This week in Washington, war fever fully took hold. At briefings this week, members of the White House press corps took turns trying to find new ways to push the US into a direct military conflict with Russia. A few months ago, as things were winding down in Congress, I started going to the White House press briefings more often. It’s been interesting to watch the contrast between those briefings and press conferences on Capitol Hill. The biggest difference is the way in which White House reporters ask the same question over and over even if they know they’re not going to get an answer. On the Hill, if a reporter asked Chuck Schumer, for instance, if he planned to put the voting rights bill on the floor, and he said no, it wouldn’t really occur to other reporters to ask the question again. But that’s often what happens at the White House.
Mar 21, 2022·edited Mar 21, 2022Liked by Ryan Grim
This lead comment is correct about the grave problems created by both the dangerous situation concerning the possibility of an escalation from sanctions up to some form of military action, however small, and on the disruption in the trade of commodities, with the most immediate consequences from those affecting agricultural goods: for food and as fertilizers, both of which have Russia as one of the biggest world producers and, until now, suppliers. The problem is likely to be particularly serious for poor countries, especially those without sufficient agricultural productive areas to sustain their populations, such as some in the Africa's Sub-Saharan regions.
I also find appalling the behavior of those White House journalists asking, in essence, why are we not at war with Russia already?, even if they don't quite use those words. They want to secure time for the newscasts? They believe, perhaps, that they will have a lot of time after them and the rest of us, particularly the ones living in the Washington metropolitan area, as
I imagine they do, are incinerated?
One more thing: recently several prominent classical musicians and singers from Russia have had their performances cancelled and the positions as conductors of orchestras terminated, with what to me seem flimsy excuses. I fear this is the beginning of something that has happened in previous wars where the USA took a position in favor of democratic countries under attack by ones ruled by dictators and their antidemocratic parties: the banning of artists from those countries not on the basis of their role in supporting those attacks, but because of their ethnicity.
The recent years' practice of not holding a large inventory showed up early in the pandemic with the shortage of medical supplies. Then recently the Guardian had an article about a farmer ordering a whole crop of onions to be buried because of the shipping backlog. And I thought back to my elementary education (a l-o-o-n-g time ago) when I learned that the government stockpiled things like butter and cheese. Old lessons become new again.
When will we ever learn? When . will . we . ever . learn ?
Another lesson from my post-depression childhood: You don't waste food!
I don't know why Jen doesn't call on you exclusively - you're so much more reasonable than those other "journalists." And I thank you for giving some insight into the madness that is the White House press pool. It is hard to conceive of anyone having the patience to live through that without resorting to violence.
This lead comment is correct about the grave problems created by both the dangerous situation concerning the possibility of an escalation from sanctions up to some form of military action, however small, and on the disruption in the trade of commodities, with the most immediate consequences from those affecting agricultural goods: for food and as fertilizers, both of which have Russia as one of the biggest world producers and, until now, suppliers. The problem is likely to be particularly serious for poor countries, especially those without sufficient agricultural productive areas to sustain their populations, such as some in the Africa's Sub-Saharan regions.
I also find appalling the behavior of those White House journalists asking, in essence, why are we not at war with Russia already?, even if they don't quite use those words. They want to secure time for the newscasts? They believe, perhaps, that they will have a lot of time after them and the rest of us, particularly the ones living in the Washington metropolitan area, as
I imagine they do, are incinerated?
One more thing: recently several prominent classical musicians and singers from Russia have had their performances cancelled and the positions as conductors of orchestras terminated, with what to me seem flimsy excuses. I fear this is the beginning of something that has happened in previous wars where the USA took a position in favor of democratic countries under attack by ones ruled by dictators and their antidemocratic parties: the banning of artists from those countries not on the basis of their role in supporting those attacks, but because of their ethnicity.
The recent years' practice of not holding a large inventory showed up early in the pandemic with the shortage of medical supplies. Then recently the Guardian had an article about a farmer ordering a whole crop of onions to be buried because of the shipping backlog. And I thought back to my elementary education (a l-o-o-n-g time ago) when I learned that the government stockpiled things like butter and cheese. Old lessons become new again.
When will we ever learn? When . will . we . ever . learn ?
Another lesson from my post-depression childhood: You don't waste food!
I don't know why Jen doesn't call on you exclusively - you're so much more reasonable than those other "journalists." And I thank you for giving some insight into the madness that is the White House press pool. It is hard to conceive of anyone having the patience to live through that without resorting to violence.