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A sympathy for Putin: When the rightwing’s “Culture War” spills into an actual “War” war

America is divided. That is not news. But the authoritarian ruler in the Kremlin deciding to invade a democratic neighbor – that is the type of international crisis that traditionally might have inspired some closing of the ranks: set differences aside, let domestic quarrels rest. But conservatives are evidently out on the idea of patriotic unity. The right’s reactions to Russia’s attack on Ukraine have ranged from blatant admiration for Putin to anti-Russian saber-rattling combined with a shrill critique of President Joe Biden. Donald Trump initially called the invasion “genius;” he then defended his position at the Conservative Political...

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What makes the new Cold War more dangerous is that Putin’s authoritarian has rooted itself in America

The world is frighteningly locked in a battle to the death between democracy and authoritarianism. When Vladimir Putin issued a new threat to the West, telling his defense minister and his top military commander to place Russia’s nuclear forces on alert, it officially ushered in a new Cold War. The biggest difference between the old Cold War and the new one is that authoritarian neo-fascism is no longer just an external threat to America and Europe. A version of it is also growing inside western Europe and the United States. It has even taken over one of America’s major...

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What is the point of saying “never again” if the world stays silent when bombs drop on the site of Babyn Yar?

As Russian President Putin tries his version of Hitler’s September 1939 “defensive” attack on Poland, we have reached the apex, the hinge, of American history’s Fourth Great Turning. And everybody sees it. Americans who were preoccupied with false claims of voter fraud and the “tyranny” of having to wear a mask or get vaccinated are seeing with their own eyes what actual tyranny looks like. Putin has miscalculated terribly. His entire career has been, much like Donald Trump’s, one of pushing moral and legal boundaries while getting off scot-free or even being celebrated for his “victories.” And, like Donald...

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Echoes of the Soviet collapse: Why Russia may find itself in an economic catastrophe similar to 1991

Russia appears to be on the verge of an economic collapse without parallel in its post-World War II history. The United States and European Union’s decision to sanction Russia’s central bank on February 28 has essentially severed the spinal cord of the country’s economy. Russia is set to default on its debts, see its oil export relationships rejuggled to its detriment, its currency collapse even further, and it is now possible that most of its residents’ quality of life may fall to Iranian or potentially even Venezuelan standards in the near future. President Vladimir Putin has long justified his...

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A betrayal of Ukraine: Republican Senators obstruct vital humanitarian aid while seeking profits for Big Oil

Much needed financial aid for Ukraine to fight back Putin’s brutal invasion has been delayed while special interests in America demand greater profits for Big Oil, Big Coal and Big Gas. If such a thing happened in any other developed country in the world, many of these U.S. Senators would be in prison, or at least barred from office and paying huge fines. Sabotage Ukraine aid because your donors paid you to? Sabotage your own country’s energy and environmental policies because your donors promise you millions of dollars? In every other advanced democracy in the world, that is called...

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Milwaukee’s pandemic-related violence prevention programs get much needed funding from Governor

Governor Tony Evers announced on March 7 that $8.4 million previously allocated to the city of Milwaukee’s Office of Violence Prevention (OVP) was officially released, following approval by the Milwaukee Common Council. The funding was part of the governor’s larger $45 million investment, announced in October 2021, to address crime, ensure safer communities through violence prevention, and provide support for crime victims. The allocation to OVP was intended to respond to the pandemic-related uptick in violence and trauma in the city of Milwaukee. “We’re continuing our work to build a state that works for everyone, including safer communities, schools,...

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