The fact that Vance met with leaders of the AfD party is mind boggling. And Hegseth's comments were so strange, to give in to Putin's position without any consultation with Ukraine. And now to have actually begun 'peace talks' that don't include Zelenskyy is unconscionable. I know Trump is going to spin this to point out that Zelenskyy is unwilling to talk with the Russians. I am appalled at this entire chapter of 'American diplomacy' It's just ridiculous!
Ukraine may be separated into several independent states much like the former Yugoslavia and unlike Czechloslovakia which peacefully separated into two independent states The Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The comments out of Trump’s mouth about acquiring Greenland, Panama Canal , Gaza would seem to embolden Putin to go further as well as China. Trump is a danger to democracy as well as his minions.
You both said it - Is the $174K these people make in Congress really worth ruining the country for? Is this really the best job they can get? I mean can't Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates just set up a $174K annuity for all the crazy ones and just get them to quit tomorrow?
After the Trump impeachments, when Republican senators would not convict, it was reported that they said privately that they were afraid for the safety of their families.
Now there are hundreds of J6 convicts roaming around free, willing and able to exact Trump's revenge on Republican Congress people who try to "escape."
I am so worried about United States being a source of instability in the world. I am a Democrat , I support a strong military to protect Democracy in the world. Where are the Republican hawks ? This tour of American officials in Europe and the Middle East appears that we are selling our souls to Russia and Nazism. My God- is this what my fellow citizens want ?
I remember Republican Hawks. I remember Democrat hawks, like Scoop Jackson! Republicans appear to have no principles whatsoever left. They stand for nothing & support nothing except whatever trump says on a given day. If he says the opposite the next day, they fall right in line. Appalling.
Most do not want this. Sadly, many are members of not one but multiple cults. The true MAGA, Marjorie Taylor Greene cult (which are laughingly passé now because so many other cults have emerged) wants almost a flavor difference of what the neo Nazi movement wants, then there is the 7 mountain pete hegeseth pretty penis movement that wants the pure culture dominated by white men, no government and subservient christian women barefoot pregnant in the kitchen with every other race annihilated plus more. The rest are uninformed, misinformed, disinformed (somebody took offence to my use of this word but I mean it as opposite to libtard) retards. I have a brilliant brother who refused to go to college so he joined the navy and married a go getter, un colleged smart woman only to give her up for a toothless hillbilly plain old gal who liked fantasy games on the computer. Now they are both miserable but so codependent just to survive and totally drink the orange dump koolaid. He is dependent on social security, va retirement benefits (most of which he forfeited to his first wife) and postal retirement benefits. All likely to disappear. I am sure they would vote for the orange Mussolini again even when they are living on the streets (most of which were flooded away by hurricane Helene). These people don’t get it. Nothing will change them. I wish them an early painless death putting them and me out of their barefoot hog slop misery.
It seems that not only has Trump thrown Ukraine under the bus, but the United States is switching sides in the war. According to the NY Times:
"After more than four hours of talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both sides had agreed to work on a peace settlement for Ukraine as well as to explore 'the incredible opportunities that exist to partner with the Russians,' both geopolitically and economically."
Of course, we knew Trump wouldn't take any action unless there were a clear benefit to himself. It makes one wonder how many $Trump memecoins Putin has bought and where Trump Tower Moscow will be located.
I hate to say, what did you expect? Did you expect anything different? I sure didn't. Why is the US and Europe so surprised. Everyone knew it was coming. I am ashamed though of Rubio. He was full in with Ukraine. And thought Republicans for years were big on foreign policy and US good interests and diplomacy. If Europe wants to see US front and center again. They need to fight back for US changing their position. Its wild they didn't see this coming. I also agree that education matters in foreign policy. Remember the old School House Rock-type commercials.
Rubio has a rubber spine. Pathetic. He comes off (used to years ago) as being principled, and having integrity. He does not. He has had his finger to the wind. He wanted power, more power of office, and it has eluded him. He wanted office enough to change himself and abandon any principle he may have had, or rather feigned. He allowed Trump to make a fool of him ("Little Marco"). Now he a supplicant.
The same with Lindsey Graham who happens to be my senator in SC. All these spineless men were foreign policy advocates. I can’t believe! they are so shameless.
We are not being represented abroad now by what our American values are or have been ( and hopefully will continue to be). We've been hijacked. J.D. Vance does not represent our values. Trump and Musk and their loyalist cabin are stealing the country for themselves. We are astonished now by what we should have known. The country is being destroyed from what it was just a few weeks ago in every way, top down and from corner to corner... so quickly. Every day it's more.
We are in the overwhelmed outraged and stupefied paralyzed stage of this. But The Trump keeps moving.
The USA of Trump does not rightfully belong in NATO. Trump will hijack or prevent it, hamper it, threaten it, from acting on its purpose and principles. Trump will ally with Orban/others to destroy NATO fulfilling Putin's dreams.
Trump has threatened to take us out of NATO before. Does he now want to usurp the power of NATO?
Europeans and others in concert and spirit need to form their own agreement aside from the US.
*******
We need to stop being startled by each new confirmation of this coup, this betrayal, this treason.. and feeling that we have no means to stop it. The checks are failing, but we have to think outside of the normal because we are not normal now.
**********
We are in the shock stage trying to figure out what to do. But we have to accept the truth here. We have to get out of our separate channels somehow to convey to the many who have not woken up yet, those who go on as if things are being taken care of by the government we depend on.
This hopefully forming grass roots national movement needs to be more than partisan, and not Democratic; it should attract, embrace and seek out Independents and Republicans. We need to demonstrate now in every way to our Congress that we do not go along with this...and they should stop cowering about being "primaried"!!!
We also have become the least reliable ally in the world -- no country hence forward can rely on us, no matter what our president says, or promises. Ask the Kurds, afghans, or Ukrainians, the Danes, Greenlanders or any European country. I'm ashamed to be an American -- our word is now meaningless.
The only way forward is massive public demonstration. But will those who voted this charlatan in come out to protest? Does the American public give a damn about the damage being done to us, by us & in our name?
Impossible to tell at this point, but I am very afraid that the answer is no.
We are a divided nation, severely, as to who we are. We swing from one side to the other. We have enormous power earned decades ago when we were more united and acted more as one. The division started with Reagan... even Nixon. And it has just gotten worse and worse. People are thinking this is as serious as the Civil War. it certainly is. I don't see how we come together.
We need term limits for Congress, so these men and women don't stay forever and get all jaded and corrupted. They need to look at their years at Congress as a civic duty and not a career choice. We also MUST have term limits for Supreme Court judges.
I really enjoyed this conversation Jen! I agree with Dr Cook that the bulk of American's don't seem to understand the importance of US relationship with Europe. & Ukraine.. (Mexico and Canada). It makes it so easy for Trump/Vance Hegseth to assert crazy ideas about how to change these relationships without fellow American's expressing outrage, fear or confusion. It seems like so many people are checked out about Foreign relations. Maybe some of it grows out of this "America First" (and Christian Nationalist) ideogy, but it is dangerous to pretend America can exist in isolation.
Thank you Jen Rubin. Indeed, shock. That so many could be coxed into voting the wrong way. Democracy is fragile. We barely made it through the first 4 years. I don’t think we will make it through another 4. That’s a long time to do damage. Since I write and jam a singer/songwriter, I’ll use my creative energies to express the demon which he is. Peace to you.
Vance & Musk support AfD. Trump demeans allies and treats Ukraine as a piece on a game board. He killed US's international charity. Wonderful! What could better motivate allied nations?
This was important to hear - thank you! I am outraged by what Trump/Vance are proposing and doing. My sad thought is: the more unstable and demoralized they can make everything and everybody be, the stronger their grip on power will be. I hope they can be slowed and then ultimately defeated. They do not represent the values that I expect our country to support. I know I am not alone in this.
The fact that Vance met with leaders of the AfD party is mind boggling. And Hegseth's comments were so strange, to give in to Putin's position without any consultation with Ukraine. And now to have actually begun 'peace talks' that don't include Zelenskyy is unconscionable. I know Trump is going to spin this to point out that Zelenskyy is unwilling to talk with the Russians. I am appalled at this entire chapter of 'American diplomacy' It's just ridiculous!
I love these concise interviews of under 20 minutes. You pack a lot of information and thought process into the time.
Ukraine may be separated into several independent states much like the former Yugoslavia and unlike Czechloslovakia which peacefully separated into two independent states The Czech Republic and Slovakia.
The comments out of Trump’s mouth about acquiring Greenland, Panama Canal , Gaza would seem to embolden Putin to go further as well as China. Trump is a danger to democracy as well as his minions.
You both said it - Is the $174K these people make in Congress really worth ruining the country for? Is this really the best job they can get? I mean can't Michael Bloomberg and Bill Gates just set up a $174K annuity for all the crazy ones and just get them to quit tomorrow?
Congressmen and congresswomen make far more on the side corruptly than their $174k salary, AND they get the best free healthcare.
After the Trump impeachments, when Republican senators would not convict, it was reported that they said privately that they were afraid for the safety of their families.
Now there are hundreds of J6 convicts roaming around free, willing and able to exact Trump's revenge on Republican Congress people who try to "escape."
I am so worried about United States being a source of instability in the world. I am a Democrat , I support a strong military to protect Democracy in the world. Where are the Republican hawks ? This tour of American officials in Europe and the Middle East appears that we are selling our souls to Russia and Nazism. My God- is this what my fellow citizens want ?
I remember Republican Hawks. I remember Democrat hawks, like Scoop Jackson! Republicans appear to have no principles whatsoever left. They stand for nothing & support nothing except whatever trump says on a given day. If he says the opposite the next day, they fall right in line. Appalling.
Most do not want this. Sadly, many are members of not one but multiple cults. The true MAGA, Marjorie Taylor Greene cult (which are laughingly passé now because so many other cults have emerged) wants almost a flavor difference of what the neo Nazi movement wants, then there is the 7 mountain pete hegeseth pretty penis movement that wants the pure culture dominated by white men, no government and subservient christian women barefoot pregnant in the kitchen with every other race annihilated plus more. The rest are uninformed, misinformed, disinformed (somebody took offence to my use of this word but I mean it as opposite to libtard) retards. I have a brilliant brother who refused to go to college so he joined the navy and married a go getter, un colleged smart woman only to give her up for a toothless hillbilly plain old gal who liked fantasy games on the computer. Now they are both miserable but so codependent just to survive and totally drink the orange dump koolaid. He is dependent on social security, va retirement benefits (most of which he forfeited to his first wife) and postal retirement benefits. All likely to disappear. I am sure they would vote for the orange Mussolini again even when they are living on the streets (most of which were flooded away by hurricane Helene). These people don’t get it. Nothing will change them. I wish them an early painless death putting them and me out of their barefoot hog slop misery.
It seems that not only has Trump thrown Ukraine under the bus, but the United States is switching sides in the war. According to the NY Times:
"After more than four hours of talks, Secretary of State Marco Rubio said that both sides had agreed to work on a peace settlement for Ukraine as well as to explore 'the incredible opportunities that exist to partner with the Russians,' both geopolitically and economically."
https://www.nytimes.com/2025/02/18/world/europe/us-russia-saudi-ukraine.html
Of course, we knew Trump wouldn't take any action unless there were a clear benefit to himself. It makes one wonder how many $Trump memecoins Putin has bought and where Trump Tower Moscow will be located.
A don’t forget Putin probably has tapes of Trump getting the golden shower treatment.
I hate to say, what did you expect? Did you expect anything different? I sure didn't. Why is the US and Europe so surprised. Everyone knew it was coming. I am ashamed though of Rubio. He was full in with Ukraine. And thought Republicans for years were big on foreign policy and US good interests and diplomacy. If Europe wants to see US front and center again. They need to fight back for US changing their position. Its wild they didn't see this coming. I also agree that education matters in foreign policy. Remember the old School House Rock-type commercials.
Rubio has a rubber spine. Pathetic. He comes off (used to years ago) as being principled, and having integrity. He does not. He has had his finger to the wind. He wanted power, more power of office, and it has eluded him. He wanted office enough to change himself and abandon any principle he may have had, or rather feigned. He allowed Trump to make a fool of him ("Little Marco"). Now he a supplicant.
The same with Lindsey Graham who happens to be my senator in SC. All these spineless men were foreign policy advocates. I can’t believe! they are so shameless.
We are not being represented abroad now by what our American values are or have been ( and hopefully will continue to be). We've been hijacked. J.D. Vance does not represent our values. Trump and Musk and their loyalist cabin are stealing the country for themselves. We are astonished now by what we should have known. The country is being destroyed from what it was just a few weeks ago in every way, top down and from corner to corner... so quickly. Every day it's more.
We are in the overwhelmed outraged and stupefied paralyzed stage of this. But The Trump keeps moving.
The USA of Trump does not rightfully belong in NATO. Trump will hijack or prevent it, hamper it, threaten it, from acting on its purpose and principles. Trump will ally with Orban/others to destroy NATO fulfilling Putin's dreams.
Trump has threatened to take us out of NATO before. Does he now want to usurp the power of NATO?
Europeans and others in concert and spirit need to form their own agreement aside from the US.
*******
We need to stop being startled by each new confirmation of this coup, this betrayal, this treason.. and feeling that we have no means to stop it. The checks are failing, but we have to think outside of the normal because we are not normal now.
**********
We are in the shock stage trying to figure out what to do. But we have to accept the truth here. We have to get out of our separate channels somehow to convey to the many who have not woken up yet, those who go on as if things are being taken care of by the government we depend on.
This hopefully forming grass roots national movement needs to be more than partisan, and not Democratic; it should attract, embrace and seek out Independents and Republicans. We need to demonstrate now in every way to our Congress that we do not go along with this...and they should stop cowering about being "primaried"!!!
We also have become the least reliable ally in the world -- no country hence forward can rely on us, no matter what our president says, or promises. Ask the Kurds, afghans, or Ukrainians, the Danes, Greenlanders or any European country. I'm ashamed to be an American -- our word is now meaningless.
The only way forward is massive public demonstration. But will those who voted this charlatan in come out to protest? Does the American public give a damn about the damage being done to us, by us & in our name?
Impossible to tell at this point, but I am very afraid that the answer is no.
I think once the public knows and understands how they have been betrayed and what the actual harm is - it’s so broad- they will give a damn.
Cats and music in the meantime…it’s only a month in. We need ongoing resistance. Rolling demonstrations.
We are a divided nation, severely, as to who we are. We swing from one side to the other. We have enormous power earned decades ago when we were more united and acted more as one. The division started with Reagan... even Nixon. And it has just gotten worse and worse. People are thinking this is as serious as the Civil War. it certainly is. I don't see how we come together.
We need term limits for Congress, so these men and women don't stay forever and get all jaded and corrupted. They need to look at their years at Congress as a civic duty and not a career choice. We also MUST have term limits for Supreme Court judges.
Yes for SCOTUS term limits. I wish that Biden had expanded SCOTUS.
Hello Jennifer. Thank you for starting The Contrarian. I am a subscriber. How may I email you directly? Thank you. Wade Newman
I really enjoyed this conversation Jen! I agree with Dr Cook that the bulk of American's don't seem to understand the importance of US relationship with Europe. & Ukraine.. (Mexico and Canada). It makes it so easy for Trump/Vance Hegseth to assert crazy ideas about how to change these relationships without fellow American's expressing outrage, fear or confusion. It seems like so many people are checked out about Foreign relations. Maybe some of it grows out of this "America First" (and Christian Nationalist) ideogy, but it is dangerous to pretend America can exist in isolation.
Thank you Jen Rubin. Indeed, shock. That so many could be coxed into voting the wrong way. Democracy is fragile. We barely made it through the first 4 years. I don’t think we will make it through another 4. That’s a long time to do damage. Since I write and jam a singer/songwriter, I’ll use my creative energies to express the demon which he is. Peace to you.
Bill
Stunned, really? Republicans have been at this for decades and the orange toodle learned from the likes of McCarthy and Nixon.
Vance & Musk support AfD. Trump demeans allies and treats Ukraine as a piece on a game board. He killed US's international charity. Wonderful! What could better motivate allied nations?
This is really all about Putin taking over the world.
It’s also about trump aiding & abetting him!
This was important to hear - thank you! I am outraged by what Trump/Vance are proposing and doing. My sad thought is: the more unstable and demoralized they can make everything and everybody be, the stronger their grip on power will be. I hope they can be slowed and then ultimately defeated. They do not represent the values that I expect our country to support. I know I am not alone in this.