Ukraine’s European Aspirations and Anxiety
Plus: Counting on the Vote Counters
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DALIBOR ROHAC: Ukraine’s European Aspirations and Anxiety
IN THE MIDST OF a stalled offensive and wavering international support, good news about Ukraine has been in short supply lately. Yet, the European Commission’s recommendation, issued last week, that the EU open accession talks with Ukraine is heavy with symbolism for Ukrainians and provides a glimmer of much-needed hope for the country’s future.
The centrality of the EU in the Ukrainian imagination is difficult for Americans and Western Europeans to appreciate. In Kyiv, the EU is seen not as an unwieldy bureaucracy performing useful but unexciting technocratic tasks, but as a legal and symbolic embodiment of the country’s political, economic, and cultural aspirations.
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MARGARET MCMULLAN: Counting on the Vote Counters
“REJECT,” TED SAYS, writing the rejected absentee voter’s name on his form.1
“Hold on,” Carla says. “All of us are supposed to check each application and ballot. If we see a problem, we vote. Those are the rules.” Ted stares at Carla, his knee drumming against the table.
It’s the morning of November 7, 2023. Election Day. I’m here as an official observer for Brandon Presley, the Democratic candidate for Mississippi governor. My job is to observe the five members of the Harrison County Resolution Board here in the Emergency Management Conference Room at the Harrison County Courthouse in Gulfport, Mississippi.
RILEY BERG AND SAM OLIKER-FRIEDLAND: Americans Want More Bipartisanship in Congress.
HERE WE GO AGAIN: Funding for the federal government runs out at the end of this week. A government shutdown will begin at 12:01 a.m. on Saturday, with hundreds of thousands of federal employees sent home without pay and many important government services paused.
Unless, that is, a new budget deal can be reached. The last deal, enacted on September 30, was the excuse used by Matt Gaetz and his fellow Republican rebels for ousting Speaker Kevin McCarthy, leading to three weeks of paralysis as Republicans tried to pick a successor. Now, if a shutdown is to be averted, it’s up to new Speaker Mike Johnson to reach a budget agreement with the president, the Senate, and perhaps most difficult of all, his fellow House Republicans.
🚨OVERTIME🚨
Happy Tuesday! Anyone who works in front-facing capacities can tell you: the old adage about crazy stuff happening around a full moon is legit. And today in Congress, we saw what happens when you elect the Full Moonies, who should be calling 224-3121, and not signing the checks of the people answering it.
The House passes stopgap funding… But Democrats had to save Speaker Johnson.
“The strangest political environment I've ever seen here.” Reader Dave Kitzinger shares this story from Pittsburgh, where voters delivered a nuanced verdict… with 2024 warning signs. Yinz better buckle up.
Why was John Hagee… At the March for Israel? Really, this guy?
Donner, Party of One…. An ex-Fox News producer says the network sought to 'purge' staff who wouldn’t carry water for Trump’s lies.
Old yearbooks come back to haunt DeSantis… Who is trying to distance himself from Mitt Romney. One problem: He campaigned for him.
To save Israel and Gaza… Hamas must go, writes Hillary Clinton.
Ben Shapiro turns on Candace Owens… But still employs her. Why that’s still true is an interesting case study in right wing media.
A plane plunges into Puget Sound… And this Hamilton watch and its wearer survived. It was his second crash.
RoboDoc… A new documentary for your watch list.
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