by Pa Rock
Citizen Journalist
The US House of Representatives put in a rare weekend session this past Saturday to pass a trio of foreign aid bills - one each to benefit the military needs of Israel, Taiwan, and Ukraine. All three passed, but aid for Ukraine proved to be the most problematic with 112 members of the House, all Republicans, voting against the measure. Supporters of the bill argued that aid to Ukraine is critical to repulse the continuing Russian invasion of that nation, and ultimately for the preservation of democracy and a free Europe. But former President Donald Trump is an ardent admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin, and there has been pushback against US aid to Ukraine in Congress from Republican members who are ardent admirers of Trump.
American politicians making critical spending decisions with an eye toward helping Russia grab territory in Europe. What's the world coming to?
The aid bill for Ukraine passed 311-112 with one member voting "present" and seven not voting. It was a good day for democracy.
One of the negative votes on the Ukraine bill was from my own congressman, Jason Smith, a Republican from Missouri's 8th congressional district. In his weekly email newsletter which came out this morning, Congressman Smith noted his negative vote without explanation, to wit:
What Jason did not mention in his weekly newsletter was that his district is one of 88 (out of 435) across the United States that will benefit economically from that aid package to Ukraine. In an opinion piece earlier this week in the Washington Post, columnist Marc A. Thiessen identified two congressional districts in Missouri (the 3rd and the 8th) which will receive a portion of that aid money for the production of:
"MIM-104 Phased Array Tracking Radar to Intercept on Target (Patriot) Missiles"
That sounds important, and expensive, and if Jason Smith had his way the money associated with it wouldn't be headed here to his own state and district - and Vlad Putin would have that much more of an advantage over the freedom fighters in Ukraine.
I admit to being old, perhaps a dinosaur even, but I still see regard democracy as vital to the world functioning in a humane and just manner. I want leaders who operate with the consent of the governed and who don't stifle dissent through brute force and dropping people out of skyscraper windows. Democracy is far more important than building a Trump Tower in Moscow.
Thank you to the members of Congress who stood up for Ukraine in its on-going struggle to stem the Russian invasion of that peaceful nation, along with strong appreciation to the 101 Republicans who had the courage to buck those in their own party who would abandon a democratic nation in order to appease a politican who is promoting his own self-interests over those of humanity.
Those brave souls - 212 Democrats and 101 Republicans - did the right thing in voting to aid Ukraine.
Salute!
1 comment:
I was surprised by the magnitude of funds for Ukraine being spent right here in the USA.
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