Glory to Ukraine!
Glory to the defenders of Ukraine and the entire modern civilization!
- The Russian Finance Minister in the US discussed financial cooperation and interaction
- The Supreme Court allowed Trump to build his “ballroom.” Special opinion of Chief Justice Roberts
- The virtual world of the 47th president and reality: war with Iran and Venezuelan oil
- A temporary budget was adopted in the US until December 11
▶ This year, the US is chairing the G20 and, accordingly, organizing the summit of this informal intergovernmental organization (it will be held in December in Florida), as well as all meetings preceding the summit.
US Treasury Secretary Bessent, accordingly, invited the finance ministers of the G20 countries to the meeting, including the finance minister of the evil empire Siluanov. For the first time since February 2022, the Russian minister personally participated in such a meeting. His participation in the finance ministers’ meeting sparked protest from European ministers. But the US is the host of the meeting. They invite whom they deem necessary. European ministers refused to be photographed with Siluanov. The organizers had to take a photo of the participants without him.
However, Bessent held a separate meeting with Siluanov. They discussed “issues” of financial cooperation and interaction. A very original agenda for a meeting between the US Treasury Secretary and the chief accountant of the evil empire. According to American media, Bessent informed Siluanov that sanctions against Russia would not be lifted and joint projects would not develop until the war ends.
At the opening of the ministers’ meeting, Bessent stated that one of its main tasks was to develop financial measures against Iran. Well, here, of course, the chief accountant of Iran’s main ally is the “best” interlocutor for developing such measures.
Actually, after the red carpet for Putin in Anchorage, Siluanov’s invitation is not surprising.
It’s interesting whether Trump will invite Putin to Florida for the summit in December? And if he does, will Putin dare to fly there? And if he does, will European leaders boycott events with Putin’s participation in that case?
However, Trump will not be able to agree on anything with Putin. He couldn’t manage it even after meeting him three times as the 45th president, nor in Anchorage, just like Bush Jr. and Obama couldn’t reach any agreement with him. Even Biden tried to negotiate but realized it was impossible and refused any further contact with him.
Meanwhile, leaders of the SCO – the Shanghai Cooperation Organization – gathered in Bishkek. The anti-West assembled. Those who cannot definitively decide where their countries’ future lies – in the civilization of democracies or in an alliance of dictatorships and authoritarian regimes – joined this anti-West coalition. It is impossible to belong to both. This is how events are unfolding in today’s world.
Nor can one stand above all, as the 47th president of the USA would have liked. In his concept, there would be an organization of cooperation of “strong men” who would rule the world. And everyone else would have to listen to their “strong men.”
▶ On Monday, the U.S. Supreme Court, by a majority of one vote (5-4), decided that Trump could continue the construction of his “ballroom” near the White House. The decision was opposed by three liberal judges and the conservative Chief Justice John Roberts. Five Republican judges voted “for” – three Trump appointees and two extremely conservative, fully politicized Republican judges – Alito and Thomas.
The Supreme Court reviewed Trump’s appeal against the decision of the district and appellate courts of the District of Columbia, which had ruled that to ensure the lawsuit from the historical and cultural monument protection organization, the construction must be frozen until the case’s merit is examined. The Supreme Court canceled this preventive measure of the lower courts and ruled that construction could continue. The majority of five judges wrote in their decision that it is not considering the legality of the construction (this issue is yet to be reviewed by the lower courts) but believes construction can proceed while the case is being examined, as otherwise, the Trump administration may suffer “irreparable harm.”
In a dissenting opinion written by Chief Justice Roberts, it is stated that the construction is most likely illegal.
The monument protection organization insists on the illegality of the construction without Congress’s decision, as the federal District of Columbia belongs to the American people, and only Congress, as the representative body of the people, can decide what can be built or demolished in the District of Columbia.
Trump celebrates victory. He has demolished the historic East Wing of the White House. The site is now all torn up, and the president promises the “best ballroom” of all time, asserting that not a cent from the budget will be spent on its construction. However, he is now demanding Congress allocate $900 million for this construction.
One thing is certain – if his project is implemented, and an incongruous building larger than the White House itself is erected nearby, it will mar the historic architectural and park ensemble of the White House in the very center of the American capital.
One aspect of this news deserves a separate commentary – the vote of Chief Justice John Roberts against the decision made by his Republican colleagues. Since a significant Republican majority (6-3) has formed in the Supreme Court, to which Roberts himself belongs, the Chief Justice tries to ensure the court makes decisions by a majority of more than one vote. He probably feels that in this case, the decisions appear more weighty. He knows in advance how the three liberal judges will vote on any case. Because he knows that if a case concerns something clearly prescribed in the Constitution or current laws, the three liberal judges will favor a decision clearly based on the Constitution or relevant laws. And if it concerns something not explicitly mentioned in the laws or procedural issues (as in this case), he also knows that the liberal judges will oppose any court decision that expands executive power at the expense of citizens’ rights or societal interests. Therefore, Roberts apparently discusses with colleagues the parameters of a possible court decision to ascertain which decision his Republican colleagues lean towards. Then he decides for himself whose side to take. Typically, he votes so that the decision is made by a 6-3 or 7-2 majority (Judges Alito and Thomas invariably support Trump on any matters related to him). But in this case, Roberts voted against the decision of his five Republican colleagues. He knew he would remain in the minority, knew that the decision would be taken by a one-vote majority, making it less convincing. It seems this is one of those cases where he was “fed up” with the President’s appeals. And perhaps he feels sorry for Washington’s historic architecture, which Trump is destroying.
However, Judge Roberts will go down in history not for this vote, but for the fact that in the summer of 2024, when considering the appeal of then-presidential candidate Trump against the charges leveled against him in two criminal cases, he “invented” along with five other Republican judges a concept of presidential criminal immunity, according to which the president, performing his duties, can commit any criminal acts without bearing any responsibility.
▶ The Virtual World of the 47th President and Reality.
News from this section comes in constantly, and evidently, it will continue to do so. This process will stop only when the 48th president appears in the USA.
● Trump once again declared that Iran is defeated, that it has neither an air force nor a navy, that it has nothing. Meanwhile, Trump stated that he has not yet employed his strongest weapon against Iran (he did not specify what he meant). In the last three days, the US has resumed attacks on Iranian military targets. In response, Iran is launching ballistic missile strikes at American military bases in Jordan (all missiles intercepted) and at tankers attempting to pass through the Strait of Hormuz.
The resumption of military actions resulted in rising oil prices (from $86 to $91.87 per barrel of Brent just in the last 24 hours), a drop in the American stock market (so far less than 1%), and a continuing rise in interest rates on US and several other developed countries’ bonds.
Neither Trump nor anyone in his administration speaks about the Iranian nuclear program anymore. It seems the war is being waged exclusively over the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, which was open until February 28.
● Trump announced that the US will own almost all of Venezuela’s oil reserves. In reality, the situation is as follows. The Trump administration made an agreement with the interim president put in power by them, Rodriguez, that a company will be created to develop oil extraction in a significant part of Venezuelan wells. The US will have a 35% stake in this company and will also have the right to buy 20% of the extracted oil at its cost price, significantly cheaper than on the open market. Moreover, the company will be headed by a person with a questionable reputation (criminal cases have been initiated against him in Switzerland and Spain). US investments in this project will be made by the Pentagon (it’s interesting where such an expense item is in its budget?).
But where is the complete control over almost all of Venezuela’s oil reserves?
In fact, Trump is facing a problem he cannot solve. Venezuela has the largest oil reserves in the world. However, the fields are neglected, the extraction infrastructure requires complete reconstruction, repairs, and consequently, huge investments. Furthermore, Venezuelan oil is heavy. It requires special processing to produce oil products at regular refineries. American oil companies, which once lost a lot in Venezuela, do not want to make risky investments in its oil industry. And the 47th president cannot force them to invest money where they do not want to.
▶ On Tuesday, after more than a month-long recess, the House of Representatives resumed work. The first thing it did was agree to a temporary budget version with Senate amendments made prior to the summer recess. Thus, both parties reached a rare agreement in our time – during the election campaign period, they definitely do not need another shutdown, and budget disputes are unnecessary. The vote results were 370-48.
The current budget expires on September 30. The new temporary budget will be in effect until December 11. What happens after December 11 will be decided by the current Congress after the elections on November 3. Most likely, it will adopt another temporary budget, leaving it to the newly elected Congress, which will start working on January 3, to pass a new permanent budget. Or another temporary one, as often happens when the White House and Congress cannot reach an agreement on a permanent budget.
There are 872 days left until the end of the story titled “Fear: Trump in the White House” © (title of Bob Woodward’s book published in 2018).
Thank you to everyone who read this. Take care of yourself and your loved ones. Take care of each other, and support each other. Health to you all.
Ultimately, what happens in the world depends on us. On whether we fight evil, do Good, remain mere observers, passively wait and believe that someone somewhere will decide something for us, or fight evil and do everything to ensure that Good prevails.
We must not allow evil to prevail. The victory of evil would mean the end of the world we live in. We cannot allow this. Especially now.
Ukrainian Friends, I embrace and love you all. Please take care of each other.
Ukraine is and always will be.
And evil will be defeated and punished. Undoubtedly.
