Musings is Fun & Politics — Tech is just Tech 🙂
Bottom Line Up Front: Russian military modernization has been described as a “rebirth” more than once — in the 2000s, again before the 2022 Ukraine invasion, and now once more in 2025. Each cycle promises reform, new technology, and force generation, but the results often reveal the same weaknesses in logistics, corruption, and sustainability. The latest ISW update on Russian force generation and technological adaptations is only the newest chapter in a long-running pattern of déjà vu moments.
The 2026 midterms are shaping up to be a perfect storm. While Democratic disarray might seem to favor President Trump and the GOP, Republicans face their own headwinds: backtracking on Tariffs, mixed messaging, and strategic drift. Like converging weather systems, these conflicting dysfunctions may cancel each other out, denying either party a clear path to victory.
Trump often portrays himself as a modern-day Dudley Do-Right, seemingly incapable of wrongdoing or admitting mistakes. His loyal supporters, who some describe as suffering from “Trump Cultist Syndrome” (TCS), appear oblivious to any flaws in his actions.
At this point, it’s unclear if anyone—including President Trump—fully grasps the current political landscape. Yet, optimism persists: ‘50% of likely U.S. voters believe America is on the right track’ and the ‘Consumer Confidence Index® increased by 12.3 points in May’.
Voter and consumer optimism may reflect Trump’s swift policy changes, often labeled as flip-flopping, which keep observers scrambling to follow his unpredictable course. Some have recently dubbed him “TACO“—an acronym for “Trump Always Chickens Out”—criticizing his perceived tendency to backtrack. Nevertheless, many remain hopeful that his energetic start to his second term will deliver positive outcomes for America and its citizens.
The ongoing tariff situation has many scrambling to track changes and rumors, much like investors chasing a plummeting stock – ‘catching a falling stock is like catching a knife’. Consumers have not yet felt those final results, IMHO.
Will add his hard work and energetic start in his second term to the “Strong” category in today’s Tally update.
About a month since Trump mentioned Putin has been ‘tapping’ him along, and Trump now gives him a ‘two-week deadline’ to make progress on a ceasefire!?!?!?!?!?! This will go under the “Weak” category in today’s Tally update.
Other than the moment Trump started sucking up to Putin—and then started blaming Ukraine for Russia’s reinvading of it he has done a good job. When was the last time an American President sided with Russia against a freedom seeking country?! Anyway, hopefully he finally understands that Putin has been playing him, and that Ukraine did not cause this war.
Started the Trump Tally in the comment section of another blog, but since being banned from there I will restart it here.
Am looking at two article for this update: 1) How a New Axis Called CRINK Is Working Against America, and 2) Trump lashes out at Putin in emotional two-word rebuke as Ukraine peace talks collapse.
Russia didn’t become the largest country in the World (landmass) by being friendly wid their neighbors. Russia has a long history of invading ‘n reinvading their neighbors, and apparently most of Europe has finally had ‘Enough‘. Ukraine was certainly tired of Russia’s invasions, and has now made it clear to Russia that they will never surrender to Russia again. This clear: