Congress was considering a deal which would trade military aid for Ukraine for restoring the wrecker's border wall and cruel treatment if people crossing the border.

The articles I've seen do not explicitly say, but I think that the aid for Ukraine would be temporary and the border repression would be permanent.

That alone makes it a deal for suckers. Never make a permanent concession in exchange for a temporary one! If you accept that kind of deal, you're inherently at a disadvantage and you will lose ground every year.

*We must start urgently talking about the dangers of a second [insurrectionist bullshit] presidency.*

Ukraine builds long-distance attack drones and uses them to attack Russia's oil export terminals.

Governor Abbott of Texas has declared that he can disobey the federal government in the name of Texas. He has also clearly echoed the manifestos of the secessionists of 1861.

The wrecker's supporters have been preparing for rebellion for over three years. They used violence on 6 Jan 2021, followed shortly thereafter by threats of violence against senators and their families. So I've been expecting an open confrontation sooner or later.

Better now than later!

The bullshitter's campaign strategy is to talk tough and defiant, giving the impression that he is "stronger." Biden tends to try to avoid sharp confrontation, which plays into the wrecker's hands.

Abbott's hint of secessionism gives Biden a chance to show that he is the stronger one.

For instance, he can federalize the Texas National Guard now, and order it to take down the barbed wire it has helped place at the border.

That would provide an opportunity to discharge immediately any guard member who refuses to obey that order. Showing that insurrectionists will not be tolerated will help keep the guard loyal in any future rebellion, both by expelling the disloyal and by reminding the loyal guard members of their duty to defend democracy against insurrection.

* António Guterres says loss of funding from US and [other countries], [for humanitarian aid for Gaza], means aid into Gaza for whole of this month cannot be guaranteed.*