Time for a Discharge Petition

Time is running out for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. The Senate just passed a $95 billion appropriation for assistance to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan. Putin's murder of Russian democrat Alexei Navalny reinforces the need for immediate action. However, Putin puppet Speaker of the House Mike Brown is holding up action on the legislation. It is he and the Putinista caucus in the Republican Party along with the anti-Israel Hamas caucus within the Democratic Party that are working against the desperately needed aid package. It is important to remember that the Hamas caucus and the Putinista caucus have one thing in common: they both hate America.

Thus when the House reconvenes from its recess on February 28th it will be time for Democratic Minority Leader Hakeem Jefferies to work in concert with the remaining internationalists in the Republican Party to orchestrate a discharge petition to put the legislation up for a vote on the House floor. Sure it will take political courage for Republicans to vote against their speaker, but that is what they get paid the big bucks for.  Failure to pass the legislation will put us one step closer to the next big war. (See:  Shulmaven: Shulmaven Anticipates Hal Brands Foreign Affairs Article on Pre-WW II and Today)   

Crunch Time for Ukraine, Israel and the Border

 As I write this an ad hoc Senate committee is attempting to forge a broad border security bill that would attract 60 votes in the Senate thereby paving the way for passing much needed aid to Ukraine and Israel. It is frightening that the national security interests of the United States is being compromised by the Republican wrecker caucus. 

Perhaps more dangerous is the fact that the Republican Party is now home to a Putinista caucus as well that likely will vote against Ukraine aid no matter what the Senate Democrats and Biden offer up on immigration. Indeed the best that can happen to the Democrats is to make a deal on immigration, because if they don't put this issue behind them they could very well be a gonner in the next election.

Not to be out done the Hamas caucus within the Democratic Party will likely vote against any aid to Israel. Thus if any bill comes out of the Senate it will likely be a coalition of the centrists of both parties and I would like to point out that once again my favorite Senator, Kyrsten Sinema (I-AZ) is leading the charge to forge a workable bill. 

However the question remains whether or not the House, which is not in session, would actually pass any Senate compromise. In that body the Putinista caucus would rather have an issue than passing substantive legislation. 

Last week marked the 82nd anniversary of the attack on Pearl Harbor. It would be tragic if Congress' failure to act on Ukraine aid will be remembered as a week of infamy.