The $61 billion aid package for Ukraine was approved by the House on 4/20/24, and it did contain the authorization to seek Russian funds held in US banks, the "repo" act. The money would have gone to Ukraine's reconstruction, but this vote in the House, certain to be passed in the Senate, enables the reconstruction use as part of the plan. The vote in Congress on the aid was so overwhelming that the message to Putin is: "Do not miscalculate. The US zombies have awakened. " Now Europe has a chance at stability, and China has been put on notice, too. "Hands off of Taiwan".
Why did Speaker Mike Jonson reverse his position to alow a vote on Ukraine aid? Both speculation and his words contain a clue. Johnson is third in line to the presidency and privy to national security briefings. It must have contained some sobering information. Having a fighting-age son entering the Naval Academy, as Johnson does, is also a sobering thought. If Russia directly engaged NATO troops, thinking that Western resolve to help Ukraine was so weak, they could also grab the Baltics and or Poland; our sons, daughters, and grandchildren would have their lives on the line.
The vote was strongly bi-partisan 3 to 1 ratio.https://abcnews.go.com/Politics/house-vote-foreign-aid-bills-ukraine-israel/story?id=109429499. Bi-partisan is a most unusual occurrence in the House. A coalition of the rational and moderates from both parties came together. The majority of GOP legislators still voted against Ukraine aid. https://ca.news.yahoo.com/112-house-republicans-voted-against-175745760.html
Part of the deal, it appears, is that the Democrats would also cross over to keep Johnson as speaker if his right-wing nuts tried to oust him. That is what skilled legislators do, and it helps to have a skilled legislator like Biden in the White House. He knows the art of the legislative deal. It and most of the other elements of the Senate bill also passed.
Now third in line to the presidency and privy to national security briefings. It must have contained some sobering information. Having a fighting-age son entering the Naval Academy, as Johnson does, is also a sobering thought. If Russia directly engaged NATO troops, thinking that Western resolve to help Ukraine was so weak, they could also grab the Baltics and or Poland; our sons, daughters, and grandchildren would have their lives on the line.
Still, there are those who think isolationism is the way to peace or who just oppose anything Biden is for and Trump is against. They are fools and tools of those who are our adversaries. Period.
From an earlier blog post: https://mufticforumblog.blogspot.com/2024/02/message-to-magas-in-house-you-should.html: Plan B: Should Speaker Johnson beat down a movement to force him to bring Ukraine aid to the floor because he knows he would lose if that fails, there may be a plan B to support Ukraine. While this concept was applied to post-Ukraine, assuming it survives this conflict, I wonder if it could be applied to funding military aid. Use of Russian treasure held in Western banks could be tapped. Post-conflict reconstruction was discussed recently by Fareed Zakaria on CNN. Western Nations holding Russian funds should freeze them and set up a reconstruction fund for Ukraine, not only funding Ukrainians from Russian money but also providing a reconstruction fund kept out of the hands of Russia. I am unsure of the legality of this but after I wrote this, I heard the former ambassador to Russia on MSNBC suggest this. He carries enormous weight. We will know the week of Feb. 25 when the House returns to work. and the discharge petition forces Mike Johnson to bring to a vote. Update Feb 25.: on MSNBC review I heard an interview I missed .. Rep Jim Hines believes that will be the ultimate solution. The only question is whether to take the interest of the 300 billion Western banks have in Russia or the principle. If the bulk of it is in Swiss banks, that will be a difficult job, but for the first time in history, the Swiss have been supporting one of the combatants, Ukraine and NATO, instead of being neutral.
https://www.eda.admin.ch/deza/en/home/countries/ukraine.html#:~:text=Switzerland%20supports%20Ukraine%20on%20its,democracy%20and%20strengthen%20local%20governance.
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