It's a trap. If the House changes the bill, it has to pass through the Senate again, which is not guaranteed. This talk is intended to distract from the Discharge Petition that was initiated by a Democrat to approve the Senate's bill. The hardliner Republicans, first and foremost Mike Johnson, have made it crystal clear through their actions that they have no intentions of helping Ukraine. The Democrats built golden bridges by agreeing to border security measures which many of them find abhorrent, and by agreeing to combine it with help for Israel, which some Democrats also don't like at the moment. And still Johnson flatly refused to even consider it.

Speaker Johnson says the right things ("No one wants Vladimir Putin to prevail. I’m of the opinion that he wouldn’t stop at Ukraine … and go all through the way through Europe. There is a right and wrong there, a good versus evil in my view and Ukraine is the victim here"), but his actions speak louder with a very different message.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (2 children)

This talk is intended to distract from the Discharge Petition that was initiated by a Democrat to approve the Senate’s bill.

I did think that a distinct possibility alright. Do you know if that discharge petition is likely to get the required votes by any chance?

[–] Hopfgeist@feddit.de 7 points 8 months ago

I really can't say. But I definitely think that the latest efforts by Johnson serve the explicit purpose of making the Discharge Petition less likely to succeed.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It might be close. Not every dem is going to support it, the more progressive ones are very upset that it contains aid for Israel, and likely feel they have a moral obligation to vote no because of that.

But there's also a number of repubs that do support it, and are willing to go against their party leadership to help our allies. So, it's a messy one.

Don't think Mike Johnson wants to help Ukraine though. This is just him stalling for time.

[–] Hopfgeist@feddit.de 2 points 8 months ago

Don’t think Mike Johnson wants to help Ukraine though. This is just him stalling for time.

Yes, I think this is exactly what it is.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 24 points 8 months ago (1 children)

This is great news to hear, but Johnson is a spineless fucking weasel, so I’ll celebrate when the legislation actually passes the house.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (3 children)

spineless fucking weasel

I had a similar impression but the quote from him in that article did give me some hope that he has more spine than I previously thought:

No one wants Vladimir Putin to prevail. I’m of the opinion that he wouldn’t stop at Ukraine … and go all through the way through Europe. There is a right and wrong there, a good versus evil in my view and Ukraine is the victim here," Johnson said.

Not bad, son. Not bad.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 17 points 8 months ago (2 children)

I get what you’re saying, but Johnson is the type of politician who will say a thing and then do something that is precisely contrary to the thing he said - and he’ll continue to say the thing as he continues to perpetuate said contrary action. He is a shitheel of the highest order. Also, he’s a Nationalist Christian.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

Also, he’s a Nationalist Christian.

Not just a Nationalist Christian because many of those are OK - He's at the far, far right end of a Nationalist Christian and one who believes God talks to him.

“And the Lord very specifically told me in my prayers to prepare, but to wait.”

Anyone saying God told them anything really is very, very worrying.

It reminds me of perhaps the greatest piece of genius ever to come out of South Park. Get yourself some fresh underwear to hand because you're about to piss yourself laughing if you haven't seen it before.

Lucy Harris smart smart smart.

[–] gravitas_deficiency@sh.itjust.works 4 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Uh, no, Nationalist Christians are categorically not ok. I am 0% ok with living in an authoritarian theocratic state, which is what they are pushing for.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Yeah, it turns out I misunderstood the term. Someone else corrected me on it. I was thinking "Well, Biden's a nationalist and a Christian so they're not all completely mental"

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 3 points 8 months ago (1 children)

In our country we have a principle of freedom of religion, where anyone can practice any religion. So anyone that wants to make the entire country only their religion is a problem. Christians are fine. Christian Nationalists want us to be like Iran.

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (1 children)

Ah, I misunderstood the term then. Cheers.

Is it correct to say that all US Christian Nationalists want a theocracy and would frame laws based solely on what's in the bible? I'd expect Johnson is almost certainly one of those, but I assumed there were more moderate ones who are guided by religion wouldn't want to go full Christian Sharia. edit: Like would Biden be considered a Christian Nationalist?

I'm very fond of the US actually, having been there a decent number of times, but I haven't met any of the proper loonies you see in the press as yet.

[–] Carrolade@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It's a growing movement, led, as best as I can tell, by television pastors. I don't know if its fair to paint them all that way, there are probably people that would refer to themselves as a Christian Nationalist that don't have a hardline interpretation of the words, and would not try to implement biblical law.

The leaders of the movement routinely call for it though.

A useful litmus test is do they want to ban the practice of Islam and ban existing Muslims from entering the country, or not?

[–] khannie@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

That's clear. I've a better understanding now. Many thanks.

[–] SupraMario@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

Yeah this is going to be a here's the aid...but attached is some crazy other shit, this way they can say the Dems blocked the aid....see it's not us.

[–] Revan343@lemmy.ca 2 points 8 months ago

That's just talk, and words out of Mike Johnson's mouth aren't worth the air

[–] photoncollector@mastodon.social 1 points 8 months ago

@khannie @gravitas_deficiency
Watch our for GPT generated articles.

[–] esc27@lemmy.world 21 points 8 months ago

Oh, so they will put a poison pill in it so democrats have to vote against it, then use that vote to block and delay any real support.

[–] Buffalox@lemmy.world 17 points 8 months ago

No reason to trust traitor Johnson on anything, he is a sociopathic liar and a traitor and a fraud.
It would be best if he simply stopped breathing and take up air that could be way more useful anywhere else.

[–] eran_morad@lemmy.world 12 points 8 months ago

Putin own these blyats. Don’t expect anything good.

[–] Jubalong@lemmy.world 7 points 8 months ago

He is an enemy to the free world

[–] RizzRustbolt@lemmy.world 2 points 8 months ago

"All ordinance delivered to Ukraine must be live fire."