[Mariner]

It is good to see this on 60 Minutes.

Ukrainian Partisans don't like it to be widely known.

[Shady]

Are the public safety unions giving the required kickbacks to the Demoncrats?

[j.havenfarm]

I don’t believe it. Our leaders like to be transparent, and they would have told us if our vast aid included these expenditures /s

[blackdog]

And everyone is a first responder. Especially their retired government bureaucrats.

[BenLurkin]

All to keep the bribery, graft and kick-backs flowing.

Billions of American tax dollars being laundered through the Ukraine and over into the pockets of career politicians and bureaucrats in Washington DC.

[JonPreston]

Remember, most of them HATE you

On the Issues

Where the Republican Candidates Stand on Social Security and Medicare

Social Security and Medicare are known as third rails of American politics for a reason. Reducing benefits is very unpopular, but higher taxes are divisive, too — and without at least one of those two steps, both programs are on track to become unable to make full payments in the next decade. Exact projections have fluctuated based on overall economic conditions, but the most recent estimates show Social Security running out of money to cover full benefits by 2033, and part of Medicare by 2031.

The candidates are split on whether to call for changes to the programs, but those who say they would leave them untouched generally have not explained how they would keep them solvent.

Donald J. Trump

Former President

He says he wouldn’t cut the programs but hasn’t explained how he would keep them solvent.

Former President Donald J. Trump has said he would not make any cuts to Social Security or Medicare benefits. However, he has also opposed raising taxes to bring in more funding for them, which means his plans would not keep the programs solvent for the long term. A spokesman for his campaign did not respond to requests for comment. Read full position

Ron DeSantis

Governor of Florida

He says he’s open to Social Security cuts for younger Americans.

Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida has ruled out reducing Social Security benefits for current retirees and people near retirement age, but he has expressed openness to reductions for younger Americans. Read full position

Nikki Haley

Former Governor of South Carolina

She says she’s open to cuts for younger Americans.

Nikki Haley, the former governor of South Carolina, has suggested that she would raise the Social Security retirement age for people currently in their 20s in accordance with increases in life expectancy, though she has not given a number. (The retirement age is currently 67 for anyone born in 1960 or later.) Read full position

Mike Pence

Former Vice President

He wants to partly privatize Social Security, but his plan for Medicare is unclear.

Former Vice President Mike Pence has tried to contrast himself with candidates who say they would leave Social Security and Medicare untouched. Read full position

Tim Scott

Senator from South Carolina

He says he wouldn’t cut the programs but hasn’t explained how he would keep them solvent.

Senator Tim Scott said at a campaign event this spring that he would “never, ever cut Medicare or Social Security benefits.” But at another event, he also said that policymakers would “have to look at the overall entitlement state of our nation.” Read full position

Chris Christie

Former Governor of New Jersey

He supports a higher retirement age and lower benefits for wealthy people.

Former Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey supports raising the retirement age for people currently in their 40s or younger, and ending Social Security benefits for the wealthiest people, a policy known as means-testing. “Do we really need to have Warren Buffett and Mark Zuckerberg and Elon Musk collecting Social Security?” he asked in an interview with Fox News in July. Read full position

Asa Hutchinson

Former Governor of Arkansas

He wants to let people claim benefits early while still working, and he would have a commission consider changes.

Former Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas has suggested that people who begin claiming Social Security benefits early should be allowed to continue working while still receiving the benefits. By continuing to earn a paycheck, these workers would keep paying into the Social Security system through payroll deductions, increasing the program’s funding. Read full position

Vivek Ramaswamy

Entrepreneur

He says he wouldn’t cut the programs but hasn’t explained how he would keep them solvent.

[GOPJ]

...covering the salaries of Ukraine’s first responders – all 57,000 of them,”

I assume Biden's fellow democrats are getting their 10%n or better... so the scum of the earth is doing well. More mansions for DC...

[gattaca]

ping

[Allegra]

[Starboard]

Ukraine is not a NATO country yet it appears that we spend more there than we do in any NATO country. Just saying.

[elpadre]

“...and covering the salaries of Ukraine’s first responders...

I believe it has already been reported Biden has directed the US pay salaries, pensions and associated expenses of the massive Ukrainian government with US taxpayer funds.

[Worldtraveler once upon a time]

--- "U.S. Taxpayers ‘Subsidizing’ Ukraine's Economy, Paying All Of Their First Responders"

Biden's, Blinken's and Nuland's 51st state. Or maybe it's just a territory, angling to become a state? < sarc, but not much >

[aMorePerfectUnion]

No accountability for hundreds of millions of dollars - or billions.

[kabar]

But the actual puff piece on 60 Minutes was pure Ukraine propaganda. Our subsidies were portrayed as a good thing and the Ukrainian people were eternally grateful. Not only did we pay for First Responders, we also provided aid to small businesses including helping them find foreign markets.

We had US Senators Warren, Graham, and Blumenthal on the ground in Ukraine extolling the need for our investment in Ukraine. Ukraine was winning. Russia was losing.

The timing of the 60 Minutes piece comes as Congress debates sending another $24 billion to Ukraine.

[Uncle Lonny]

Send the bill to Putrid. He is responsible for all the damages from his brutal, scorched invasion of Ukraine.

[NWFree]

They have to save their crooked laundry mat

[PGR88]

Its part of the reason Fed.gov ran $2 Trillion deficit last year. The deep-state it out of control and its only answer is more printed money and debt.

[ransomnote]

I'd already read that we have been paying the Ukrainian government's salaries and pensions...and now this....

Oh but you see, they're 'winning' according to the Ukrainian propagandists on FR, as the Ukraine has little infrastructure left, no economy and are an American welfare state on top of the fact that they are killing most of their men in futile fake war efforts to get 'foreign aid' and so many of the wives, children have fled to neighboring nations.

Pretty much just a smoking crater left in the Ukraine, into which Biden is pouring America's wealth - well, that small portion that ever reaches the Ukraine...we know most is divided up amongst our enemy 'elites' which includes the Biden family along with the Pelosis, Schumers etc. - all who have dirty financial dealings in the Ukraine.

[frank ballenger]

I want all my money back.

I never agreed to this except by being nonviolent, law abiding and accepting of the existence of the elite leaders who stole the election—if that is a sin.

[rlmorel]

Our First Responders take a back seat to Ukraine.

Our Military takes a back seat to Ukraine.

Our Border takes a back seat to Ukraine.

Our citizens take a back seat to Ukraine.

I see a pattern here.

And I have come to the conclusion our country is taking a back seat to Ukraine not because “It is the right thing to do” because, let’s face it, when has that happened in the last twenty or thirty years?

It is happening because money is involved in all the wrong places and greasing all the wrong skids.

[RushIsMyTeddyBear]

Bkmrk