If you were a curious and nationalist minded European person who wanted to better understand the dynamic of American politics, such an intentioned person would likely visit Washington DC to meet, understand and absorb the reality of USA politics. However, that approach, while familiar, would be a mistake.
A visit to the DC beltway would generate opinions and insights from the perspective of the federal government apparatus. Additionally, the U.S. politicians are going to repeat the policy agenda points that are debated and discussed. But does that approach really inform the curious visitor about how Americans feel, engage and interact with the government? The answer is no; the visitor would get the official skewed perspective, but leave without any understanding of how the policies described are actually considered by the American people.
To really understand the nature of how Americans view the political dynamic inside the U.S, as well as discover how the people would be reacting to policy or possible workarounds therein, the curious visitor would need to go to where the boots on the ground are – to the actual people who are engaging in American life.
The reverse of this scenario is also true. Traveling from the USA to visit Spain, Holland, Hungary or Belarus, and spending time with their political leadership, will only gain you a top-level policy outline of what those officials and politicians are trying to achieve. If there is a conflict between the official position and the actual reality on the ground, the curious visitor would never see it.
This dichotomy is the fatal flaw within the process of gathering information. Tucker Carlson or (fill_in_blank) cannot understand how/if the political policy transfers to the citizens by talking to the known leadership. What is happening on the ground could be entirely different, and that begins the conversation to a larger awakening.
My curiosity revolved around Western global sanctions against Russia. It has been almost two years since massive sanctions against Russia were implemented. The goal of the sanctions was to hurt Russia economically, weaken Putin domestically, and ultimately change the outcome in Ukraine. However, the Russian economy is larger than before the sanctions; the Ruble is stronger against the US Dollar than before; Vladimir Putin is more supported inside Russia than before, and most of the financial and economic systems under sanction have failed to yield a substantive difference on the ground in Russia.
How is this possible, when we are told the sanctions delivered hardship to Russia? The answer is simple; the sanctions didn’t work. Why not? What is happening? These were the questions I had in mind as I went to where the economic systems are actually being engaged by the people. I can say with certainty what I found is nowhere in any Western media presentation.
I will describe tomorrow the granular details of why the claims of the west do not match the reality of what is taking place. On the ground, the sanctions are invisible because ordinary people in Europe, (a) are not in alignment with the expressed government intent, and (b) therefore have no issue constructing ways around them.
The US, UK, France and bureaucrats in Brussels are the tip of the spear against Russia, but behind that face there are EU mechanisms that do not align. Things are not what they seem.
Before getting to those details, some of which have to be shared carefully due to the sensitivity of the information and process (sand in the machine), let’s start by looking at the subtle indications which will validate what we discuss next.
WASHINGTON DC – Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán regularly pushes the EU to the cliff edge, but diplomats are panicking that his hostility to Ukraine is now about to finally kick the bloc over the precipice.
A brewing political crisis is set to boil over at a summit in mid-December when EU leaders are due to make a historic decision on bringing Ukraine into the 27-nation club and seal a key budget deal to throw a €50 billion lifeline to Kyiv’s flailing war economy. The meeting is supposed to signal to the U.S. that, despite the political distraction over the war in the Middle East, the EU is fully committed to Ukraine.
Those hopes look likely to be knocked off course by Orbán, a strongman who cultivates close ties with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and who is widely seen as having undermined democracy and rule of law at home. He is demanding the whole political and financial process should be put on ice until leaders agree to a wholesale review of EU support for Kyiv.
[…] Previous peacemakers such as former German Chancellor Angela Merkel or other Orbán-whisperers from the so-called Visegrád Four — Slovakia, Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic — are no longer there. The expected comeback of Donald Tusk for Poland, a pro-EU and anti-Russian leader, will only heighten Orbán’s status as the lonely, defiant hold-out.
“There is no one left to talk sense into Orbán,” a third EU official said. “He is now undermining the EU from within.”
[…] In theory, Brussels could come out with the big guns and use the EU’s so-called Article 7 procedure against Hungary, used when a country is considered at risk of breaching the bloc’s core values. The procedure is sometimes called the EU’s “nuclear option” as it provides for the most serious political sanction the bloc can impose on a member country — the suspension of the right to vote on EU decisions.
Because of those far-reaching consequences, there is reticence to roll out this option against Hungary. When EU leaders brought in “diplomatic sanctions” against Austria in 2000, the day after the party of Austrian far-right leader Jörg Haider entered the coalition, it backfired. Many Austrians were angry at EU interference and anti-EU sentiment soared. Sanctions were lifted later that year.
There is now a widespread feeling in Brussels that Article 7 could create a similar backlash in Budapest, fueling populism and in the longer term potentially even trigger a snowball effect leading to an unintended Hungarian exit of the bloc.
Given those fears, diplomats are doubling down on ways to work around a Hungarian veto. (read more)
Now you know why I went to Budapest.
What I can tell you is the nationalist outlook, a sentiment against the interests of Brussels, is not only an Orban perspective. The Hungarian people, and the institutions therein, have no issue with Russia. This extends to the reality within the Russian consulate in Budapest; you’ll specifically see how this all manifests tomorrow.
(Washington DC) – […] Instead of targeting flagship exports like oil and gas, Ukraine’s European allies will focus on restricting trade in diamonds, iron and copper, which are of relatively little value to the Russian state. When it comes to energy, “we’ve reached the capacity of what we can do without shooting [ourselves] in the foot and harming our competitiveness,” one EU diplomat claimed.
The biggest omission is liquefied natural gas, the all-important fossil fuel that netted President Vladimir Putin’s regime an estimated $6.6 billion in sales in the EU this year alone. Countries like Spain and Belgium have actually even boosted their LNG imports by a massive 50 percent in 2023, compared to 2022.
Meanwhile, hopes that Europe could agree to shut the door on Russia’s atomic energy sector given its dangerous occupation of Ukraine’s Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant — the continent’s largest — have failed to materialize. Hungary is expanding one of its own atomic power stations with Moscow’s help and populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán has vowed to veto any sanctions that would hurt the industry, despite criticism from EU and Ukrainian officials alike. Unanimous support from all 27 member states is needed to impose new restrictions, meaning talks on the subject are now deadlocked. (read more)
Samantha Power looks like Willem Dafoe’s twin sister. And that is not a good thing for a woman.
Thinker: Hmm. Anyone seen Dafoe, lately?
Did you Willem Dafoe in drag in the movie “Boondock Saints”?
Why insult Dafoe?
She doesn’t play the Green Goblin, she’s the Ginger Goblin.
Probably hard to sell global warming this week: from the weather channel app – “Jets encased in ice as snow slams Europe”.
I’m sure the little people would much rather be a little warmer, but that’s just my opinion.
Just shows how stupid and short term thinking these idiots are that they first sold it, with much effort and fanfair as “Global Warming” and then triedcto correct their obvious mistake with “oh, we mean CLIMATE change, can cause both warming and cooling!”
And, hello saying after an arbitrary deadline of only a few years “it will be too late” while it increases the urgency BEFORE the deadline, once its passed there is NO urgency cause “So what, you said yourself its too late, so lets just party dood, with the time we have left!”
Silly you Eric, you know the little people all private jet off to sunny climes in the rare instance of cold weather (sarc)
“Jets encased in ice?”
Not unusual. Citation X’s are notoriously tail heavy!!
Ooooops!
As far as I’m concerned, the Ukraine is 100% a European problem. Russia is not about to invade the USA. Anybody who believes they are is either a moron , a liar, or both.
WorkingmanPHD: Russia invading the USA sounds promising.
A war in Ukraine can be faked.. Is fake. Cant fake a war in USA. Not yet
Sure they can…done with the plandemic. They’ll pick some small area in Alaska, isolate it, send troops in, pull out military winter-weather training video, get some suckers in the military to vomit their talking points in front of a snowdrift with a tank in the background.
For that matter, the small (as of now non-existent) town is currently under construction.
I hate these people.
Sure they can, and do. They have been faking it for years to deny the existence of the War on the American People. Casualties are in the millions.
Yeah, now I am ‘bummed’ cause I was looking forward to being liberated.
Not only that, Russia has no desire to invade or conquer Western Europe, cause frankly WHO would want it?
Russia doesn’t even want western Ukraine.
Awesome. There is nothing like going to a foreign country and talking with the people who live there. I look forward to hearing more.
Because I know that “C U Next Tuesday’s” history… that picture makes my blood boil!
BRICS
can anyone explain how independent EU countries are from Russia for energy?
a graph, percentage etc..
Russia sells the oil/NG to other countries like India.
They repackage and sell to EU, with a mark up of coarse.
I know PDJT offered to see ours to them to help remove the dependence
any shipper in here?
does that seem feasible or not to supply across the Atlantic via shipping
Dutch
Go back to the last italicized section of this post – second paragraph referencing natural gas.
Russians are selling Europe direct.
Think about that in context as a third player in the “gas war.”
The other two being the Saudi/Qatari line running up Israel’s border vs the Iraq/Iran line running along the Turkish border. Both of these lines are embroiled in conflict while Russia is beating the US to the European market.
Energy (supply of) wars!
Suddenly they are all now planning to vastly increase their nuclear power. Of course Russia and Russian allies Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan are the biggest global suppliers of uranium. EU doesn’t do well at strategic thinking.
Ukraine has already lost the war.
Many Ukrainian politicians have made cash purchases of
land and huge mansions in foreign countries.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is letting
the Ukrainian people get slaughtered for money.
Sounds almost like our politicians.
Now I understand why this occurred;
“Former Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko Blocked from Leaving Country over Alleged Russian Plot”
“Ukrainian intelligence agencies blocked former President Petro Poroshenko from leaving the country to meet with Hungarian leader Viktor Orbán over an alleged Kremlin plot to diminish Western support for Ukraine’s war effort against Russia.”
“The SBU alleged that Poroshenko’s planned meeting with Hungarian President Viktor Orbán fell in line with a broader Russian intelligence effort to “encourage representatives of Ukrainian politicians to declare narratives about the need for a negotiation process with the [Russian Federation] in the context of war freezing.”
https://www.breitbart.com/europe/2023/12/03/former-ukrainian-president-poroshenko-blocked-from-leaving-country-over-alleged-russian-plot/
Meanwhile, FJB declares, “We must support Ukraine to save democracy.”
Zelensky has been ruling as a dictator since the war began. Poroshenko is said to be a potential political contender against Zelenskyy. Perhaps he’s watching what the Democrats are doing.
Good catch Mr. Turtle.
Tyrants use “Democracy™️” as a stalking horse in their drive to enslave the world. Right in front of our eyes.
democRat’s Demoncrazy, imo
Our government tends to want us to believe that our freedom is threatened by Russia. Fear inside grows that it’s Ukraine that will bring our war.
Hmm, a lot of two-facedness going on.
Seeing numerous stories saying the Gulf Sunni States are publically condemning Israel and supporting cease fires, while privately cheering on Israel to finish off HAMAS, once and for all.
Orban is scared of Russia and more scared of a USA under Democrats who historically abandoned victims of Russian aggression. He fears that if the war goes on and Russia becomes victorious due to Biden’s cowardice Hungary will be next.
So he plays for his interests.
The other factor is Hungarians inside Ukraine whose numbers dwindle under the war . And the disputes H has with Ukraine over minority rights that it uses to extract from Ukraine trough its ascension negotiations into Nato and the EU.
“Orban is scared of Russia …”
Nonsense. Russia is a big supplier of energy to Hungary. Russia wants prosperous and stable neighbors with whom to do business. Orban knows very well that it is not Russians who have been demanding he open Hungary’s borders to those who will rape, murder, then replace the Hungarian people.
“… victims of Russian aggression.”
When Russians were last aggressive, it was during the Soviet Union when ethnic Russians were being ruled by ethnic non-Russians. Russians were, by count of corpses, by far the great victim of Bolshevism.
It is not Russia overthrowing democratically elected governments around the world, like the Ukrainian government overthrown in a violent coup in 2014 by the neo-Nazi servants of US DoS Undersecretary Victoria Nuland. You want to see how neo-liberal democracy works in the real world, listen to the intercepted conference call of Nuland and fellow travelers DECIDING who would be the next leader of Ukraine. It used to be on English language youtube, but … censorship.
https://yandex.com/video/preview/18252408349202544925
LOOKS LIKE YOU REALLY LOVE…. NEOCONS/STRAUSSIANS…….ORBAN IS NOT SCARED EITHER BRUSSEL OR MOSCOW…..
You got to be kidding.
No sane person on this site would ever bite off on this nonsense.
“Orbán, a strongman who cultivates close ties with Russian dictator Vladimir Putin and who is widely seen as having undermined democracy and rule of law at home.”
“and populist Prime Minister Viktor Orbán”
Surprised they haven’t called him a white extremist yet….these people. I loathe them.
Please both “file this away” and repeat it as often as you can;
There was NEVER, not for one instance, ANY risk of this operation in Ukraine devolving into WW3, OR of it “going Nuclear” or of Putins Russia overrunning western Europe. it simply wasn’t gonna happen.
That extremely irresponsible false narrative was pushed, as part of the attempt to use fear to manipulate blind support for the operation.
It was poorly crafted bullshit.
It was just another in a long line of “chicken little” (the SKY IS FALLING!) narratives predicting dire end of the world consequences (and HERES the KEY!) IF “WE don’t DO something!)
Climate change, if we don’t drastically cut back,..cowfarts.
Covid, if we don’t all inject poison
Ukraine, if we don’t “never back down to defending democracy!”
Israel, if we don’t stand behind Israel, to be best positioned to stab them in the back.
point being, they WILL continue to hammer us with chicken little false narratives; learn to recognise them, SEE very clearly the “If we don’t do this” manipulation, and DO NOT FALL FOR IT.
Instead, immediately, loudly begin rejecting it, to try to block its amplification.
“They will imprison Trump” bullshit.
“They will cancel the elections” bullshit.
“They will knock out the internet” bullshit.
IF you looked at it pragmatically it was obvioys from day one the Ukraine operation was never at risk of going nuclear, etc.
Covid was never a threat to humanity.
Nor climate change…
and these other chicken little narratives are just as impractical, as well.
Sundance, thank you for going. God bless you!
How about the Danes.? It’s no longer just One Nation Under Orban… it’s now Two Nations… including the one under Geert Wilders too.
Euros are getting tired of this… it’s getting cold and I’m sure the Big Shots in Brussels and London live in nicely warmed palazzos…