Thoughts for the Day, March 3, 2025: What would the greatest generation think?

What would the greatest generation think?

Like so many people my age, our parents were part of The Greatest Generation. Our fathers fought in World War II and maybe the Korean War. In WWII they fought against tyranny and authoritarian rulers who attacked other countries to increase their geographic footprint and expand their power. Our fathers fought to save the world from Hitler, Mussolini, and Emperor Hirohito. They fought to save the democracies of the world.

Although Russia under Stalin helped defeat Hitler and Mussolini, the U.S. and nearly all of Europe were leery of Stalin and his desire for more power. This led to the U.S. and the European democracies implemented the Marhsall Plan, named after the U.S. Secretary of State, George Marshall.

The Marshall Plan was intended to help rebuild the economies of war-torn European countries, create stable governments, and prevent the spread of communism. It was enacted in 1948 and provided over $15 billion in aid. The Marshall Plan was a major humanitarian effort. It helped create stable conditions that allowed democratic institutions to survive. It helped prevent the spread of communism. It helped establish the concept of US foreign aid programs, which up until recently were an important part of U.S. foreign policies.

In 1949, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed, which was an agreement of the U.S. Canada, and the European democracies to defend any NATO country from attack. An attack on one is an attack on all. Simultaneously, the U.S. became the leader of the free world.

Unfortunately, Stalin was able to expand Russia as he took over the Eastern Bloc countries of Europe, forming the USSR and starting the Cold War between the two superpowers, USSR/Russia and the U.S., The Cold War led to the proliferation of the nuclear arms race.

In 1980 Republican Ronald Reagan, ran his campaign on the promise to defeat the USSR by strengthening the U.S. military as a deterrent against the USSR. Reagan referred to the USSR as The Bear, a bear that needed to be defeated. In 1987 Reagan in a speech challenged USSR premier Gorbachev to tear down the wall, meaning the Berlin Wall that separated communist East Berlin from the free West Berlin. In 1989, as the USSR was suffering economic failure, the wall came down. Not long after, the USSR collapsed and many of the Eastern Bloc countries declared their independence from Russia.

In 1999 Vladimir Putin was named president of Russia. He has remained in power ever since. During that time, he has solidified his power and is now considered the most powerful dictator in the world. He desires to expand Russia to be the equivalent of the former USSR.

Since the end of WWII, Russia has been the number one enemy of the U.S. and NATO countries. Although Russia’s economic power is not what it once was, Russia under Putin has been aggressive against its neighbors. In 2014, it attacked Ukraine for the first time and gained some additional boundaries. In 2022, Putin attacked Ukraine, thinking it was vulnerable, and it would be an easy march to Kiev. Three years later, he is still fighting the war because Ukraine under the direction of Volodymyr Zelensky and with the support of all NATO countries has been a formidable opponent.

Vladimir Putin has been an enemy of democracies, especially the U.S. and the European NATO countries since Putin took power in 1999. He is known as a ruthless dictator, who crushes dissent. He cannot be trusted.

The. U.S and NATO countries were united in defending against Putin aggression. The U.S and NATO countries were willing to provide support for Ukraine to defend itself from Putin’s aggression. The U.S and NATO were united in this support. It was support that was given without a quid pro quo. In the U.S. the support had the support of most members of congress from both parties. That is until January 20, 2025.

Since then, Trump has called Zelensky a dictator and refused to refer to Putin as a dictator. On Friday, in front of the world, Trump and V.P. Vance tried to humiliate Zelensky and belittle him because he did not appear to be grateful for the U.S. support, support that Trump had nothing to do with.

Trump and Vance’s action on Friday strengthened Putin’s resolve and set our NATO allies scrambling to figure out if the U.S. could be counted on for support in defending European democracies.

Prior to January 20, 2025, Republican congressional members of congress, were consistent in their criticism of Putin and his threat to the U.S. and other democracies. Since January 20, 2025, and especially since Friday, the Republican congressional members of congress have been silent. Trump and Vance have received no pushback for this switch in U.S. policy.

As of Friday, it appears that Ukraine and NATO are no longer our allies. Instead, under Trump, the U.S. foreign policy is leaning to the desires of dictator Putin.

This leads to my Questions of the Day. After nearly 80 years of being the leader of the free world, what would the members of the greatest generation think of Trump’s abandoning Ukraine and supporting Russia? What would Ronald Reagan think?

See my Video of the Day

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It is not just me who thinks this way.

Here are excerpts from David French’s opinion column. French is a strong conservative. Here is what he had to say in an opinion piece he wrote.

President Trump is doing damage to America that could take a generation or more to repair. The next election cannot fix what Trump is breaking. Neither can the one after that.

To understand the gravity of the harm Trump has inflicted on the United States in the first month and a half of his presidency, a comparison with the Cold War is helpful. Republicans and Democrats often had sharp differences in their approach to the Soviet Union — very sharp. The parties would differ, for example, on the amount of military spending, on the approach to arms control and on American military interventions against Soviet allies and their proxies.

Deep disagreement over Vietnam helped drive American political debate, both within and between parties, for more than a decade. During the Reagan era, there were fierce arguments over the MX, a powerful intercontinental ballistic missile, and over the deployment of intermediate-range missiles in Europe.

These differences were important, but they were less important than the many points of agreement. Both parties were committed to NATO. Both parties saw the Soviet Union as the grave national security threat it was. For decades, both parties were more or less committed to a strategy of containment that sought to keep Soviet tyranny at bay.

At no point did Americans go to the polls and choose between one candidate committed to NATO and another candidate sympathetic to the Soviet Union and the Warsaw Pact. The very idea would have been fantastical. American elections could reset our national security strategy, but they did not change our bedrock alliances. They did not change our fundamental identity.

Until now.

See my Quote of the Day.

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Speak up and speak out

I am appalled at the quiet of the Republican members of congress since the Zelensky/Trump meeting on Friday. I am appalled that many Republican members of congress who previously were adamant in their support of Ukraine, turned on President Zelensky after the meeting on Friday. I am appalled at the Republican members of congress who are not speaking out against this sudden change in the U.S. foreign policy.

If you are appalled, speak up and speak out. Call your members of congress and express your concern. I will be calling mine on Tuesday.

Please call your members of Congress today. The U.S. Capitol switchboard is 202-224-3121. Tell the operator where you’re from and the operator will connect you to your representatives and senators. I tested this out today. It is very simple. They will ask for the congress member you want to contact. They will then switch you to that office.

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Back in Petoskey

We arrived in Petoskey today. We are grateful for having a safe trip. It was enhanced by the fresh sour dough bread that Melissa Kerns supplied us prior to leaving. It was also great to meet up with Vic and Vicki Wharton in Nashville on Saturday. Vic and I have been friends since fifth grade. He has been in the Nashville area since he graduated from college. We have been getting together on our trips from Gulf Shores to Michigan for nearly thirty years. It is a tradition the four of us look forward to every year.

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Quote of the Day: “Trump’s attack on Zelensky is just the latest salvo against our allies. Back in office, Trump has taught our most important strategic partners a lesson they will not soon forget: America can — and will — change sides. Its voters may indeed choose a leader who will abandon our traditional alliances and actively support one of the world’s most dangerous and oppressive regimes.” David French, conservative columnist.

Orchid of the Day: MSU Spartans men’s basketball team for their victory over Wisconsin on Sunday to take over sole possession of first place in the B!G.

Onion of the Day: The Michigan men’s basketball team gave up 62 points in the second half against Illinois. This combined with the 57 they gave up in the first half last week against Rutgers shows that Michigan has a serious defensive deficiency.

Lyrics of the Day: My mother was a tailor. She sewed my new blue jeans
My father was a gamblin' man. Down in New Orleans. Now the only thing a gambler needs. Is a suitcase and a trunk. And the only time he'll be satisfied. Is when he's on a trump. Oh, mother, tell your children. Not to do what I have done.

If you think you know the answer, send me your answer in the comments section of the blog.

Answer to Lyrics of the Day for February 27, 2025: Enter Sandman, Metallica

“Question of the Day: See above.

Video of the Day: Full Video: Trump and Zelensky Get Into Shouting Match During Meeting | WSJ News

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