EUROPEAN PRAVDA, UKRAINSKA PRAVDA — WEDNESDAY, 14 FEBRUARY 2024,
Message From CapWillie: as long as they’re talking we have hope. Perhaps I’m nuts but I think a discharge petition will work. But honestly who knows what politicians can or will do. M
House Speaker Mike Johnson wants a personal meeting with US President Joe Biden before continuing work on the project to provide funding for Ukraine and Israel.
Source: NBC, citing a source close to Johnson, as quoted by European Pravda Pravda
Details: According to the channel’s source, Johnson and his staff have requested a meeting with Biden through senior White House officials several times over the past two months.
The most recent request came just over a week ago, a few days before the Senate passed a US$95 billion bipartisan national security package and House Republicans impeached Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas.
Johnson’s request for a meeting was not necessarily about the Senate’s version of the additional aid, but rather about the overall path forward for the legislative package, NBC added.
At the same time, a White House official pointed to the speaker’s inconsistency and advised Johnson to end the “negotiations he is having with himself” and stop putting off national security needs in the name of politics.
“That body language says: ‘I know I’m in a tough spot. Please bail me out’,” a Democratic source said.
Biden met with Johnson and other congressional leaders less than a month ago to discuss a bipartisan immigration deal that would unlock aid to Ukraine. Johnson called the meeting “productive” at the time.
The Senate-approved package includes US$61 billion for Ukraine to support its efforts to counter Russian aggression, US$14 billion for Israel in its war against Hamas, and another US$4.83 billion to support partners in the Indo-Pacific region, including Taiwan and to deter Chinese aggression.
It is not yet known whether Republicans in the House of Representatives will agree to support the bill after it is approved by the Senate. House Speaker Mike Johnson has criticised the text.
“as long as they’re talking we have hope”
Right, Captain, but let’s not get carried away. This meeting may just be Johnson’s attempt at making headlines, grandstanding to his radical supporters, and wasting Biden’s time. For now, I’m sceptical if this is a sign of an honest try of finding a compromise. After all, it’s Trump who’s pulling the strings behind the scenes.
An alternative theory or perhaps a pipe dream…Johnson knows he will lose the discharge petition so he is trying to get what he can and keep his job.
Yeah, right, let’s also think of this:
“How Congress Could Bypass Republican Opposition to Funding Ukraine”
And this:
“Democrat wins N.Y. special election, flipping House seat once held by Santos”
https://wapo.st/49CjYbt
So, Johnson faces a rebellion by pro-Ukrainian Republicans and also has just lost another important seat, reducing the already miniscule majority. Under these circumstances, he may try to at least get some concessions from Biden instead of being overridden by a cabal of his own representatives. Let’s wait and see.
Good explanations of the reasons behind decreasing support for Ukraine in the US, in this article:
“The World Feels the Trump Touch”
Ukraine’s government and friends urgently need to do more to show the American public that arms deliveries to this democracy under attack by Putin are dollars well spent, in their own best interests. The Dems are too lame to make a stand, but the discourse can’t be left dominated by the Trumpists. There need to be ads and spokespersons in the media to counter pro-RuSSian propaganda!
“House lawmakers to offer their own Ukraine and border bill”
“Questions are swirling over how much time Ukraine has in its war to repel Russia’s invasion, as it exhausts Western-supplied weapons. The House is due to go into recess at the end of the week, and will likely be consumed with overdue annual spending bills when it returns…. Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) said the House could feasibly take a month to craft its own foreign aid bill.”
https://www.politico.com/news/2024/02/14/ukraine-border-bill-house-00141419
Tomorrow, new day, new bill from the House… Borders + foreign aid
My god, will this circus never end? it will take 1 month just to develop the law while Ukraine is rationing its ammunition. Scandalous!
Congress, we implore you, vote for aid to Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan now. It’s a life-threatening emergency! It’s a vote to save lives!