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Inside the halls of power and outside on the campaign trail, US politics is a mess.

The leading Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential race, Donald Trump, faces four criminal indictments. The leading Democratic candidate, President Joe Biden, has dismal favorability ratings. The presidential race has so far generated as much positive enthusiasm as a barroom brawl between two old duffers, which in a certain sense it is.

Meanwhile, in Washington, Congress was deadlocked for three weeks in October because the Republican Party couldnt decide on a new Speaker of the House. Finally, the party chose the far-right politician Mike Johnson, whose obscurity was his greatest asset, because he hadnt made enough enemies among his colleagues to sink his candidacy. Obscurity also translates into precious little deal-making experience, which is not a good sign when the federal government faces a shutdown in just a few months, despite a temporary fix, if the two major parties cant agree on a spending bill.

With a year left before Americans go to the polls in yet another supremely consequential election, President Biden is eager to keep the economy on an even keel and demonstrate resolve in the field of foreign policy. The latter has been sorely tested. Not only has the administration attempted to maintain support for Ukraine in its battle against Russian occupation forces, it is now trying to increase military assistance to Israel in its fight against Hamas.

Toward that end, the administration has proposed a $105 billion bill that bundles together military aid to Ukraine and Israel along with funding for Taiwan, increased security at the USMexico border, and some humanitarian assistance for Palestinians.

In typical DC style, the bill contains something for nearly everyone. And yet, it still manages to piss off nearly everyone.

Most of the money earmarked for Ukraine and Israel would actually go to the Pentagon to replenish its stocks of weaponry to send to those countries. Congressional supporters of military spending, who make up the vast majority of lawmakers, should be delighted that, of the $61 billion slated for Ukraine, $44 billion would go to the Pentagon, while $10 billion of the $14 billion for Israel would also go to the military-industrial complex. China hawks will rejoice at the money for Taiwan while MAGA Republicans should be happy about the $13 billion for border security. The bill also includes some of the humanitarian aid to Palestinians that progressives have been urging.

Bundling is a traditional tactic for building consensus in a divided Congress. But it might not work this time, not only because the House is divided but because the Republican Party itself is a house divided.

On the issue of Ukraine, Republicans come in three flavors.

Senator Minority Leader Mitch McConnell heads up the plain vanilla faction. He supports Ukraine because he doesnt like Russia, believes the United States is still locked in a cold war with this evil-ish empire and was horrified by Trumps pro-Putin statements over the years. McConnell is no friend of Bidens, but he buys the administrations frankly distasteful argument that the West is engaged in a civilizational struggle against a common enemy. For these reasons, McConnell has pledged to support the bundled funding in the Senate, though with some important caveats.

Over in the House, Mike Johnson straddles the vanilla faction and the Rocky Road crew: hes a scoop of vanilla with some nuts sprinkled on top. Like McConnell, he is no friend of Russia. We cant allow Vladimir Putin to prevail in Ukraine, because I dont believe it would stop there, and it would probably encourage and empower China to perhaps make a move on Taiwan, Johnson told Fox News. We have these concerns. Were not going to abandon them.

But Johnson has also adopted most of the positions of the nut-filled MAGA faction, from its unmitigated support for Trump to its diehard opposition to abortion. So, despite his aversion to Putin, Johnson has introduced a bill to divide the funding for Israel from the money for Ukraine, presumably so that the far right can register its disapproval of the latter without compromising its approval of the former.

Johnsons colleagues have various problems with the bill. J. D. Vance criticizes the small amount of humanitarian aid for Palestinians. Other Republicans have taken aim at the measure that was included precisely to curry their favor money for border security because suddenly they dont care about money but insist instead on a change in administration policy.

Johnson is a budget-cutter, and he knows that 61% of Republicans believe that the value of aid to Ukraine is not worth the cost (compared to a mere 29% of Democrats). Reducing government spending is a perennial favorite of the Republicans going into an election (as opposed to after they win an election, when they go on a spending spree). As a result, Johnson supports the crowd-pleasing (but budget-busting) tactic of slashing funds for the Internal Revenue Service to pay for the military assistance.

But the leading criticism of the bill, from the far right, concerns Ukraine. Why the skepticism? Vance worries about an endless conflict with no plan from the Biden administration. But Vance and friends are not anti-war, anti-intervention or anti-militarist. The signers of a congressional letter in September to the Biden administration vowing to oppose any further aid to Ukraine, aside from the libertarian Rand Paul, have no problem preparing for an endless conflict with China.

In fact, many of these fixtures of Trumps political universe have a residual affection for Vladimir Putin. In many ways, hes their ideal politician: anti-LGBT, pro-Church, anti-liberal, pro-sovereignty, anti-woke. Hes also the leader of a predominantly white country that has many supporters in white supremacist circles in the West. Finally, Vladimir was one of Donalds best buds. Republican Senate nominee Lauren Witzke summed up the MAGA position when she said back in April 2022 that anyone who supports Ukraine is either transgender, a Satanist, or a straight-up Nazi. Methinks that Witzke doth project too much.

But its not just failed politicians who make these arguments. NATO has been supplying the neo-Nazis in Ukraine with powerful weapons and extensive training on how to use them, Marjorie Taylor-Greene tweeted back in March 2022. Paul Gosar agreed in May 2022 when he said that Ukraine is not our ally. Russia is not our enemy. More recently, Tommy Tuberville claimed that Democrats created the war in Ukraine. Who needs Twitter trolls when US lawmakers indulge in such fictions?

Its one thing to link aid to Ukraine and Israel as a political tactic. Its quite another to make the larger argument that the money goes toward fighting the same enemy. Putin and Hamas have almost nothing in common beyond their militant illiberalism. Putin has turned Russia into an imperial power that has attacked its neighbors, occupied Ukraine, and attempted to establish an international network of illiberal states. Hamas is a reactionary entity that has enough power to commit atrocities but not enough power to occupy territorynot even its own territory of Gaza as the current Israeli invasion demonstrates.

If there are any comparisons to be made between the two regions, Russias counterpart is not Hamas but Israel, an increasingly far-right polity with messianic dreams that has been steadily expanding its control within the already Occupied Territories.

Unfortunately, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has also bought into this civilizational discourse, coming out in strong support of Israel. His statements, however much they reflect his personal outrage at Hamass attacks, are largely directed at US audiences. The Israelis have already indicated, by turning down an offer from Zelensky to visit in solidarity after the Hamas attacks, that there wont be a quid pro quo in terms of boosting their support for Ukraine. So, Zelenskys real goal is to help advance the $105 billion bill in Congress.

Theres a definite downside to this strategy. Zelenskys attempts over the last year to woo Arab states, especially Saudi Arabia, are taking a hit from his defense of Israel. In August, Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting in Jeddah to consolidate support for Ukraines ten-point peace plan. Now, all of that patient diplomacy is at risk. A number of key countries, such as China, Egypt and the UAE, didnt attend a follow-up meeting last weekend in Malta, and Saudi support seems to have dimmed as well.

Putin didnt plan Hamass deadly intervention in Israel, but he must be pleased at the geopolitical consequences. On the other hand, being lumped together with Hamas, conceptually and budget-wise, doesnt do Russia any favors. Ukraines image, at least among a certain class of wavering Republicans, might benefit from the faulty comparison.

The US economy is in relatively good shape, at least according to the conventional indicators: low unemployment, modest growth, tamed inflation. Despite the usual link between pocketbook issues and political favorability, Joe Bidens approval ratings remain in the dumps.

On certain foreign policy issues, however, Biden is doing better. His approval rating on Ukraine is a few points higher than his overall polling. When it comes to US policy toward Israel and Hamas, the gap is even more in Bidens favor.

At this point in the campaign, at least, Biden is building the case that he is the more competent candidate when it comes to global issues. Its not clear, though, whether American voters will care a year from now that Americas reputation is considerably higher around the world under Biden than it was under Trump. Being a competent statesman with an agile secretary of state would certainly guarantee Biden a presidential victory if everyone in the world voted in the US election.

For better or worse, however, only Americans will go to the polls next November. Donald Trump, the likely Republican nominee, will claim that he is the peace candidate, didnt start any wars when he was president, got us out of Afghanistan, and would have restrained the adventurism of both Putin and Netanyahu. All of this is nonsense, but elections rarely bring out the rational side of an electorate.

With the latest supplemental funding bill, the Biden administration hopes that it can help Ukraine win the war and somehow contain the damage of the Israel-Hamas conflict. This is a pipe dream, since US influence is limited. But this new and improved mission to fight a civilizational war, however false the narrative, might prove sufficiently convincing to speed passage of the supplemental funding bill and, in appealing to plain-vanilla conservatives and a few independents, perhaps win a presidential election as well.

[Foreign Policy in Focus first published this piece.]

[Anton Schauble edited this piece.]

The views expressed in this article are the authors own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observers editorial policy.

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Congress Divided on the Funding for Ukraine and Israel - Fair Observer

A graphic showing a phone screen canceling the TikTok logo with the American flag in the background. It is speculated that TikTok has been used to disseminate misinformation and share private user data with the Chinese government. ILLUSTRATED BY BRITTNEY DIETZ/THE STATESMAN

I have always firmly believed that ensuring the safety of American citizens and the national security of the United States surpasses individual liberties, and this is no different when it comes to my unwavering support for banning TikTok.

Joseph Moreno, a Stony Brook University alumnus who formerly served as a federal prosecutor for the United States Department of Justice National Security Division, believes TikToks problematic nature, in the eyes of the U.S. government, lies with its parent company ByteDance.

For several years, the U.S. Defense Department and the Department of Justice both members of the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States have alleged that TikTok has been used to disseminate misinformation and share geolocation and other private user data with the Chinese government, Moreno said. While ByteDance denies these allegations, it has admitted that employees accessed data on American journalists TikTok accounts in the past.

From COVID-19 origins to the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) buying U.S. farmland, China has taken advantage of the U.S.s unwillingness to address their questionable actions; if the U.S. bans TikTok, American dominance in world affairs will be demonstrated, intimidating the CCP at a vital time when China may be invading Taiwan.

Unfortunately, many libertarians such as those in the Republican Party who are nationally known to embrace individual liberties, have not taken the threat of TikTok seriously. For example, Senator Rand Paul blocked legislation that would result in a nationwide TikTok ban, citing freedom of speech as his reasoning. However, banning TikTok does not necessarily constitute an attack on the First Amendment, as other social media platforms are not being banned.

Additionally, current presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy who has claimed to be tough on China has backed down from being against TikTok and now supports it.

Ramaswamy said he changed his mind to reap young Americans votes, which includes compromising and engaging with Generation Z on TikTok. As Ramaswamy has said in an interview with The Hill, I have a radical idea for the Republican Party: We need to win elections. And part of how we win elections is reaching the next generation of young Americans where they are.

No one who prefers to compromise our national security in order to further themselves politically is fit for public office.

We have already seen a ban on the use of TikTok from government devices and systems [in] the United States, many of its states and municipalities (including New York City) and several of its global allies including Australia, Canada, the EU and the U.K., Moreno said. In response, ByteDance claims to be conducting an effort referred to as Project Texas to house U.S. user data in domestic services managed by a U.S.-based team.

China is arguably the most powerful of Americas adversaries. As it is, China has developed alliances with other U.S. adversaries like the Taliban-controlled Afghanistan and Russia. If the U.S. bans TikTok, a message will be sent to the world that we will no longer turn a blind eye to China, or any of our other global competitors who intend to harm our way of life.

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There must be a complete ban on TikTok in the U.S. - Stony Brook Statesman

This weeks CEO Summit: Networking the Nations at Liberty University treated students and guests, including hundreds of influential business leaders, to three days of panels and presentations featuring over 60 prominent national figures in business, entertainment, international trade, technology, politics, sports, and many other fields.

On Tuesday, several African leaders joined a Dialogue with Africa panel discussion that focused on the diverse opportunities that the continent offers to U.S. businesses who wish to invest internationally. Speakers included Tanzanian Ambassador Elsie S. Kanza, Zambian Ambassador Chibamba Kanyama, acclaimed journalist and South Africa native Lara Logan (previously with CBS 60 Minutes), Nigerian Gov. Caleb Mutfwang, who represents the Plateau State, two more ambassadors, and a host of other African guests and U.S. business leaders. Discussions focused on enabling African countries to tap into and trade their abundance of natural resources and human capital with the rest of the world and the ethical and Christian importance of supporting African businesses.

That afternoon, Liberty School of Music hosted and moderated a panel discussion on music, industry, and culture. Guest panelists included Todd Dupler with the Recording Academy, Mitch Glacier with Recording Industry of America, and Greg Ham from OneEight Entertainment.

Later that evening, students were invited to a Future CEO Dinner where they could network with business representatives and hear from keynote speaker former U.S. Secretary of State and newly appointed Distinguished Chair of Libertys Helms School of Government Mike Pompeo.

Wednesday opened with morning sessions on living an intentional life, taking back culture, education, and business. Libertys Cinematic Arts, Zaki Gordon Center hosted a panel featuring actors and producers Kevin and Sam Sorbo, screenwriter Dan Gordon, and Chad Gunderson and Chris Juen, producers of the hit series The Chosen.

U.S. Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida addressed the student body at Convocation, speaking on the intersection of faith and politics. Rubio spoke on the recent atrocities affecting Israel and shared how Christians should stand on their faith in the face of evil. Other political figures who made appearances at Convocation were Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and Pompeo.

Wednesdays afternoon panels included topics such as forecasting Supreme Court decisions in 2024, implementation of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, education, and more. These dialogues included guests such as several Supreme Court clerks; Tom Gruber, the creator of the Siri virtual assistant technology; and multiple CEOs of technology companies.

Wednesdays keynote dinner featured Rubio, The Chosen producers, and the CEO of one of the nations largest home improvement retail stores. Guests also heard from Logan, who shared more about how her faith carried her through her career as a journalist and charged Christians to boldly stand up for their faith. She highlighted the current persecution of Christians in America and internationally.

Liberty President Dr. Dondi Costin thanked the business leaders in attendance for being a part of the summit and investing in the lives of Liberty students.

I love the fact that there are nametags, some of which say CEO and others of which say future CEO, Costin said. Liberty University Trains Champions for Christ. We do it in all kinds of ways, but our job and the mission that God has given us is to take students and over the course of four years pour into them so that they understand completely that their job for the rest of their life is to go into their sphere of influence wherever God leads them, and in that sphere of influence to be Jesus Christ in that place.

Rubio again addressed the current horrors facing Israelis. He spoke about the depravity of human nature as well as the important role that ones faith plays in keeping them on the right path.

Human knowledge without principles and without values rooted in a system of truth is dangerous because it places powerful tools and positions of power in the hands of people who are slaves of human nature, he said.

He said America is not perfect, yet it should serve as a blueprint for how a nation should operate. He attributed the historical success of the United States, as well as the current decline, to the role of family in society.

I always tell people the most important house is not the White House but your house, Rubio said. The most important role that those young people that were there today will ever have in their lives is not their career, their title, how much money they make, or the number of things they have when they die. The most important and influential role they will ever have is the role of a husband or a wife, and the role of a mother or a father.

Several of Thursday mornings panels hinged on governmental issues such as patriotism and national security. Guest panelists included Liberty Provost and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Scott Hicks, former U.S. Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller, retired National Security Advisor to the Vice President of the United Stated Keith Kellogg, retired U.S. Army General Bob Dees, and Heritage Foundation Executive Vice President Derrick Morgan, among others.

Other panels on Thursday centered on how to incorporate faith into the workplace as a CEO, strategies for business growth, solutions to current financial challenges, empowering the powerless through business, and combatting Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) investing and cancel culture.

Thursdays keynote dinner featured U.S. Sen. Rand Paul of Kentucky and the CEO of one of the nations largest soft drink bottlers.

Paul spoke on governmental and ethical failures surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. He emphasized his desire to uncover the truth about what caused the virus as well as prevent future viral outbreaks. He concluded by acknowledging his willingness to serve the American public through his office.

I will honestly critique either party, either president, Paul said. I have in the spending bills, whether they were republican or democrat. I work for you, I work for the people, I work for the Constitution. Im going to continue trying to do that for you.

Prior to the keynote messages, the Sorbos discussed the release of their new movie Miracle in East Texas, and Morgan and American Association of Christian Counselors President Tim Clinton also made speaking appearances.

The annual CEO Summit provides students with access to Libertys extensive network of world-class CEOs, government leaders, innovators, and influencers. Students have the opportunity to build relationships with fellow students and alumni, engage in discussion on major issues in a variety of disciplines, and interact with hundreds of influential leaders across many different industries who provide a Christian perspective on leadership. Students often obtain jobs and internships from the direct networking opportunities available to them at the summit.

This was the best CEO Summit yet because the students played a major role, and all of the deans and the provost expanded the scope and reach of the summit as seen by the great roster of guests, Vice Provost for Engagement and Public Relations Dr. Dave Brat said. Many great testimonials have already come in, noting the role of faith and the final culmination of what faith can look like in the world of business. The closing address shared a profound vision of what business can look like if God truly leads the CEO and the business, making all the difference for the soul and the bottom line.

Brat said that President Costin provided the grand finale to the summit and noted that although next years speakers are yet to be determined, We know God will be here.

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Hundreds of national industry leaders converge at Liberty ... - Liberty University

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The position of U.S. ambassador to Israel wasvacantas of Oct. 11, 2023.

Its one of39ambassador vacancies as of Oct. 2 for which nominees from President Joe Biden are awaiting Senate confirmation, according to the American Foreign Service Association.

The ConstitutionrequiresSenate confirmation. Tom Nidesleftthe Israel ambassadorship in July.

Biden on Sept. 28nominatedformer Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew to succeed Nides.

Nine days later, the Palestinian group Hamas,designatedby the U.S. as a terrorist organization,attackedIsrael. Israel, a U.S.ally, in turndeclaredwar.

The Senate Foreign Relations CommitteeannouncedOct. 9 it would hold a confirmationhearingfor Lew on Oct. 18.

In July, Secretary of State Antony BlinkensaidSenate diplomatic confirmation delays were undermining national security.

Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., hasheldbackthe diplomatic nominations while seeking information from the Biden administration on the origins of COVID-19.

This Fact Brief is responsive to conversations such asthis one.

Sources

Archive.is:Tracker: Current U.S. Ambassadors

AP News:Biden nominates former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew to serve as ambassador to Israel

U.S. Senate:U.S. Senate: About Nominations

AP News:Biden nominates former Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew to serve as ambassador to Israel

White House:Nominations Sent to the Senate

U.S. Department of State:Foreign Terrorist Organizations

New York Times:Heres a timeline of Saturdays attacks and Israels retaliation.

U.S. Department of State:Major Non-NATO Ally Status

AP News:Israel declares war, bombards Gaza and battles to dislodge Hamas fighters after surprise attack

Reuters:U.S. Senate moves quickly toward confirming Lew as ambassador to Israel

senate.gov:United States Senate Committee on Foreign Relations hearing

Reuters:Biden administration amps up pressure on US Senate over nomination delays

NBC News:Senate Foreign Relations chairman criticizes Sen. Rand Paul for holding up nominations

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Did U.S. have Israel ambassador at start of Israel-Hamas War? - WisconsinWatch.org

Obnoxious. Annoying. Disrespectful. Inexperienced. Conspiratorial.

Those are just a few of the adjectives one could use to describe Republican upstart Vivek Ramaswamy at the first GOP debate of the 2024 presidential election.

It didnt take long for the relatively unknown businessman-turned-candidate to make his presence known, earning applause and cheers early on, but hardly ingratiating himself to his fellow opponents.

He sparred with many, and seemed to revel in the spotlight, but, to what end? Was this a real star turn that could position Ramaswamy to actually vie for the nomination? Or was it just another attention-seeking performance meant to make him Fox-famous, the likes of which seem to define the new American right?

While all of the descriptors I used above annoying, obnoxious, conspiratorial, etc. are hugely off-putting for moderate, issues-based conservatives like me who are desperate to move past Trumpism, tribalism, denialism and demagoguery, we are clearly not the audience. If Ramaswamys audience was MAGA world, it seems he put on the perfect show.

He adopted Donald Trumps pugnacity he was cocky, aggressive, and dismissive of his competitors, baselessly calling them all bought and paid for, suggesting former Gov. Chris Christie was just there to become an MSNBC contributor, and that former Gov. Nikki Haley was destined to be on the board of defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Raytheon. He frequently feigned confusion over whatever former Vice President Pence whom he called Mike more than once had just said.

Their obvious exasperation over Ramaswamys insults, interruptions, and gaslighting recalled the 2016 Republican primary, where seasoned politicians like former Gov. Jeb Bush, Sen. Marco Rubio, Sen. Rand Paul and others had to dodge and endure Trumps petulant wrench-throwing while hoping to run serious campaigns.

They managed to land some good one-liners against him, though. Pence said now wasnt the time to elect a rookie, Christie joked that Ramaswamy sounded like ChatGPT, while Haley declared definitively, You have no foreign policy experience and it shows.

Like Trump, Ramaswamy also courted quackery. Fresh off some controversial comments he made about Jan. 6 and Sept. 11 maybe being inside jobs, he sprinkled in some other conspiracies about climate change, and also went where crank voices like Alex Jones and Lara Logan have gone in rooting for Putin in Ukraine.

And he did the most important part of the job to please MAGA, which was to go to cartoonish lengths to suck up to Trump, at one point calling him the best president of the 21st century and demanding his opponents join him in pledging to pardon Trump if hes convicted on any of the 90-plus charges hes facing.

Which begs the question, of course, if Trump is so great and must be protected at all costs, why are you running against him, then?

Thats what leads to the assumption that, as Christie said on stage, Vivek just wants to be famous. Afterwards he went on ABC News and called the debate an unambiguous success for him.

Trump agreed, posting his appreciation for Ramaswamys obsequious words:

This answer gave Vivek Ramaswamy a big WIN in the debate because of a thing called TRUTH. Thank you Vivek!

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By these metrics getting attention and especially Trumps Ramaswamy certainly won. What he won, though, was unclear.

Most headlines focused on his ability to take center stage, grab the spotlight, and break through, admittedly important things for a newcomer to do.

And in a political environment like the new Republican Party, where attention, celebrity, and sucking up to Trump are much more valuable currency than things like experience, seriousness, and competence, the rapping, topless tennis-playing, conspiracy-theorizing Ramaswamy is well-positioned to go far in this primary.

But how far does he want to go? Does he want to beat his idol? Trump wont allow that, presumably. Or is he secretly hoping Trump goes to prison so he can step into his shoes and become the nominee? Does he then truly believe his extremist positions and unserious campaign antics could win in a general election? (Hey, its been done before.)

Or, more likely, is he just using the American democratic process to line his own pockets, sell books and merch, see his name splashed across a media he insists is corrupt, and ultimately land a cushy job alongside Jesse Watters and Jeanine Pirro on Fox, where hell get paid to professionally push lies and conspiracy theories to an unwitting audience?

In this Republican Party, few things still surprise. While he wont have my vote, based on his performance Wednesday night Vivek Ramaswamy makes a terrific MAGA candidate unqualified, unserious, unlikableand therefore utterly electable.

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Vivek was unbearable, so his future in GOP is bright - New York Daily News