One might wonder how President Donald Trump arrives at his present position where insults and threats are supposed to yield positive results. Take the Greenland suggestion and imagine you were Denmark. The price just went up simply because the negotiator-in-chief insulted the owner. Not a very good tactic. Canada followed us to Afghanistan. Willingly. And now it appears our president’s goal is to belittle, not only one of our military allies, but one of our largest trade partners as well.
Opinion
Then there’s Ukraine. Here we have a nation fighting for their lives against an invading nation led by a ruthless dictator who has our president entranced by a bromance fantasy. Not exactly a good approach to growing and sustaining democratic norms. The fascination Trump has with Russian President Vladimir Putin is strange. The public statements are all over the wrong map. The president’s actions resemble more that of a freelancing Russian asset than the leader of the free world. If he is not an asset, then he is most certainly the Kremlin’s useful tool fueled by flattery. And Republicans follow him — knowing there is a cliff ahead.
Wyoming Sen. John Barrasso was just reelected to a six-year term. He will outlast the president by at least two years. But the wholesale political intimidation that is occurring across the Republican spectrum is troubling. From the cancellation of security clearances to the removal of security detail protections, the clear point is to punish and force people into compliance. Support of Ukraine should be a no-brainer. We need elected officials to stand up for what they know is strategically important to our nation despite the political intimidation and blowback from an electorate that seems to have forgotten the importance of keeping Putin in check. The money we have contributed to Ukraine’s fight against Russia so far has replenished our old weapon stocks with new munitions made in domestic factories. Our contributions have depleted nearly a third of the Russian Army.
As a U.S. senator, in leadership, it is as though Barrasso has made the decision to accept a certain political fate to avoid the wrath of a tyrannical Trump. I can understand and sympathize with this, but it doesn’t change the role that leadership demands. In these times of polarized politics, leadership requires more than the undoing of what a predecessor pushed. There is no current public pushback to dangerous policies such as support for Russia or a trade war.
The Republicans have replaced the feckless policy of the previous administration with spineless policy concerning Ukraine. How can any U.S. senator or representative support anything that aids Russia? The champagne must flow freely every night in Moscow. If Americans cannot get the very biggest of things right, such as seeing Russia as a certified aggressor and adversary, we will never get the small issues right. We will pay politically for the false narratives Republicans have bought into. And we will pay economically when the world finds new sources in place of our exports. We will pay militarily because allowing Ukraine to fall will embolden others such as China to pursue smaller nations. Contrary to the president’s opinion, we are a poorer nation to follow him.
Written by someone who obviously has no grasp of Geopolitics. As a combat veteran and father, I am tired of the 80 year endless MIC driven conflicts that demand our Nations money and blood. Our sons and daughters need to stop dying just so an arms manufacturer can make millions. Trump recognizes that the only thing being accomplished in Ukraine is the deaths of troops at the cost of American tax dollars. It is time for it all to stop.
Sen. Barrasso, Rep. Hageman and the entire GOP delegation in Washington have no spines and no love of the constitution or rule of law in America. They’ve become nothing more then acomplises in the destruction of our democracy. They simply stand by an watch as Musk and company go after the VA, Park Service, Social Security, Forest Service, Health Agency’s , 80 year alliances with NATO, the Smithsonian and on and on. Not a word from Hageman and hardly a word from Barrasso and no real action to protect people and institutions let alone the constitution.
Jim, I’m not sure that continuing a war with an equally powerful enemy is in our best interest. Sad to see so many read your post and only agree with the war first mantra. If you look at a picture much bigger than you are you will see this is a battle about rare earth materials and how to get those into the next field of war which is AI and most importantly ASI (Advanced Super Intelligence). What does that take large, amounts of rare earth materials to build super computers or even quantum computers. Simply put the nation who reaches ASI first wins. Once ASI is achieved then it can shut down or effectively infiltrate any nation, any system etc. ASI will be able to disable all and any level of encryption. Nothing will be safe unless those who are truly good reach that finish line first. Russia is far behind the US and China in developing AI, but they have a huge abundance of rare earth materials and would be willing to sell to us versus the Chinese. 5d Chess Jim, war is no longer about boots on the ground and aircraft in the sky it is about ASI and Russia holds many of those cards due to their abundance of rare earth materials. So, maybe we should find a way to peace with Putin, not just enjoying a bromance, because there is a much bigger prize being sought. Is it possible Trump and his administration know this and by proxy Sen Barrasso knows it as well.
As for tariffs, for far to long the entire world has used tariffs to get rich off our goods and manufacturing. So much so that we have outsourced most of it overseas. Trump for all his faults, which there are many, sees this clearly. Level the playing field with tariffs and this will bring that critical manufacturing home all while preventing other countries from getting rich off our precious labor and nations wealth. Europe is no longer what it was when the NATO alliances began. We spent vast amounts of our money and treasure to rebuild it only to see them leave the western values and become socialistic societies today. You only have to read and see what has been done to free speech in many of those countries. Tariffs placed on US goods has provided the means for those socialist societies to rise and take root in once democratic societies. We should not take part in any further decline of Western values and culture by supporting their tariffs against us and not leveling the playing field.
This may seem a little odd but I’m wondering what’s going to become of our nuclear deterrent now that Trump has switched sides and become buddies with Putin. I’m spent most of my life living near Minute Man missile sites and AF bases in three states, including FE Warren. I went to first grade with the children of parents who first installed those missiles. I’ve always assumed that a lot of them were pointed at Moscow. Are they going to be retargeted to Mexico City, Ottawa, London, Copenhagen, and Berlin? I’m more than a little more than confused who are allies are at this point. If written to Wyoming’s Congressional Delegation with that question but haven’t heard back yet.
Barrasso used to send me junk email weekly. It was filled with so many lies that I thought it was from the orange menace- oh wait, it was from Trump.
Amen!!!
Sen. Barrasso is bought and paid for by big money interests. He knows not to bite the hands that bankroll his life in DC among the power elite. To imagine otherwise, or that he would represent anyone without power connections, is awfully naive. We can all hope integrity, competence and good judgement are still in Wyoming’s politics, but the evidence argues against it.
well said.
thank you
Let’s not forget that John Barrasso was not originally elected to Congress. He was appointed by the Republican Party in a “beauty contest” in which he made the most convincing pledge of party loyalty. He will never buck the party line or in any way go against the party bosses on any issue. Period. He’s a rubber stamp. Don’t count on him to do the right thing; only the national party bosses’ bidding. No matter how bad that might be for Wyoming.
I am almost 86 years old and cannot believe what is happening to this country and our state. Our Representatives are not standing up for our Democracy or their Constituents. I am a registered Democrat but I miss Liz Cheney. Thank you for your opinion, it is spot on.
I’m deeply disappointed in all three of our representatives in Washington. They were supposed to take Wyoming values with them, and be the voice of Wyoming in Washington. Now it seems our “voice in Washington” has turned a deaf ear. Barrasso’s recent comments about Hageman’s cancellation of town halls, displays an arrogance of position out of touch with the concerns of the constituency. Paraphrasing; They must have been bussed in, they are paid disrupters, they are organized, they are Democrats! (That’s why we don’t have to listen to them). At least Hageman started out facing her constituents, but likewise dismissed the earful she received with conspiracy theories.
If the Veteran that stood and voiced his concern about accessing his benefits didn’t vote for you, does that somehow diminish his need, or right for representation? Americans tend to get a little boisterous when their concerns are being poo pooed away. Although no one was beaten with a flagpole, no teargas or bear spray deployed, no windows broken, or property violated J-6 style, Hageman canceled the town hall format out of “safety concerns”.
Barrasso then exposed his isolation further by stating that (paraphrasing again) everyone he talks to is very very happy with the cuts. That’s what happens when you fall down the silo, inside the echo chamber, wrapped in an agenda. You loose contact with the outside world (Wyo). Looks to me like our Wyoming reps in Washington have become Washington’s reps in Wyoming.
It appears Sen. Barrasso is more concerned with publicity than policy. When Sen. McConnell was speaker, Barrasso was firmly attached to McConnell’s right hip, standing close so he would appear to be powerful. Since McConnell’s star has fallen, Barrasso threw him aside and takes the same camera position whenever Thune appears in public. It’s weird to see that vacant look on our senator’s face, posing for the camera. Yikes! I want a spirited westerner to fight for our veterans, seniors, children and ag community. Here’s one topic you can address – the blunders of using unsecured communication channels, undermining Wyoming’s military men and women, putting them at risk. Speak up! Show some Cowboy Backbone.
80 years of soft power build up post WWII, paid in full with American blood and tears, poured down the orange sewer in less than a month. All barrasso can offer in response is a smirk. China has rushed in with a basket of cash to fill the vacuum left by the bloviating draft dodger; they are particularly active now in Africa and the Pacific. Moldova saw their first Chinese contingent a few weeks ago, courtesy of John’s political mis-judgements. Where we once held strong influence, we now get booed. Soon enough they’ll be shooting at us. Jim shows tremendous optimism here believing barrasso will re-discover his integrity. A man with integrity would have never walked barrasso’s path.
Call is Karma, Coy. That 80 years is going to bring hell’s fire to the nation that overturned governments, fostered coups, killed millions of innocents for $$$$ in countless wars around the world, etc. etc. etc.
80 years of Karma has an official color…
orange.
Jack – that’s a fair point. A lot of comments from overseas observers are not lamenting the demise of the American empire. They see the US getting what it deserves for its “forever war for profit” global approach. America has done a lot of good globally, but we are also responsible for some mass graves. I don’t believe trump is what America deserves, but I fully believe trump is what ‘Murika deserves. Balkanization is no longer unsavory, and might be the best option to cut the cancer away and save Western democracy.
OH, AND THANK YOU JIM!!!
We need to consider now more than ever that we have NO REPRESENTATION!!! It’s obvious if you have written them, just based on their responses. We are in need of taking back this government that has served us over time regardless of the past problems. We got ourselves here and we need to get back to something more normal.
I hate to agree with you. Barrasso is gone. There’s no conversation left to be had with him. He’s a physician who likes to call himself Wyoming’s doctor. He took an oath to “first, do no harm”. I was hopeful he wouldn’t vote to put RFK jr in charge of the country’s health, but he did. There aren’t any red lines left that he won’t cross for Trump.
The headline for Mr. Hellyer’s opinion says, “Barrasso should know better…” Actually, our senior senator does know better than to cozy up to the Russians. And that goes for Lummis and Hageman, also. They are acting on political decisions that suggests to them it is in their narcissistic interest to offer blind and unwavering support to Donald Trump. That’s the reality we are now living in. But the problem is not them. It is us! As long as we keep consuming the ‘bovine byproducts” they are feeding us, they will remain safe and comfortable back in Congress. As rancher Jim Hellyer knows, we thought we were electing bulls to their lofty political positions. Instead, if we would have looked just a little closer we would have known they are just steers.
While MAGA cult members are cheering the cutting of funding to USAID, the real people cheering are in Moscow and Beijing. As their representatives go country to country, reintroducing themselves with, “Oh, did the US cut your funding? Well, you have our phone number if you need any help.” Between Putin’s vision of a “Russia” that goes ocean to ocean, and China’s heavy investment in the Belt and Road Initiative (already showing success in E Europe), we need a President, and Senator, who understand the anti-American, anti-democratic, base of Russia’s and China’s foreign policy.
Thanks for your well considered comments, Jim. Here’s hoping your words will make a dent. But I wonder if Barrasso’s “better angels” can be reached anymore. And what it will take get our representatives to break ranks with the frightened herd.
Excellent editorial and spot on! We don’t need sycophants in D. C. We need people who will stand up for the long established principles of this nation.
Excellent essay, Mr. Hellyer. I hope Senator Barrasso gets this message in his inbox from every corner of our fine state.
Well said Jim.
Well said Jim!
Well said!!
A certain person wrote something like: ” a person that worships Trump will kneel down before him, not stand up to him”.
Every time I’ve seen in person or in photographs of Barrosso, I am amazed! Amazed that he can sit upright in a chair or walk given the fact he has no spine.
I’ve seen two pictures of Barrasso with the president, in both I think he looks pretty pleased with himself. You lay with flea infested dogs, you get fleas. Or as Liz put it, their shame will remain. If only, Barrasso and a few more had done the right thing we wouldn’t be here. And who knows, we may have elected another Republican. Just one that wasn’t crazy.