Help by getting rid of your own corruption

There are, of course, a lot of opinion pieces about what is really going on in Russia and Ukraine. I’ve seen several on Daily Kos and elsewhere and have read a couple of them. However, Sarah Kendzior and Andrea Chalupa of Gaslit Nation usually have a much different take on a topic. I listened to one of their bonus podcasts (available to subscribers) and they talked about the Russia and Ukraine situation for 35 minutes. A simple summary of some of what they talked about: Russian oligarchs are, of course, rich and are well protected by Putin. They have been spreading those riches around, essentially buying off and corrupting the rest of the world, definitely including the US. People become dependent on those riches. Several instances of that corruption were mentioned, such as European leaders who vowed to hold firm on Russia while doing Russia’s bidding. The Ukrainian people are working to keep from being corrupted. When a Ukrainian was asked what was the best way the West could help Ukraine the answer was: Get rid of your own corruption. Chalupa discussed (as she has done several times) why Ukraine matters. She gave three reasons: A war in Ukraine will produce refugees. That’s what wars do. The world already faces a high number of refugees and many of them are climate refugees. That number will increase. As Ukraine’s refugees enter Europe their numbers will make the far-right parties more strident and powerful. They will increase the instability of many countries – which is exactly what Putin wants. Ukraine has a strong tradition of investigative reporting. Much of that is focused on Russia. That tradition has faded in many other countries as corporate conglomerates buy up newspapers and lay off the reporting staff. We need Ukraine alive and whole to keep us informed about what Russia is doing. Russia is hollow. Those at the top are very rich. Everyone else is in or is close to poverty. While the oligarchs have been able to keep control by pushing a strong nationalistic sentiment, it won’t take much for the people to turn on their masters. An incident to cause it might come from the worsening climate situation. A lot of the resistance groups that would lead such an uprising are currently based in Ukraine and working with those investigative reporters. As this situation continues we’re going to hear a lot of Biden bashing, how Biden is incapable of containing Putin. Evidence on why this bashing is appropriate will be America’s chaotic withdrawal from Afghanistan. Even so, America is the only country that is capable of coming to Ukraine’s aid. Kendzior and Chalupa list several countries in Europe and why they would be incapable of effectively responding to Putin. In the rest of an episode that lasted more than an hour Kendzior and Chalupa answered listener’s questions. Here’s some of what they said: It seems the Russian Army along Ukraine’s border is missing a few important things if the goal was invasion, things like medical units. However, just having the Army sitting on the border is a form of psychological terrorism. Just ask the residents of Kyiv who are contemplating laying in supplies, fleeing the country, or volunteering for the military. The actions of Congressional leadership show those in the government are being directed by dark money. That would explain such things as Katie Porter being pulled from her platform to investigate corporations. Even Biden isn’t acting like a leader. He’s acting like someone following some director outside the government. Might Sen. Kyrstin Sinema switch to the Republican Party? She’s certainly voting like a Republican. Also compare the praise she is getting from Republicans with the censure she got from the Arizona Democratic Party. Certainly Sinema is ambitious and will do anything that will bring fame. Switching to the Republican Party is possible, though more likely if she switches it will be to being an independent. The media is treating politics as a game of one party vs. the other. Kendzior has spoken to a few journalists who have said their goal is to work in the government or in their publisher’s management. They want the exposure and power. Those journalists who take their jobs seriously are afraid for their safety. They discussed a case in which an author (I didn’t remember the name) was sued by Russian oligarchs for defamation. This person won the suit, mostly because the publisher covered legal expenses. That is another reason why governments need to go after oligarchs. Governments have the resources and journalists and publishers don’t. Leah McElrath tweeted images from a question on NoStupidQuestions. This one asked how to prepare a home for active wartime. The electricity, heat, water, might be cut. How and where to start a fire? What about sanitation? The answer McElrath included said to establish a formal network of people to help one another with an agreed leadership team. Establish radio (not mobile) communication with a central point. Give what you can – time, energy, tins, nappies, whatever. “The more each person gives the stronger the network becomes and the wider it grows. Nothing is more important to survival and even comfort than other people.” I looked at some of the other answers. They suggest such things as: Have documents ready, especially passport, though also diplomas. Have dollars or euros. Wouldn’t this be a good time to visit family out of the country for three months?