Thanks for sending us this and I just donated to Safe Skies. The horrifying sentence is this: "It's been six months since meaningful U.S. aid has reached Ukraine." I wonder how Mike Johnson can sleep at night. He could bring it to the House floor but obviously is too worried about Marjorie Taylor Greene's reaction. And, he professes to be a Christian.
Isn’t he doing the Authoritarian, Trump’s bidding by barring a vote on Ukraine? The Democrats could protect Johnson from Marjorie Taylor Greene if he would fund Ukraine.
This is not correct, Kit. Motions can be brought to the floor by discharge petition. Granted, it's not easy and therefore is seldom used. But because it disempowers the Speaker, it can be a tool to increase pressure on Johnson. Discharge Petition #9, sponsored by Jim McGovern (D-MA), had 191 signatures the last time I looked; 218 are needed. It's close.
Nothing is for sure, Kit. But remember, there are a couple of Republicans who are leaving. Ken Buck, the Republican from Colorado, signed the petition as one of his last acts before leaving Congress. More could follow.
The problem with getting a discharge petition passed is that the current bill combines aid for Ukraine with aid for Israel. They need to be on two separate bills in order to pass via discharge petition.
Mike Johnson, et al in the maga wing of us politics, following as true believers of their mesmerizing lord trump is a NAZI (critique that however you wish), as were the followers of their lord a.h. In James W. Bernauer, S.J.'s book "Auschwitz & Absolution," he notes a quotation from Katharina von Kellenbach's "The Mark of Cain." Attributed to the catholic priest Karl Morgenschweis, "We didn't go to war (and make no mistake, johnson and the party known as trump have gone to war on the side or putin's government) to appear as criminals, we were filled with ideals called people and fatherland (congruent with their view of immigrants as animals)." I can hear the same words from johnson and the trump gaggle if they ever faced trial as traitors to the world.
I have been writing and calling (for the past 6 weeks almost 3 to 4 times per week) my congressman who claims that he supports Ukraine but I have not received any response from him. I urged him to encourage his colleagues and the speaker to vote to support Ukraine or sign a discharge petition. I also tried to schedule an appointment with him during his "vacation" by calling 3 times but I cannot get an appointment. His local aide was rude and claims he sent my message to the scheduler but still no response and told me that the congressman doesn't have time to respond to all emails and requests.
We also called the Speaker but again I cannot get a response or even talk to a person, especially because we do not live in his district This week, the speaker's voice mail was apparently turned off. I feel hopeless because I cannot offer words of encouragement to my Ukrainian friend who is waiting for a miracle that she feels will never happen.
Rosanne, huge thanks and admiration. It is entirely possible that the speaker's voice mail being turned off is a good sign, and that your calls and those of others have successfully disrupted operations in this office. A political strategist told me that's what you want in these situations...to send the message and keep the staff so busy that it raises eyebrows. They count the unique voters unduplicated count) who weigh in on specific issues. Don't worry about hearing a practical reassurance or getting warm fuzzies back. That's what we're for:)
What I have advocated doing is sending the Speaker a postcard to his Washington, D.C. office asking him to "bring H.R. 815 to the House floor for a vote:
The Hon. Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House of Reps
568 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
I added this: "Please also consider donating to Ukraine - https://u24.gov/ua as there are many projects to choose from that are non-military."
I have been making calls, too, and I have not been able to get straight answers about Ukraine from Republicans. The exception is my district's representative, Jeff Van Drew, who is infamously maga all the way down and is open about his refusal to fund Ukraine. My sense is most Republicans are simply too intimidated to take a public-facing position.
It is possible to contact House members, including the speaker, using the contact form on their official website. The Zip code wall can be circumvented. Go to the form, and see what identifying information is required. You'll be able to figure out how to get through.
The Republicans might well be intimidated by Trump, but he is a Putin sycophant -- they've totally forgotten about Putin, or don't think he's the one to worry about. They will not be trusted by Putin after what they've done in America.
I just donated again to Safe Skies. And I've also been making some small donations to help test the United24 App that is in development. They are small amounts, but I know it all adds up. I also emailed my legislators today, to remind them to support Ukraine in every way possible.
In addition, I will be returning to volunteer in Ukraine in June. I will get to provide trauma care to civilians in the recently de-occupied areas in the south and east. I am very anxious to get back there. The experiences that people shared with me last month, when I was there, are powerful and disturbing. The occupation was brutal, and the continued strikes, day and night, are grueling.
💙💛🫂 Thank you for doing what you can... Perhaps reach out to Tim Mak who does "The Counteroffensive" Substack on on-the-ground stories from inside Ukraine - would love to read about your work 👏
Just donated $600 to Come Back Alive. Thank you for the suggestion. Previous contributions have been to Safe Skies; the opportunity to help frontline soldiers hold off the Orcs seems more urgent than ever with Congress - or its Putin wing (love that) - dithering.
RE: Calling House members. Here are two things that have worked for me to get attention on a call:
(1) ASK A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THE REPRESENTATIVE'S ACTIONS (OR INACTION). I ask if the member has signed onto Discharge Petition #9, sponsored by James McGovern (D-MA). If a majority of the House signed, it would bring the bipartisan Senate-passed Ukraine funding bill to the floor, and Mike Johnson won't be able to block the vote. The petition is closing in on 200 signatures--we're almost there!
(2) TELL THE REPRESENTATIVE HOW UKRAINE AID BRINGS MONEY AND JOBS TO HER/HIS STATE (or better yet, district). The flip side, of course, is that failure to pass the defense aid potentially *costs* the state/district that money and those jobs. There are state-by-state data you can use:
One member I called is in a district with a facility that makes parts for the HIMARS system. The representative had not signed the discharge petition. The staffer I spoke to didn't know about the HIMARS manufacturer/Ukraine connection, and took time to note the information. When I checked the petition status a couple of days later, the representative had signed.
Thanks for the tips, but, at least in my state, highlighting the $$ going to US manufacturing in the weapons industry won’t help much because we don’t do much in that area. Indeed, according to that Politico article, it often doesn’t help even in the states that do, to wit:
“ But highlighting the defense spending at the core of Ukraine aid has had little effect on a party that, for decades, was defined by its hawkishness and, under Trump, its advocacy for revitalizing domestic manufacturing.
Sen. J.D. VANCE (R-Ohio), a prominent skeptic of Ukraine funding, dismissed the focus on domestic investment as a “weird two-step.” He said he’d support pouring more money into the defense industry — just not for the purpose of continuing aid to Ukraine.
Crow, a former Army Ranger, appeared to be coming to terms with the fact that this argument would not persuade GOP skeptics. Maybe, he reasoned, no argument would.
“It hasn’t resonated with some folks on the far right,” Crow said, “because they simply are only listening to what Donald Trump is telling them. Period.”..”
I agree with you, Ann, that probably nothing will move the needle for congresspersons like Vance and my district's (non)representative Jeff Van Drew. But political self-interest might move at least some others who cannot be persuaded by appeals to principle. The map I linked to shows which states have defense-industrial facilities relevant to Ukraine funding. (N.B.: Louisiana is not one of them.) Calls could be targeted there.
Thanks, Nancy, but my experience with other issues is that the people in Congress don’t listen to you if you don’t live in their district and can’t vote either for them or against them. All they really care about is getting reelected and keeping their cushy jobs in DC.
What a brilliant idea to tie the information of aid to Ukraine to local manufacturing jobs. I know this but so many do not and just think that pallet full of dollars and sent over to Ukraine and disappear.
With members of Congress, it's kind of a two-fer. For those who care about the well-being of their districts and constituents, they get actionable facts. For those who care mostly about keeping their own jobs, they get a warning that their constituents aren't all the passive ignoramuses such members think they are.
Thank you Prof Snyder. I just donated to Safe Skies and have an ongoing contribution to Razom. And this is thanks to you. I hope when Ukraine is free of this war they will give you the order of merit or whatever their highest honor is, if you haven’t received it already. Respect.
"Today, I had a very interesting and useful meeting with Timothy Snyder, a well-known historian, Professor at Yale University and a great friend of Ukraine. Mr. Snyder did a lot to make our country, our people, and our history known and understood in the world. His books are well known to Ukrainian and international readers. And soon there will be another book, he is preparing it now.
I was pleased to share some memories of both February 24 and the events of the previous time. We discussed the nature of Russian aggression, propaganda, and the evil that the occupiers are doing. They will definitely be responsible for everything they have done on Ukrainian land."
💙💛💖💞Zelensky has a masterful comms team & is himself masterful in finding & elevating positive role models... Prof Snyder is a treasure in helping our understanding of the real history (& present) of Ukraine.
Thank goodness my representative, @RepLloydDoggett
(D, TX-37), is so pro-Ukraine that he's been writing letters to the White House demanding that President Biden send not just more weapons, but longer-range weapons. Republicans here in Austin have been doing their best to punish us for the last ~15 years, including making it impossible for him to win by gerrymandering him out of Austin after the 2010 census, so that he had to run in San Antonio, the result being that for 10 years Austin got useless crackpot Rs. That changed after the 2020 census, when we got him back. The state government here constantly harasses us. They really do believe we're communists. Right-wingers in Texas have been calling us "The People's Republic of Austin" for years. When the city council unanimously passed a plastic bag ban in 2012, the state of Texas sued us and won. But because it took 5 years for the lawsuit to work its way through the court system, we got used to bringing our own bags to the supermarket and most of us still do. So there! pfffth! So much for letting the localities decide.
Didn't know about Liberty Ukraine Foundation, run mostly by Texans. I'll check that one out. Have donated to the others and will continue to do so.
Thank you, Prof Snyder. This reminder, and the others you have provided, are needed to encourage each of us to continue comprehensive support and to explicitly state commitment behind that support.
Thank you for the reminder this is all one fight, on multiple fronts. I'm writing, calling, donating, joined a US voter registration postcard campaign and go online happily bonking (combating disinformation) and donating as a member of NAFO. My Representative is alas one of the Democratic Socialists who joined hands with MAGAts refusing to let Ukraine get aid because Israel aid is in the bill. Ironically Gaza was too. But generally this alignment is a split, ominous for November. Not enough press inches for Mike Johnson's remark a few days ago that he'd seek to fund Ukraine after the recess, but only if tied to opening the spigot on ruszian gas. Anyone else see the irony? Johnson has ties to ruszian oligarchs who pretended to have a gas company that functioned only to dish out political money. He was forced to return a $60+ K campaign donation but there's still a smell of influence, here and elsewhere. What else can we do, though, but keep going and remember nothing is permanent.
Tim's very first recommendation is: "U.S. voters can make phone calls to make sure that American does the right thing. Mark your calendar for a day next week and a day following week to call your Congressional representative."
Here is the raw version of the hotlink Tim shared in his post-- when cut and pasted it is guaranteed to make sure the interactivity comes through.
For many of us, writing feels more comfortable than leaving a voice message or speaking into a Congressional staffer's ear, but political strategists are clear that the phone calls are exponentially more effective.
This is worthwhile doing in all states, but if you know people in problem states, especially cool to get them sharing the link. Note that members of Congress only accept input from their own constituents.
If you discover "issues" please share them below, and these will be conveyed to the right people at RAZOM, and helpful to improve the process. So important right now.
I wrote my Congressional Representative (Elise Stefanik) when the Ukraine funding was being held up because of the southern border issues. At the time I contacted her the talks on the border had broken down completely. I pointed this out and suggested that therefore Ukraine funding should pass. She did respond and later informed me of a bill she sponsored to vet Ukraine funding to make sure it was going where it was supposed to. I felt this was a good thing, as Americans would be leary of foreign funding and this could allay those fears and help Ukraine get the funding it needs. She is very much a Trump supporter, but she is very aware of the threat from Putin. President Zelensky himself wants help from both Democrats and Republicans in his countrys' fight to survive.
Dennis, that’s nice that Stefanik sent you an email about a bill to send aid to Ukraine but wherein such aid was coupled with a system to vet where the aid was going. However, it was a sorta kinda lie. The truth is that there is already a system in place to track the money, etc, that goes to Ukraine, and we know exactly where all the weapons we send them go, so this story from the MAGA republicans in Congress is just that, a story. The WSJ had an entire video explanation awhile back that explained in detail how the US tracks the Ukraine aid. For one thing, most of the $$, especially in the stalled legislation, is not going to Ukraine, it’s going to go to the US weapons manufacturers so we can resupply our weapons stocks after sending our older munitions to Ukraine. So what is stalled is a bill to send weapons to,Ukraine and fund their replacements in the US. Elise Stefanik knows this. She already knows where everything is going and is just lying to you that we need “accountability”. It’s a GOP ruse to control to stall.
Yes, you're probably right. I just think that any Republicans that are for the liberation of Ukraine should be encouraged. If that means agreeing to this legislation if it would help convince other Republicans to help support Ukraine then maybe it's worthwhile. She did indicate support for Ukraine when she wrote back. She also knocked Bidens' policies as well, no surprise. About which I was disappointed in how Biden dribbled out weapons in the first year of the war. I just feel we should look for Ukraine help wherever we can find it.
Thank you for the fullsome explanation of accounting of aid to Ukraine. Yes Stefanik is employing a deceptive ruse strategy. My Republican congress person is doing the same and sent me an email I guess trying to throw me offf his trail of lies.
Indeed, Nellie. When I sent my GOP congressman an email through his congressional website, and demanding a response, I got back a 6 paragraph essay. The first 3 paragraphs were all about the need to verify where all the money and munitions were going because of all the corruption and stealing going on in Ukraine. The second 3 paragraphs were about how evil Putin was and how necessary it was to help all the innocent Ukrainians being killed and hurt by the war. The message seemed to be that Russia was evil, the civilians in Ukraine were innocent, but the Ukrainian government and military were corrupt and couldn’t be trusted. This particular guy has voted against aid to Ukraine for over a year. I may try a phone call, but from experience, I know that his staffers are young right wing Trumpsters who would follow the party line right off the cliff and into the sea. I live in a ruby red state run by the GOP and I’m an outlier both in my state and my district. I don’t believe for one minute that harassing these people on the phone will get you anywhere.
Thank you Dr. Snyder. I'm grateful for your posts. This is the third time I
have donated to Safe Skies. I also donated to 1 Team 1 Fight. Would you write something about how the Discharge Petition to support Ukraine is going. I wish that process was more reported on. Thank you again.
Hi, Robert. I found this link about the Discharge Petition helpful. Of course, not much is happening now due to Congress being in recess. Hopefully, after the Easter holiday, things will pick up again.
Thanks for these links. I just donated to safe skies and will make another donation if you will post these links every month for those of us on Social Security. I can do a different one each month if you’ll drop a reminder.
Thank you for this valuable summary of places to support Ukraine. From experience on other issues, phone calls and postcards can make a difference. Numbers matter. I
If you're looking for an amount between $6 and $60, and can't decide how much, perhaps think of splitting $36 six ways, or any other multiple of $6 that fits your budget, or matches the challenges to which you're most connected.
Thanks for sending us this and I just donated to Safe Skies. The horrifying sentence is this: "It's been six months since meaningful U.S. aid has reached Ukraine." I wonder how Mike Johnson can sleep at night. He could bring it to the House floor but obviously is too worried about Marjorie Taylor Greene's reaction. And, he professes to be a Christian.
Isn’t he doing the Authoritarian, Trump’s bidding by barring a vote on Ukraine? The Democrats could protect Johnson from Marjorie Taylor Greene if he would fund Ukraine.
Only the Speaker can bring the motion to the floor. It would then pass. Until he brings it to the floor, there is little the Democrats can do.
This is not correct, Kit. Motions can be brought to the floor by discharge petition. Granted, it's not easy and therefore is seldom used. But because it disempowers the Speaker, it can be a tool to increase pressure on Johnson. Discharge Petition #9, sponsored by Jim McGovern (D-MA), had 191 signatures the last time I looked; 218 are needed. It's close.
You are correct but do you really think there are five Republicans who will have the courage to sign it?
Nothing is for sure, Kit. But remember, there are a couple of Republicans who are leaving. Ken Buck, the Republican from Colorado, signed the petition as one of his last acts before leaving Congress. More could follow.
There are enough Republicans to pass it, if all of the Democrats support it, which they won't. Ukraine aid is tied to Israeli aid.
The problem with getting a discharge petition passed is that the current bill combines aid for Ukraine with aid for Israel. They need to be on two separate bills in order to pass via discharge petition.
What I mean is, if Johnson did bring the vote to the floor and one of the MAGAs tried to take him out, Democrats could prevent that.
But there’s something weird about Johnson and money.
My understanding is that Johnson is money starved so that makes him vulnerable- like Trump.
Isn't it somewhat unconstitutional to be taking orders from an exPresident?
I would think so.
Mike Johnson, et al in the maga wing of us politics, following as true believers of their mesmerizing lord trump is a NAZI (critique that however you wish), as were the followers of their lord a.h. In James W. Bernauer, S.J.'s book "Auschwitz & Absolution," he notes a quotation from Katharina von Kellenbach's "The Mark of Cain." Attributed to the catholic priest Karl Morgenschweis, "We didn't go to war (and make no mistake, johnson and the party known as trump have gone to war on the side or putin's government) to appear as criminals, we were filled with ideals called people and fatherland (congruent with their view of immigrants as animals)." I can hear the same words from johnson and the trump gaggle if they ever faced trial as traitors to the world.
I have been writing and calling (for the past 6 weeks almost 3 to 4 times per week) my congressman who claims that he supports Ukraine but I have not received any response from him. I urged him to encourage his colleagues and the speaker to vote to support Ukraine or sign a discharge petition. I also tried to schedule an appointment with him during his "vacation" by calling 3 times but I cannot get an appointment. His local aide was rude and claims he sent my message to the scheduler but still no response and told me that the congressman doesn't have time to respond to all emails and requests.
We also called the Speaker but again I cannot get a response or even talk to a person, especially because we do not live in his district This week, the speaker's voice mail was apparently turned off. I feel hopeless because I cannot offer words of encouragement to my Ukrainian friend who is waiting for a miracle that she feels will never happen.
Rosanne, huge thanks and admiration. It is entirely possible that the speaker's voice mail being turned off is a good sign, and that your calls and those of others have successfully disrupted operations in this office. A political strategist told me that's what you want in these situations...to send the message and keep the staff so busy that it raises eyebrows. They count the unique voters unduplicated count) who weigh in on specific issues. Don't worry about hearing a practical reassurance or getting warm fuzzies back. That's what we're for:)
You did (and are doing) the right thing(s).
Hurray for you, Roseanne!
What I have advocated doing is sending the Speaker a postcard to his Washington, D.C. office asking him to "bring H.R. 815 to the House floor for a vote:
The Hon. Mike Johnson
Speaker of the House of Reps
568 Cannon House Office Building
Washington, D.C. 20515
I added this: "Please also consider donating to Ukraine - https://u24.gov/ua as there are many projects to choose from that are non-military."
I have donated first to world central kitchen and doctors without borders and more recently to one of Professor Snyder's recommended charities.
Great minds think alike, Rosanne! I donate to both of those organizations as well.
World Central Kitchen just announced a million dollar match of donations in Canada. https://canada.saveukraineua.org/
I have been making calls, too, and I have not been able to get straight answers about Ukraine from Republicans. The exception is my district's representative, Jeff Van Drew, who is infamously maga all the way down and is open about his refusal to fund Ukraine. My sense is most Republicans are simply too intimidated to take a public-facing position.
It is possible to contact House members, including the speaker, using the contact form on their official website. The Zip code wall can be circumvented. Go to the form, and see what identifying information is required. You'll be able to figure out how to get through.
The Republicans might well be intimidated by Trump, but he is a Putin sycophant -- they've totally forgotten about Putin, or don't think he's the one to worry about. They will not be trusted by Putin after what they've done in America.
In other words, your democracy is fukt
I just donated again to Safe Skies. And I've also been making some small donations to help test the United24 App that is in development. They are small amounts, but I know it all adds up. I also emailed my legislators today, to remind them to support Ukraine in every way possible.
In addition, I will be returning to volunteer in Ukraine in June. I will get to provide trauma care to civilians in the recently de-occupied areas in the south and east. I am very anxious to get back there. The experiences that people shared with me last month, when I was there, are powerful and disturbing. The occupation was brutal, and the continued strikes, day and night, are grueling.
Leanna, please keep us posted on your volunteer work. I'd love to have detailed accounts, assuming you have the time.
I sincerely thank you for your service to Ukraine, Leanna.
💙💛🫂 Thank you for doing what you can... Perhaps reach out to Tim Mak who does "The Counteroffensive" Substack on on-the-ground stories from inside Ukraine - would love to read about your work 👏
Just donated $600 to Come Back Alive. Thank you for the suggestion. Previous contributions have been to Safe Skies; the opportunity to help frontline soldiers hold off the Orcs seems more urgent than ever with Congress - or its Putin wing (love that) - dithering.
RE: Calling House members. Here are two things that have worked for me to get attention on a call:
(1) ASK A SPECIFIC QUESTION ABOUT THE REPRESENTATIVE'S ACTIONS (OR INACTION). I ask if the member has signed onto Discharge Petition #9, sponsored by James McGovern (D-MA). If a majority of the House signed, it would bring the bipartisan Senate-passed Ukraine funding bill to the floor, and Mike Johnson won't be able to block the vote. The petition is closing in on 200 signatures--we're almost there!
(2) TELL THE REPRESENTATIVE HOW UKRAINE AID BRINGS MONEY AND JOBS TO HER/HIS STATE (or better yet, district). The flip side, of course, is that failure to pass the defense aid potentially *costs* the state/district that money and those jobs. There are state-by-state data you can use:
Scroll the article to get a map:
https://www.politico.com/newsletters/west-wing-playbook/2024/02/29/when-the-jobs-argument-falls-flat-00144155
Here's the dollars & cents breakdown, from the American Enterprise Institute:
https://www.aei.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/Ukraine-DIB-Print-outs-11-29.pdf?x91208
One member I called is in a district with a facility that makes parts for the HIMARS system. The representative had not signed the discharge petition. The staffer I spoke to didn't know about the HIMARS manufacturer/Ukraine connection, and took time to note the information. When I checked the petition status a couple of days later, the representative had signed.
Thank you for your efforts. We are honored to have Jim McGovern as our Rep. sponsoring this discharge petition.
Thank you for electing such an honorable Representative!
He's been good for years. We'll keep him.
👍🏾Great information Re how to approach lobbying reps... Pity the jobs-making-Ukraine-equipment line doesn't get more air play 💯
Thanks for the tips, but, at least in my state, highlighting the $$ going to US manufacturing in the weapons industry won’t help much because we don’t do much in that area. Indeed, according to that Politico article, it often doesn’t help even in the states that do, to wit:
“ But highlighting the defense spending at the core of Ukraine aid has had little effect on a party that, for decades, was defined by its hawkishness and, under Trump, its advocacy for revitalizing domestic manufacturing.
Sen. J.D. VANCE (R-Ohio), a prominent skeptic of Ukraine funding, dismissed the focus on domestic investment as a “weird two-step.” He said he’d support pouring more money into the defense industry — just not for the purpose of continuing aid to Ukraine.
Crow, a former Army Ranger, appeared to be coming to terms with the fact that this argument would not persuade GOP skeptics. Maybe, he reasoned, no argument would.
“It hasn’t resonated with some folks on the far right,” Crow said, “because they simply are only listening to what Donald Trump is telling them. Period.”..”
I agree with you, Ann, that probably nothing will move the needle for congresspersons like Vance and my district's (non)representative Jeff Van Drew. But political self-interest might move at least some others who cannot be persuaded by appeals to principle. The map I linked to shows which states have defense-industrial facilities relevant to Ukraine funding. (N.B.: Louisiana is not one of them.) Calls could be targeted there.
Thanks, Nancy, but my experience with other issues is that the people in Congress don’t listen to you if you don’t live in their district and can’t vote either for them or against them. All they really care about is getting reelected and keeping their cushy jobs in DC.
100% correct, Ann--unfortunately.
Nancy
What a brilliant idea to tie the information of aid to Ukraine to local manufacturing jobs. I know this but so many do not and just think that pallet full of dollars and sent over to Ukraine and disappear.
I'm thankful to Politico and its sources!
With members of Congress, it's kind of a two-fer. For those who care about the well-being of their districts and constituents, they get actionable facts. For those who care mostly about keeping their own jobs, they get a warning that their constituents aren't all the passive ignoramuses such members think they are.
Thank you Prof Snyder. I just donated to Safe Skies and have an ongoing contribution to Razom. And this is thanks to you. I hope when Ukraine is free of this war they will give you the order of merit or whatever their highest honor is, if you haven’t received it already. Respect.
The President is grateful, PS.
https://www.president.gov.ua/en/news/z-pochatku-veresnya-zvilneno-vzhe-blizko-2-tisyach-kilometri-77661
"Today, I had a very interesting and useful meeting with Timothy Snyder, a well-known historian, Professor at Yale University and a great friend of Ukraine. Mr. Snyder did a lot to make our country, our people, and our history known and understood in the world. His books are well known to Ukrainian and international readers. And soon there will be another book, he is preparing it now.
I was pleased to share some memories of both February 24 and the events of the previous time. We discussed the nature of Russian aggression, propaganda, and the evil that the occupiers are doing. They will definitely be responsible for everything they have done on Ukrainian land."
Also: https://www.polskieradio.pl/395/9766/Artykul/3064861,Zelensky-thanks-distinguished-Yale-historian-Timothy-Snyder
💙💛💖💞Zelensky has a masterful comms team & is himself masterful in finding & elevating positive role models... Prof Snyder is a treasure in helping our understanding of the real history (& present) of Ukraine.
Thank goodness my representative, @RepLloydDoggett
(D, TX-37), is so pro-Ukraine that he's been writing letters to the White House demanding that President Biden send not just more weapons, but longer-range weapons. Republicans here in Austin have been doing their best to punish us for the last ~15 years, including making it impossible for him to win by gerrymandering him out of Austin after the 2010 census, so that he had to run in San Antonio, the result being that for 10 years Austin got useless crackpot Rs. That changed after the 2020 census, when we got him back. The state government here constantly harasses us. They really do believe we're communists. Right-wingers in Texas have been calling us "The People's Republic of Austin" for years. When the city council unanimously passed a plastic bag ban in 2012, the state of Texas sued us and won. But because it took 5 years for the lawsuit to work its way through the court system, we got used to bringing our own bags to the supermarket and most of us still do. So there! pfffth! So much for letting the localities decide.
Didn't know about Liberty Ukraine Foundation, run mostly by Texans. I'll check that one out. Have donated to the others and will continue to do so.
Thank you, Prof Snyder. This reminder, and the others you have provided, are needed to encourage each of us to continue comprehensive support and to explicitly state commitment behind that support.
Thank you for the reminder this is all one fight, on multiple fronts. I'm writing, calling, donating, joined a US voter registration postcard campaign and go online happily bonking (combating disinformation) and donating as a member of NAFO. My Representative is alas one of the Democratic Socialists who joined hands with MAGAts refusing to let Ukraine get aid because Israel aid is in the bill. Ironically Gaza was too. But generally this alignment is a split, ominous for November. Not enough press inches for Mike Johnson's remark a few days ago that he'd seek to fund Ukraine after the recess, but only if tied to opening the spigot on ruszian gas. Anyone else see the irony? Johnson has ties to ruszian oligarchs who pretended to have a gas company that functioned only to dish out political money. He was forced to return a $60+ K campaign donation but there's still a smell of influence, here and elsewhere. What else can we do, though, but keep going and remember nothing is permanent.
You are a powerful force for good, Kate. Go you!!!!!!!!
Part of self care to connect and participate, otherwise I'd *only* be fretting. Still fretting plenty.
Despair and whining not a useful option
Thank you. I'm sure you are, too!
wow thanks Kate didn't know this stuff.
Thanks back!
Tim's very first recommendation is: "U.S. voters can make phone calls to make sure that American does the right thing. Mark your calendar for a day next week and a day following week to call your Congressional representative."
Here is the raw version of the hotlink Tim shared in his post-- when cut and pasted it is guaranteed to make sure the interactivity comes through.
https://www.votervoice.net/RAZOMFORUKRAINE/Campaigns/111124/Respond
For many of us, writing feels more comfortable than leaving a voice message or speaking into a Congressional staffer's ear, but political strategists are clear that the phone calls are exponentially more effective.
This is worthwhile doing in all states, but if you know people in problem states, especially cool to get them sharing the link. Note that members of Congress only accept input from their own constituents.
If you discover "issues" please share them below, and these will be conveyed to the right people at RAZOM, and helpful to improve the process. So important right now.
As a Canadian with Ukrainian heritage, a father, and a grandfather, I have contributed to this "Safe Skies Project".
All humans with any heart in these evil rich times are feeling angry, sad, and often powerless.
I offer this prayer of strength at our Easter time to preserve our Democracy here against Trump and preserve the Ukraine people against Putin's evil
"St. Joseph and St. Michael the Archangel defend us [them] in battle.
Be our [their] defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil [advocates and agents],
May God rebuke them we humbly pray,
And do thou O Prince of the heavenly hosts by the power of God,
Cast into hell Satin [Putin, Trump] and all evil spirits,
Who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls,
Amen."
I love the amended prayer. It’s beautiful. 🙏
I wrote my Congressional Representative (Elise Stefanik) when the Ukraine funding was being held up because of the southern border issues. At the time I contacted her the talks on the border had broken down completely. I pointed this out and suggested that therefore Ukraine funding should pass. She did respond and later informed me of a bill she sponsored to vet Ukraine funding to make sure it was going where it was supposed to. I felt this was a good thing, as Americans would be leary of foreign funding and this could allay those fears and help Ukraine get the funding it needs. She is very much a Trump supporter, but she is very aware of the threat from Putin. President Zelensky himself wants help from both Democrats and Republicans in his countrys' fight to survive.
Dennis, that’s nice that Stefanik sent you an email about a bill to send aid to Ukraine but wherein such aid was coupled with a system to vet where the aid was going. However, it was a sorta kinda lie. The truth is that there is already a system in place to track the money, etc, that goes to Ukraine, and we know exactly where all the weapons we send them go, so this story from the MAGA republicans in Congress is just that, a story. The WSJ had an entire video explanation awhile back that explained in detail how the US tracks the Ukraine aid. For one thing, most of the $$, especially in the stalled legislation, is not going to Ukraine, it’s going to go to the US weapons manufacturers so we can resupply our weapons stocks after sending our older munitions to Ukraine. So what is stalled is a bill to send weapons to,Ukraine and fund their replacements in the US. Elise Stefanik knows this. She already knows where everything is going and is just lying to you that we need “accountability”. It’s a GOP ruse to control to stall.
Yes, you're probably right. I just think that any Republicans that are for the liberation of Ukraine should be encouraged. If that means agreeing to this legislation if it would help convince other Republicans to help support Ukraine then maybe it's worthwhile. She did indicate support for Ukraine when she wrote back. She also knocked Bidens' policies as well, no surprise. About which I was disappointed in how Biden dribbled out weapons in the first year of the war. I just feel we should look for Ukraine help wherever we can find it.
Ann
Thank you for the fullsome explanation of accounting of aid to Ukraine. Yes Stefanik is employing a deceptive ruse strategy. My Republican congress person is doing the same and sent me an email I guess trying to throw me offf his trail of lies.
Indeed, Nellie. When I sent my GOP congressman an email through his congressional website, and demanding a response, I got back a 6 paragraph essay. The first 3 paragraphs were all about the need to verify where all the money and munitions were going because of all the corruption and stealing going on in Ukraine. The second 3 paragraphs were about how evil Putin was and how necessary it was to help all the innocent Ukrainians being killed and hurt by the war. The message seemed to be that Russia was evil, the civilians in Ukraine were innocent, but the Ukrainian government and military were corrupt and couldn’t be trusted. This particular guy has voted against aid to Ukraine for over a year. I may try a phone call, but from experience, I know that his staffers are young right wing Trumpsters who would follow the party line right off the cliff and into the sea. I live in a ruby red state run by the GOP and I’m an outlier both in my state and my district. I don’t believe for one minute that harassing these people on the phone will get you anywhere.
Dennis
Stefanik is just deflecting the real support for Ukraine. That bill will not pass the Senate so its a Johnson delaying tactic
Together we make a difference:
“All mankind would have perished then for sure
If tyrants could have quenched the tiny spark
Of love to brother-man which still survived
And in the hearts of some still lived and glowed.
That spark did glow, it would not be put out,
But glimmered till it burst into a flame
Which blazed and banished all the darkness drear,
And light became the mistress of the world!”
~ Lesya Ukrainka, 1871-1913, Ukrainian Poet
(excerpt from “Grandfather’s Fairy Tale,” translation by P. Cundy)
💙💛💞
Thank you Dr. Snyder. I'm grateful for your posts. This is the third time I
have donated to Safe Skies. I also donated to 1 Team 1 Fight. Would you write something about how the Discharge Petition to support Ukraine is going. I wish that process was more reported on. Thank you again.
Hi, Robert. I found this link about the Discharge Petition helpful. Of course, not much is happening now due to Congress being in recess. Hopefully, after the Easter holiday, things will pick up again.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vTaMB3k5Z37OAM8HEMhDtwbLGzwn1wDXSNcoTmXEJbpfbacfp-m0fJGyb36lcNOhgqGO5-bArbibS5a/pubhtml?gid=614612044&single=true
Thank you so much Lynell !!!
You're welcome, Robert!!
Thanks for these links. I just donated to safe skies and will make another donation if you will post these links every month for those of us on Social Security. I can do a different one each month if you’ll drop a reminder.
Thank you for this valuable summary of places to support Ukraine. From experience on other issues, phone calls and postcards can make a difference. Numbers matter. I
If you're looking for an amount between $6 and $60, and can't decide how much, perhaps think of splitting $36 six ways, or any other multiple of $6 that fits your budget, or matches the challenges to which you're most connected.