There's a word for what happens when policy is shaped by private leverage rather than public mandate. I've been calling it 'kompromatocracy' - governance through what people have on each other rather than what they believe. The Witkoff-Dmitriev meeting isn't incompetence. It's the system working exactly as designed: business deals and geopolitics negotiated in the same room, by the same people, for the same reasons. The clown makeup is deliberate. It's harder to see the transaction underneath.
Somehow, I can't wrap my head around the notion that Russia will invade a NATO country, ever.
How does a country with one-sixth the GDP, one-third the population, and two-thirds the military manpower of NATO minus the US, struggling unsuccessfully for three years to overpower Ukraine, dare to take on European NATO?
In a recent Washington Post editorial, George Will described "A sickening moral slum of an administration." The atrocious attempts at diplomacy are only a visible manifestation of the Chaos, Corruption, Cruelty and Contempt of the Compromised Criminals in the Trump-Reich.
When real estate moguls start moonlighting as diplomats, you don’t get foreign policy — you get a circus. And the price of admission is America’s credibility.
Please tell me, please, what in the world this guy is doing involved in the Ukrainian negotiations.
Does anyone remember that when he WAS a nepo political appointee who couldn’t get an official security clearance that he tried to set up a secret direct line of communication to the Russians thru the Russian embassy in Washington - and even the Russians declined to accept?!?!?!?’
He promised his MAGA base that he would start no new military action. Now he's threatening to invade Venezuela. Add in the tariffs and the Epstein files, and he seems to be doing his best to alienate even his strongest supporters.
You were writing too early to include the latest head smacking Presidential Pardon of the former President of Honduras who was imprisoned because he abetted the drug trade. This while Trump was shutting down Venezuelan air space and killing alleged civilians in boats. Without warning ! The idiocy of this administration has no bounds, plummeting lower every day. I am sorry, Dan, but it is impossible to stay “steady” at this point. Someone or some people have to figure out a way to contain this dangerous and evil man who will destroy any vestige of the former USA.
The more I watch, read and hear about Russia and its invasion of air, and land— Poland and Ukraine— the more I wonder if that meeting in Alaska was a bargaining chip, or strategic survey of US capabilities to defend Alaska and its oil and other minerals.
Today’s military capabilities makes Alaska a prime target for Russia. Maybe even an easier target than Ukraine. Is the US falling into the trap of WWII? Won’t make a definitive commitment to European countries until it is attacked?
I don’t trust the House or Senate to stop the administrations tactics, desire for money or its push for cruelty to anyone not pleasuring its president.
The US is in a crisis for Democracy—- but which problem deserves the most attention is extremely difficult to focus on. Russian war or threats of war? Tariffs? Immigration? Cruelty? Health care? Inflation? Government overreach? Venezuela war? And others I have missed?
Thank you Dan Rather. You tell it like it is in a way I understand. I am so grateful for reading you at Steady and for being a subscriber. I have tuned out of most other media.
We need more intelligent unbiased citizens to speak up to those weak jokers in congress. They are literally fiddling while America and Europe are beginning to burn. Why is it so important for trump to be impeached along with most of our "lawmakers"? Answer: money and more unbridled power are going to doom America to "death by trump" which is a terminal illness. Please America, wake up! The fire alarms are already going off!
There's a word for what happens when policy is shaped by private leverage rather than public mandate. I've been calling it 'kompromatocracy' - governance through what people have on each other rather than what they believe. The Witkoff-Dmitriev meeting isn't incompetence. It's the system working exactly as designed: business deals and geopolitics negotiated in the same room, by the same people, for the same reasons. The clown makeup is deliberate. It's harder to see the transaction underneath.
Somehow, I can't wrap my head around the notion that Russia will invade a NATO country, ever.
How does a country with one-sixth the GDP, one-third the population, and two-thirds the military manpower of NATO minus the US, struggling unsuccessfully for three years to overpower Ukraine, dare to take on European NATO?
In a recent Washington Post editorial, George Will described "A sickening moral slum of an administration." The atrocious attempts at diplomacy are only a visible manifestation of the Chaos, Corruption, Cruelty and Contempt of the Compromised Criminals in the Trump-Reich.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2025/12/02/trump-hegseth-rubio-ukraine-venezuela-boats/
Thanks for quoting Ann Richards. I miss her and wish she were here to help deal with he that I call Kingpin. She'd eat him alive.
Thank you Dan and co
When real estate moguls start moonlighting as diplomats, you don’t get foreign policy — you get a circus. And the price of admission is America’s credibility.
Thank you for all your work, happy thanksgiving!
Feels like we traded diplomats for a billionaire improv troupe.
Witkoff writing “peace plans” with Kremlin buddies isn’t strategy. It’s a sketch comedy bit that wandered into geopolitics.
The world isn’t confused.
They’re chuckling while updating their alliances.
Bless whoever’s still doing grown-up work while the clowns borrow the state car.
KUSHNER?!?!?!?
Please tell me, please, what in the world this guy is doing involved in the Ukrainian negotiations.
Does anyone remember that when he WAS a nepo political appointee who couldn’t get an official security clearance that he tried to set up a secret direct line of communication to the Russians thru the Russian embassy in Washington - and even the Russians declined to accept?!?!?!?’
Surely tariffs as a policy is a bigger issue as a threat to world economy.
He promised his MAGA base that he would start no new military action. Now he's threatening to invade Venezuela. Add in the tariffs and the Epstein files, and he seems to be doing his best to alienate even his strongest supporters.
You were writing too early to include the latest head smacking Presidential Pardon of the former President of Honduras who was imprisoned because he abetted the drug trade. This while Trump was shutting down Venezuelan air space and killing alleged civilians in boats. Without warning ! The idiocy of this administration has no bounds, plummeting lower every day. I am sorry, Dan, but it is impossible to stay “steady” at this point. Someone or some people have to figure out a way to contain this dangerous and evil man who will destroy any vestige of the former USA.
American Arrogance is erupting like a boil.
Always appreciate your professionalism, honesty, integrity and above all, kindness. Thank you!
I call this the back of my mind watch note:
The more I watch, read and hear about Russia and its invasion of air, and land— Poland and Ukraine— the more I wonder if that meeting in Alaska was a bargaining chip, or strategic survey of US capabilities to defend Alaska and its oil and other minerals.
Today’s military capabilities makes Alaska a prime target for Russia. Maybe even an easier target than Ukraine. Is the US falling into the trap of WWII? Won’t make a definitive commitment to European countries until it is attacked?
I don’t trust the House or Senate to stop the administrations tactics, desire for money or its push for cruelty to anyone not pleasuring its president.
The US is in a crisis for Democracy—- but which problem deserves the most attention is extremely difficult to focus on. Russian war or threats of war? Tariffs? Immigration? Cruelty? Health care? Inflation? Government overreach? Venezuela war? And others I have missed?
Thank you Dan Rather. You tell it like it is in a way I understand. I am so grateful for reading you at Steady and for being a subscriber. I have tuned out of most other media.
We need more intelligent unbiased citizens to speak up to those weak jokers in congress. They are literally fiddling while America and Europe are beginning to burn. Why is it so important for trump to be impeached along with most of our "lawmakers"? Answer: money and more unbridled power are going to doom America to "death by trump" which is a terminal illness. Please America, wake up! The fire alarms are already going off!