House Republican Victoria Spartz (Indiana CD-05) is originally from Nosivka in eastern Ukraine.  Mrs. Spartz emigrated to the United States in 2000 after meeting her husband who is from Indiana.

During the Republican House press conference today, Representative Spartz delivered passionate remarks about her homeland and the regional war between Russia and Ukraine that is impacting her distant family.

The region in Ukraine outlined by Representative Spartz, is the eastern Ukraine region that has been in a state of constant conflict over the past eight years.  The Russian aligned separatists in eastern Ukraine have been fighting the western Ukraine military.  The Russian military forces are now supporting the separatists and tilting the outcome of the fight.

WASHINGTON DC – […] “This is not a war, this is a genocide of the Ukrainian people by a crazy man who cannot get over the Ukrainian people do not want socialism, Soviet Union, communism,” Spartz, who represents Indiana, told reporters during a GOP news conference about President Biden’s State of the Union address. “They want to be with the United States of America. They want to be free people. They want to be with the West.” (read more)

Mrs. Spartz also answered questions from media attendees (video below).

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We remember…

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Senate Republicans produced a video today announcing their position toward Ukraine.  WATCH:

Accept things as they are, not as you would wish them to be.

Place your bets on whether blue and yellow ribbons will be deployed for all State of the Union attendees?

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There comes a time in every performance of the United Nations production when the arch villain bombs the milk factories.  Today, Russian President Vladimir Putin takes his turn.

As we return to our seats from the lobby during commercial interlude, we discover the model U.N. interns have left the blue and yellow ribbons on our seats. We know exactly what segment of the melodrama comes next; the children are suffering.

The well attired gentlemen in the mezzanine know this is the moment when they must position their freshly pressed pocket kerchief for quick access.  Heart strings will be pulled, and silk gowns do not fare well as the tears begin to flow. Well educated chivalry, passed down from father to son, has prepared them for this moment.  It’s not quite time for the checkbooks yet; first they must feel the sound of the violins.

Surprisingly, Bono and Geldorf have not yet made their appearance.  However, with the speed of modern social media, and knowing the technology of our time means we cannot wait, the EU assembly must lay the groundwork for the great American oration that is center stage from the Capitol later tonight.

New York – Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky urged the EU to “prove you are with us” in a defiant speech on Tuesday.

Mr Zelenesky, who has become a symbol of defiance for his country, issued an impassioned speech via video link, where he called on the EU to stand with Ukraine as Russia continues its deadly advance on the country.

During his speech, Mr Zelensky described the missile strikes on Kharkiv, as an act of terror against the city, and indeed Ukraine.

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Today is Fat Tuesday, the culmination of the famous season of Mardi Gras.

Debauchery. Bacchanalia. Floats, costumes, beads and masks, and lots of drinking and partying. That’s what we think of when we hear the term Mardi Gras, or Fat Tuesday.
There is a lot more behind it. Also called Shrove Tuesday, it marks the last day of the liturgical calendar before Lent begins.

After Catholicism spread throughout Europe, many cultures celebrated the final day before Lent began in ways unique to that individual  culture. Eggs, and milk were finished off in one day, giving rise to the term Fat Tuesday. In Poland, such things as lard, sugar, eggs, and fruit were forbidden during Lent, and the beloved  pączki became a special treat for Fat Tuesday, and in Detroit they still sell many thousands of them to long lines of people. (more…)

In an effort to keep the Daily Open Thread a little more open topic we are going to start a new daily thread for “Presidential Politics”. Please use this thread to post anything relating to the JoeBama Administration and Presidency.

“This is no small thing, to restore a republic after it has fallen into corruption. I have studied history for years and I cannot recall it ever happening. It may be that our task is impossible. Yet, if we do not try then how will we know it can’t be done? And if we do not try, it most certainly won’t be done. The Founders’ Republic, and the larger war for western civilization, will be lost.”

“But I tell you this: We will not go gently into that bloody collectivist good night. Indeed, we will make with our defiance such a sound as ALL history from that day forward will be forced to note, even if they despise us in the writing of it.”

~ Mike Vanderboegh

This thread will refresh daily and appear above the Open Discussion Thread.

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Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name. Thy kingdom come. THY WILL BE DONE, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but DELIVER US FROM EVIL.

For Thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen †

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Friend of the Treehouse, John Spiropolous is traveling with The People’s Convoy and sharing ground reports along the route.

Facebook Page ~ Official Convoy Website Here ~ Press Release pdf Here

John has reported today, the convoy is gathering participants along the route and now encompasses approximately 20 miles of trucks. The truckers drive anywhere from a minimum of 250 to 375 miles a day. Travel times range from a minimum of three and a half hours of driving to a maximum of five and three quarters hours of driving a day.

As John shares, “the People’s Convoy, now more than 20 miles long, rolls through Oklahoma to cheering crowds at overpasses across the state.” The overpasses along the route are filled with cheering supporters.  Here’s the Day Five report.  WATCH:

John also appeared on the War Room with Steve Bannon (below):

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Perhaps people will pause and recognize that just about every totalitarian leftist and globalist in the world is on the side of U.S. increased intervention in Ukraine.   Then again, given the scale of the war propaganda playing out, maybe not.

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Question everything. Take nothing at face value. It is very easy to become a victim of psychological warfare intended to manipulate our opinions.  Almost everything being transmitted from corporate news into our psyche is part of a battle for your mind.

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Remember that fourth quarter GDP result that seemed manipulated?  Well, I suspect the record setting trade deficit now being reported for January is an outcome of those pesky fourth quarter trade results being intentionally skewed by the withholding of December 2021 import data.

Additionally, methinks we are likely to get some increased economic clarity about why the White House needed Ukraine to become the big shiny thing with such urgency.

Just like everything else, geopolitical dynamics –especially those surrounding entrenched ideology– are always about the economics.  Someone, eventually, always has to pay.  Follow the money; there are trillions at stake.

First, keep in mind that missing Port of Los Angeles result from December as you review the import/export details:

(REUTERS) […]  The goods trade deficit jumped 7.1% to an all-time high of $107.6 billion last month. Imports of goods increased 1.7%, led by food and motor vehicles. There were also large increases in imports of industrial supplies, capital and consumer goods. Imports of other goods, however, tumbled 15.3%.

Exports dropped 1.8%, weighed down by consumer goods, motor vehicles, food and other goods. But exports of capital goods and industrial supplies increased. Trade has been a drag on gross domestic product for six straight quarters. (read more)

That missing Port of LA December import data, now being introduced into the month of January, might just be the cause of the “all time high” noted above.  I will bet one sustainable rice cake on it.

Next up, inflation.

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