68 Comments
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Apr 22
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Spectrum News reported a poll last week that says 53 percent of Americans support Ukraine aid, but all polls are different.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2024/04/15/majority-of-americans-support-sending-aid-to-ukraine--poll-says?cid=app_share

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Apr 22Edited
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I think the war has mostly been a stalement, but Ukraine has been hurt because it has not had the military aid. Any solution to end the war and the suffering in Ukraine I think would be welcome, but I don't think Russia has shown any inclination to do that.

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Apr 22
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With U.S. aid hung up in Congress, Europe has stepped up its aid.

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something like $50 billion of the security bills goes straight into the coffers of american defense firms. it’s not like we’re printing money and shipping it to kiyv. this money pays the salaries on thousands of american workers. plus, it hurts vlad. i’m having trouble understanding why any american patriot would oppose it.

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Apr 22
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Apr 22Edited

It's true that arms given to another country in-kind would be replaced at a inflation-related higher cost. But an inflation replacement value in excess of 100 percent seems unrealistic. Do you have a reliable and valid source for your estimate?

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Apr 22
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Accusatory comment not acceptable.

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Apr 22Edited

I think, in your example, you're double-counting the value of the transaction. In reality, when we give $1 of arms to Ukraine, it costs us $1. But when we replace those arms in our inventory, we're exchanging dollars for goods and we continue to possess those goods.

So no, it doesn't cost us $100 billion to give Ukraine $50 billion of arms.

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Apr 22
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Apr 22Edited
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red herring. but ask trump why he torpedoed the immigration bill. maybe he can clear that up for you. but he’s kind of occupied right now, so it might take him some time to get back to you.

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But the Republicans held it up.

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Because most of America is tired of funding Ukraine when our own country is under invasion. That might be why she changed her mind. Her constituents don’t want Ukraine to be funded anymore.

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That is not why Stefanik voted no ! It’s very calculated. It’s all about self interest. She wants to be Trump’s VP pick. It has nothing to do with her constituents.

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Who are we being *invaded* by? The people walking here with their families to leave behind the horrors which they are trying to escape? THOSE people?

I'd much rather see Ukraine get monies than handing the war machine that is Netanyahu that the US has been funding AND arming for years.

You bet Stefanik owes us answers but she doesn't step foot here except for photo ops.

I gladly give $$ to the brave people of Ukraine 🇺🇦. They've shown me what love for one's country is.

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I think these are two very different issues. Ukraine is under attack with missiles, drones and armies. Women and children are being killed. The border is certainly nothing like that. It is an issue that should be addressed, but other wise this is a false equivalent. Republicans also had a chance to increase the border security, but rejected the increased funding. It appears that Ms. Stefanik is trying to remain loyal to Mr. Trump instead of helping innocent men,, women and children in Ukraine.

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If Stefanik or any of the Senate or House Republicans were really worried about immigration they and Stefanik would have worked harder to get to get the House to take up the Border Act that was negotiated and put together by Senator’s Langford, Sinema and Murphy. And the Senate Republicans would have voted for it!

https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/sen-lankford-fights-to-keep-immigration-bill-hopes

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Apr 22
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That is an entirely different bill. The one Lankford negotiated was a compromise measure that provided most of what Republicans wanted. They want the issue for political purposes and not to solve the problem.

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Apr 22
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You would have to agree that both sides do this. Republicans do it in the House as well. I agree. It should be debated.

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Exactly.

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Not reasonable- she voted to fund the other nations in the other bills, didn’t she?

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I think she actually voted "Nyet".

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It would be more appropriate.

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One does not have to be a rocket scientist to understand Sedition Stefanik’s motivation. As I have expressed before, for Miss Harvard it’s all about self interest. Her behavior is simple. Whatever will enable her to achieve those goals, that is what she will do. If voting against Ukrainian people will ingratiate herself with Trump, she’ll do that and if touting a new and improved missile defense system will make her look good she’ll do that too. Make no mistake about it, this person has no allegiance to the people of NY 21.

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I hadn't heard one thing about a lockdown....usually that would garner a story on local news stations. Dint understand that at all.

As for NPR there are people within our government who would see free thinking shut down.

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There was a front page story on the e-edition.

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*don't

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It makes sense to defund NPR and later have the FCC pull the licenses of all the stations. If one is establishing a totalitarian regime allowing factual information in the public forum is a bad idea. The words under the Washington Post Logo are "Democracy dies in darkness"

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I've written before that is where the loss of our democracy would start. There would be limitations on media reporting, gradually, then all at once.

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There is no excuse for Elise, except for “us.” We promote that which we permit. Vote her out. Hard…but simple.

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Apr 22
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Because we all endorse our free and fair election system. Especially Republicans.

Oh, wait….

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Unfortunately, it is very hard.

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Yes. Because we allowed it to become that way.

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Ken, can you get any information about Paula Collins, a democrat who has qualified to run against Stefanik??? Perhaps this challenger can shake loose some common sense in the residents of the far North Country. I'm sick of her obvious disregard for the media and the voters up here...all to garner favor with the "Orange" monster. Actually, maybe it would be a good thing is she's tapped as his running mate...then, when he loses, we're rid of her...not a bad thought, right???

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Apr 22
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I think it's true there were complaints about our candidate Stefanik simply being a "carpetbagger."

But to be fair, I think there were more complaints that she falsely presented herself as being part of the North Country through her parents' plywood company. In reality, she was part of the Capital District and graduated from the Emma Willard prep school. It was reported by NCPR that Willsboro locals they spoke to neither knew her or even heard of her.

It's one thing to be a "carpetbagger." It's another to falsely claim you aren't.

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Her only real jobs were in DC.

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Elise graduated from Albany Girls Academy, not Emma Willard.

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My mistake. Thank you for the correction.

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Perhaps good for us, but do we really want to hand over this person to be a possible president someday?

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Apr 22
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Just as background, Kamala Harris has a much more impressive resume than Stefanik. She has been a county district attorney, worked in the San Francisco district attorney's office prosecuting murders, robberies and sexual assault while heading the city's criminal division, took over the Children's Services Division and was eventually became DA of San Francisco. Eventually was elected to the state Legislature then became a U.S. Senator. She's probably got more experience in the real world than most members of Congress.

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Apr 22
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Wondering what that looks like. Traditionally, vice presidents have not had a major role beyond ceremonial, although that has evolved over the past two decades. VPs don't really have any power so I'm curious what she needs to do to be successful.

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Apr 22
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What are Stefanik’s credentials to be qualified for the VP position? She never attended law school after receiving her undergraduate degree. She is an embarrassment with her foolish behavior.

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Expected comment.

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Point taken..it's a conundrum!!!

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Thanks for the information on how Stefanik voted on the aid, Ken. I knew there were 90 some Republicans who had voted against it. I didn’t realize she had become such a hollow person in her drive to become veep that she’d sacrifice the lives of tens of thousands of Ukrainians and their sovereignty.

The GOP no longer has any principles and deserves the collapse that’s coming for it. Any Republican leader of the past must be spinning in their graves to see the party in hock to a shallow group of amoral strivers whose only concern is their own fame and fortune.

Here’s a clip of Tim Snyder responding to the lunatic ramblings of Marge Greene who is arguably less despicable than Stefanik who has the advantage of the very best educational opportunities.

https://youtu.be/aPSYm5RIXMU?si=ilo4N-vMGA3QKqB8

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I believe the number of Republicans voting against was 110 or so.

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👍

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The clerk publishes vote results;

https://clerk.house.gov/Votes/2024151

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Thank you.

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I was close. 112 voted against.

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As usual Ken, trying to keep Stefanik's feet to the fire seems to be a lost cause. She takes her constituents for granted and does what she wants to do. This no vote on Ukraine ,however, goes over the top and you would think create some questions in the minds of her supporters here in the 21st.

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Apr 22
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It would be interesting to see a poll like that. Spectrum News posted a poll last week that showed 53 percent of Americans favored aid to Ukraine.

https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nyc/all-boroughs/politics/2024/04/15/majority-of-americans-support-sending-aid-to-ukraine--poll-says?cid=app_share

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Thank you for interjecting some facts.

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Good Lord, Trump and Stefanik make me miss Ronald Reagan and Jerry Solomon. I didn’t realize that was the golden age of the Republican Party.

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As I've always said, one person at a time.

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I don’t know about you, but I am very tired of being taken for granted.

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Given our Congresswoman Stefanik's support for whom she falsely termed "hostages" of the Jan. 6 insurrection, and given their violent actions and intentions, I find it hard to believe she has suddenly become a pacifist relative to our country's overseas interventions.

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I think we, as her constituents, must be given an explanation for Stefanik’s vote. She has been very busy haranguing leaders of higher education . She fails to represent us.

And as for NPR, it is and always has been an excellent source of information AND entertainment. Radio Deluxe is a national treasure.

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It us reprehensible ignoring a news outlet like the TV station in Watertown.

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Ken-Important good interpretation of Stefanik's self serving disregard of her constituents and countries best wishes and intentions for support of Ukraine.

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Thanks for bringing this up. I feel a great need to help Ukraine. Supposedly we have hurt them a LOT already by our negligence. I don’t understand her at all. She’s just a MAGA supporter.

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