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Him running the US portion of the Ukraine delegation combatting against a prosecutor that was bribing companies, when his son was a board member of a major Ukraine company certainly was a COI. Him having a 10% interested in an investment firm partnered with Chinese interest definitely sounds like it has the potential to be another.

What?!?!?! Conversely, the side that said the Hunter Biden laptop was fake news, until it was proven to be true, yet still doubled down that some of the information obtained from it should be ignored now suddenly feel family members actions should be tied to the public official (as it always should if that information indicates any potential COI).

Unless someone can prove that Ginni told her husband she was sending texts to the inner Trump circle than this really is a non-story. You guys always get so hung up on conflict of interest stories with nothing but circumstantial evidence.

IDK, I think this is just an attempt to 'both sides' stuff. The only people that care about Ginny Thomas are crooks looking to deflect from their own bullshit.

https://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/592027-democrats-topped-gop-in-raising-spending-dark-money-from-undisclosed-donors Might be more support from the right than you'd think.

If someone was a friend/ally of mine, I'd hope in times when i'm under extreme duress, they'd be willing to say anything they feel they need to say to me. It doesn't mean I have to listen to them. And as I stated, one of the tools I mentioned we could possibly give them if we moved forward with that conflicting thought I had in the back of my head to push hard for a quick ending could be to give Ukraine the ability to pull the sanctions off of Russia and use that as a bargaining chip, again, their decision.

They have just been invaded, they certainly feel the aspect of war, hopefully better than any of us ever will, it doesn't mean they are reacting objectively or at least will in the future. They are literally fighting for the lives right now and seeing much more success than anyone believed. They are also fighting the 2nd best armed forces in the world, which made horrible tactical errors, but will learn from them. Russia also can inflict a ton of damage on Ukraine from planes/missiles launched from their home and still have a lot of troops they can continue to send in. Just because they are can claim a stalemate or some wins now, doesn't mean it'll be like that in a week, month, or year from now. They need people to remind them of this part, not to talk them out of what they are doing with Russia, but to help them make an informed decision.

I agree with all of this. All that said, one simple tool i've mentioned, giving Ukraine the ability to stop our sanctions against Russia, IMO, would certainly add a ton of pressure on Putin. It certainly may not be enough. This would still keep the ultimate decision on a cease-fire/peace with Russia with Ukraine.

I still don't think we differ that much as if I had to pick one direction today, i'd pick the path Biden has forged and based on what i've seen from you, you appear to be on board with that too. A change in policy to really push both sides into a peace agreement, even as Ukraine is winning the 'hearts and minds' of it's people at this time due to their successes, is just a competing, but secondary thought in my head.

I do think I understand you, additionally I think we're on the same page in terms of where your thoughts are on this situation and where my prevailing thoughts are on this issue, I just have some conflicting thoughts stirring in the back of my head. Note I'm not advocating giving anyone the middle finger. As I mentioned in my 'gut' reaction, I kind of want Biden to hold an oval office speech to inform the world a no fly zone is just the start as he demands the withdrawal of Russian troops. Go further and announce support of Taiwan, and than tell Xi that his 'take the bell off of the Tiger' saying works both ways and he better get NK in line, otherwise China, Russia, NK, and anyone else that wants to get involved can learn about a newer saying we have here, "F&*# around and find out". Back to reality though, the tools I'm mentioning if we were to start advocating for a quick cease fire would be more so in terms of information and say over sanctions. It's possible 300,000 people in Mariupol might be dead in the next week if they don't get food and water. Are their deaths worth it if continued fighting ensures a democratic Ukraine? Does continued fighting even ensure a democratic Ukraine? Like you say, that's not a decision for the US to make. Continued assistance from us, without giving them the understanding of what prolonged war with a super power or options for an off ramp might lead to us having a bigger say in that decision than we realize.

I think i'm with you. In the innate feeling that I must disagree with you, I'd only say Dylan over the Beatles, and then the Stones and Zep. In this case i'd be wrong though.

My wife gets annoyed, but I have to review/read up on just about any purchase I make over 100 bucks. I recently left my wireless earbuds in a rental car and i'm in need of another pair. My wife has Jabra 75t's, my son has airpods. If i'm going to spend over 100, i'd prefer to spend alot on a great pair. Otherwise, i'd prefer to stay under 100, which is what my mifo 05 earbuds were. Any suggestions?

While I hope that Ukraine can continue the defense they have shown, and even add to it with some more offense, allowing them to keep a stalemate on the ground could very well ensure they have no chance of succeeding. And that's why i'm saying that's why I wonder if maybe we should give Ukraine the tools and help them understand a 'win' in the morale category, might be a lot more death and destruction for Ukraine and its citizens.

I mean, is there a solution that isn't terrible? I know myself, i'd want to fight to the death and would be against any concessions, but Mariupol is just the beginning. A ground war stalemate is enough to keep Ukraine's morale up, but Russia has the ability to make the rest of their country look like this city.

The pictures out of Mariupol are sad. I'm still battling within my head if we should stay the course that Biden has set, which IMO is the choice my head says is the best, or go with my gut and up our assistance, including offensive weapons, no fly zone, and even stepping up threats, such as if Belarus goes in, we go into Belarus with the thought that Russia backs down. Or go with my heart, which says we might need to put pressure on Ukraine to move closer to Russia on a resolution. Might be as simple as giving them the tools to force us to relieve sanctions on their orders, with the objective to spare other cities and citizens from the pain Russia can inflict from missiles, even if the ground war is a stalemate or is showing incremental Ukraine gains. I know this would give China the ammunition they need to bring up at United Nations debates for decades, but outside of the Ukraine government being overthrown, give Russia everything they want, the second the last Russian vehicle gets out of the Ukraine border, NATO troops swarm in and Zelensky accepts a NATO invitation. IDK, maybe just US troops go in and he signs a peace treaty with the US so we technically don't break any agreement with Ukraine getting into NATO.

Probably true, but the truth is it wouldn't matter. You all bought into media account on it and have therefore had plenty of time to wrap your heads around ways to disregard some of the bits that you would all demand a POTUS response on if there was an (R) after their name. And yes, no need to respond, because ... Trump.

I agreed overall with your point until you got to your last sentence. If you truly believe that, Hunter, who uses his dad's name for any financial opportunity, should deserve that scrutiny as well. It was definitely reported on. She did remove herself from the company in order to work as a public official. The brand was shut down by the time the patents were awarded as well. All that said, it was fishy and reported as such.

I do think it's true to say you shouldn't be judged based on what a family member does. That's not my problem with this story. My problem is how the media treated it. Just like the lab leak theory, it was not just ignored, it was flat out rejected without any investigation into determining if there was any truth. And now, since it was rejected, now things like the email in regards to business in China, we know POTUS had a silent role. While Biden may be able to sufficiently explain, or point to no legal issues, that should be his job to explain, not the media's job to hide it so he doesn't have too.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/hunter-bidens-laptop-and-americas-crisis-of-accountability-nyt-new-york-post-media-allegations-political-connections-11647872692?mod=opinion_lead_pos8 I know most of you don't care, but the Russian disinformation about Hunter's laptop was in fact not Russian disinformation. Almost like if a few reporters asked questions and decent follow up questions we would have known a long time ago. Also means "H gets 10% to hold for the big guy" is a legitimate mail too. Wonder if that was disclosed when he became president. Guess we'll never know, as no one will bother asking him.

There is truth to this point. Once it failed the MI GOP made it clear to Snyder that had no choice, similar to Biden and buying Russian oil he just went with it. I feel most political issues are on a pendulum. Unions are of course political. There was a time where they were perfect for the time, a time when they were too powerful, and now, a time where they are too weak. Stronger unions, combined with some national security related push to produce more goods here, could bring back some of the glory that did exist in the 50's, and due to our progress since then, benefit a more diverse segment of the population.

To me, sounds like just more excuses, which i'm sure Trump and many others are just tired of hearing. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-44717074 Germany agreed to 2% by 2024, and every other NATO country knew that they were asking Germany to increase spending, just as they were asking themselves that. This wasn't something sprung on Germany. As of 2019, they were saying they wouldn't be up to 2% until 2031. For your second paragraph, Germany holding off on spending, just as you say, put pressure on other countries not to meet the goal too.

Looking back at the fifties through today's lenses definitely shows the progress our society has made. While I think we often get mired in the issues we see with today's society, objectively looking back shows us areas where we have moved forward. I've mentioned this before, so sorry if you've already heard it. My dad was told to hire an AA women back in the 70's when he was at Phillip Morris. That shrunk his pool of candidates from hundreds to just a few. He picked who he thought was the best of the bunch, but felt bad as he felt he was setting her up to fail. He said she tried, but really sucked at the job. 1-2 years later, she leap frogged him and became his boss. One of the best bosses he ever had. My dad was very conservative, but he always pushed back on anyone that outright rejected affirmative action.

Numerous reports like this surfaced. He was very outspoken on member NATO countries (most of them) that weren't paying their commited rate on defense spending. It was a valid complaint. I don't think he would have been so anti-NATO if it wasn't for that. With that though, Putin saw his move and i'm sure some of those private conversations he had with Trump he pointed out just how 'unfair' that was.

The FSB has no issues going after anyone, anywhere. If someone with enough clout says it's time and convinces the right people, it's done. Obviously, those in charge are pro-Putin for the most part and even those that disagree, are certainly not at a level of disagreement we are at.

So lots of (possibly) conflicting thoughts on this. 1) is this Ukraine's intelligence, or ours? 2) If it's legit intelligence, why leak it? make him feel uneasy? 3) if it's not legit, seems more likely it's to make him feel uneasy.