Just. Ask. Why.

Oct 5, 2023
Oct 5, 2023 Updated Apr 13, 2025
15

Editor,

As Congress avoided another shutdown over the weekend, I can’t help but wonder a few things about our government.

(15) comments

Terence Y Oct 5, 2023 8:44am

Well written, Mr. Guttenbeil. Stolen elections have consequences and yet it’s amusing so many contributors to the DJ will fully ignore and are deathly afraid of talking about treasonous Biden and his America Last policies. Willful ignorance is bliss.

acomo Oct 6, 2023 7:47am

Which "stolen elections" are you referring to?

edkahl Oct 5, 2023 11:26am

The money we're spending on Ukraine is a drop in the bucket to stop Putin's aggression to re-occupy its former Eastern European countries. WW-II cost $68 trillion in todays terms and Ukraine is only $75 bil so far. Its a small price to pay for what's at stake. We are exceedingly fortunate to have the Ukraine on the front lines against Putin.

Dirk van Ulden Oct 5, 2023 12:12pm

Come on Ed, I did not think of all people that you were taking the Kool-Aid. This proxy war is a vicious exercise by Biden and the military industrial complex. It also lines the pockets of Biden's supporters and further advances the corrupt regime of that turkey in his green shirt. Why do you think Europeans are not keen on supporting him? They are throwing crumbs at Ukraine under pressure form our lame -brain president. When polled, even Ukrainians believe that corruption n their country is more dangerous than Putin's actions. That is published in major European newspapers. $100 billion is not a drop in the bucket, it could in one blow revitalize Maui and build the last few hundred miles of the border wall. I pity the Ukrainians who have been victimized for no reason.

Westy Oct 5, 2023 1:13pm

Europeans support Ukraine: While big, wealthy countries can afford to provide more in absolute terms, smaller countries are making significant offerings of their own. In fact, relative to each country’s gross domestic product, the countries neighboring Ukraine are providing the most support. Estonia and Latvia have each sent aid totalling more than one percent of their gross domestic product, according to the tracker. Lithuania, Poland and Bulgaria also stand out among the highest by share of GDP. The U.S. has committed 0.37% of its GDP.

Ukraine is laying their lives on the line to defend democracy. We are only sending money. Make no mistake, if Putin had been able to easily take the rest of Ukraine, as he was allowed to take Crimea with little or no consequence, then he would have quickly moved on to the next thing. He wants to rebuild the USSR to what it was.

Dirk van Ulden Oct 5, 2023 2:34pm

"Ukraine is laying their lives on the line to defend democracy.", Westy, Ukraine is not a democracy. All but one news source and political parties have been disbanded. Religious leaders are routinely incarcerated. The regime is defending its corrupt gravy train while the Ukrainians suffer. Note that the large European countries are very sparse with their aid as they know what is really going on. Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy are definitely on the fence. Their populations are turning against this hopeless conflict as they see no end to it. The millions of Ukrainian refugees long to go back if only because they fear that their children are losing their Ukrainian identity in the host countries. Your ilk only sees black and white issues and comes to irrational conclusions. There is far more to it than you and I will ever know.

Westy Oct 5, 2023 5:18pm

Yes, Dirk, Ukraine is a democracy and remains a democracy no matter how often you repeat the Russian propaganda.

Ray Fowler Oct 8, 2023 7:45am

Hello, Westy

Ukraine is not a democracy in the way most Americans understand what a democracy is no matter how often you repeat WH propaganda. To be fair, Ukraine is fighting a war against Russia, and that means there is martial law in Ukraine. While I think we can agree that under such circumstances, Zelenskyy's government needs to exert more control over Ukraine... it is also fair to say a "democracy" would not ban political parties that oppose the party in power or take control of the media. That's probably why the Economist Intelligence Unit described Ukraine as a "flawed democracy." There is one other factor that may give readers pause and ask... just how democratic is Ukraine? That factor is corruption... it's everywhere, and in Europe only Russia is more corrupt. So, the next question has to be... why are we sending billions and billions of dollars into the heart of that corruption?

BTW... the Economist Intelligence Unit also currently rates the US as "flawed democracy."

Terence Y Oct 9, 2023 9:02am

Well said, Dirk and Ray. One has to wonder whether Westy would subject herself to the “democracy” in Ukraine. And if she did, chances are that Westy wouldn’t have time to write because she’d be drafted into the war against Russia.

Ray Fowler Oct 5, 2023 1:07pm

Hello, Ed

Well, I disagree. However, I really appreciate you expressing this viewpoint. I hope our colleagues on the left side of the aisle recognize that the right side is not in lockstep over this issue. There is disagreement among the conservative contingent on whether we should keep funding the war in Ukraine.

Stay cool...

Westy Oct 5, 2023 5:23pm

I do recognize that there is a large and growing division between the people who formerly identified as conservative and/or Republican and the surge of right-wing insanity.

And yeah, funding wars is not ideal and should never be our first choice. However, in this case, there aren't a lot of good options. There wasn't enough appetite for punishing Russia via sanctions when they invaded and took Crimea.

jcaruana Oct 6, 2023 7:45pm

You have presented no evidence that Russians or Putin wish to invade Eastern Europe and, more importantly, your bizarre narrative ignores the elephant in the room: US and NATO prior involvement in Eastern Europe and Ukraine.

It is impossible not to discuss this disaster which has now claimed half a million lives without discussing the US/NATO placement of troops, bases, forces and missles into Eastern Europe up to Russia's borders over the past decades and the prior heavy US involvement in Ukraine . Basic facts such as the US installing an anti-Russian client regime 8 years prior and the US arming Ukraine to NATO standards prior to the war, as well as Ukraine civil war are treated as though they never happened.

Colonel Douglas MacGregor and others have said repeatedly that the US created this mess.

The reality is the opposite of your claim: It is the US that has and seeks to take control the countries of Eastern Europe and wants to take control of Russia. The direction intent for world hegemonic control is clear from neoconserviative past policy statements, writings and other documents, as well as present and past NATO/US escalations.

jcaruana Oct 7, 2023 11:47am

Colonel Douglas MacGregor and others have said repeatedly that the US created this mess.

LittleFoot Oct 7, 2023 12:33pm

Why shouldn't the people of Lahaina, Maui be entitled to the 5 Billion dollars it would take to rebuild the city? According to you - wouldn't that just be a "drop in the bucket"? What is really at stake here in Ukraine? If you are not willing to send your own children to go fight in Ukraine - your opinion is pretty out of pocket. You are insinuating that Putin is akin to Hitler. As a Jewish man I cant get down with that. There is nothing but corruption and evil going on here in Ukraine and with everything the US government is doing there. There was a coup in Ukraine in 2014 where literal Nazis took over the country. You should do a bit more research on this topic before making this kind of assertion. I would bet my bonnet you don't respond to me.

Tafhdyd Oct 7, 2023 3:18pm

Mr. Kahl,

I will say that on this topic I tend to agree with your comment. I will say that I am sure we get to the same destination by taking vastly different paths. None the less we agree that Putin is the problem.

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