Steering Through Global Chaos: Alliances Tested and Political Showdowns Over Aid To Ukraine

When alliances shudder under the strain of global strife, can the balance of international power hold steady? 
I'm Jeff Alan Wolf, bringing you an episode charged with the electricity of today's most pressing conflicts and political dramas. We set sail in a sea of discord, dissecting the tangled web of Israel and Iran's latest face-off, including Iran’s  denial of Israel’s latest counterattack. You'll be right there with me as I probe the revealing findings from a Hebrew University survey, where Israeli sentiments resist further military action for fear of jeopardizing vital security alliances. Is this the dawn of a strategic shift in the Middle East, or merely the calm before another storm?

Navigating the treacherous currents of global politics, our voyage takes us far and wide.   I talk about  the US's contentious UN veto on Palestinian statehood, a decision that reverberates through the corridors of power and into the heart of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. I’ll scrutinize the US Senate's recent dismissal of charges against a high-ranking official, and the inner turmoil of the GOP, from election integrity battles to abortion rights clashes. And as I chart the course of bipartisan efforts in providing aid to Ukraine and Israel, listen to the complex dance between national interests and international responsibilities. Prepare to be immersed in the gravity of these issues, as I steer through the stormy waters of today's political landscape.
I also talk about Immortality. 
It’s closer then we think.

AWorldGoneMadPodcast@gmail.com

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:00

There is chaos in the world, can't you see? And we need to stand up and preserve our democracy. Well, this is a world gone mad. This is a world gone mad, and welcome back to A World Gone Mad, season 1, episode 13. Ooh, episode 13,. Spooky, nah, it's not Halloween.

Speaker 1: 0:37

I'm your host, jeff Allen Wolf, for another edition. Before I start, I want to correct something I talked about last week, and I was talking about Israel and Iran, and I inadvertently made a faux pas, a mistake, a boo-boo. I should have known better and I was recording during the time when the rockets were being fired or missiles were being fired from Iran into Israel, and I stated that Israel was in NATO and the NATO countries would have to automatically defend Israel in a case of an aggression such as the one from Iran. Well, obviously Israel is not in NATO. What I meant to say during the Israeli offensive in Gaza Israel, for the most part, has been able to count on the support of the members of NATO and they're not a formal member. Like I just said, israel has fostered a close bond with many members, especially the US, as a critical ally in one of the world's most turbulent regions. So I wanted to get that, on the record, israel is not a NATO, my bad.

Speaker 1: 1:51

Now, after Iran fired the missiles and the drones etc. Into Israel, everyone was waiting for Israel's retaliatory strike, if there was going to be one. We know what happened, but I want to recap something. They did a poll and a survey by Hebrew University in Jerusalem has found that 74% of those polled would oppose a retaliatory strike against Iran If it undermined Israel's security alliance with its allies security alliance with its allies. So, basically, the survey was conducted last week, april 14th of 15, by internet and telephone and sampled 1,466 men and women representing adult Israelis, both Jews and Arabs. The margin of error was given as 4.2% points. Now, 56% of the respondents believe Israel should respond positively to political and military demands from its allies. Also, 32% were undecided, 12% disagreed. So basically, that's what the poll had stated.

Speaker 1: 2:57

So we now have learned that Israel did fire back at Iran and we don't have a detailed understanding. I know there's reports out there you'll read and says we know exactly what they did. We really don't know what they did other than a targeted attack in response to Iran firing into Israel from their soil. But here's the interesting thing Iran said in one source they have no evidence of a missile attack. So what does this mean? Well, as we stand today, it is a Saturday, approximately noon as I'm recording this.

Speaker 1: 3:38

When you get this podcast Tuesday morning, some things may have changed. But right now, iran basically saying yeah, yeah, nothing happened, so no response needed. Are we winding down? Are we de-escalating? It certainly sounds like it. A lot of the analysts in the Middle East think, after Iran fired and Israel targeted Iran, responding back saying nope, nothing really to see here, that that's it. If that's the case, then the people of Israel and Iran and people in that region can breathe easier and we, the world, can take a collective sigh of relief as we stand now. So let's see in 24 to 48 hours if anything changes. So what do you think you, the listeners, the Wolfpack listeners of this show, do you think we're done for the moment I'm not talking about future, but do you think we're done? That was it and it's contained, or something's coming Because, remember, iran said they would attack immediately back. They haven't. We'll see what happens In other related news.

Speaker 1: 4:45

Us vetoes Palestinian attempt to gain statehood. At the United Nations, twelve members of the Security Council had voted in favor of the resolution to make Palestine a state, while two countries the UK and Switzerland abstained and the US vetoed it. Now the Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, sharply criticized the US veto, saying in a statement that it was unfair, immoral, unjustified and defies the will of the international community, which strongly supports the state of Palestine attaining full membership in the United Nations. Now Israel Foreign Minister Israel Katz praised the US for vetoing what he called a shameful proposal. The proposal to recognize a Palestinian state, more than six months after the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust and after the sexual crimes and other atrocities committed by Hamas terrorists, was a reward for terrorism.

Speaker 1: 5:44

So where do you stand? I don't know. I think a two-state solution is important, but I don't know. The jury is still out for me. I'm not sure. I have privy to all the details and I don't think I ever will, but what do you, the listenership, feel? Should there be a two-state? Should there be only one? Let me know. We're going to give you feedback, information on how to reach us, but where do you stand?

Speaker 1: 6:08

We also had the Secretary, alejandro Mayorkas, impeachment trial in the House. That was sent to the Senate because he had high crimes and misdemeanors and he was despicable, you know, just like Donald Trump. It reached that level and he needed to be impeached. He was impeached from the House. Well, the Senate voted to kill the second and final article. They already killed the first article of impeachment against Homeland Security Mayorkas. The Senate voted along party lines 51 to 49. And the chamber voted also to dismiss the trial completely. So it's done. Hey guys the ones who are listening out there, I know you probably think the same thing. Mayorkas was not ever at the level of high crimes and misdemeanors. This was a joke. This was overreach by the House, because they've got nothing better to do than raise stuff under a stone and dig for worms and bugs just to get in the public eye, to go look, look what we're doing those corrupt Democrats, look how bad they are. Mayorkas is one enough. We know he did not reach that level for impeachment. So I'm glad the Senate killed that. It's done.

Speaker 1: 7:24

What do you got next, republicans? I'm sure you're going. That it's done. What do you got next, republicans? I'm sure you're going to come up with something. What do they got next? Well, while that's going on, you know RNC is now under Lara Trump. Seriously, lara Trump runs the RNC and the Republican National Committee last time laughing, I am sorry. I try not to laugh when I do this, but when you hear this, I'm sure when you read this, you did the same thing.

Speaker 1: 7:48

The Republican National Committee last week sent out a scripted call to voters' phones on behalf of new co-chair Lara Trump, saying Democrats committed massive fraud in the 2020 election. It's the latest example how the RNC, under the former president's daughter-in-law, is perpetuating lies about the 2020 election, even as prominent Republicans say the party needs to look forward to win in 2024. Holy moly, right. Where do they draw the line? I don't want to have a conversation with a Republican, but stop with this idiotic tinfoil hat view of the world and just coming up with stuff that you cannot back up without evidence. I don't even know where to begin and I could do a four hour show on this, but enough. And RNC and Laura Trump that's a match made in heaven, right. And RNC and Laura Trump that's a match made in heaven, right. All right.

Speaker 1: 8:45

Going from the ridiculous with Laura Trump to even the worst and more ridiculous story, the Republican-controlled Arizona House of Representatives that's where I live Arizona once again failed to advance a repeal of the abortion ban law that they were using and, if you remember, it was a 160-year-old abortion rule. 160 years old is the rule that they're going by about abortion Wednesday. It happened days after the state Supreme Court rolled state politics by reviving the law. Now the vote is a blow for GOP candidates in competitive races who have been scrambling to distance themselves from the court's decision. Republicans facing competitive races in the state, including former President Donald Trump and US Senate candidate Boo Right, carrie Lake, called on the GOP controlled legislature to work with Democratic Governor Katie Hobbs to take a more moderate path. And that's surprising, carrie Lake calling on Democrat Governor Katie Hobbs. So a 160-year-old abortion ban rule was still upheld and shot down to repeal it. Oh my, they're drinking heavily on the Republican side.

Speaker 1: 10:07

Before I take a short break, I got two quick stories here and this is concerning to me. On this story, the Supreme Court's conservative majority on the Supreme Court appeared skeptical of a charge federal prosecutors have lodged against hundreds of people who attacked the US Capitol on January 6, 2021. While the court's three-justice liberal wing support the charge, the conservative majority raised a series of skeptical questions. Aboutants have been charged with obstructing an official proceeding by pushing their way into the Capitol in 2021. The charge can tack up to 20 years onto a prison sentence and January 6th, defendant who brought the case to the Supreme Court argued that the law issue created in response to the Enron scandal in 2001 was intended to stop witness tampering, not riots. During more than an hour and a half of argument, chief Justice John Roberts and Justice Brett Kavanaugh, neil Gorsuch and Samuel Alito were among those who appeared to take issue with the government's reading of the lawsuit. Here we go another Supreme Court ruling coming that's going to make it softer on the January 6th rioters. They're in bed with the Republicans and they're going by political affiliation, not by law and about what's morally and legally right. Shame on you.

Speaker 1: 11:48

And just when you thought Jeff could go one episode without mentioning Donald sorry, I do apologize, it was almost, almost, but I got to bring this up the hush money trial that's starting Monday. That's been going on the previous week to seat the jurors and you're going to hear this episode one day after Trump this past week was asked whether he thinks the jurors seated in today's trial or this week's trial, rather, can be fair, former President Donald Trump said he would decide ready after the trial. Former President Donald Trump said he would decide ready after the trial if he thought the seven jurors who were seated in his New York criminal hush money case could be fair. Trump was asked on Tuesday, this past Tuesday, by a reporter what kind of juror in your mind is an ideal juror to do and take this trial, to be involved in this trial? Anybody that's fair, donald said. Trump was asked again do you think they can be fair? He says again I'll let you know after the trial. What do you think, jeff? You were arrested and brought before the judge and you were sentenced. What do you think? Were they fair? Well, no, I was sentenced, so therefore they weren't. They sucked, I was let off. Great jury Anyways. By the way, separate, separate comment Doesn't Donald Trump look old? Everyone was saying how Biden looks old, and in some cases he does, but his State of the Union address was brilliant. Donald looks old. He's starting to get that what they're accusing Joe Biden of, and I think all of this stuff with the trials and the campaign and everything else is taking its toll.

Speaker 1: 13:25

I'm going to take a short break when I get back. No rant or yelling or screaming, but I'm going to talk about the Ukraine aid and the Israel aid that's been happening in the last couple of weeks to get to the point we are right now. I also want to remind you I started a Facebook group a little over seven days ago. We're almost at a hundred members, which is pretty good in a short period of time, and the Facebook group is for this podcast, for the Wolfpack listeners of this podcast, go to Facebook and search A World Gone Mad Podcast.

Speaker 1: 14:02

A World Gone Mad Podcast. Join like-minded people like yourself who are not in love with Donald, not in love with the MAGA supporters and want to preserve our democracy in this country. A World Gone Mad Podcast on Facebook. I'll see you there and I'll see you when I get back. You're listening to a World Gone Mad. Just wanted to let you know. You can reach me with our toll-free number 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that number is 833-399-9653, 833-399-9653. Leave your name, your age, your location, where you're listening from. Don't forget to subscribe, hit subscribe on whatever app you're on, and also rate the show and give a review. Thank you so much. Now back to the show and welcome back to the podcast.

Speaker 1: 15:10

I'm your host, jeff Allen Wolf, and I want to talk about my commentary on Ukraine, and it seems that we neglected what was happening in Ukraine because there was a lot of battles going on in the House. The Republicans we can't give any more aid to Ukraine. Screw them, let them fall off the face of the earth. And I personally have stated in multiple episodes Ukraine is important to stop Putin from taking over that country completely and then going. You know what the hell with it? Let's go get another country, and this time in NATO, which now grows into a bigger episode, a bigger conflagration across the world. All right, here's something interesting. You know why Ukraine is so important and why Putin is so dangerous and why Putin is so dangerous.

Speaker 1: 16:05

Former Vice President Mike Pence this past week warned that if Russian President Vladimir Putin were to overrun Ukraine, he would then attack a NATO nation, forcing the US to become directly involved. This is a quote from him. I have no doubt in my mind, having met Vladimir Putin, that if Putin were allowed to overrun Ukraine, it would not be long before he crossed the border of a NATO country where our men and women in uniform would be required to fight, and that was an interview with Jake Tapper on CNN. So this is important and the House was playing games for a while until recently, and the House was playing games for a while until recently. So, whatever you think of Mike Johnson, current I say current, very loosely speaker of the House, he decided to put forth a bill in the House to give aid to Ukraine and Israel and other issues for aid package, and he was then threatened by Marjorie Taylor.

Speaker 1: 17:00

I make up stuff as I go along and I'm a disruptor of the world because I have no clue of what I'm doing. Green Long title. The business card is ridiculously long so we'll just shorten it to Marjorie Taylor Lundball. Sorry, that's how I feel about her. So she threatened to force an ouster of the current Speaker of the House, mike Johnson, just like they did before with Kevin McCarthy. Well, mike Johnson said and, being defiant, facing growing threats about his leadership, he's not resigning, and dismissed threats to his gavel as absurd and dismissed threats to his gavel as absurd after a second member from Congress threatened to join Marjorie Taylor, nutball Loonball, thomas Massey, and then a third member, paul Gosar. Paul Gosar is a real interesting story. Look up Paul Gosar and if you know about him, he's really a character just like Marjorie Taylor Loonball.

Speaker 1: 18:00

So adding to the intrigue of the House and the speakership because this was happening. Basically, he was being lobbied. Mike Johnson, the Speaker of the House, was being lobbied by his members to raise the threshold required to trigger the procedure to oust a Speaker of the House. A single member can force a floor vote on the motion to vacate the speakership. That was part of a deal that Kevin McCarthy had to make to become speaker last year. Well, he's being lobbied and he is considering making the change to the process to change it from one vote where it would be a higher threshold. He was considering that and just this past week Speaker Mike Johnson announced he will not change the procedure for removing him from the speakership based on one vote after hardliners reacted with fury to the proposed change in the House rules and, of course, the Ukraine passage of aid.

Speaker 1: 19:03

Quote from Mr mr johnson. Since the beginning of the 118th congress, the house rules allowing a motion to vacate from a single member has harmed this office and our house majority. Recently, many members have encouraged me to endorse a new rule to raise the threshold. While I understand the importance of that idea, any rule change requires a majority of the full house, which we do not have. We will continue to govern under the existing rules. In other words, one person marjorie taylor, loon ball can put a motion to vacate the speakership that mike johnson has currently.

Speaker 1: 19:37

So, whether you like mike johnson or not, I personally don't he went ahead last week and pushed through a huge package for aid to Ukraine, israel and other countries and other parts of the bill, which I'll go into in a second. In order to pass that bill because of the hardliners in Congress he would need the help from the Democrats. Well, breaking news. You'll get it after the fact, of course, but as I'm recording it today, on Saturday the Democrats jumped in and helped Mike Johnson pass a bipartisanship bill and the bill basically is a three-part supplemental package, looks strikingly similar to the Senate's bill in several key areas. The bills taken together will add up to about $95 billion in aid the same amount of the Senate bill and basically what's going to happen is $61 billion will go to Ukraine, military aid and regional partners. $23 billion will go to replenishing the US stockpiles and $26 billion to Israel, $8 billion to the Indo-Pacific regions. According to the House Appropriations Committee, this is going to go ahead to the Senate to be passed. Part of the bill also includes sanctions on Iran and maybe a measure that would include a TikTok ban. So kudos to pushing that through.

Speaker 1: 21:05

As you know what I said, ukraine to support them is incredibly important, and humanitarian aid to Israel. What do you think? Are you pleased? Finally, some relief is coming to Ukraine, which has been on hold for a month a little over a month where Putin was doing whatever the hell he wanted in Ukraine. Let me know, we have a Facebook group. That Facebook group is A World Gone Mad Podcast on Facebook A World Gone Mad Podcast. Join us, all the listeners from this podcast together, fellow people like yourself who want to preserve democracy. Looking forward to seeing you there.

Speaker 1: 21:45

I'm going to take a short break and when I come back we're going to talk about immortality. It's closer than we think. Would you like to be immortal? Hang around, this is a world gone mad. This is a world gone mad. You're listening to A World Gone Mad, thank you, and you could reach me by sending me an email, and the email is aworldgonemadpodcast. Aworldgonemadpodcast at gmailcom. Leave your first name in the email, your age, your location, where you're listening to us, from what app, etc. And any comments you have. Also, don't forget to hit subscribe, that way I can let you know when the new episode goes online. It's automatic and it's free. Also, if you can review, rate, rank the show on the app you're listening from, that helps me tremendously. I thank you for listening, whether you just joined us for the first time or have been listening for a while. I appreciate that. And now back to the show and everyone. Welcome back to a World Gone Mad podcast. I'm your host, jeff Allen Wolfe.

Speaker 1: 23:08

Before the break, I was talking about the word immortality, meaning to basically live forever. Why do we die? Well, the latest on aging and immortality is from a Nobel Prize winning scientist that attempts to explain this. Since time immemorial, humans have done their darndest try-and-cheat death. Okay. Today, as revolutionary advancements transform the stuff of science fiction into everyday reality, are we closer to extending our lifespan or even perhaps reaching immortality?

Speaker 1: 23:42

The new book by Venky Ramakrishnan, why we Die, looks at cutting-edge efforts to extend lifespans and the ethical costs of those attempts. Now, if so, do we really want eternal life Now? In his new book why we Die the new science of aging and the quest for immortality, nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist sifts through past and cutting-edge research to uncover the aspirational theories and practical limitations of longevity. Along the way, he raises critical questions about the societal, political and ethical costs of attempts to live forever. Now we know that humans lived twice as long as we did 150 years ago. Due to increased knowledge about diseases and their spread, does this suggest interventions to triple or quadruple our lifespan lie just around the corner. The biologist who wrote the book Venky shares his perspectives and the realities of aging, death and immortality. So a couple of things here. Check out the book, number one.

Speaker 1: 24:48

Also, if you're 50 and older, even if you're younger, I want to point you to a podcast that's really cool and it's called Bill Monty's Guide for Getting Older. Bill Monty M-O-N-T-Y-S Bill Monty M-O-N-T-Y-S Guide for Getting Older and he talks about not being old but getting older. Friend of mine, great podcast. His new episode dropped called the Invisible Generation. Check it out.

Speaker 1: 25:15

So the question I have for the listeners would you choose immortality? If you could Think about this, you'd be surprised. I had some answers from people that didn't want to live longer than their natural lifespan. But would you each individual listener choose immortality if you could? Do you want to live longer than your lifespan? The issue, of course, the negative issue besides the political, religious, moral. The issue, of course, the negative issue, besides the political, religious, moral, ethical underpinnings of this, is our loved ones would die along the way if they didn't choose the same path we did.

Speaker 1: 25:56

I personally would like to extend my life. I'm being honest. There's a lot of things I still want to do Now. If it includes a healthy extension, not if I'm going to be 100, 110, I'm going to be in a chair somewhere in a bed and I can't do anything, but if I'm coherent, cognizant enough to enjoy life. Yes, we have 6,000 books in my library upstairs on the second floor library. I have tons of CDs that I want to listen to, old vinyl music that I want to listen to. Old vinyl music that I want to listen to. I have games for the PlayStation and Xbox. Yes, I'm a gamer. So there's a lot of things I would still like to do, attempt and see.

Speaker 1: 26:35

So I'm going to leave you the listening audience, the Wolfpack listening audience. Do you want to live longer? Would you choose immortality if you could, and you can reach me the several ways you already heard phone number, email. Don't forget our Facebook group A World Gone Mad Podcast on Facebook. A World Gone Mad Podcast on Facebook. Join us and the ever-growing listeners like yourself, who are supporting it and growing it as we speak. Thank you for listening. I'll be back with another episode next week of A World Gone Mad. I'm Jeff Allen Wolf, your host, and, as I say each week, stay hopeful. This is a world gone mad.