Biden Urges Action in Support of Ukraine Before Time Runs Out
US aid to help Ukraine fight off the Russian invasion will run out by month’s end unless Congress OKs new funds, so President Biden on Monday . . . had his budget director write a stiff note.
That “leadership” is of a piece with how Biden’s approached the issue from the start, never making the case to the American public — not even explaining how the vast majority of this money is spent at home, on manufacturing the weapons and ammo Ukraine so desperately needs.
Office of Management and Budget Director Shalanda Young stated the issues clearly enough: “We are out of money to support Ukraine in this fight,” so: “It is time for Congress to act.”
But where is the president? He should be pushing lawmakers himself — and rallying the public.
Instead, too-little-too-late Joe Biden has let a false narrative take hold that the billions in aid is lining the pockets of corrupt Ukrainian officials.
In fact, up to 90% of US military aid actually gets spent in this country, employing, for example, Ohio constituents of Sen. J.D Vance and Rep. Jim Jordan — who both oppose spending “more on Ukraine” arguing that the cash should be spent at home.
It also means that the United States is able to replenish its own military hardware with more modern systems as Ukraine takes our older materiel.
From the beginning of the offensive, Biden failed to give the Ukrainians the equipment they needed to push back Vladimir Putin faster and decisively — he and his apparachicks cowed by the Russian dictator’s nuclear threats.
But at home he also failed to use his bully pulpit to make the case for helping Ukraine to the American people.
At this 11th hour, it’s still not too late, if it were not for politics.
He can still wrangle the votes for Ukraine aid, but now he’ll need to compromise by offering the GOP real changes on asylum law — closing the loopholes he’s exploited to wave millions of illegal immigrants into the interior.
Biden doesn’t like that deal and is refusing to do it. But if he believes what he himself says about the urgency of helping Ukraine, it’s his duty to make it.
Just as his failure to rapidly supply Kyiv with airpower and other advanced weapons has hamstrung the now-stalled counteroffensive, Biden’s refusal to spend his own political capital in the domestic debate has empowered Putin, convincing him he only has to wait until the West tires of backing Ukraine.
Rallying the nation is a commander-in-chief’s job, Mr. President: Do your sworn duty.
