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David Hopper's avatar

Great newsletter Gabe. I especially loved your comparison of the Senate to an amputated phantom limb, which also is appropriate for the House.

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Ashley Archuleta's avatar

Last I checked, Congress was supposed to have equal power to the executive branch. It's utterly embarrassing watching them defer to Dear Leader. I'll be writing my senators today.

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Austin Spencer's avatar

It has never been demonstrated to Republicans in Congress that opposing Trump on anything will not end in disasters for them personally. THAT is why they will never oppose him on anything. What did running against Trump ever do for the likes of Adam Kinzinger or Liz Cheney except render them unelectable from inside their own formerly safe districts?

And so, all the incentives are pushing the Senate supermajority to give up on this bill. They will let Ukraine fall just so that the Republicans among them won’t have to go on the record on a Trump loyalty test. Nothing short of a total repudiation of the Republican party, on account of its comprehensive abandonment of popular government, will ever dissuade them again.

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Michael Bower's avatar

Gabe,

Where is main stream media on reporting about this sanction effort? I'm asking, because I pretty much only read you and some of your links. It seems that I didn't even catch that it was coming up.

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Barbara Fox's avatar

I have always suspected Putin has embarrassing or illegal information about Trump. Who could forget Russian state TV posting nude photos of our well dressed First Lady after the 24 election results. Was that a warning ? Why do that ? I have a friend born and raised in Slovenia that reported “stuff” to me about Melania I could never repeat. Why the indulgences given Putin time and time again ? But when you read or listen to the newsy headlines everyday, nothing Trump would do or say would surprise me, illegally and/or immorally.

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Cristin McQueen's avatar

Wouldn’t it be great if the Senate did their job?

Thune…such a schmuck.

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David Podeschi's avatar

Outstanding reporting from Gabe on an issue I haven't seen the NYT or Post cover.

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DocOnTheRange's avatar

My understanding is that a supermajority of senators could wrest control of the calendar from the majority leader—but do not because of recent tradition

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Margaret Bryant's avatar

Putin has been jerking us around since the mess in Ukraine began. More sanctions are not going to make the guy blink, but if tougher sanctions can slow things down then it’s worth a try. I, too, believe the Russians have something on Trump, thus the lack of teeth on the part of Trump to do anything of substance on the Ukraine dilemma.

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chrisattack's avatar

Clearing, it is in the best interest of the country to leave Trump with as many tools as possible to help him solve this UA-RU problem. Thune is making the correct call. William Buckley's "I would rather be governed by the first 2000 people in the Manhattan phone book than the entire faculty of Harvard" comes to mind. Always distrust our Uniparty governance.

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Rosemary Ford's avatar

Whew. I will write to my congressional reps in support of the Sanctioning Russia Act. By the way, I think flash forward and fast forward have different meanings.

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Michael Kupperburg's avatar

The Russian Sanctions Act is like Trump having an ace up his sleeve. He has it and will pull the trigger when he is ready. Not a bad show or idea, especially if Trump still believes diplomacy is useful with Putin.

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