By Don Varyu

Oct. 25, 2022

The far left “progressive” wing of the Democratic Party wants you to not even know about it. And if you do, don’t think about it anymore. Nothing to see here…just move on.

The “it” is a letter sent to President Biden on Monday instructing him on how to proceed with America’s involvement in the Russian-Ukraine war. While beginning with general support for Biden’s efforts, and stipulating full support for the Ukrainians, it contradicted itself by spelling out a specific remedy:
“…we believe such involvement in this war also creates a responsibility for the United States to seriously explore all possible avenues, including direct engagement with Russia…,” (emphasis added)

and later, to make sure the point wasn’t missed,
” …we urge you to make vigorous diplomatic efforts in support of a negotiated settlement and ceasefire, engage in direct talks with Russia….” (emphasis added).

This would be outrageous if it came from Republicans, but would at least be in keeping with their perverse intent to torpedo all things Biden. But from 30 members of his own party? Biden could not be faulted for thinking, “who, exactly, am I fighting here?”

This proposal is both misguided and infantile on multiple levels. To name just a few:

It undercuts Ukraine from a say in its own future, an option which Biden has ruled out entirely, right from the start.
Vladimir Putin did (and still does) reject any proposal for negotiations.
It would reward Putin with an equal seat at a table where he could win in negotiations while he seems destined to lose on the battlefield.
It undercuts the entire psychological underpinning of NATO (all for one and one for all, etc.).

Pramila Jayapal, head of the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC), had a deer-in-the-headlights moment almost the instant the letter was made public.

First, she tried the “oops” defense, citing some unnamed staffer who mistakenly released the letter. Then, signatories on the letter said they weren’t informed it was going out. In both cases, what does that say about the Caucus itself?
Then there was diversion—"the letter was actually drafted back in June or July.” Really? That makes it better? So, barely 100 days in, with Putin advancing in some areas and getting punished in others, these progressives were already willing to just forget about the Ukraine lives that had been lost? And reward Putin with the chance to win some of Ukraine’s sovereign land?
For a time, it was implied that the letter was really the product of an outside think tank called The Quincy Institute, whose self-described mission is to foster, “…a foreign policy that emphasizes military restraint and diplomatic engagement….” So, who’s in charge here? That line of defense evaporated quickly. Either the CPC realized it should be seen thinking for itself… or the Institute called up and said, “get us the hell out of this!”

With all that’s going on in the world, the Caucus will probably get its wish and have this story disappear quickly.

But it simply adds to the image of the far left in Congress as a little eight-year-old girl…sneaking into Mommy’s room…putting on one of her dresses and some jewelry…adding a swipe of lipstick—looking in the mirror and seeing itself heading off to the prince’s ball.

But sometimes, you’re just not ready yet for your dreamy closeup.
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A Progressive Pratfall

By Don Varyu