Foreign Digest: France, Zimbabwe, Hungary, Georgia and the Gaza Strip

France: The anti-migrant pro-Russian far-right French party leader was convicted and sentenced for embezzlement of European Union parliamentary funds. She was banned from standing for President for 5 years. Her populist party had lost the parliamentary and EU parliamentary elections, despite gaining votes and seats in each body. France is governed by a centrist coalition government backed by the center-right and the EU is ruled by a center-right-led coalition. The far-right French leader’s party is in the EU parliamentary group with other far-right anti-migrant populist parties, several of which are also pro-Russian. She is favored by the Trumpist far-right. Zimbabwe: There was a protest against the corrupt socialist authoritarian President of Zimbabwe, whose party has ruled since independence from the United Kingdom in 1980. There were mass arrests of the protestors. Hungary: There have been more mass protests against the far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian corrupt autocratic Hungarian President. As I have posted, a center-right party has emerged as the leading opposition to the Hungarian strongman who has ruled the former Soviet satellite State for 14 years and who is a darling of the Trumpist far-right. Georgia: There have been more mass protests against the pro-Russian authoritarian Georgian Government because of its fraudulent re-election last year and decision to end the former Soviet Republic’s candidacy for the European Union. The Russian Federation invaded the south Caucasus State in 2008, setting up puppet states in two breakaway territories and keeping Russian troops there. Georgians prefer closer ties to Europe and the West. Gaza Strip: There were more protests against Hamas, the Iranian-backed Islamist terrorist organization that rules the Gaza Strip, and its policy of war against the neighboring Jewish State of Israel.

Former Vice President Mike Pence to Receive the Profile in Courage Award for Fulfilling His Constitutional Duty and Standing up to Trump’s Pressure to Overturn the Election Results

Former United States Vice President Michael Pence will receive the 2025 Profile in Courage Award. The former U.S. Representative and Governor of Indiana was Donald Trump’s recommended Republican vice presidential nominee in 2016. The GOP ticket was elected through massive election fraud, through deception, intimidation, illegal campaign finance activity and foreign interference, including by a hostile foreign power, Russia, which Trump and his campaign invited, welcomed and accepted. Once in office, the conservative Pence mostly was silent during Trump’s term, even though the Framers of the Constitution imagined the Vice President, whose only constitutional role is as President of the Senate, as a check on the President, not a sycophant. Pence seldom objected, even internally, while Trump engaged in dishonesty and corruption, was unable to put America’s interests above his own, violated the Constitution and implemented policies anathema to conservatism. After Trump was defeated for reelection in 2020, but was unable or unwilling to accept the results, he and his supporters pressured Pence as President of the Senate to reject the count of the Electors for Trump’s opponent, Democratic nominee Joseph Biden, on the false basis of election fraud claims that every Republican elections official and judge had rejected. Trump and his supporters demanded Pence exercise a role beyond presiding over the joint session of Congress on January 6, 2021 to count the votes and thus certify the results, but to impose his arbitrary judgment against the counting of valid ballots by Electors for Biden. Some Trumpists even threatened to kidnap or kill Pence and other congressional leaders. Inspired by Trump’s lies and inflammatory statements and aided by his refusal to send forces to restore order and allow the constitutional process to continue, they attacked the Capitol in an effort to thwart the counting of the ballots to keep Trump in power. Trump was later impeached for his incitement of insurrection in the most bipartisan impeachment by the House and votes of conviction by the Senate, but by that point his term had already ended and he was acquitted. Several hundred insurrectionists were charged with federal crimes and pleaded guilty or were convicted and sentenced, including to imprisonment on various charges from trespassing on federal property to theft, assault of law enforcement officers and even seditious conspiracy, but Trump commuted or pardoned them, as he still baselessly insists he won the election and that the convictions were partisan, etc. But Pence steadfastly resisted the pressure from Trump and threats from Trump’s violent supporters and remained steadfast to his constitutional duty by declining to reject unilaterally the Electoral College votes for Biden and presiding over the certification of the vote for the Democratic nominee and thus the defeat of Trump and himself for reelection. Thus, with two weeks remaining in their terms, the Vice President had finally and decisively exercised his constitutional check on Trump and thereby allowed the transfer of power and defended the republic from usurpation by an autocrat determined to remain in power by any means. Pence endured harsh criticism and threats by Trumpists for defending the integrity of the presidential election. He sought the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, running on a principled conservative platform and maintaining, as the other candidates agreed, except for Trump, that he had done the right thing in courageously resisting Trump’s pressure to abuse his power, but the Trumpified GOP nevertheless rejected him and other anti-Trump and non-Trumpist conservative candidates. Pence has since bravely continued to speak out in favor of conservative principles and against Trump’s non-conservative nominations and policies, both personally and through the conservative organization he founded, Advancing American Freedom. The prestigious Profiles in Courage Award is presented by the family of former President John F. Kennedy, inspired by the book the Democrat had authored, Profiles in Courage, about American political leaders who risked their political careers to resist political pressure and to do what was right for America.

More Republican and Conservative Pushback against Trump and Trumpism

There continues to be more resistance to Donald Trump and Trumpism (the populist mix of protectionism, nativism, isolationism and imperialism) by Republicans and conservatives, including pushback from Republicans in Congress and state elected GOP officials, as I had posted previously, the latter of which I shall post about separately. These examples are in addition to the federal judiciary’s stiff resistance from demands by Trump and Trumpist officials and members of Congress for it to abandon its constitutional role of inerpreting the Constitution and law and to conduct judicial review of Executive Branch actions to let the Chief Executive rule as an autocrat. Trump’s anti-vaccine nominee for CDC Director was recently forced to withdraw because of opposition from non-Trumpist Republican Senators. The informal rejection of another Trump nominee maintains the Senate’s constitutional Advice and Consent power, which had been undermined by Trumpist demands for the Senate to approve every nominee, contrary to the point of the constitutional checks and balances between the Branches of government. The Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman, a Republican, and Ranking Member, a Democrat, jointly requested the Department of Defense’s acting Inspector General to conduct an inquiry into the Signal scandal, in which Trump’s most senior security and defense officials and the Vice President participated in discussions of attack plans against the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen who have been obstructing international shipping on a non-secure private platform and mistakenly included a journalist. The Committee letter was addressed to the acting IG because Trump had fired all the Inspectors General to diminish accountability. The Pentagon’s acting IG will conduct an inquiry into the Signal scandal. Four Republican Senators voted in favor of a Democratic-sponsored resolution to terminate Trump’s emergency declaration against ally and major trading partner Canada to justify the imposition of tariffs, a tax on imports paid by domestic importers and usually passed along to customers, on Canadian goods. The resolution passed. Another GOP Senator sponsored a bipartisan bill to reclaim congressional authority on tariffs, which has been delegated by the Legislative Branch to the Executive Branch. Trump has imposed tariffs not only on Canada, but on every ally, as well as many other foreign countries, because Americans prefer to buy more imports, either because they are less expensive than similar domestically produced goods, are not domestically produced, or are of better quality than domestic goods, not because of unfair trade practices by the foreign countries. Protectionism, the policy of imposing tariffs not for security or human rights reasons or as punishment for unfair trade practices, but to “protect” domestic production. This, protectionist tariffs are tax increases that limit economic freedom, discourage competition and thus efficiency and improvement of products, damage relations with foreign States and invite retaliatory tariffs from them, and decrease global prosperity. Congress has delegated authority to the President to declare emergencies to impose tariffs without express congressional authority, a power that has led to abuses by Trump in both terms of declaring emergencies on flimsy or non-existent grounds, even against close allies and trading partners. I shall continue to post about Republican and conservative pushback against Trump and Trumpism.

More Christian Resistance to Trump and Trumpism

There continues to be resistance by Christians against Donald Trump and Trumpism, the populist mix of protectionism, nativism, isolationism and imperialism, characterized by dishonesty, corruption, disloyalty, cruelty and authoritarianism. Like a significant portion of Republicans and conservatives, many Christian organizations and leaders have spoken out or taken steps to push back against the most immoral Trump Administration policies, as I had posted previously. Several examples stand out as noteworthy. There was a lawsuit filed by 27 religious groups against the Trump Administration over threats to make arrests of migrants in places of worship, including in cases in which there was no imminent danger. The compromise of the safety of religious sanctuary for migrants has a chilling effect on their freedom to worship. Similarly, the Trump Administration has adopted a policy of arrests of migrant children in schools, which discourages parents from sending their children to receive education. A group of 100 Christian leaders signed a letter against Trump’s mass deportations and cuts in foreign humanitarian aid. The aid is not only an act of charity, but a means to advance American prestige, and encourage stability, prosperity and liberty. The Trump Administration cuts of aid are creating a need that is being filled by a major adversary to global security, liberty and representative government, namely Communist China. Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church, has repeatedly condemned hatred and inhumane treatment of migrants and refugees fleeing persecution, war, terrorism or disaster. While acknowledging legitimate state concerns for security, the Argentine Bishop of Rome encourages lives to be saved, and migrants and refugees who do not pose any threat to be welcomed and integrated. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops issued a strongly worded statement against Trump’s harsh policies against migrants and have filed suit over the withdrawal of U.S. funding for settlement of refugees granted legal status assigned to the USCB and other charities by the U.S, which relies upon religious (often Christian organizations) and other private organizations to resettle migrants. Trump’s withdrawal of federal funds to the contracted organizations is an unconstitutional impoundment by the Executive Branch of funds appropriated by the Legislative Branch. Among the federal funds withdrawn by the Trump Administration were even reimbursements for previous expenses incurred by the organizations. I shall continue to post about Christians resisting Trump and Trumpism, as well as resistance by Republicans and conservatives.

The Worst Measles Outbreak in America in Decades

Through vaccination, the United States had nearly eradicated the measles virus, the most contagious disease, by the early 2000s, but an increase in vaccine hesitancy has rendered the American people vulnerable, particularly unvaccinated children, which has led to multiple outbreaks of measles and other nearly eradicated contagious debilitating and deadly diseases, as I have posted. The worst outbreak in America in decades is currently in Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas, with nearly 600 cases and at least two deaths since late last year. Most cases are not reported, however. Nearly all the victims were unvaccinated, mostly children. There are currently smaller outbreaks in other States, including Pennsylvania. As I have posted, the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella, like vaccines against other preventable diseases, is scientifically proven to be safe and effective. But some far-left and far-right idealogues and some libertarians, do not believe in the proven science, or at least in mandatory vaccination to safeguard those who are unable to be vaccinated for certain health reasons. Their erroneous beliefs, amplified by Russian disinformation, have decreased heard immunity in Europe and America and caused many outbreaks of preventable diseases that had once been endemic, but through vaccination campaigns in the last Twentieth Century, had become rare. The Trump Administration’s Secretary of Health, the infamous anti-vaccine liberal Democrat Robert Kennedy, Jr., ordered a study of the safety of the vaccines, even though abundant studies have disproved theories of links to autism, for example, or any other significant adverse effects, instead of vociferously promoting vaccination as the most effective means against measles. Instead of contributing to the spread of disease, it is responsible and moral, and thus Christian and conservative, to protect not only oneself and one’s family, but the community, especially those members of which who cannot be vaccinated, by receiving all recommended vaccinations.

Annual Blog Visit Report

There were hundreds of visits to my blog in the last year, according to StatCounter, which has been tracking visits to my blog for 16 years, even with my strict definition of visits. I count only pageviews at least one hour apart as separate visits, do not count the many visits for which StatCounter could not identify the specific blog page that was visited, do not count my own visits. As I have noted in previous annual reports, StatCounter tracks far fewer visits than the blog host, Blogger, as visitors increasingly use blocking tools to avoid tracking or at least specific search parameters, but StatCounter tracks them in much more specific detail. Despite the strict definition and the blocking, there have now been nearly 7,800 visits to my blog. As usual, at least a plurality of them come from America, with a significant number of them coming from around the world. As has been the trend in recent years, more visits land on my blog homepage than to specific posts. There are many repeat visits. Note: the glitch that has prevented line spacing and indentation, and thus paragraphs, as well as the posting of hyperlinks, has continued. Thank you for visiting my blog. Please continue to visit regularly, as I plan to continue to address the challenges facing America, the world and conservatism in these difficult times.

Foreign Digest: Gaza Strip, Armenia and Greenland

Gaza Strip: There were protests last week against Hamas, the Iranian-backed Islamist terror organization that governs the territory. The oppressive Hamas has used Gaza as a launching pad for terrorist attacks on Israel, which prompted a devastating Israeli response. The Palestinian Authority, which governs the West Bank, has declared that it will rule again in Gaza, after Hamas had split from it. As in both territories, which are inhabited mostly by Arabized Muslims, there is a significant Arabized Christian minority. Armenia: The Armenian Parliament overwhelmingly approved membership in the European Union last week as the former Soviet Republic pulls further out of the Russian orbit, following last year’s takeover by neighboring Azerbaijan of the ethnic Armenian enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh, over with the two southern Caucasian States had fought two wars, while Russian peacekeepers proved ineffective in defending the Armenians of the enclave. Around 100,000 Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh fled to Armenia afterward, as I had posted. Mostly Christian Armenia and Muslim Azerbaijan recently signed a peace agreement that requires parliamentary ratification. Armenia recognizes Azeri control of the territory and does not claim any right of return of displaced persons, while the deal settles or withdraws compensatory claims and does not allow private claims, while not addressing war crimes. The agreement rejects any third-party peacekeepers, including the Russians and thus also an EU border monitoring mission. Azerbaijan demands Armenia amend its constitution to remove the clause claiming Nagorno-Karabakh. Border transportation connections will have to be negotiated separately, including any link between Azerbaijan and its exclave west of Armenia. Greenland: Four of Greenland’s political parties have formed a broad coalition government across the political spectrum, led by the leader of the center-right pro-business party that is moderately pro-independence that won the most votes and seats in the parliamentary elections earlier this month. The result was a repudiation of Donald Trump’s desire to acquire Greenland. The staunchest pro-independence party will not be part of the coalition. The self-governing arctic territory of Denmark, an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, hosts a strategic U.S. military base. The neo-imperialist Trump has also threatened to retake the Panama Canal from Panama and has been pressuring Canada to join the American Union as a state. While denying Russian imperialism, isolationist Trumpist Republican J.D. Vance contradictorily claims Russia and Communist China are coveting Greenland as a justification for its acquisition by the U.S. While on Danish and Greenlandic soil at the American base last week, Vance undiplomatically criticized Denmark as not a good ally, despite Denmark’s participation in the Cold War and the War on Terrorism with its dispatchment of combat troops, as well as the current Western opposition to Russian aggression. The combination of Trump’s protectionism and his imperialism mark a return to the long-rejected economic system of mercantilism that had been practiced in colonial times by the British Empire and the other European powers, which was one of the causes of the American Revolution.

Foreign Digest: Syria, Hungary, Nicaragua, Venezuela, Turkey, and Italy

Syria: There were demonstrations in Syria recently both against sectarian divisions and in favor of the Russian military withdrawal from Syria after an uprising in Latakia Province by pro-Assad forces earlier this month. The Mediterranean province is the base of the Alawites, the minority Shi’ite Muslim sect, of which the Assad family, who ruled the Arab State tyrannically for over 50 years, was a member. Russia had backed the Assad regime during the Syrian Civil War, until its fall in December. There were protests across Syria last week against the divisions and in favor of national unity. The de facto Syrian government reached deals with the Kurds and Druze, who each have their own militias and have achieved a degree of autonomy, to integrate the ethnic and religious minorities into the national Syrian state. Hungary: There was a mass protest last week against the authoritarian far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian Hungarian Government, led by the center-right opposistion leader who is the leading contender in the Hungarian presidential elections against the longtime autocratic President. Nicaragua: Christian Solidarity Worldwide reports that Catholic Priests are now constrained by the Marxist Sandinista Nicaraguan dictatorship to receive weekly permission to celebrate Mass and for the content of their preaching to receive approval, under threats of detention or exile. Public processions and other public expressions of faith have already been banned. Evangelical Protestants also face restrictions of the freedom of religion in the Central American State. I have posted about religious repression in Nicaragua and political repression against opposition leaders and the prohibitions of civil, political or religious organizations and the exiling of clerics and others critics of the regime. Venezuela: The center-right opposition leader Maria Cortina Machado and her bloc’s presidential nominee, Edmundo Urrutia Gonzalez have asked the United States for protections for Venezuelans who are not members of a criminal gang or associates of the Socialist dictatorship after Trump Administration of the United States declared a Venezuelan gang terrorists and agents of the regime that are invading America and deported hundreds of Venezuelans it accused of being members of the gang, without any allegation of any crime committed and without due process, including refugees who followed the law to seek asylum from persecution. There was also a protest last week by family members of the accused, who claim their relatives are not members of any gang. Meanwhile, there was a United Nations report on repression by the Socialist dictatorship in the South American State. Turkey: The arrest last week of the Mayor of Istanbul, who is the most prominent opposition leader, on corruption charges by the Islamist authoritarian President has sparked mass protests in Turkey. As Istanbul, the largest Turkish city, has been expanded to include the entire province of Istanbul on both the European and Asian sides of the Bosporus Straight, the ancient city’s mayor is the equivalent to a governor in terms of the size of his district. The Mayor of the former Byzantium/Constantinople is the leading presidential challenger to the incumbent President. Italy: The Italian Government has banned the use of asterisks and schwas in Italian schools, which were used by some in place of gender-based forms of the Italian language. As I have posted, gender is a grammatical term for the masculine or feminine forms of words in certain languages.

Foreign Digest: Romania, Philippines, Serbia, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Greenland

Romania: Romania last week banned the candidacy of the pro-Russian anti-migrant neo-Nazi presidential candidate who came in first in the first round of the Romanian presidential elections in December, which were overturned because of heavy Russian interference on behalf of the unknown independent who spent no campaign funds, as I had posted. They have been rescheduled for May. The ban was upheld by the Romanian high court. Another far-right candidate who opposed the European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was also banned for her views that were incompatible with her constitutional duties. Philippines: The former President of the Philippines Rodrigo Duterte, “the Filipino Trump,” was arrested on a warrant from the International Criminal Court for crimes against humanity for his policy of encouraging the murder of suspected drug dealers. Thousands of Filipinos were killed, including those who were not drug dealers. President Ferdinand Marcos, Jr. cooperated with the arrest. His running mate and Vice President, who is Duterte’s daughter, was impeached for threatening to kill Marcos, as I had posted. Serbia: There have been mass protests by Serbians against the corrupt, authoritarian pro-Russian Serbian President. Bosnia and Herzegovina: The President of the Republica Serpska, the Bosnian Serb entity of the multi-ethnic State of Bosnia and Herzegovina, was charged with attacking the constitutional order. Serb-dominated Yugoslavia had fought a war against Bosnian independence, like most of the other former Yugoslav Republics that sought independence from Communist Yugoslavia after 1991. The war resulted in a partition into Serbian and Croatian-Bosniak (Bosnian Muslim) autonomous entities in Bosnia. Serbia is often accused of interfering in some of its former constituent parts. Greenland: A center-right party that favors gradual independence for the self-governing Danish country of Greenland won the most votes and seats in the Greenlandic parliamentary elections last week. The party, like the other leading parties across the political spectrum, whether they are pro-independence or not, is opposed to Donald Trump’s pressure for the arctic island to become United States territory. It will have to form a coalition with other parties, as it was well short of a required majority to form a government. The pro-American party failed to meet the threshold to win any seats in the assembly. Trump has threatened to seize the island by any means, including by force. There was a protest at the U.S. Consulate in Nuuk today. Denmark is an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. The U.S. already has a military presence in Greenland. The imperialist Trump has also threatened to use force to take the Panama Canal and is pressuring Canada to join the American Union as a state.

Assurances Given by Trump Nominees as Concessions to Skeptical Republican Senators

Several of Donald Trump’s nominees were unfit for reasons of character, inexperience or irrational views. His nominee for Attorney General was forced to withdraw, and there were several Republican votes against a few nominees, who were nevertheless confirmed by the GOP-majority Senate, despite mostly Democratic opposition. A few of them had to give assurances to skeptical Republican Senators to win their votes to confirm them in the exercise of the Advise and Consent Clause, which is one of the checks and balances of the Constitution. Many Trumpists had urged the upper chamber of Congress to give up the exercise of its power to let Trump chose whomever he wished, no matter how unqualified. The assurances were a small consolation to anti-Trump Republicans and conservatives who were horrified by Trump’s selections, although some of the appointees are already backing away from their promises. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent promised tougher sanctions on the Russian Federation, but after his appointment said that he would either increase or decrease sanctions, depending on Russian willingness to negotiate an end to its aggression against Ukraine. Anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert Kennedy gave an assurance he would revise the recommended vaccine schedule. Although he has encouraged consideration of vaccination because of the measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico that has sickened well over a hundred people and killed two, he ordered a study of any link to vaccines and autism, even though numerous studies have already disproven any link. The only study that had ever suggested a link between a chemical formerly included in the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine was a fraudulent study conducted by someone who wanted to produce his own vaccine. That study was withdrawn by the health journal that had published it. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard gave an assurance to punish leakers, after having expressed sympathy for one who leaked a massive amount of classified information during the War on Terrorism and fled to Russia. Federal Bureau of Investigation Director Kash Patel promised that his deputy would be a career agent, as has been the practice throughout the FBI’s history for reasons of experience and morale for the agents, but Trump instead appointed an ex-Secret Service agent who is a conspiracy theorist, failed Republican nominee and radio talk-show host. Continued vigilance by Congress and the public will be necessary to monitor this dishonest Administration.

Foreign Digest: Russia, Romania, the Sahel, and Turkey

Russia: Russian hackers conducted cyberattacks against Italy for a week recently, in express retaliation for the Italian President’s accurate comparison of the Russian aggression against Ukraine with the aggression by Nazi Germany before the Second World War. Italian government ministries, ports, banks and other targets were struck by denial-of-service attacks, but the Italian countermeasures rendered the attacks mostly futile. Russia frequently engages in cyberattacks against Europeans and Americans. Italy has been one of the most-struck States by cyberattackers in the world in recent years. Romania: Romania arrested Russian-backed coup plotters and expelled Russian diplomats for espionage to support the coup attempt. The plotters planned to change Romania’s Constitution, name, flag and national anthem and withdraw from the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, the defensive pact led by the United States. The European Court of Human Rights denied the far-right presidential candidate’s appeal of the annulment of the first round of the presidential election in December because of heavy Russian interference. As I had posted, the unknown independent who did not spend money won the most votes. The pro-Russian candidate was recently charged with election-related crimes. Center-right parties have formed a bloc with centrist and center-left parties for the rescheduled presidential elections behind a single candidate. The Sahel: For the second consecutive year, there has been more terrorism in the Sahel (the savannah region south of the Sahara Desert in Africa) than any other region in the world. The surge in terrorism is occurring despite military coups in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger that overthrew elected pro-Western governments, supplanting them with military dictatorships that rejected Western defensive support and accepted instead support from Kremlin-associated Russian mercenaries, based on the justification that the previous governments were not adequately defeating the Islamist terrorists. Turkey: The Marxist terrorist Kurdish party, the PKK, has announced that it is giving up its bloody armed struggle against Turkey, a NATO ally of the United States led by an Islamist autocrat. Although the Kurds have been allies of the U.S. in Iraq and Syria against Islamist terrorism in the War on Terrorism, some of them are themselves terrorists. The Kurds are the largest ethnic group in Turkey. Like Turks, they are overwhelmingly Muslim. The end to the conflict between them and Turkey could help ease tensions between Turkey and Kurds in Iraq and Syria.

Abolish Daylight Saving Time, Not Standard Time

There is widespread opposition to the twice-a-year waste of time and money to change the clocks, but there is division of whether to remain on Standard or Daylight Saving time and the tradeoff between more daylight in the morning versus the evening, respectively. It may be tempting to agree with either change to avoid the cost and disruption to sleep, but one of these options is better than the other. Because the main reason to oppose changing the clocks is the disruption to sleep and the consequent harm to health and safety, as I have posted every year, Standard time is optimal because our bodies' circadian rhythm is based on it. Therefore, the United States should remain on Standard time to promote health and safety, in addition to saving time and energy.

Trump’s Appeasement of Russian Aggression against Ukraine Abandons U.S. Security Policy and Forfeits American Leadership of the Free World

For the third anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine last week, Ukraine sponsored a resolution in the United Nations General Assembly condemning Russian aggression and calling for Russia to withdraw, which passed 93-18. Even traditional Russian ally Serbia voted in favor of the resolution, while other pro-Russian States did not vote or abstained. The United States, under the Russian-backed Trump Administration, voted against the resolution, together with Russia, North Korea, Belarus and other repressive States. The U.S. instead offered a neutrally worded resolution that did not blame Russia for starting the Russo-Ukrainian War, which also passed. Russia invaded Ukraine in 2014, seizing Crimea and launched a full-scale invasion in 2022, trying to conquer the entire former Soviet Republic and taking much of the Russian-speaking areas in eastern Ukraine where Russia had fomented a separatist war. Russia had formally recognized Ukraine’s independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The United States and its major Western European allies had guaranteed Ukraine’s security in exchange for Ukraine giving up its Soviet nuclear weapons arsenal, as Russia had demanded. Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin is an ex-Soviet intelligence officer trying to restore the Soviet Union and Russian Empire. Trump is abandoning the longtime American policy of opposing aggression as a fundamental principle of international security, freedom and prosperity. Instead, he is trying to appease Russia, which backed his candidacies for president in 2016, 2020 and 2024, by forcing Ukraine to accept Russian theft of its territory in exchange for a cease-fire, with no U.S. security guarantee to prevent further Russian aggression. Trump’s demand that Europe provide security guarantee to Ukraine would forfeit American leadership of the Free World. He would thus encourage more aggression by rewarding it, and deny freedom to Ukrainians living under Russian occupation. Trump tried to coerce Ukraine into signing a deal to give up its mineral rights, with no express security guarantee and then publicly berated the Ukrainian President in the Oval Office in the most undiplomatic manner ever in American history. There have been condemnations of Trump’s appeasement policy from conservatives in America and abroad, as well as from others across the political spectrum, and reiterations by U.S. allies of strong support for Ukraine. The U.S. cut its support for repairing the Ukrainian electrical infrastructure, which Russia targets in a terrorist fashion to plunge Ukrainian civilians into the cold. There were pro-Ukrainian protests in America, as well as against leading pro-Russian Trumpists Vice President JD Vance and Elon Musk, the businessman and government contractor who was Trump’s biggest campaign contributor and who is a special employee in the Trump Administration exercising broad powers without full security clearances or Senate confirmation.

Foreign Digest: Romania, Venezuela, Philippines, Brazil, Germany, Austria and Russia

Romania: United States Vice President JD Vance, a Trumpist Republican, recently criticized Romania for overturning its presidential election in December, but the election results, in which an unknown independent candidate who did not spend any money came in first, was tainted by significant Russian interference on behalf of the pro-Russian anti-migrant neo-Nazi party. Therefore, a new election will be held in May.Foreign interference renders an election fraudulent, like that of Donald Trump in 2016 and again in 2020, whose election was heavily backed by Russia. Vance baselessly claims the 2020 election, which Trump lost, was fraudulent, but now contradicts himself in expecting Romania to accept election fraud. His only consistency is backing pro-Russian candidates. As I have posted, three center-right parties, which formed a government with the ruling center-left after parliamentary elections in the meantime, will jointly support a candidate. A center-right candidate had come in second in the overturned election. The far-right candidate was charged last week with multiple election violations. Romania is an ally of the United States as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Venezuela: The Carter Center, which sent observers to Venezuela for its presidential election in July, has determined that the center-right opposition candidate, former diplomat Edmundo Gonzales Urrutia, was the winner of the election. The Carter Center again noted the fraud committed by the Socialist dictatorship on behalf of the President who was seeking reelection. The Socialist have ruled the South American State for 25 years after being elected and then becoming increasingly authoritarian. Venezuela is becoming increasingly aggressive against Guyana, most of whose territory it claims, despite international rulings in favor of Guyana that Venezuela had previously recognized. Philippines: The Vice President of the Philippines was impeached late last month for threatening to assassinate the President. She is the daughter of former President Rodrigo Duterte, the “Filipino Trump,” who backed the presidential candidate with her on the ticket, instead of trying to seek another term. The Philippines, a key ally of the U.S. versus Communist China, hosts bases it allows the American military to use. Brazil: The far-right populist former Brazilian President was charged last week with attempting a coup. The Trump-like former President was already barred from office for five years for corruption. Germany: The conservative bloc of parties won the most votes and seats in the German Parliamentary elections last week, defeating the ruling center-left bloc and the far-right, but well short of a majority. The center-right Christian Democratic Union and their conservative Bavarian allies will have to form a coalition with the center-left party of the outgoing Chancellor. Russian interference on behalf of the pro-Russian anti-migrant far-right neo-Nazi party, which also benefitted from support by Vance and Elon Musk, as I had posted about last month. Austria: Three centrist parties, including the main center-right party, the main center-left party and a centrist party, have agreed to form a coalition government, keeping out the anti-European pro-Russian extreme right party that had won the most votes and seats in the parliamentary elections five months ago, as I had posted. The coalition will be led by a chancellor of the center-right party. Russia: There was a protest by the Russian opposition based in Germany. Basic freedoms are not tolerated by Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, the ex-Soviet intelligence officer who came to power 25 years ago and became increasingly authoritarian. The opposition have either been murdered, imprisoned or driven into exile.

George Washington’s Birthday: Be Inspired by Washington to Defend the Separation of Powers

As I do every year, I post that the United States federal holiday, which is called “George Washington’s Birthday,” is called by most States by other names, such as “Presidents’ Day,” and popularly referred to the same way States do, and never celebrated on Washington’s birthday of February 22. I note the day was not only intended to honor only the Father of Our Country as President, but as the General who led the American patriots to victory in the Revolutionary War and as a Founding Father, among his other accomplishments. By diluting the purpose of the holiday by emphasizing the presidency and the other Presidents, it distracts from the focus of appreciation of Washington’s accomplishments and his exemplary model. Furthermore, because of the professional media and popular focus on the other Presidents, it is necessarily divisive, and because scoundrels are included, inappropriate and demoralizing, instead of uplifting. I therefore propose every year that the name and focus of this federal and state holiday should be restored. But because of this current focus on other Presidents and on the presidency, it is relevant to recall Washington’s presidency in one aspect that is particularly relevant today to understand the false notion of the office that has gradually developed. The First President, like everyone after him until 1840, for President or even for Elector, did not campaign for the presidency. Therefore, he did not have a platform or “agenda.” The Framers of the Constitution had intended the office of the Chief Executive to execute the laws approved by the Congress, which represents the People and the States, not to be the proponent of laws, except to make recommendations to the Congress based on his observations and judgment, while the President’s duty is primarily to serve as the Commander in Chief and chief diplomat. Furthermore, as the Union of States was formed for unity and for defensive and foreign affairs purposes, most domestic matters were left to the States. A fundamental principle of the Constitution is the Separation of Powers of the Branches of government and the system of checks and balances between the branches. Although the Chief Executive has certain powers, most matters must be debated and approved by the Legislative Branch because the Congress is the representative body of the People and the States who formed the Union because the Framers, after the experience of the Colonies under the British Monarchy feared the danger of an autocratic ruler. Thus, the current argument by Donald Trump’s administration and supporters that because the People voted for him, which is not true because the People vote only for the Electors who elect the President, that his platform must be accepted in full, the Senate must accept all his nominees, and he may rule autocratically by decree, is constitutionally baseless. Voters elect only candidates to any public office, not candidates’ or their parties’ platforms, based on the qualifications of the candidates. In other words, elections for public office are not literally referendums on issues. Even if a candidate has a general platform that a plurality of voters who elect him favor, he may offer greater specificity once in office or even change his mind, but even if a public official intends to carry out an entire specific platform, it is the prerogative of the Legislative Branch to consider and enact any part of the it that constitutionally must be enacted by law. The President is only owed deference on nominations to inferior administrative or advisory offices to the extent of his confidence in a nominee, but the Senate’s Advice and Consent power is intended as a check against the Executive’s power to appoint any unfit or unqualified nominees, or any who hold unconstitutional views. The President has a constitutional obligation to “take care the laws [enacted by Congress] are faithfully executed.” He thus does not have absolute power over inferior officers when there are statutes that limit presidential powers, and especially cannot impound (decline to spend) money lawfully appropriated by Congress. The Legislative Branch also may require the performance of certain duties by Executive Branch officials or constrain them from engaging in certain acts. The Judicial Branch, not the Executive Branch, has the constitutional power to judge the constitutionality of laws and executive acts. George Washington provides America and the world with a great example of a constitutional republican executive who defers to the legislature and judiciary, instead of usurping their powers and ruling autocratically. Americans would benefit from recalling Washington’s example today and be inspired to defend the constitutional principle of the Separation of Powers as a safeguard of liberty.

Donald Trump is Making the Same Mistakes with Ukraine as He Did with Afghanistan

Donald Trump is making the same mistakes about Ukraine as he did about Afghanistan. Just as he legitimized the Islamist terrorist-sponsoring Taliban militia by negotiating directly with them and excluded the Afghan government that was an ally of the United States and granted them concessions ahead of time, such as releasing 5,000 Taliban prisoners of war, the Russian-backed Trump ended the diplomatic isolation of Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin, the ex-Soviet intelligence officer trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire, to discuss a deal to end the Russo-Ukrainian War, without first speaking with the Ukrainian President, and granted Russia two major concessions to appease Putin before: rewarding Russian aggression by allowing Russia to keep the Ukrainian territory it has stolen and leaving the Ukrainians living there under tyranny, and denying NATO membership to Ukraine or even any American security guarantee to deter further Russian aggression. Trump’s deal with the Taliban to end (i.e. lose, instead of win) the war in Afghanistan was to withdraw American troops, of which there were only 2,500 in a non-combat advisory role, in exchange for a promise by the Taliban not to host again al-Qaeda, the Islamist terrorists responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on American that killed 3,000 people. Trump’s deal undermined the Afghan government and hamstrung Trump’s successor, Joe Biden. The disastrous Trump-Biden withdrawal from Afghanistan allowed the Taliban to return to power to oppress Afghans, after the U.S. had led an international coalition to overthrow it by 2002, and trigger a mass refugee exodus, and allowed al-Qaeda’s leader to live secretly in the Afghan capital, while inhibiting the U.S. from being able to continue to target al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan as effectively as before. Just as Trump’s goal to end the Afghan War, instead of defeating the Taliban, did not provide better protection against Islamist terrorism, his goal of ending the Russo-Ukrainian War, instead of defeating Russian aggression, will only encourage more of it.

Foreign Digest: Belarus, Bolivia, South Africa, Germany and Russia

Belarus: The presidential election earlier this month in Belarus was a farce, as the opposition had boycotted it because of restrictions on liberty by the longtime Belarusian dictator that preclude free and fair elections. The results of the election four years ago in the former Soviet Republic were fraudulent, which triggered protests that were repressed with violence and mass arrests, a massive refugee exodus, and economic sanctions by the United States and its allies. Belarus, as a member of what I call the Axis of Rogues, is an ally of Russia and allowed Russian troops to invade Ukraine from its territory to commit aggression against Belarus’ southern neighbor. Bolivia: There were protests last week in Bolivia against mining contracts by the leftist Bolivian government that are perceived as favorable to Russia and Communist China. South Africa: After the passage of a law last month enabling the South African Government to expropriate land not in use or for public benefit, Donald Trump announced last week that the U.S. would grant asylum status to Afrikaners (South Africans descended from Dutch colonists), even though South Africa is a relatively free country and the whites, including Afrikaners, are part of the South African leftist-led coalition Government that includes centrists and conservatives. In contrast, Trump denies refugee status to people living in tyrannies, including those personally at risk of persecution, such as Afghans who worked with us, as I explain in my last post. He liberally interprets the fear of white Protestants of persecution in free States as credible, such as during his first term when he granted asylum to a German family, but not to non-whites, Catholics (including white Hispanics), or Muslims who follow the law and seek asylum on American soil. Trump’s travel ban had prohibited Syrian Christians (Catholic and Orthodox) from fleeing tyranny, war and Islamist terrorism. Bigotry and demagoguery that encourages xenophobia are Trump’s motivations, more than any supposed security or ecnonmic concerns. Germany: The Vice President of the United States, a Trumpist Republican, condemned immigration to Europe in his address to the Munich Security Conference late this week and disgracefully met with the leaders of the anti-migrant Alternative for Germany (AFD), the largest neo-Nazi German party, thereby legitimizing them in the name of the U.S. The week before, the conservative opposition party supported AFD’s anti-migration bill in the German parliament that was defeated, which was disturbing to many Germans and other Westerners. The center-right party, which is leading the polls for the federal parliamentary elections in September, together with a conservative Bavarian partner, but not enough for the bloc to win a majority on its own, was forced after its shameful parliamentary tactic that legitimized the neo-Nazis, to make it clear that it would never form a government with the AFD, with which they would have the required majority to form a government. Vance had encouraged Germans politicians to work with all parties, including the AFD, but the conservative party condemned the AFD’s repugnant views and historical revisionism. Nazis and other fascists have been strictly kept out of power in Germany since the Second World War, in which the totalitarian Nazis (the German Socialist Party) were defeated by the Allies and removed from power. Germany is a U.S. ally as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Russia: Russians defied threats of persecution by the regime of tyrant Vladimir Putin by commemorating the first anniversary today of the death of the leading proponent of freedom in Russia, Alexei Navalny. The center-right political leader died in a remote Russian prison under harsh conditions as a political prisoner. Russia has prosecuted people just for placing flowers at his tomb, as dozens did today, among other forms of protest. American and other Western Ambassadors also did. Putin, an ex-Soviet intelligence officer trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire, came to power through elections a quarter century ago, but has usurped elective representative government with increasing authoritarianism.

Trump Is Putting Venezuelan and Afghan Refugees at Risk of Losing Life or Liberty

Donald Trump is ending Temporary Protected Status for Venezuelan refugees who had fled persecution by the Socialist dictatorship in Venezuela. Around 600,000 Venezuelans are legally present in America. I had mentioned in my last post that a Republican United States Representative had proposed legislation to protect Venezuelan refugees seeking asylum from persecution and refugees fleeing Communist Cuba and Marxist Nicaragua, who together constitute a plurality of refugees currently fleeing to America, including those non-Mexicans applying for asylum from Mexico through a special exception to the usual legal requirement of having to be on U.S. soil to claim asylum, but Trump’s latest move is targeting refugees already present. The ending of temporary protected status for Venezuelans and the closure of the asylum process in Mexico prove that the anti-migrant rhetoric by Trump and his supporters during the campaign misled some voters to believe that Trump would only oppose illegal immigration, as his restrictive policies, on top of an already-excessively restrictive immigration policy, also includes refugees who have followed the legal process. The anti-migrant demagogue also cancelled a program shortly after taking office that helped provide visas to Afghans who worked for the U.S. or who for its Afghan government ally who would face retaliation, including death, from the Islamist Taliban de facto Afghan regime. Around 15,000 Afghans had cleared the process, which takes years, as it includes a reference from an American government official, a background check, a health screening and an interview. During his first term, “pro-life” Trump had implemented redundancies in the program and cut its staff and budget willfully to put America’s Afghan allies and their families at risk because of his demagoguery. The U.S. has taken in many Afghans and gotten its allies around the world to re-settle tens of thousands of others. The ending of the visa program for Afghan allies, which even came as some of the Afghans were scheduled to be on flights out of the Central Asian State, left many of the 15,000 Afghans in legal limbo in Pakistan, Qatar and Albania, where they were temporarily staying, in addition to the rest in hiding in Afghanistan. American veterans have been working for years to help get Afghan allies out of Afghanistan, as the U.S. had promised in exchange for their work for the American-led international coalition that overthrew the Taliban in 2021 after it had harbored the al-Qaeda Islamist terrorists responsible for the September 11, 2001 Terrorist Attacks on America that killed a record 3,000 people. Thus, ending the visa program for Afghan allies puts American security at risk by discouraging allies from risking their lives and that of their families to work for the U.S. The program had strong bipartisan congressional support. We conservatives should urge Congress to restore the program. As I have noted, Trump’s xenophobic policies against refugees, whether fleeing persecution in Venezuela, Afghanistan or anywhere else, do not protect America from significant threats, but deprive America of the benefit of people who have special insight into tyranny and a greater appreciation for liberty than Americans can possibly have. Such policies also dangerously undermine belief in the American creed that every human being has a birthright of freedom.

Republican Congressional Pushback against Trump

Even before Donald Trump took office, the pushback against his autocratic and authoritarian tendencies had begun, even amongst Trumpist Republicans. The United States Senate rejected his proposals for recess appointments, which would have undermined the Senate’s Advise and Consent role on presidential nominations, and ending the filibuster, which would have diminished the rights of the minority and the Senate’s role as the world’s greatest deliberative body. Trump’s nominations, which are based more on loyalty to Trump than on qualifications, of nominees who are of unfit character, inexperienced, dishonest, credulous of conspiracy theories or even disloyal. His first nominee for Attorney General was forced to withdraw, but other dangerous nominations will be voted on soon. There has been some concern among Senators and anti-Trump Republicans and conservatives outside of Congress over other several other nominations, and there already were some Republican votes against one nominee. Trump nominated former Democratic U.S. Representative Tulsi Gabbard of Hawaii for Director of National Intelligence who is an apologist for terrorist-sponsoring tyrant Bashar Assad of Syria and the tyrannical ex-Soviet intelligence officer Vladimir Putin of Russia, who is trying to restore the Soviet Union, for whom she spreads propaganda. She is also sympathetic to a former federal employee who leaked massive amounts of counterterrorism documents and fled to Russia. Trump’s inexperienced nominee for Secretary of Health and Human Services, Robert Kennedy, is another liberal Democrat who believes in scientifically disproven conspiracy theories against vaccines and proven public health policies. His nominee for the Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Kash Patel, is an extreme loyalist to Trump who is dishonest and credulous of debunked conspiracy theories, and who was sympathetic to the January 6, 2021 Insurrection inspired by Trump that attempted to thwart the certification of Trump’s presidential 2020 election loss. Conservatives should contact their Senators to urge them to oppose particularly these nominations, among others of concern. In the Congress in general, there are several Republican members in both the Senate and House who are not pro-Trump who will be influential in the two closely divided chambers. There is a division also among Republicans in Congress over the budget and the debt ceiling, with Trump’s policy of not raising the debt ceiling being rejected by the GOP-led House even before he took office. There is significant bicameral Republican support for continued military aid to Ukraine to defend it against Russian aggression. This Reaganite wing of the GOP opposes the Trumpist isolationist wing. A Republican Representative has introduced legislation to exempt Cubans, Venezuelans and Nicaraguans fleeing Communist, Socialist and Marxist dictatorships, respectively, from Trump’s mass deportation policies. Trump’s protectionism will also likely generate some opposition from among congressional Republicans. Therefore, despite the broad support for Trump in the Republican Party, there are many areas of division, even among Trump supporters, between conservatives and Trumpist populists who support protectionism, nativism, isolationism, and authoritarianism, in addition to opposition to nominees and policies from those who are not Trumpist. In addition to public pressure, litigation, State action, and elections, there will continue to be plenty of opportunities for anti-Trump conservatives and Republicans to oppose the most Trumpist policies and even to be successful in some cases against this clear and present danger.

Principled Opposition to Trump and Trumpism Is as Necessary as Ever

With Donald Trump returning to the presidency, it is necessary to oppose him because of his lack of fitness, his unprincipled and non-conservative policies, speech and acts, and to oppose those who enable and support him. Center-right conservatives must now take on the responsibility of serving as the loyal (to the Constitution) opposition, standing for conservative principles while opposing non-conservative policies, whether they are advanced by the left or Trumpist populist far right, while working with anyone to advance conservative policies. Contrary to the opinion of anti-anti-Trumpists, opposition to Trump has never meant opposing policies we conservatives agree with, but we do maintain that any president would have favored certain non-controversial policies, and any qualified principled center-right Republican president would have supported good conservative principles, without the taint of Trump. There is overlap between anti-Trump conservatives and others against some of Trumpism, the populist mix of protectionism, nativism, isolationism and appeasement of aggression, which are policies shared by some on the left and the far right, sometimes for the same, and other times for different reasons. There are additional Trumpist policies and practices that are against conservatism, such as authoritarianism, undermining the independence of the judiciary, violating the rule of law, violating federalism, rewarding and punishing businesses for their political expression, and imperialism. But Trump’s poor character is the root of the problem. It is disturbing that someone who dodged the draft through fraud will become the Commander in Chief, who committed election fraud will hold public office, who inspired an insurrection against the United States will hold federal office, who stole top secret documents will have access to intelligence, and who welcomed and accepted interference from a hostile foreign power will be the Chief Diplomat. Trump’s New York conviction for election fraud and sentencing still stand, but his federal criminal cases for attempting to overthrow his 2020 election loss and stealing classified documents and trying to cover it up have been dismissed for various dubious constitutional interpretations, but without prejudice, meaning they can be raised again after he leaves office. At any point, Congress can vote by a simple majority that Trump is ineligible for federal office under the Insurrection Clause. State prosecutions for Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election may continue, and the several civil judgments against him and his business also still stand. As Trump violated both the domestic and foreign Emoluments Clauses of the Constitution in his first term, there will be a legal effort by at least one private organization devoted to public ethics to force him to disclose his income and at least to disclose, or to divest himself of his conflicts of interest. There will be legal resistance to Trump’s wasteful anti-migrant policies that violate liberty and put peoples’ lives at risk, both from business interests, private secular and religious organizations, as well as federal and state political opposition from across the ideological spectrum. The Catholic Church and other Christian organizations are advocating for refugees seeking asylum, especially from religious persecution. These religious organizations oppose the inhumane treatment of migrants, especially for people who have lived in America for decades and are not a threat, and they especially oppose breaking up families, or deporting parents whose minor children have never seen their parents’ country of origin. They favor fining migrants present illegally, instead of deporting them. Democratic state elected officials are embracing federalism to prevent the concentration of power and to provide a critical check versus an autocratic federal executive with a loyalists in the majority in the other two branches of government. The Democratic state officials will resist Trump’s unconstitutional or illegal policies, and policies they disagree with. Democratic Governors formed an organization to push back against Trump’s policies and to dialogue with Republican State officials, as there is much common ground to oppose violations of federalism and other unconstitutional and illegal policies. There is also some pushback against some of Trump’s policies from Republican federal officials in the Congress, both by anti-Trump conservatives and even Trump supporters, but I shall address my next post to these matters. All these loyal opposition efforts are in addition to those by both organized anti-Trump conservatives that I shall also post about, and public opposition from across the political spectrum. The dangers from such an unfit, unprincipled person in the most powerful office in the world are clear and present and necessitate constant vigilance and civic participation. This blog is among the sources of information and opinion that are as needed as ever to overcome this threat. Please continue to visit it regularly.

Foreign Digest: Hungary, Slovakia, Lebanon and Venezuela

Hungary: The United States imposed economic sanctions last week on a senior Hungarian official for corruption. Hungary, though an American ally as a member of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, is led by an autocratic far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian leader, whose administration is corrupt. The European Union had also recently withheld funds to member Hungary for corruption, in addition to its backsling on liberty and representtaive government. Slovakia: Thousands of Slovakians yesterday protested against the pro-Russian far-left populist President. They oppose the Eastern European State turning back toward the Russian orbit and instead favor closer relations with the EU and defending Ukraine against Russian aggression. Slovakia, which as formerly part of Czechoslovakia had been a Soviet satellite state, is a member of both NATO and the EU. Lebanon: Lebanon elected a Maronite Christian last week, as required by the Arab State’s sectarian Constitution, as its President, thereby filling a vacancy in the office since 2022. The new President, a high-ranking general backed by the U.S. and its Western allies and other Arab States, is opposed to Hezbollah, the Lebanese Shi’ite party that is also a terrorist organization. The fall of the Syrian Assad regime has weakened Hezbollah and Iran, its sponsor, which enabled the Lebanese presidential election to take place and for an opponent to be elected. Lebanon will be able to enjoy more political independence, after having been dominated by Syria and influenced by Iran. Venezuela: The Socialist dictator had himself sworn into a second 6-year term late last week, despite the lack of proof of his re-election in July and the evidence from polling place results that the center-right opposition nominee, Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia, won by a landslide. Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado was arrested and briefly detained after she came out of hiding to attend a rally in person for the first time in months, while Gonzalez, a former diplomat who has been exiled to Spain, plans a return to Venezuela soon to take office. He has been on a tour of Latin America for recognition of his election. Most Latin American States, along with the United States and its allies, do not recognize the re-election of the Socialist dictator and many of the them recognize Gonzalez as the legitimate President of Venezuela. The Socialists were elected in 2000 and then undermined liberty and representative government to retain power ever since. A record number of political prisoners are being held by the regime. Millions of Venezuelans have fled. Thousands of Venezuelans have been protesting against the dictatorship across the South American State.

United States Sanctions for Russian and Iranian Election Interference; Chief Justice Cites Threats to Judicial Independence

The United States imposed economic sanctions last week on Russian and Iranian government entities for election interference during the 2024 General Election. The U.S. noted hostile foreign actors seek to sow divisions and undermine confidence in elections. The Russia supported Donald Trump’s presidential candidacy again, while the Islamic Republic of Iran opposed him. Russia’s efforts, which were far more extensive and effective, included the generation of fake news (the posing as reporters working for phony news outlets with stories that are fabrications). As I have posted, Russia successfully interfered on Trump’s behalf in the 2016 Republican Primary and General Election, for which the U.S. sanctioned Russian government entities and private individuals affiliated with the Kremlin, and indicted many Russians. The success of Russia has inspired other hostile state actors, like Iran, to copy their methods to promote their own image and damage that of critics. Russia continued its interference on behalf of Trump in 2020 and again in 2024, although not quite to the same degree as in 2016 because it had already successfully altered enough of the opinions of Americans. Chief Justice John Roberts, a conservative Republican, as also cited the interference by “hostile foreign state actors” and “bots (robotic social media accounts that impersonate ordinary people) distort judicial decisions, using fake or exaggerated narrative to foment discord.” The Supreme Court appointee of Republican President George W. Bush also cited threats of violence and the calls by some on both the far left and the Trumpist far right to ignore court rulings as undermining judicial independence. Judicial independence, which is a fundamental principle of equal justice and the separation of powers, is undermined if the other Branches do not exercise their responsibility to enforce the Court’s decrees, as some have threatened to do. Roberts observed the Courts are frequently blamed for bias, which is an accusation amplified by foreign interference, instead of the recognition of reasonable differences of opinion, as demonstrated in the written opinions issued by judges, including those opinions issued in dissent. With the incoming Trump Administration threatened to persecute its critics, judicial independence is ever an essential principle and one that autocrats around the world always prioritize targeting for weakening.

Foreign Digest: Ukraine, Slovakia and Moldova; the European Union and Hungary

Ukraine, Slovakia and Moldova: Ukraine last week cut off the last flow of Russian natural gas to the rest of Europe that had transited through its pipelines, despite a threat from Slovakia’s populist leftwing pro-Russian President to cut off defensive aid to Ukraine against Russian aggression. The pipeline flowed from Ukraine to Slovakia. Meanwhile, Russia cut off Moldova from its supply of gas, but the former Soviet Republic will be able to purchase electricity from Ukraine, although the pro-Russian separatist Transnistria region, where Russia keeps troops against Moldova’s wishes, has been left in the cold. Europeans have been largely successful of weaning themselves off Russian energy, which Russian tyrant Vladimir Putin uses for extortion. The Transnistrian separatists, like Armenia and Syria’s Assad regime, have been let down by their alliance with Russia. The European Union and Hungary: The six-month duty presidency of the European Union’s European Commission (the body of the heads of government of each of the 27 members) is passing from the far-right anti-migrant pro-Russian autocratic Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban to the center-right pro-American pro-Ukrainian Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk. As I had posted, EU leaders had boycotted Orban’s official meetings and distanced the body from his personal diplomatic efforts of appeasement of Russia, which is trying to restore the Soviet Union/Russian Empire Meanwhile, the EU cut off additional funds to Hungary for its backsliding on liberty and representative government.

Happy New Year 2025!

I wish you all a Happy New Year! This year, which has already been marred by an Islamist terrorist attack the night before in New Orleans, Louisiana, seems especially challenging, as it begins not only with the continued threat of Islamism and militancy from various ideologies, but with continued Russian aggression against Ukraine and with the prospect of an incoming United States administration that is populist, protectionist, nativist, isolationist and exhibits alarming authoritarian tendencies. Threats to peace, security, liberty and representative governemnt are dangerously present both without and within, which will necessitate even more vigilance than usual. But there are hopeful trends. To counter the growing menace of the Axis of Rogues, an ad hoc alliance of liberty-lovers has arisen to confront it. As Russia cooperates more with Communist China, North Korea, Iran, among the other members of the Axis, such as Belarus, Venzuela, Cuba and Nicaragua, not only are the U.S. and its allies opposing it with all the necessary means short of war, but the peoples directly threatened by this menace, particularly in Moldova, Syria, Romania and Georgia, have been courageously rising up to defeat it, often in solidarity for each other. Americans, who should be inspired by these brave foreign peoples, are again preparing to rely on the various checks and balances under the Constitution, States' rights, litigation, public pressure and elections to mitigate or defeat the most serious threats, as Americans will be called upon to fulfill their duty to defend the Republic, equality, liberty and representative government. I shall continue to post to this blog, as such means of jounarlism and expression are ever more necessary. Thank you for visiting it. Please visit regularly.

Merry Christmas, 2024!

Merry Christmas! On this Feast of the Nativity of Jesus, let us celebrate that God, Who became man, was born in a humble manner to be like us in all things but sin. As the Father sent His Son to be our Savior, Christ the King, who is above every kingdom, empire, or other earthly power, is the model of a lord who is the servant of His people, sacrificing Himself in love. May our leaders imitate Jesus in serving the people they are entrusted to serve, and may the people exercise holiness both in their entrustment of temporal power to their earthly leaders and toward one another as God’s children, and as the Holy Family had to seek refuge in another country, especially toward refugees. And may Christians around the world particularly fraternally support their Brothers in Christ in the Holy Land.