a precedent for recognizing Palestinian claims for a separate state. Israel feared that they would be viewed as hypocritical if they recognized Muslim Kosovo’s right to exist while denying Palestine’s right to exist. Again this was simply a straight out quid pro quo bribe. Kosovo is not even part of the Middle East. It is over 1,000 miles away and any idea that they can “reshape the Middle East” is bizarre delusional thinking.
Somaliland joined the Abraham Accords. It is not even a recognized country. It is simply a rebel breakaway region of Somalia that absolutely no other countries recognized until Israel bribed them by offering full recognition as an independent country, in return for signing. They are not part of the Middle East and have less than zero influence on the world stage. They are simply a figment of Israel’s imagination, brought into the Accords in a grossly disingenuous and hypocritical attempt to pad the number of signatories.
Kazakhstan joined simply because Trump bribed them with favorable trade deals with the US, not with Israel. They are over 1,000 miles from the Middle East and have absolutely no interest or influence in the stability or development of that region. They signed simply for favorable considerations with the US. Simply a straight out quid pro quo bribe and another disingenuous attempt to pad the number of signatories.
The bottom line is that absolutely nothing has changed in the Middle East as a consequence of the completely bogus Abraham Accords. The Accords are nothing more than an attempt by Kushner and Trump to extract personal profits.
The Accords are simply a sham, just like Kushner’s bogus private equity fund that is nothing more than an influence peddling slush fund provided primarily by Saudi Arabia. The Saudi royal family gave him $2 billion despite warnings from their own financial advisors that it was a mistake, because Kushner had no experience in running such a fund. The fund has failed to return a single penny to investors and yet Kushner has extracted $157 million in “management fees” for the 5 years it has existed. This is a sad and pathetic joke. The investors have paid him $157 million for doing absolutely nothing. Not one single penny in returns. A total farce.
The fact that 24 of the 26 Middle Eastern countries have absolutely no interest speaks volumes in terms of how these “Accords” are viewed in the region. You seem to think that the UAE is key to the success of the Accords, because “the UAE alone punches far above its weight class and has major financial and diplomatic strength”. So apparently the UAE, all alone, is going to ride in on a majestic white horse and save the Middle East all by itself. And this is despite the fact that the Emirati people oppose the Accords by a margin of more than 3 to 1.
These are indisputable facts regarding the Abraham Accords.
Perhaps you would care to rebut what I say with a few relevant facts, rather than platitudinous statements of wishful thinking devoid of factual information or coherent analysis, such as “the UAE punches above its weight”.
“The UAE punches above its weight.” should have put you in your place, since you demeaned its significance.
You don’t get it. The Abraham Accords were far more than “a piece of paper.” They produced embassies, booming trade, direct flights, and defense cooperation. These are measurable results and certainly not paper-weight achievements.
Your comment on “bribery” is lazy. Yes, Washington used incentives as all other countries do. Negotiation is a skill set. In this case, it openly aligned nations advancing the prospects for peace through tangible progress, not your typical empty rhetoric.
I will not spoon-feed you. I exposed two of your many errors and showed you did not reveal corruption or insight. You simply regurgitated your ignorance.
Unfortunately, you are the one that doesn’t get it.
The Abraham Accords are just diddling around at the edges of the Middle East. Only 2 of the signatories are actually in the Middle East.
Bahrain is a totally insignificant player with a population of only 750,000 people who are actually Bahraini citizens. There are another 850,000 people in the country, but they are simply temporary guest workers. Very few Bahraini citizens actually have jobs. They do not like to do actual work, so they bring in temporary workers from India, Bangladesh, Nepal, Philippines, Indonesia, Sri Lanka and other poor nations. 35% of Bahraini citizens are employed by the government in what are basically trivial make work jobs.
The ONLY Middle East country of any consequence in the Abraham Accords is UAE, which is the ONLY country out of 26 Middle East countries to join.
You say that the Accords have produced booming trade and direct flights, but that is only with one country, not the Middle East as a whole. The rest of the Middle East is completely ignoring this farcical arrangement.
How can this arrangement between Israel and ONE other country possibly have any significant influence on “reshaping” the entire Middle East?
If 96% of the Middle East refuses to participate, how can the Accords possibly have any influence on “reshaping” those non-participating countries?
The answer is that the Accords have absolutely no influence in 96% of the Middle East, and no amount of wishful thinking by you or anyone else can change that.
In fact, UAE has been ostracized by their allies for their participation. Saudi Arabia has described UAE as a “Zionist Trojan horse”. Qatar, UAE’s immediate neighbor has demanded that they withdraw from the Accords.
UAE themselves admit that their relationship with Israel is under “enormous strain” following Israel’s air strikes on their ally Qatar last September against alleged terrorists. They have officially said that they are considering downgrading their relationship with Israel. One of their first steps in this direction was to deny Israel’s participation in the Dubai Airshow last November. This is one of the 3 largest commercial airshows where aircraft manufacturers from all over the world show off their latest models and try to secure new orders.
The Accords have changed nothing in the Middle East outside of limited benefits to one Arab country and Israel, and even that limited benefit is under strain after the Israeli strikes on Qatar.
If anything, the Accords have destabilized the Middle East by driving a wedge between UAE and Qatar, who have always been very close allies.
The Abraham Accords are a sad joke. All it has done is cause the only significant Middle East signatory, UAE, to be at odds with Qatar, its immediate neighbor and close ally
It is a fiasco.
It will soon die a very ignominious death and be swept under the rug as an insignificant episode in the Middle East.
Your former claim that “the UAE is the only Middle East country of any consequence” was proven false in my previous reply above. Now, you wish to double down and say “Bahrain is a totally insignificant player.” This ignores the facts that Bahrain hosts the U.S. Navy Fifth Fleet and is a member of the Gulf Cooperation Council. That gives it substantial strategic weight.
You also say, “the rest of the Middle East ignores the Accords.” That is wrong as well, since several other nations express interest and have ongoing discussions about joining. You say there are only two who signed the Abraham Accords, but according to the UN, there are four, and five if you include Morocco in the larger region.
Your assertion, “UAE–Israel ties are under enormous strain due to Israeli air strikes on Qatar… ” is a fabrication, something you are known for. There were no Israeli air strikes on Qatar. With that last comment of yours that came from the region of Bumble F-ck, but quite in line with your numerous other mistakes, I will cease spoon-feeding you, letting you try again and again.
You really do live in a fantasy land of denial and wishful thinking.
Unfortunately, your wishful thinking is not a substitute for reality.
You flail about trying to convince me that there are more than 2 significant signatories to the Accords and you cite the participation of Morocco. Morocco is 2,400 miles from Israel, and in no way can be considered part of the Middle East. Morocco extends further WEST than Spain, the western most part of Europe. How can anyone claim that it is part of the Middle East. As I said previously, the only reason Morocco signed was because they were bribed by Trump when he recognized their claim to Western Sahara. This exercise was simply a blatant attempt to pad the number of signatories. Morocco has no other interests in the Abraham Accords.
The fact that the US 5th Fleet is based in Bahrain does not change the fact that Bahrain is an insignificant signatory. There are less than 750,000 citizens of Bahrain. How can so few people have any significant impact on trade in a region of 400 million people. Bahrain is completely inconsequential.
The facts are that UAE is the ONLY significant signatory in the Middle East.
The facts are that the relationship between UAE and Israel are under great strain following the airstrikes on Qatar. Apparently you are denying that the air strikes even took place. Perhaps the following report from Israel Hayom will enlighten you. Israel Hayom is the most widely distributed newspaper in Israel. It is a conservative publication founded by Sheldon Adelson, and consistently supports the Netanyahu government and Likud
The headline from Feb 6, 2026, just 2 weeks ago, is as follows:
Abraham Accords on brink of collapse as UAE loses patience with Netanyahu
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/02/06/abraham-accords-uae-israel-relations-crisis-netanyahu
Pay particular attention to this extract:
“Conversations with figures in Israel and the Emirates, reveals that for a long time, the palace in Abu Dhabi has felt deep frustration and disappointment with Jerusalem, questioning the benefit they gain from the Abraham Accords. Behind this stand a series of failed economic deals,”
( here are some more extracts )
If the Abraham Accords ever stood on the edge of collapse, it happened on September 9, 2025. That day, Israeli Air Force jets bombed a building in Doha, Qatar’s capital, where Hamas leaders had gathered. The shockwaves from the historic strike reverberated clearly 310 miles (500 kilometers) away in Abu Dhabi, the UAE capital. They violently shook the walls of President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed’s palace.
Following the Israeli strike, the furious bin Zayed convened an emergency meeting to discuss the UAE’s response options – the dominant country on the Arab side of the Abraham Accords. As Israel Hayom first reported, one option raised at the table was a dramatic decision to freeze the accords.
The option to freeze the Abraham Accords did come up at that Abu Dhabi meeting, but ultimately came off the table. Still, on the Emirates’ scale – skilled statesmen who usually conduct themselves in a measured and moderate manner – their response to the Doha attack was wild. “A crude and cowardly move, a reckless and aggressive act,” bin Zayed described the strike in an official statement issued by the Emirati foreign ministry that same day.
The next day, Israeli defense industries’ participation in the air show scheduled in Dubai was canceled, and later the Israeli ambassador, Yossi Shelley, was summoned for a reprimand. “Israel’s aggressive and provocative behavior establishes an unacceptable reality,” he was told.
An Israel Hayom investigation, based on conversations with figures in Israel and the Emirates, reveals that for a long time, the palace in Abu Dhabi has felt deep frustration and disappointment with Jerusalem, questioning the benefit they gain from the Abraham Accords. Behind this stand a series of failed economic deals, an ambassador who evokes negative emotions, extremist statements by government ministers, unclear Israeli policy regarding Gaza’s future and Judea and Samaria – and no small amount of suspicion toward Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
An individual who was recently asked whether the UAE’s relationship with Israel is realizing its full potential responded with three words: Not even close.
However, from the Emirates’ perspective, cooperation with Israel has exacted a heavy price. From the moment the Abraham Accords were exposed, many of their Muslim brethren have perceived them as assisting Israel in its struggle against Palestinians and Arabs. “They call us traitors,” an Emirati official frankly admits. Recently, the Emirates began wondering whether this heavy price is worth clinging to the Abraham Accords
Recently, Israel Hayom sat with one of the emirs’ sons, who told us, ‘I do not understand – your ministers talk about erasing Gaza and taking over the Temple Mount. Is this really the Israeli position?’ “The Emiratis are by their definition a peace-pursuing people, truly neutral. They went with Israel into an alliance of moderates, and suddenly they find Israel as a psychotic player in the Middle East. This stresses them very much.”
The Abu Dhabi leadership explained it saw the Abraham Accords as leverage for creating a diplomatic breakthrough between Israel and the Palestinians. But in practice the opposite happened.
This is the reality that you apparently deny in an astounding display of wishful thinking that is completely untethered from reality. Just because you desperately want the Accords to be success does not mean that they actually are.
The reality is that they are failing. They are moribund.
The Abraham Accords will be nothing more than a very sad footnote in the history of the Middle East.
Quantity is not a substitute for quality, so stop posting huge amounts of junk. There is only so much of your junk I will read at a time. I already showed you where your argument failed. You want to be spoon-fed sentence by sentence, but I won’t do that. First, you have to respond to my points where your errors were pointed out. I explained why four nations, not two with many other nations considering joining.
You have no understanding of geopolitics.
There is something very seriously wrong with your ability to understand what I am saying. Or you are so deep into denial that you are deliberately obfuscating and being deliberately obtuse.
You are obsessing over the details of how many countries have signed the Accords, but this is completely irrelevant.
The issue at hand is whether the Accords are achieving anything at all, and whether the signatories are satisfied.
According to Israel Hayom the UAE is highly dissatisfied to the point of considering withdrawal.
Did you bother to read the article from Israel Hayom from 2 weeks ago ?
https://www.israelhayom.com/2026/02/06/abraham-accords-uae-israel-relations-crisis-netanyahu
“Abraham Accords on brink of collapse as UAE loses patience with Netanyahu”
“Abu Dhabi has felt deep frustration and disappointment with Jerusalem, questioning the benefit they gain from the Abraham Accords”
“They went with Israel into an alliance of moderates, and suddenly they find Israel as a psychotic player in the Middle East.”
These are not MY thoughts or opinions. This is not an argument that I am trying to make. I am simply quoting from a very conservative Israeli newspaper that supports Netanyahu. These are the facts as described to Israel Hayom.
This is the current state of the Abraham Accords, as described to Israel Hayom by officials of the UAE.
Your denial of these facts is absurd.
No amount of wishful thinking on your part can change the fact that the UAE, the most important signatory to the Accords, has been considering withdrawing from the agreement.
Just because you BELIEVE that the Accords are working as intended, does not make it so.
Clearly the Accords are NOT working.
“The issue at hand is whether the Accords are achieving anything at all”
For that answer, we will have to wait and see long term. The Accords trend line is bumpy, but positive.
“According to Israel Hayom the UAE is highly dissatisfied to the point of considering withdrawal.”
That is the nature of geopolitics. People negotiate and state their feelings. All are negotiating in their best interests. You can quote all the news articles you wish, and you will find a variety of opinions.
The Abraham Accords represent a shift in Middle East geopolitics, involving security and alliance‑building. Keep these words in mind. Security concerns are not casual, so forget the hype and keep your eyes on the ball.
When 96% of the Middle East reject the Abraham Accords, and actively attack the UAE for their participation, then the trend line, as you put, it is decidedly negative.
There has been a shift in Middle East geopolitics, as you correctly observe. The shift is that the 96% who reject the Accords have been moved to ostracize an ally. The shift has been to drive a wedge between UAE and rest of the Arab nations.
“When 96% of the Middle East reject the Abraham Accords”
Before the Abraham Accords, there was **0% without a single formal agreement with Israel, only formal hostility and rising tension. Now six countries have formal ties through the Accords, and many others are considering joining. I don’t know where you got your silly percentage, especially when six nations have signed on, and others are looking toward it. That sounds like success, not rejection.
Nitpicking around the edges of an argument seems to be your special way of deflecting, obfuscating and muddying the waters when you know you are wrong.
I got the 96% as a rough estimate by looking at the population of the Middle East as a whole and comparing it to the populations of the signatories. I can’t remember the exact numbers or where I got them from, but it really doesn’t matter for the validity of my argument. It is a trivial matter, but you obsessively nitpick as if that is some sort of counter-argument.
The bottom line is that only a very small number of people are covered by the Accords, and now those that are covered are expressing buyer’s remorse. There is absolutely no evidence that any other countries are considering joining. As far as I can determine, all the other countries are following the lead of Saudi Arabia, by far the most influential player in the region. They have said that they would not join until Israel commits to an irreversible pathway towards a two state solution for Palestine. Of course, Netanyahu will never agree to that, so no other countries will be joining.
If you know otherwise, feel free to enlighten me.
But don’t try your usual gambit of saying that if I can’t find the information then it is my fault, and that you are under no obligation to provide the information.
“Nitpicking around the edges of an argument”
No, I corrected your argument and demonstrated the significant rise in formal agreements. 0 to six, with many others considering joining, is a huge improvement. The only existing problem is your lack of mathematical ability and understanding of basic integers.
“It is a trivial matter,
It’s not trivial. The modern accepted number is based on the UN criteria. But it doesn’t matter, because the proof is in the numbers 0 to 6, with others likely coming on board. That is a tremendous success.
The rest of your comments do not change the numbers.
You continue to nitpick around the numbers.
Give it a rest !!!!
The point is that only a very proportion of the people in the Middle East are covered by the Accords.
You keep harping that many other countries are considering joining, and yet you post no evidence for this.
If many others are considering joining, then please enlighten me, but as I said above don’t pull your usual gambit of saying that if I can’t find the information then it is my fault, and that you are under no obligation to provide the information.
“You continue to nitpick around the numbers.”
It’s not nitpicking; It’s reality smacking you in the face. You ignorantly talk about 2 nations when there are 6 and up to a dozen more in the wings. This would have been even more impressive if Biden didn’t interrupt the progress.
Your thinking appears to be trapped in an endless iterative loop.
You keep repeating the same things over and over again, as if that somehow reinforces and validates what you say. There is nothing to be gained about quibbling over the number of countries, or the number of people, or the proportion of the Middle East currently covered by the Accords.
The point is that no other countries have shown any interest in signing up. The last signatory was Sudan, who signed on January 6, 2021, more than 5 years ago. Absolutely nothing has changed for over 5 years. There has been absolutely no movement in countries willing to sign. And yet you keep harping that there “are up to a dozen more in the wings” who are ready and eager to sign up.
Who are these countries ??
I have asked you repeatedly to name these countries who are champing at the bit to sign up, but you studiously avoid doing so, because they are simply a figment of your imagination. If there “are up to a dozen more in the wings” then name them, and as I said before, don’t try your favorite stupid little game of saying that it is up to me to find this information that doesn’t actually exist.
Apparently you also think that Biden “interrupted the progress” of the Accords. This is also just a figment of your fertile imagination. As reported by The Hill and many, many other sources, Biden fully supported the concept of the Accords, and flew to the region multiple times in support.
https://thehill.com/homenews/administration/3558921-biden-says-he-strongly-supports-trumps-abraham-accords/
So, I have provided evidence for my assertion that your statement about Biden is false.
Perhaps you could reciprocate by providing evidence to support your assertion that there “are up to a dozen more countries in the wings” eager to join.
Your thinking appears to be trapped in an endless iterative loop.”
You just don’t like it when you are shown up. You said the Abraham Accords occurred with just 2 insignificant countries when there are six and up to a dozen waiting in the wings. You were wrong. Get over it.
“Absolutely nothing has changed for over 5 years.”
That is because Biden cheated and became President. He made sure to throw a wrench into progress. U.S. priorities shifted. The Biden administration emphasized restoring relations with the Palestinians. Presently, Iran is the issue, and when Trump is finished with Iran, we can see what he will do in this area.
The information you are seeking is readily available, and I will not spoon-feed you. How old were you when you stopped breastfeeding? Did you get married first?
As usual you resort to your typical little game of saying that the “information” is readily available and that it is my problem if I can’t find it. I warned you not to try that stunt again, but you do it anyway. For years this has been your standard response here, when you simply make stuff up or tell outright lies. It is really rather sad and pathetic.
However back to a point that you raise. It is perfectly clear that Biden supported the Abraham Accords, as the source I provided indicates. Now you try to shift the argument by saying that Biden “threw a wrench into progress by emphasizing restoring relations with the Palestinians”.
Really ???
All he was doing was agreeing with Saudi Arabia, which has explicitly stated that they will NEVER join the Accords until Israel commits to an irreversible pathway towards a two state solution for Palestine.
That is why Saudi Arabia refuses to join.
That is why all the other Middle Eastern countries are refusing to join. They are simply following the lead of the most powerful and wealthy country in the region.
All the other countries are in the debt of Saudi Arabia, because they provide substantial aid to these struggling countries. Saudi Arabia and their vassal states will NEVER join until the Palestinian issue is settled.
That is why no countries have joined for more than 5 years.
That is why your claim that there are a dozen countries champing at the bit to join is complete hogwash.
That is why you cannot provide any evidence for your claim, and why you resort to your standard stupid little game of saying that the information is available if I look for it.
“little game of saying that the “information” is readily available “
…And it is. All you are demonstrating is that you are intellectually challenged.
“That is why no countries have joined for more than 5 years.”
Biden put a wrench in it, which occupied 4 years of confusion and wasted time.
That is because Biden didn’t know how to negotiate, and based on Afghanistan and Ukraine, these countries knew Biden was a fool and untrustworthy.
Biden simply agreed with Saudi Arabia and their vassal states that participation in the Accords should be entirely dependent on Israel committing to a two state solution.
Saudi Arabia explicitly said that was a deal breaker, and that was before Biden was even elected.
Biden simply agreed with Saudi Arabia long after they had already made their position known.
Biden did not insist that a two state solution was required for signing the Accords. Saudi Arabia had already made that decision.
No amount of wishful thinking on your part will change that.
Though you get a few facts partially correct, just like our discussion involving the colonies, you don’t understand what the facts mean. With mercy, I pointed you to the essence of that other argument, but I am not going to do the same here. Biden, in many different ways, put a wrench into the Abraham Accords. His stupidity and the stupidity of the Democrats are reflected in your comments.
Sigmund Fraud, you are a nutcase.
I had hoped that this year’s Munich Security Conference would have been marked by a cohesive body of U.S. legislators and officials. Instead, the Democrat attendees/presidential hopefuls (significantly outnumbering Republicans) appear to be Trump-bashers seeking visibility (Mark Kelly, Gretchen Whitmer, etc. in addition to Newsom and AOC). Can they not see the damage to the U.S. this political animosity creates? Where are the Joe Manchins of the Party?
And of course, why is Hillary Clinton even there? She is currently not an official of anything, nor a position-holder with any stakes in any forum. Did she invite herself to be a panelist? Watch the smirky, snarky expression on her face as Czech Deputy PM Macinka says something like, “wow, you really do dislike Trump.”
https://www.mediaite.com/politics/hes-betrayed-the-west-hillary-clinton-scolds-panelist-after-he-mocked-her-anti-trump-rant-at-european-forum/
Lin,
Clinton made an a$$ out of herself. Her response to Macinka’s there are only two genders made no sense. What did the Ukraine have to do with gender?
Upstate: Yes, agreed, -and this is not the first time that ‘Hell-Hath-No-Fury-Like-a-Woman-Scorned Hillary’ has pulled that stunt on an international stage including Munich. Very sad indeed.
I would have liked to have seen Condoleeza Rice there. Both she and Hillary are former SOSs, (Rice was also Nat’l Security Advisor prior to SOS) –and Rice has stayed CURRENT in international affairs with her professorship…..MUCH MUCH more qualified to appear on a panel….. but the world only gets to hear from vengeful hillary.
And yet Clinton had the full attention of the entirety of Europe and was lauded. Quite the rebuttal you offered there. For a nitwit.
Dang Anon,
I watched a bit of it and thought the different. Let me Czech into it a bit further, I would Haiti to be wrong in my assessment of her!
If you have to ask why they are there is because they are presenting a saner future leadership than Trump and it’s what everyone wants. Not just the EU.
Hillary being there as a former Secretary of State who had a big influence still commands respect. Trump’s administration is a laughingstock in the EU.
Trump is the one creating the political animosity not AOC, Newsome, and Kelly. They are the sane ones representing the U.S.
It’s what everyone wants, 😝
Everyone being Xlax, George, Anonynut et al;
I consider it possible that Trump has effectively written off Europe as doomed, and unworthy of any serious effort on our part at salvation. If that is his reasoning, I consider it possible that he may be correct.
“in Argentina, President Javier Milei is achieving one of the most impressive economic turnarounds in history — dramatically curtailing runaway inflation, government deficits and poverty — by reinstating free-market policies and reducing government spending.”
Milei’s “impressive” economic turnaround is heavily dependent on IMF loans and a huge $40 billion bailout from Trump. Inflation is still pretty high, 25%. Argentinians purchasing power has been severely lowered. Many are already regretting voting for Milei. Argentina is burning through its loans and U.S. bailout money fast.
While Turley is deriding the EU’s economies as stagnating he “forgot” to mention that ours is also un a state of stagnation. Low job creation, a stubborn inflation rate that won’t go down, huge growing trillion dollar deficits, and our high GDP may be attributed to higher government spending which is really odd because Republicans are in power.
Turley loves to bash democratic socialists and dismiss their increasing popularity while ignoring what is truly driving it. Trump and his incompetent attempt at being an authoritarian. Food prices are still high, utility bills are high, cost of healthcare is still high and growing. His “trade deals” are as useless as the paper they are allegedly written on.
California is indeed experiencing an outflow of wealthy people, but their businesses are not. Because the talent is there and the infrastructure is also there. Florida, once touted as the destination of the rich and well off is not so attractive anymore because of hideously high home insurance premiums and property taxes. It’s driving many out of the state too.
Just because you say so? Your AI machine is messing with you. Again.
So what is gleaned from X’s post?
The fact that it is extremely expensive to turn a Socialist failure back to the path of self reliance and prosperity. When a country consumes itself by allowing unchecked expansion of government and entrepreneurial destructive policies while printing currency that it cannot guarantee, it is living on borrowed time.
Take heed my fellow Americans!
” it is extremely expensive to turn a Socialist failure back to the path of self reliance and prosperity… Take heed my fellow Americans!”
Your warning may well be a little late. By “a little” I mean decades…
Professor Turley’s column isn’t required reading. Why are you here?
Ours is stagnating? Do you not understand the acronym GDP? And deficits are shrinking not growing. Inflation has dropped significantly from the Biden era and is now mid 2’s. Government spending is only very slightly up, so no, it doesn’t at all explain GDP. Prices have come down; e.g. eggs, gas. Biden was a disaster – the massive spending (money printing) results in the high prices – it can’t be fixed overnight. Businesses are leaving CA – have you been asleep the past yar?
Argentina – I don’t know enough to comment, but based on your other comments I’m pretty sure your full of it there too.
Goodbeavis, GDP alone is not a definite indicator of a good economy. High prices and more government spending can affect GDP. Government spending was 23% of U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in FY 2025. That’s a LOT.
Trump’s government spending increased $46 Billion in just these past few months. According to Republicans, that is not good.
U.S. grocery prices rose 2.1% over the last 12 months ending January 2026. While the pace of inflation has moderated somewhat from its 2022 peak, essential costs remain high; a grocery bill that cost $100 in early 2022 now costs approximately $119.12 as of January 2026.
Have you seen the price of beef?
Utilities? Whew. They are soaring.
Electricity prices increased 6.3% in the 12 months ending January 2026, more than double the headline inflation rate of 2.5%, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported Friday.
Natural gas? Yikes!
It is flirting with a 10% increase in prices. That’s a LOT! Trump promised to lower that by 50%.
“Milei’s “impressive” economic turnaround is heavily dependent on IMF loans and a huge $40 billion bailout from Trump. ”
Incorrect. The loans are to prevent the default on socialist acwquired debt. the US did not “bailout” Milie we provided loan gaurantees for which the US will be paid and profit from. That made it easier for Milei to borrow.
But Argentia would have been able to borrow regrdless – they are doing everything the IMF wants they are just paying a lower interest rate because of guarantees.
“Inflation is still pretty high, 25%.”
Last I checked 25% is less than 1/10 of 292%
“Argentinians purchasing power has been severely lowered.”
Incorrect – Argentine GDP/PPP is slightly up in 2025 having fallen for several years.
“Many are already regretting voting for Milei. ”
Not according to BBC or recent elections.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c4gw8qpyvqdo
“Argentina is burning through its loans and U.S. bailout money fast.”
Argentina’s debt is 47% of GDP – not good, but not horrible – much better than the US.
You hate Trump – I would trade Trump for an American Milei in a heart beat
Can democrats produce an american Milei ?
“While Turley is deriding the EU’s economies as stagnating he “forgot” to mention that ours is also un a state of stagnation. Low job creation, a stubborn inflation rate that won’t go down, huge growing trillion dollar deficits, and our high GDP may be attributed to higher government spending which is really odd because Republicans are in power.”
ROFL
Inflation – down
Core inflation 2.1% – still high for my test but inside the FEDs NORMAL inflation target.
Real Wages have gone UP more in the past year than they went down under the entire 4 years of Biden.
177K private sector jobs created in January – much better than expected – with 38K government jobs cut.
“January 2026: $95 billion deficit, a decrease from $129 billion in January 2025.
Cumulative FY2026 Deficit: $697 billion through January 2026, which is 16% lower than the same period in FY2025.”
FY2025 is the BIDEN budget, FY2026 is the Trump BBB
Absolutely Trump should have slashed much further.
But the deficit is headed down – not up.
It is still way too high, but headed the right direction.
Government employment cuts are reducing the cost of govenrment by almost $300B.
Tarriffs are bringing in almost 300B
Prior to Biden we had ONE Trillion dollar deficit ever that was due to Covid spending.
Since we have been stuck with Trillion dollar deficits.
BTW the stock market does NOT go up because of higher govenrment spending – and GDP is a measure of what is PRODUCED.
Government produces little of vlue.
“Turley loves to bash democratic socialists”
Because it is a failed and dead idea.
“dismiss their increasing popularity”
While not increasing in popularity at the rate you think – and the evidence is that has peaked.
That is still a very bad sign.
No ideology or economic system has caused more bloodshed or harm than socialism.
“while ignoring what is truly driving it.”
What is driving it is lies and bad education.
No informed and intelligent person would have a positive view of socialism.
“Trump and his incompetent attempt at being an authoritarian.”
We keep hearing that, but it is not what people see.
” Food prices are still high”
In real dollars food prices are down.
“utility bills are high”
In blue states – like CA
“cost of healthcare is still high and growing.”
Absolutely and shortly republicans are going to have to deal with the healthcare mess YOU made.
It is unlikely Republicans wil get it right, but they can hardly do worse than Democrats.
YOU made this mess.
” His “trade deals” are as useless as the paper they are allegedly written on.”
US exports have set new records almost every month in 2025.
“California is indeed experiencing an outflow of wealthy people, but their businesses are not.”
No CAis not experiencing a NEW outflow of businesses, Businesses have been leaving for a long time.
“Because the talent is there and the infrastructure is also there.”
“Florida, once touted as the destination of the rich and well off is not so attractive anymore because of hideously high home insurance premiums and property taxes. It’s driving many out of the state too.”
FL has a net inflow of people.
Tax RATES are higher in FL – but Taxes on the SAME HOME are about the same – The Same HOME in CA costs twice as much as FL.
So in CA you can get low insurance on a shack, or FL you have to pay higher insurance – but you get a minimansion for the price of the shack.
I do not personally want to live in CA, TX or FL.
If all things were equal CA wins hands down.
But all things are NOT equal, and with things as they are you could not force me to live in CA
John Say, we bailed out Milei. His libertarian plan does not work without a huge influx of cash from us and the IMF.
Why are we bailing out Argentina? We don’t have money for Medicaid but to bailout Argentina? No matter how you want to parse it it’s a bailout.
“ Argentinians purchasing power has been severely lowered.”
Incorrect – Argentine GDP/PPP is slightly up in 2025 having fallen for several years.”
Slightly up because their exports increased, not their citizens spending power. We are buying a LOT of beef from them after Trump undermined our beef producers with his tariffs. Milei devalued the Argentinian peso which did diminish Argentinians spending power.
“ Trump and his incompetent attempt at being an authoritarian.”
We keep hearing that, but it is not what people see.”
It’s what smart people see. Those who refuse to see it because they are in denial, like you, don’t want to see it.
“ cost of healthcare is still high and growing.”
Absolutely and shortly republicans are going to have to deal with the healthcare mess YOU made.
It is unlikely Republicans wil get it right, but they can hardly do worse than Democrats.
YOU made this mess.”
I made the mess? LOL. That’s funny. Republicans have been sabotaging the ACA for years to “show” it is not working. Republicans were terrified of the ACA succeeding and to prove it would not they intentionally sabotaged key aspects of the ACA.
YOU made the mess so YOU could show it was a mess. Nice try.
“ Florida, once touted as the destination of the rich and well off is not so attractive anymore because of hideously high home insurance premiums and property taxes. It’s driving many out of the state too.”
FL has a net inflow of people.“
A net inflow that is always temporary. When people realize how much more expensive it is to live there they move out within a year.
“ Food prices are still high”
In real dollars food prices are down.
“utility bills are high”
In blue states – like CA”
Oh yeah in “real dollars” except people are not seeing the cheaper food prices when they buy their groceries.
Utility bills are higher everywhere.
Utility bills in blue states generally have higher rates (price per kilowatt-hour), red states however often have higher total monthly bills due to higher consumption and poorer home efficiency. Their rates may be cheaper, but their usage is much higher therefore costing more.
What’s Medicaid fraud? We don’t have money for Medicaid! Minnesota is only the beginning.
You know John, you’re a real killjoy to these lefties.
“GDP Growth
The U.S. economy expanded at an annualized rate of 4.4% in the third quarter of 2025.
This growth was driven by strong consumer spending, increased exports, and higher government spending.
The previous quarter saw a growth rate of 3.8%.
Consumer Spending
Consumer spending rose by 3.5% in the third quarter, marking the fastest pace of the year.
This increase is significant as consumer spending accounts for about 68% of the total GDP.”
President Obama said we would never see more than 2% growth, ever again.
U.S. Economy at a Glance
https://www.bea.gov/news/glance
“Milei’s “impressive” economic turnaround is heavily dependent on IMF loans and a huge $40 billion bailout from Trump. Inflation is still pretty high, 25%.”
Xlax is at it again, attacking with verbal diarrhea that can be contagious to the uninformed. Sometimes when it doesn’t spin, I use Snopes. There was no $40Billion bailout. There was a $20Billion loan (“not a settled fact,” and possibly later another $20Billion to come from the private sector ). Xlax doesn’t do any better with Argentina’s inflation numbers.
Inflation was in triple digits prior to Millei, said to be over 200% and cut more than half within the first year Millei took over, and it has trended lower every month. Drinking from Xlax’s knowledge is dangerous to one’s intellectual health, as Xlax transmits a disease of the intellect infected with pollution. I felt no reason to read further. His first two sentences already proved he had nothing to say.
X
There is no need to rant idiocy on the economy.
There is little doubt it improved dramatically in every way in 2025.
There are competing claims regarding what it will do in 2026.
Thus far 2026 data is leaning more to 5% growth than 2%.
If there is 5% 2026 Growth – Republicans will increase their margins in both the house and the senate.
If growth is 1.8% – the worst prediction I have seen – Republicans will loose the house but likely retain the senate.
Trump can “sell” the economy – that is part of his job.
It is not really yours or mine.
I pay attention to the economy, mostly to track that it behaves as the laws of economics predict.
But also to falsify bogus claims such as yours.
I do not understand why you dwell on fake claims so much.
Reality exists and is perceived by all of us.
No one needs you or me to tell us what we are experiencing.
Just paid 99 cents for a package of 18 eggs. Gasoline around here is down to $2.58 a gallon.
Is Newsome and AOC really the best of the Democrats got for 2028? Come on, Democrats! Dont you have anyone else better?
They thought Joe Stealin’ was better and look what that got them.
Diogenes,
Whoever was running the Biden admin was clearly “faking it, till we make it!”
Your writing and grammar skills are liberal level.
They did, but they were deemed nonviable, and summarily aborted, sequestered. The rest were regulated through Diversity.
UpStatefarmer
Mark Kelly will be our next president.
He already has a record breaking war chest, and he is not even up for election this year. He has shattered all records for fundraising by a US Senator in an off year.
In 2025 he raised $34 million. In the 4th quarter of 2025 he raised $12.5 million, and 99% of the donations were less than $100. That is a lot of every day people voting with their hard earned money.
He will win in a huge landslide.
didn’t Kamala Harris and Hillary Clinton both raise and outspend their opponents but lost anyway?
Professor Turley is performing a huge public service here. I’ve seen instances of leftwingers rewriting history, claiming that socialistic economies during the 70’s outperformed economies under Reagan and Thatcher. It’s like the Misery Index never existed. It’s like Reagan and Thatcher were never reelected by huge majorities. It’s like Bill Clinton never admitted that “the era of big government is over.” Professor Turley is reminding his readers about that economic history which leftwing quacks in media and academia want us to forget.
huge public service And what public service might that be please?
Thank you, Diogenes, for reminding those who read the column of these important points.
AND THERE YOU HAVE IT!
California Gov. Gavin Newsom and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez running mates in 2028
Can they survive the Democratic Presidential and Vice Presidential Debates?
How many Contenders will the DNC have in the 2028 White House Races? *
– ⭐Newsom | Cortez ⭐ –
🫏 Democratic Party Ticket 2026 🫏
The DNC’s last offerings
2024 Democratic Party presidential candidates (Biden Incumbent Pres. Candidate)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2024_Democratic_Party_presidential_candidates
* 2020 Democratic Party presidential candidates
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2020_Democratic_Party_presidential_primaries
What a succession. Newsom-AOC to follow Clinton-Tim Kane (2016), Biden-Harris (2020), Harris-Walz (2024). This is the best that Democrats have to offer us? Especially the VP choices?
Yes they do and they will win in 2028. You think mocking them is going change the course of the election. The dems will get 70 million votes, reps., 48 million.
Democracy is the theory that the common people know what they want, and deserve to get it good and hard.
~H. L. Mencken
Pelosi Appears To Have Picked Their Candidate For President In 2028
Rep. Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) may be retiring from Congress at the end of this term, but she’s not done trying to shape presidential races. The 85-year-old former House speaker has turned into what one former aide calls “a Gavin fan-girl,” deploying her legendary donor network and political capital to boost California Gov. …
By: Tyler Durden ~ Monday, Feb 16, 2026
https://www.zerohedge.com/political/pelosi-appears-have-picked-their-candidate-president-2028
As a single male professional, I am taxed to the hilt. Seeing beyond that is not the amount but the waste and now the transparent theft. If my taxes truly helped and did not be the swimming pool of water to eventually fill one glass to a parched person, I would give more.
As a single male professional, I am taxed to the hilt. … Get married, make babbies, move to a tax free state.
We were birthed with the DNA for a constitutional republic. To become something fundamentally different is not just a policy shift. It is structural incompatibility.
Trying to form citizens for a system other than the one embedded in our founding design creates what I have described elsewhere as National Dysphoria.
DNA for a constitutional republic…. so the founders knew this was coming and extracted DNA and spread all around.
Rubbish.
BIRTHED?
What globalists and Democrat have in common….is the mission of destroying Western Society!
STOP THEM!
Democrats are committing TREASON at this point!
Cut 50% of Federal Spending. Decentralize Power!
European socialists PRETEND to love Democrats because Democrats let them jack up tariffs without consequence. That is now a documented fact. Democrats are Quislings–weak, inept authoritarians installed by foreign interests and eventually despised by everyone.
Documented you say. Okay, show us.
Most people believe I’m right, so the burden of proof lies with you.
Most people. Of the 8 plus billion on the plant … believe you’re right?
You still haven’t documented what you claim.
Most Americans, specifically. Most people in the world live in dictatorships and don’t know what to believe, but all of those dictators know I’m right and depend on you and ActBlue to cover for them.
Most live in dictatorships? Really, name them. The dictators know you’re right? What if they don’t speak American English?
Actblue is a new detergent you say?
Everyone knows Diogenes is right. Be honest, you know he is. Give it up.
Please, tell that to my wife 😉
Saw this? So what’s your response: Most live in dictatorships? Really, name them. The dictators know you’re right? What if they don’t speak American English?
Present your documents! says the demanding commie…
Here ya go, the Constitution of the United States! eat freedom commie.
Commie huh? You clown. Voted Trump. So ya think everyone who comments here has to fall in line or get attacked, threated and insulted. With that level of stupidity you dimwits here exhibit, confirms you are the dumbest or the dumb. The dems will win.
I wish to know more. Do you think calling someone a commie is an insult? Why? What are the major things commies believe in that you don’t?
Murdering over 100 million people in the 20th century .
Yes, I Bob, I am wondering how many “commies” believe murdering 100 million people is something they are proud of. Generally, we hear their support, so possibly they also believe murder is good.
The death of Charlie Kirk was a tragedy; the deaths of millions a statistic. Just give them enough time and power.
Parasite.
Drunken lout.
He’s not drunk and you’re no lady.
Not a drunk you say? And you’re not intelligent.
Useful idiots have new limitations on the idiot part as it tends to make the commies look bad.
Says the useful idiot.
Okay Anonymous. Tobacco Tariff: Reports from that period and later analyses highlight a 350% U.S. tariff on tobacco imports.
Other High Tariffs: Other products with high ad valorem equivalent tariffs around that time included peanuts/peanut butter and certain sugar-containing products. These European Tariffs were imposed on American goods in 2008 while Obama was the President.
Thanks, fellas. This troll is playing the usual games of splitting hairs and making everybody else prove what everybody already knows.
geez, like hullbooby waiting for someone to comment? Make wild comments then get defensive when called out.
You’re a BS artist, making wild, unprovable, nonsensical statements. And you expect approval? You’re crazier than AOC, Newsom.
Thinkitthrough provided proof about foreign tariffs. You provided proof that Democrats are Quislings. I rest my case.
Proof? So just saying so makes it proof? What about linking a source. Might help eh.
How dull can you be.
. History—
Vidkun Quisling, Norway politician, collaborator and traitor 1940-45, German occupied Norway.
Phillipe Petain, French politician collaborator traitor in Vichy, France 1940-44.
Quislings all
show you Democrats are Quislings–weak, inept authoritarians installed by foreign interests and eventually despised by everyone?
everyone knows that.
and asking for someone’s documents? figures…
Diogenes: in addition to being “Quislings-weak, inept authoritarians”, Democrats have also demonstrated that they are successful grifters, as they have proven by the fraud seen in Minnesota.
Shameless frauds and hypocrites, getting rich off of taxpayers!
Dems are weak! all they have left now is crimes and criminals as everyone sensible doesn’t want to be a communist.
After trashing European nations in Munich, why is Marco Rubio now in Hungary campaigning for Victor Orban ahead of the Hungarian elections in April ???
Answer: Just following orders from Putin.
Russian state media is ecstatically reporting this.
Russian state media is ecstatically reporting this. Wow, really, then how come no link to the reporting.
Rubio was conciliatory. Trashed huh?
There are no more European Nations, just lots of people good at starting wars they can’t finish.