We should eject all members of our government who support Putin. They all took oaths of office and violated the Constitution. Same with those who refused to support the Jan 6th 2021 investigation.And the same for those who refused to allow even a debate about voting rights.
Professor, Though your first 3 suggestions for helping Ukraine are recommendations around which we all can rally, with all due respect, how does one set aside his or her frustration and anger towards the millions of Americans who are not bothered by leadership that would consolidate power and subjugate the rule of law to an individual? My point is that if we are to rescue democracy from a terrifying polarization that threatens to pulverize the country, we damn well better acknowledge its existence. Be assured that I don’t mean to sound disrespectful. At the same time, I won’t turn away from the avarice that threatens to strike a fatal weakening of American civic institutions.
1. Go through your portfolio and divest from Russia. Your financial managers will whine that it can't be done. Yes, it can be done.
2. Demand that your state divest from Russia, as California has done. Talk to your senators and governors.
3. Adopt a Ukrainian family. This means that you make yourself responsible for watching over the family's legal and physical needs. Putin has stated that he considers Ukrainians Nazis. He intends murder and incarceration of Ukrainians. We need to prepare for this by protecting Ukrainian people. Organize through your charities, religious groups, etc. During WWII, my grandmother joined Abba Hillel Silver's congregation in Cleveland. Through his congregation's work she was able to find her nephew and niece who survived the camps and send them money, clothes, food. We are going to need a support system like this.
Everyone I talk with are horrified at the extent of devastation Putin has intentionally inflicted on a peaceful nation and its people. The man is a monster and cares nothing about the lives of people, including children and the elderly. In his demented quest to be a big man, he’s done nothing more than show the world what a small man he really is.
I’ve donated and will continue to do so. Having these links is very helpful as most people don’t know which charities are trustworthy. Every morning I thank god that Biden is at the helm during this crisis, I shudder to think how much worse this would be if the last guy was. Thanks for sharing this information.
I just donated, and I sent more than I thought was really wise because the pain of donation should be on a scale with the pain of the Ukrainian people. #fuckrussianwarship
As the Professor knows, NATO is a deterrent not an aggressor. Scattered throughout this page are a number of folks who are trying to assign blame for the Putin aggression on the United States, NATO and President Biden. This is wrongheaded. This is a Putin and Fox News trope. The only reason that NATO is a "threat" to Putin is because the organization is a main reason Putin hasn't previously expanded his dictatorship into the Balkans and greater Europe. As long as we have a tyrant in Russia with his big ambitions, we need NATO to draw the line on his aggression. Now that the tyrant has trotted out the nuclear threat I worry that a big part of the deterrence is mooted. Western powers are right to implement financial sanctions that can be sustained indefinitely. Over time sanctions will impoverish Russia and its thieving oligarchs. Putin is playing the long game, so taking away his money is taking away his time. Taking money away from the thieves is potentially taking away Putin's internal support! These are some ways to reduce Putin's options without using our own nuclear capabilities. So it's NATO plus sanctions to do the job.
". . .and recognize our shared commitment to democracy. . ." Democracy is no longer an American ideal. The American ideal is about competition and MONEY.
Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
The screen door slammed when Putin invaded Ukraine and we are looking through that screen to see the Big Yellow Taxi drive away.
anagnorisis - the point in a play, novel, etc., in which a principal character recognizes or discovers another character's true identity or the true nature of their own circumstances.
A week ago, I had never heard of that word. I saw it, wondered, and looked it up. . .ZAP!
All of a sudden, with the barbarians (ba ba ba) at the gate, we become altruist. Altruism is just a momentary state. Putin and the Ukraine are just symptoms of a culture, a culture gone awry.
Since we seem to be going through a period of heightened tensions on all fronts, I think it is incumbent on us to remember that the Russian people are under the yoke of oppression and denial of their rights as human beings. They are caught in the middle of a conflict that they did not start and have not advocated.. The tyranny and outrage that Vladimir Putin is inflicting on the Ukrainians is also inflicted on his own citizens. We are right now a very divided nation and we have lost a lot of respect and civility toward our fellow citizens of different points of view. I do think it is also incumbent on us to remember to treat each other kindly and support our Ukrainian friends by supporting each other and trying to raise the bar on kindness toward people we don't know as well as toward those we do. You also have to admire the courage and conviction of VOldymyrr Zelensky, a model for us all. And also for our leaders.
Maybe the gas stations could help. They could set up a group of pumps with a $2.00 per gallon surcharge to help us help each other.
All the $2.00 per gallon would be collected and put into a fund for gas relief. People needing help could submit their gas receipts for a rebate of $.50 per gallon purchased as funds allow.
That’s a voluntary “redistribution” of funds that could help all of us support Ukraine by hurting Putin’s money machine.
We personally don’t use a lot of gas but I’d get mine at the $2 per gallon help a neighbor pump.
Thank you for the suggestions. I wholeheartedly agree. I am puzzled why has Biden not offered help to refugees including an offer to bring at least some to the US?
We should eject all members of our government who support Putin. They all took oaths of office and violated the Constitution. Same with those who refused to support the Jan 6th 2021 investigation.And the same for those who refused to allow even a debate about voting rights.
Professor, Though your first 3 suggestions for helping Ukraine are recommendations around which we all can rally, with all due respect, how does one set aside his or her frustration and anger towards the millions of Americans who are not bothered by leadership that would consolidate power and subjugate the rule of law to an individual? My point is that if we are to rescue democracy from a terrifying polarization that threatens to pulverize the country, we damn well better acknowledge its existence. Be assured that I don’t mean to sound disrespectful. At the same time, I won’t turn away from the avarice that threatens to strike a fatal weakening of American civic institutions.
Maybe anction Russian oil and gas but then give a small amount of assistance for gas prices to anyone in the poverty level?
A few more things we can do:
1. Go through your portfolio and divest from Russia. Your financial managers will whine that it can't be done. Yes, it can be done.
2. Demand that your state divest from Russia, as California has done. Talk to your senators and governors.
3. Adopt a Ukrainian family. This means that you make yourself responsible for watching over the family's legal and physical needs. Putin has stated that he considers Ukrainians Nazis. He intends murder and incarceration of Ukrainians. We need to prepare for this by protecting Ukrainian people. Organize through your charities, religious groups, etc. During WWII, my grandmother joined Abba Hillel Silver's congregation in Cleveland. Through his congregation's work she was able to find her nephew and niece who survived the camps and send them money, clothes, food. We are going to need a support system like this.
4. Are you a hacker? Join up. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/04/technology/ukraine-russia-hackers.html?campaign_id=2&emc=edit_th_20220305&instance_id=54953&nl=todaysheadlines®i_id=21979427&segment_id=84735&user_id=fc5a5feccefed441688c186866dcef86
Everyone I talk with are horrified at the extent of devastation Putin has intentionally inflicted on a peaceful nation and its people. The man is a monster and cares nothing about the lives of people, including children and the elderly. In his demented quest to be a big man, he’s done nothing more than show the world what a small man he really is.
I’ve donated and will continue to do so. Having these links is very helpful as most people don’t know which charities are trustworthy. Every morning I thank god that Biden is at the helm during this crisis, I shudder to think how much worse this would be if the last guy was. Thanks for sharing this information.
If you are Canadian the federal government will match funds donated to the Canadian Red Cross for Ukraine.
I just donated, and I sent more than I thought was really wise because the pain of donation should be on a scale with the pain of the Ukrainian people. #fuckrussianwarship
As the Professor knows, NATO is a deterrent not an aggressor. Scattered throughout this page are a number of folks who are trying to assign blame for the Putin aggression on the United States, NATO and President Biden. This is wrongheaded. This is a Putin and Fox News trope. The only reason that NATO is a "threat" to Putin is because the organization is a main reason Putin hasn't previously expanded his dictatorship into the Balkans and greater Europe. As long as we have a tyrant in Russia with his big ambitions, we need NATO to draw the line on his aggression. Now that the tyrant has trotted out the nuclear threat I worry that a big part of the deterrence is mooted. Western powers are right to implement financial sanctions that can be sustained indefinitely. Over time sanctions will impoverish Russia and its thieving oligarchs. Putin is playing the long game, so taking away his money is taking away his time. Taking money away from the thieves is potentially taking away Putin's internal support! These are some ways to reduce Putin's options without using our own nuclear capabilities. So it's NATO plus sanctions to do the job.
Thank you, Robert Reich, for the information on where to send support.
". . .and recognize our shared commitment to democracy. . ." Democracy is no longer an American ideal. The American ideal is about competition and MONEY.
Late last night I heard the screen door slam
And a big yellow taxi took away my old man
Don't it always seem to go
That you don't know what you've got 'til it's gone?
They paved paradise
Put up a parking lot
The screen door slammed when Putin invaded Ukraine and we are looking through that screen to see the Big Yellow Taxi drive away.
anagnorisis - the point in a play, novel, etc., in which a principal character recognizes or discovers another character's true identity or the true nature of their own circumstances.
A week ago, I had never heard of that word. I saw it, wondered, and looked it up. . .ZAP!
All of a sudden, with the barbarians (ba ba ba) at the gate, we become altruist. Altruism is just a momentary state. Putin and the Ukraine are just symptoms of a culture, a culture gone awry.
"Don't it always seem to go. . ."
As always, I appreciate your sound advice, Professor Reich, and am also appreciative of the thoughtful dialogue your posts inspire.
I made a donation through a link for food donations
Since we seem to be going through a period of heightened tensions on all fronts, I think it is incumbent on us to remember that the Russian people are under the yoke of oppression and denial of their rights as human beings. They are caught in the middle of a conflict that they did not start and have not advocated.. The tyranny and outrage that Vladimir Putin is inflicting on the Ukrainians is also inflicted on his own citizens. We are right now a very divided nation and we have lost a lot of respect and civility toward our fellow citizens of different points of view. I do think it is also incumbent on us to remember to treat each other kindly and support our Ukrainian friends by supporting each other and trying to raise the bar on kindness toward people we don't know as well as toward those we do. You also have to admire the courage and conviction of VOldymyrr Zelensky, a model for us all. And also for our leaders.
Maybe the gas stations could help. They could set up a group of pumps with a $2.00 per gallon surcharge to help us help each other.
All the $2.00 per gallon would be collected and put into a fund for gas relief. People needing help could submit their gas receipts for a rebate of $.50 per gallon purchased as funds allow.
That’s a voluntary “redistribution” of funds that could help all of us support Ukraine by hurting Putin’s money machine.
We personally don’t use a lot of gas but I’d get mine at the $2 per gallon help a neighbor pump.
What do you think?
Thank you! You wrote so concisely snd beautifully. I so appreciate having action steps I can take to help.
Thank you for the suggestions. I wholeheartedly agree. I am puzzled why has Biden not offered help to refugees including an offer to bring at least some to the US?