It’s hard to believe a candidate for U.S. Congress could send a mass mail solicitation at the close of March of 2022 and not address Ukraine.
Opinion
But, the Hageman For Wyoming campaign managed to send a mailer that highlighted the former president and did not mention Ukraine. Why? How could a potential U.S. representative not mention a ground war raging in Europe beyond a throw-away line about someone else’s “never-ending wars”?
Perhaps it’s because either she is unaware of the war, or she doesn’t care. If she is unaware there is no help for her. Ignorance leads to complicity, pure and simple. If she doesn’t care it’s even worse.
But her campaign come-on left no doubt that Harriet Hageman is fully aware of how important the former president is to her political persona. She mentions him several times.
And what of the former president? It doesn’t take much imagination to see the Putin worship he still exhibits.
So what to make of Hageman’s Ukrainian disconnect in the context of her benefactor’s Putin praise?
We are left to make our own assumptions. A vote for Hageman is a vote for Donald Trump and a vote for Trump is a vote for Vladimir Putin. Gross. If Hageman wants to be a leader, she needs to act like one. I won’t be holding my breath.
Today’s Republican Party — a party I’ve been involved with most of my adult life — is less tolerant of views that don’t fall exactly within a narrow platform. The Wyoming Republican Party has a long-term goal of using punitive measures to lessen the impact of thoughtful, well rounded dissent. This falls right in line with Trump’s obsession with loyalty and the subsequent party position that any criticism of the former president is heresy.
Hageman falls right into the leadership gap exhibited by Trump’s usual disregard for the international order, and the GOP’s now standard, “it’s-Biden-weakness” response.
I submit that a robot could blindly adhere to a central committee’s platform and plank. But, that’s the type of politician that Hageman represents — a blind adherent to party demands.
Trump’s isolationist foreign policy inclinations, and the prevalence of Putin sympathizers among his base and inner circles, make the horrors of Ukraine politically thorny for Republicans. Time will eventually sort this out. Modern war has a way of seeking out those who hide from responsibility. But in the meantime the destruction of Ukraine continues. True, presidents of both parties made plenty of mistakes on the way to today, but calling President Joe Biden weak while buying and shipping weapons not only delays the inevitable, it also helps Putin stir domestic strife.
Our ranch had a tractor burn down several years ago. The volunteer fire department came and put out the blaze. It was a total loss. Importantly though, what the volunteers didn’t do was show up and give me another bucket. They carried the water themselves, had hoses and pumps and prevented the burning tractor from taking down the adjacent building.
It’s time to drop the politics and get behind Ukraine and the American president, even if you didn’t vote for him.
An excellent article Jim Hellyer!
Keep up the good work.
It took a 2nd read to appreciate how terribly dishonest and juvenile this article is. Republicans are better than this.
A rant about a mailer leads to a rant about Republicans and Trump. Solves nothing. Changes no minds.
Like the above-mentioned burning tractor, we are often called into action by events unforeseen. I can’t foresee all of the opportunities, and drawbacks, that come with one person running for federal office. They all seem to be placemats for someone else’s dinner party. And they all suck at their jobs according to at least half of all Americans. But, every so often they help put out a fire.
If you want everyone to speak, act, think, and live like you then you will be sorely disappointed.
The greatest gift to America is the opportunity to let someone else try their hand at public policy making. And give them some free rein, but not free reign, to do so.
Jim should run for office if he doesn’t like the game.
Well said Jim, thanks for sharing.
Ukraine is another page in the world’s history book of Eastern civilization versus Western civilization. Russia is an Eastern power that has patiently maintained a significant presence in eastern Ukraine. Ukrainian President Zelensky refused to sign a treaty with Russia saying he would stay out of NATO, leaning Ukraine to the West. Are we surprised that this comedian who Ukraine elected as president doesn’t know how to negotiate peace? Are we surprised that Russia is fighting on their western border to protect Eastern civilization, since the West failed to do so through negotiations? Are we surprised that Russia is using Eastern “rules of war” rather than Western? Ukraine is already lost through Europe’s indifference. America is the history’s shining beacon of Western Civilization. We must fulfill our duty by securing our borders from tribalism, gangs, and terrorism. We need mass immigration, but not without vetting and indoctrination.
And, Mr. Hellyer, how can you complain about Hageman finding a spot in the Trump camp, when Cheney is a pillar of the Bush clan? If you like Bush better than Trump then fine, but don’t call Hageman a robot when her opponent has been part of the system her entire life.
Likewise, you give yourself credibility by being a second generation rancher. Welcome to Wyoming. Hagemans are an integral part of the Goshen/Platte ranching community. Meanwhile, Cheney can’t even get an in-store fishing liscence, because she’s not from here.
Great points, Justin.
This comment is my opinion, based on the facts I know.
Few understand what is really going on. They just assume a position to match the government/media narrative and that’s that, in my view. They do not go out of their way to verify or test the “story” that is being peddled by the establishment. I guess too much thinking is stressful, so they avoid it. But they sure seem happy to hate on others and accuse independent thinkers of being misled followers.
Note the themes of “Orange man bad” and “Republicans bad” and “Russia bad” in the comments. I left grade school behind me some time ago. But some people didn’t, I guess. Does it pay to be immature? Does anyone have an idea of their own anymore? One must wonder.
I wonder how many of these people criticized the illegal wars under Bush and Obama, where the USA was the aggressor with no cause, in my opinion. How many of these people are taking the Chicken Hawk mindset, while staying warm and well-fed here at home, and demanding that we risk a nuclear exchange when Cheyenne is a primary target? How many of these people know what really caused Russia to send in troops? Big fat goose egg, in my opinion.
But the petty insults and emotional tirades are so important to them, in my view, that they will defend the undefendable until Ukraine is rubble and gas here is $10 a gallon. They will post emojis and demand more bombs and bullets to be used on people they have never met and do not understand. They will demand that anyone who won’t buy into the madness be censored to protect Democracy, which does not exist in Ukraine or here, in my view.
I believe they are defending fascism with a smiley face. Note that they hate Trump for using mean language, but they love it when people say nice words while cities burn and people are left dying in the street. If I had not seen this before I would be shocked at the lack of humanity. But I have seen it before. It makes me sad.
The truth will come out eventually. But they will refuse to hear it, in my opinion.
Neither party is really for the USA and our Citizens any more. When one looks at “leadership” of either party it is sorely lacking. Simply fallow the money. Rules for thee but not for me. Way to much of this forgein aid simply is money laundering. It goes over seas. Comes back as “grease” for the parties. TRUMP was right in that USA FIRST. No world power handed out money like we started doing. Just did not happen folks.
Excellent and a much-needed opinion piece. Agree that we need more leaders and less cheerleaders for a personality-cult. We need independent thinking that solves real problems, instead of mindless (love the robot comparison!) kowtowing to the latest popular political bandwagon. True freedom means freedom of thought, outside of party mandates.
Great article. I had no idea commonsense Republicans existed in my State…THERE IS HOPE!
Ukraine is way down my list of priorities, below free and fair elections, free speech, securing the border, balancing the budget, protecting our kids from indoctrination from the left. Trump was a terrific president. I hope to be able to vote for him a third time. He’s a disruptor that was willing to push back against the deep state, and the anti-democratic forces who seek to control us. Liz Cheney his leading a McCarthyist/Stalinist persecution of Trump. I’m looking forward to voting for Harriet Hageman if she continues to keep her priorities straight.
Well said. Another distraction from the destruction of the country. “Republicans” who claim affiliation to the Republican Party but support the Democrat ideology are still just Democrats. The Left displays tremendous concern for Ukraine’s border, but absolutely none for our own. Meanwhile, this administration continues to ignore the duty to protect this country from millions of foreign invaders by ignoring the rule of law. Most Americans recognize the country is on the wrong track and will vote accordingly. Spoiler alert: they’re not blaming Trump or Putin for their woes. The responses here will be personal, but don’t take it personally, it’s all just a tactic.
Well said. Perhaps there is hope for us.
This comment represents exactly what the author was speaking about. There is no reasoning with the gullible who believe the sky is falling because chrump tells them so.
It’s embarrassing.
Well said. Unfortunely, Da Base still believes drumpf, Putin worshipper. A vote for trump is a vote for pootin who has said that he’s going to interfere with the next election. I am so sorry we have so many stupid people/voters in Wyoming.
In the late 60’s and early 7’s I spent part of man youth sitting in the galleries of the House and Senate watching the debates and discussions of the bills and problems at hand that were needing attention. Since returning from Texas againI have spent both time in the galleries and now before committees giving testimony on area I am very familiar with. But what I’ve witnessed and have seen firsthand is a group of rogues more been on pushing falsehoods, conspired problems and flat out falsehoods to push agenda that hasn’t turned my stomach on several occasion to the point that I fear that we are becoming Germany in the 1930’s. Ms Hagerman willingness ton genuflect before the Trump Idle to secure both his endorsement an d approval is clear example evil wins when good people do nothing. We have seen the pure horror of the Russian atrocities nearly on a daily bases to know this is the reality of Putin’s dirty little war against anyone not Russian in Ukraine. Ms Hagerman’s push to aligned herself with Trump who has just been given a endorsement by Putin for his support to return Trump to the Whitehouse should a clear sign that both are neither our support to bring Criminal Russian Oligarchy Rule to the United States! We have a Constitution and it’s time we stick to it!
Very good Jim,, Rancher at Moore Spring Hills,west Jay em.20 yrs.
Thanks, Jim. Very refreshing.
How fortunate for Hageman that the malignant Cheeto is too ignorant to do a Google search. If he did, he would know that she despised Trump before it became politically expedient for her to lick his boots.
Excellent analysis, Jim! As a lifelong Republican myself, I find it surreal that an ex-K GB goon is pulling the strings in the party of Lincoln. Yours is a very articulate framing of that threat.
” Ignorance leads to complicity, pure and simple.”
I agree and the ignorance that Donald Trump showed toward our US Constitution was disqualifying from the start, but Republicans crave power without a care for the consequences. The Republicans have ensured that tax money that should have been reaped from the excessively rich is instead being used to tell lies to the American people each and everyday with no end in sight.
Fox News, Right Wing Radio, WYO Gun owners, WYO Liberty Group and even Elon Musk getting mad at Twitter, so much so that he can muster a cash offer, but paying taxes to one of the most Democratic Countries in the World, not so much. There is no such cabal of moneyed interests pushing progressive ideas and please do not say MSNBC or the New York Times as they are just better disguised at pushing a corporate agenda, as they are willing to let the Republic be represented by the callow like Jim Jordan and Harriet Hageman.
Had Trump won the election, he would have pulled us out of NATO and Ukraine would have been sacrificed much more easily as Zelensky would have been bone sawed like Jamal Khashoggi. It seems clear that the VALID election of Biden and Putin’s reported health declines pushed Vlad into a more radical timetable rather than wait to get his buddy Trump elected again.
Republicans never seem to focus on issues that matter and are more than willing to overlook absolutely any transgression so long as they can be assured that right wing mouthpieces say it’s the Democrats fault. How long will Republicans lie to themselves? I am betting long enough to destroy this country while blaming someone else.
Thank you, Greg. Your last paragraph is exactly right. Well said. Republicans have taken whining about inconsequential issues to new levels.
I agree. The Wyoming Republican Party, of which I am a member, needs leaders, not robots, thinkers who know and understand the bigger issues of our day. Clearly, Ms. Hageman does not have have any clear, personal, unique thoughts of her own. Ms. Hageman has chosen to lift the useless playbook of another. How sad.
We, the Wyoming Republican Party, have a great leader in Congress as we speak. Let’s recognize what we have.
Wait. Why does USA need to address Ukraine? It is a U. N/NATO issue. And they dropped the ball. Now we have a mess. Go in to BIOBIDEN. Fallow that mess. This thing goes down so many Rabbit Holes it unreal. Fallow the trail of Corruption. Any one ever stop and think how much money USA has wasted trying to find “peace” in the world! War is profits Famine is profits. Pandemics is profits
Well…. 1. we, the US, are in the UN and NATO. 2. We ALL are part of a global economy of which this situation has dire consequences. 3. Putin will not stop at Ukraine if he succeeds. 4. Putin is exactly who Trump wishes to be, so yes the republican party needs actual leaders, not robots so we don’t end up with our very own Putin over here.
And why Larry do you spell follow “fallow” is that Q speak for all those deep state “rabbit holes” you guys seem to think actually exist?