Ukraine: Dysfunctional Politics

Dysfunction Sidelines Ukraine’s Parliament as Governing Force,” is the title of an article published this week by The New York Times in one of the few political critiques that has appeared in the Western press recently. It took two years after the Russian invasion for the grace period of absence of political comments on the Ukrainian authorities to be broken, although always partially and only temporarily. It was the news that included Vitali Klitschko’s words against what he perceived as authoritarian drift that opened the door. Like the current information, that news also lacked the contextualization that politics requires, and it was left unmentioned that the criticism of the mayor of Kiev and the measures by which the protesters were part of a confrontation that went back almost to the beginnings of the presidency of Zelensky. The origin of the rivalry lies in the struggle for power and control of the resources of the State between the two protagonists. What is more, the attempt to Zelensky snatch administratively, the mayor of Kiev Klitschko, a man with powerful connections and political contacts, especially in Germany, is one of the examples that show that the authoritarian drift of Volodymyr Zelensky is not justified in the wartime situation today, but that precedes it in several years to the military intervention of Russia.

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‘I Don’t Give a F*ck About AIPAC,’ Says Mark Pocan

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‘I Don’t Give a F*ck About AIPAC,’ Says Mark Pocan

Pocan was drawn into the fracas between progressive lawmakers and AIPAC last month after the group falsely accused him and other representatives of “trying to keep Hamas in power.” The attack came after 10 members of Congress—nine Democrats and Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)—voted against an October 25 resolution pledging unconditional support for Israel’s war on Gaza.

Massie joined progressive Democrats in pushing back against AIPAC, posting on social media that “this baseless smear is meant to intimidate me into voting to send $14+ billion of your money to a foreign country.”

Pocan—who did not vote against the resolution—wrote: “AIPAC is not good at telling the truth. We don’t support Hamas. We just don’t support killing kids, which it seems you do.”

Related:

The Lobbyists Who Don’t Want A Ceasefire (transcript)

Orinoco Tribune Editor: There Was a Coup Against Pedro Castillo in Peru + Some Notes

Orinoco Tribune Editor: There Was a Coup Against Pedro Castillo in Peru

Rodríguez remarked that the appointment of Vice President Dina Boluarte as the de facto president is a measure adopted by the Peruvian Congress to disguise the coup d’état. “Naming Dina Boluarte as the de facto president is a halfway solution between Pedro Castillo and José William Zapata, the president of Congress, who is a right-wing military man accused of corruption and drug trafficking and what have you,” he opined. “So, I believe they chose Dina Boluarte to prevent greater tension or political instability in Peru… In fact, José William Zapata was the president of Peru for some minutes and then transferred power to Dina Boluarte. This was all that was behind the coup in Peru.”

Some notes, to self, on José Williams, Hernando de Soto, Institute for Liberty and Democracy, Omidyar Network, & Atlas Network:

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Gabbard to Introduce Censure Alternative to Impeaching Trump

Representative Tulsi Gabbard (D., Hawaii) is expected to introduce a resolution calling for President Trump’s censure ahead of a Wednesday vote on the articles of impeachment drafted by the House Judiciary Committee.Gabbard will introduce the resolution, which suggests “the president put personal political
— Read on news.yahoo.com/gabbard-introduce-censure-alternative-impeaching-211604046.html