Interesting cost/benefit analysis of staying in NATO. Basically, by the US essentially subsidizing the EU’s defense, it allows them to expand their social programs funding. So US taxpayers helping to pay for free health care in the EU:
Will it be Trump’s strategic triumph like Seward’s folly, or mark the end of Trump, with a 2026 Dem House control and endless impeachments consuming the final two years?
Bessent makes a few points why the US needs Greenland.
Has President Trump’s bellicose style alienated Greenlanders to the extent they will refuse any offers that truly benefit them?
@Brian E:Has President Trump’s bellicose style alienated Greenlanders to the extent they will refuse any offers that truly benefit them?
Who in Greenland is empowered to accept or reject an offer on behalf of Greenlanders? Like American Samoa or Puerto Rico the answer is “nobody”.
Niketas C. Apparently, it would take an independence referendum by Greenland before they could accept any offer from the US without Denmark’s consent, or a referendum by Greenlanders expressing the wish to become a territory/state of the US and Denmark would have to consent.
The Kingdom of Denmark retains control over certain areas under the Danish Constitution and the Self-Government Act:
Foreign affairs (including treaties, diplomacy, and international representation)
Defense (Denmark handles military matters; the U.S. has a defense agreement for Pituffik Space Base)
Currency (Danish krone)
Justice (higher courts, police oversight in some cases)
Citizenship (Greenlanders are Danish citizens with EU citizenship rights)
Territories with Greenland’s population should be dependencies of more populous parties with ample productive capacity. Britain erred in granting ‘independence’ to territories which were certainly capable of self-government but could not within their borders encompass or generate certain higher order services. France held on to their low census dependencies. They found a salutary alternative to retaining their Tropical African territories by retreating to the role of patron (in conjunction with inter-governmental agencies) in lieu of ruler. They departed the Levantine territories it hadn’t been their attention to retain. They departed their Maghreb territories and Indo-Chinese territories as it had grown too expensive and troublesome to retain any of them. They departed their Indian territories because they were not up to a war to retain them. Portugal and the Netherlands were also in over their skis attempting to retain their overseas possessions, but might have kept some insular and coastal territories they eventually relinquished. Ditto the United States in re Polynesia.
@Brian E:Apparently, it would take an independence referendum by Greenland before they could accept any offer from the US without Denmark’s consent, or a referendum by Greenlanders expressing the wish to become a territory/state of the US and Denmark would have to consent.
The provision stipulates that if the people of Greenland take a decision in favour of independence, negotiations are to commence between the Danish Government and Naalakkersuisut regarding the introduction of independence for Greenland. An agreement between the Danish Government and Naalakkersuisut regarding the introduction of independence for Greenland is to be concluded with the consent of Inatsisartut and is to be endorsed by a referendum in Greenland. Furthermore, the agreement is to be concluded with the consent of the Folketing, cf. Section 19 of the Danish Constitution. Independence for Greenland implies that Greenland assumes sovereignty over the Greenland territory.
First the people of Greenland have to say in some way they want to do it, their home government has to negotiate with the government of Denmark, which of course can be as intransigent as they wish. Assuming some kind of agreement is reached, Greenland’s home government has to agree to it, then the people of Greenland have to agree to it, and then the Danish parliament has to agree to it.
20% of Greenland’s economy is a subsidy from Denmark, which you couldn’t expect Denmark to continue paying if Greenland left…
Or the Greenland government could declare it’s independence and ask the US to come to their aid. 🙂
Never claim more territory than you can defend, seems to be the defining principle for the last 10,000 years.
Republicans asleep at the wheel again…
“In TWO previous elections, Spanberger was about to lose…
“Mysteriously, a flash drive with a statistically implausible number of Dem votes appeared…and were somehow counted.
“I’m sure her party making an electoral audit impossible on DAY ONE is a coincidence”— https://instapundit.com/770839/
Physicsguy, European NATO allies dropped their defense spending to to take advantage of the “peace dividend”.
Historically, Heritage notes that European NATO members averaged 3.1% of GDP on defense in 1985 (during the Cold War), but this dropped to 1.43% by 2015 and only rose to 1.7% by 2022 — underscoring what they call a “decade of underinvestment.”
DOJ Rules Century-Old Statute Prohibiting Shipping Handguns Through the US Mail Unconstitutional
The USPS rules put gun owners in a bind if they were, for example, moving across the country. Many leftist states have laws against carrying firearms in cars. The woke UPS and FedEx have recently enacted rules that they won’t ship firearms.
“In a monumental development for gun owners, the Department of Justice has acknowledged that one of the oldest federal gun control laws on the books is unconstitutional. The DOJ Office of Legal Counsel issued a memorandum last week titled, “Constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 1715.” The statute at issue concerned the federal prohibition on sending handguns through the U.S. mail enacted in 1927.
Handgun owners can’t use the U.S. mail to ship their firearms to themselves, say during a move or for a hunting trip or competition. Astute gun owners will be aware of the potential perils of lawfully traveling through certain parts of the country with a legally-owned firearm, despite the federal protections provided by the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act – making mailing a firearm preferable in many instances. Moreover, handgun owners can’t use the USPS to ship their firearm directly to a manufacturer or gunsmith for modification or repair.
Yep, Barry Meislin, we may get 10″ of snow on Saturday. This would be better than the ice storm to our south; we’re hoping to stay in the snow zone. I doubt this is caused by a solar flare, however. 🙂
Wish we were getting that here. Here being Vail, where I’m on a ski trip. Slopes have what I presume to be man made snow on them, but no snow at all anywhere else.
My daughter says her location outside of Washington, D.C., may get 20 inches. This might cause a real government shutdown.
Re: Bat World Sanctuary
There is a lot more going on with unusual human-animal relationships than I realized. People have been semi-domesticating animals outside the usual livestock/pet range for a long time, but I think we’ve cranked it up a notch in the past few decades.
Today I ran into the Bat World Sanctuary, which takes care of bats who can’t be returned to the wild. They even have a special elderly bat hospice, if you can believe that.
________________________________________________
–The Dodo, “33-Year-Old Bat Loves to Curl Around His Caregiver’s Arm and Fall Asleep” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRnlUUvCTTs
________________________________________________
Bats can be surprisingly cute, even old ones.
AD: “For ugly clothes and ugly haircuts, the 1970s are second to none. A few of the dames look presentable.”
Q: How do you keep kids off drugs?
A: Show them pictures of how people dressed in the 1960s and 70s.
@ Mike Plaiss > “Wish we were getting that here. Here being Vail, where I’m on a ski trip. Slopes have what I presume to be man made snow on them, but no snow at all anywhere else.”
I’m down the mountain from you in the “anywhere else” and I am FINE with not having any or not very much snow!
However, I hope you still have a good time, and come back when there is more of the real stuff.
Huxley: Fruit bats can give kittens a run for their money in the cute department.
AesopFan, the problem with no snow in the mountains or on the plains is what will happen to the water supply in the summer. This is not good.
@ Kate – this is true; I was being somewhat facetious!
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Interesting cost/benefit analysis of staying in NATO. Basically, by the US essentially subsidizing the EU’s defense, it allows them to expand their social programs funding. So US taxpayers helping to pay for free health care in the EU:
https://www.dailywire.com/news/natos-dirty-little-secret?topStoryPosition=undefined&author=Brad+Schaeffer&category=News+and+Commentary&elementPosition=2&row=1&rowHeadline=Top+Stories&rowType=Top+Stories&title=NATO%E2%80%99s+Dirty+Little+Secret
Not much for spectator sports, but always found him oddly appealing.
==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vv368yWOSas
==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ajV7ljKbDY0
==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f32bhICi-zI
==
Hoo hoo Hoosiers.
For ugly clothes and ugly haircuts, the 1970s are second to none. A few of the dames look presentable.
==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4SnrYx8ad4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tf1d65OHYXo
Wow! Awesome! That made my day. Thanks for sharing, neo!
That is inspirational.
I never liked the starting blocks, not that I was ever quick enough to be in the sprints (anything shorter than a half mile).
Turnover is the key. Still.
Holey moley!
Orange Man Badder even got the Grayer Lady to tell da truth…sort of…
“SOMETIMES THE TRUTH SLIPS THROUGH”—
https://instapundit.com/770769/
+ Bonus (for some)…
“TRANSPARENCY;
“X JUST DID WHAT NO OTHER PLATFORM HAS THE GUTS TO DO”—
https://instapundit.com/770796/
Take Greenland. Or not.
Will it be Trump’s strategic triumph like Seward’s folly, or mark the end of Trump, with a 2026 Dem House control and endless impeachments consuming the final two years?
Bessent makes a few points why the US needs Greenland.
Has President Trump’s bellicose style alienated Greenlanders to the extent they will refuse any offers that truly benefit them?
Is Canada in the same situation?
Scott Bessent Asked About Greenland: ‘How Do You Justify Taking Over A Country?’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vn4yGtk7-L4
@Brian E:Has President Trump’s bellicose style alienated Greenlanders to the extent they will refuse any offers that truly benefit them?
Who in Greenland is empowered to accept or reject an offer on behalf of Greenlanders? Like American Samoa or Puerto Rico the answer is “nobody”.
Niketas C. Apparently, it would take an independence referendum by Greenland before they could accept any offer from the US without Denmark’s consent, or a referendum by Greenlanders expressing the wish to become a territory/state of the US and Denmark would have to consent.
Territories with Greenland’s population should be dependencies of more populous parties with ample productive capacity. Britain erred in granting ‘independence’ to territories which were certainly capable of self-government but could not within their borders encompass or generate certain higher order services. France held on to their low census dependencies. They found a salutary alternative to retaining their Tropical African territories by retreating to the role of patron (in conjunction with inter-governmental agencies) in lieu of ruler. They departed the Levantine territories it hadn’t been their attention to retain. They departed their Maghreb territories and Indo-Chinese territories as it had grown too expensive and troublesome to retain any of them. They departed their Indian territories because they were not up to a war to retain them. Portugal and the Netherlands were also in over their skis attempting to retain their overseas possessions, but might have kept some insular and coastal territories they eventually relinquished. Ditto the United States in re Polynesia.
@Brian E:Apparently, it would take an independence referendum by Greenland before they could accept any offer from the US without Denmark’s consent, or a referendum by Greenlanders expressing the wish to become a territory/state of the US and Denmark would have to consent.
Exactly, there’s a lot of steps there. Greenland does not have the unilateral right to do it.
First the people of Greenland have to say in some way they want to do it, their home government has to negotiate with the government of Denmark, which of course can be as intransigent as they wish. Assuming some kind of agreement is reached, Greenland’s home government has to agree to it, then the people of Greenland have to agree to it, and then the Danish parliament has to agree to it.
20% of Greenland’s economy is a subsidy from Denmark, which you couldn’t expect Denmark to continue paying if Greenland left…
Or the Greenland government could declare it’s independence and ask the US to come to their aid. 🙂
Never claim more territory than you can defend, seems to be the defining principle for the last 10,000 years.
Republicans asleep at the wheel again…
“In TWO previous elections, Spanberger was about to lose…
“Mysteriously, a flash drive with a statistically implausible number of Dem votes appeared…and were somehow counted.
“I’m sure her party making an electoral audit impossible on DAY ONE is a coincidence”—
https://instapundit.com/770839/
Physicsguy, European NATO allies dropped their defense spending to to take advantage of the “peace dividend”.
Nice gig (if you can get it…):
The Netflix nexus…
“The Obamas’ Power, Corruption, and Lies Are Things to Behold”—
https://pjmedia.com/vodkapundit/2026/01/20/obamas-power-corruption-and-lies-are-things-to-behold-n4948504
Time to batten down the hatches?
“Solar Radiation Storm Slams Earth, Generating Auroras and Threatening Satellites
“Hopefully the impacts will be minimal, and notable only for the stream of spectacular aurora images that will be streaming on social media.”—
https://legalinsurrection.com/2026/01/solar-radiation-storm-slams-earth-generating-auroras-and-threatening-satellites/
+ Related(?)
“Major snow, ice storm to affect more than 150 million people in southern, eastern US”—
https://www.accuweather.com/en/winter-weather/major-snow-ice-storm-to-affect-more-than-150-million-people-in-southern-eastern-us/1854647
From the elections have consequences department
DOJ Rules Century-Old Statute Prohibiting Shipping Handguns Through the US Mail Unconstitutional
The USPS rules put gun owners in a bind if they were, for example, moving across the country. Many leftist states have laws against carrying firearms in cars. The woke UPS and FedEx have recently enacted rules that they won’t ship firearms.
“In a monumental development for gun owners, the Department of Justice has acknowledged that one of the oldest federal gun control laws on the books is unconstitutional. The DOJ Office of Legal Counsel issued a memorandum last week titled, “Constitutionality of 18 U.S.C. § 1715.” The statute at issue concerned the federal prohibition on sending handguns through the U.S. mail enacted in 1927.
Handgun owners can’t use the U.S. mail to ship their firearms to themselves, say during a move or for a hunting trip or competition. Astute gun owners will be aware of the potential perils of lawfully traveling through certain parts of the country with a legally-owned firearm, despite the federal protections provided by the Firearm Owners’ Protection Act – making mailing a firearm preferable in many instances. Moreover, handgun owners can’t use the USPS to ship their firearm directly to a manufacturer or gunsmith for modification or repair.
Yep, Barry Meislin, we may get 10″ of snow on Saturday. This would be better than the ice storm to our south; we’re hoping to stay in the snow zone. I doubt this is caused by a solar flare, however. 🙂
Wish we were getting that here. Here being Vail, where I’m on a ski trip. Slopes have what I presume to be man made snow on them, but no snow at all anywhere else.
My daughter says her location outside of Washington, D.C., may get 20 inches. This might cause a real government shutdown.
Re: Bat World Sanctuary
There is a lot more going on with unusual human-animal relationships than I realized. People have been semi-domesticating animals outside the usual livestock/pet range for a long time, but I think we’ve cranked it up a notch in the past few decades.
Today I ran into the Bat World Sanctuary, which takes care of bats who can’t be returned to the wild. They even have a special elderly bat hospice, if you can believe that.
________________________________________________
–The Dodo, “33-Year-Old Bat Loves to Curl Around His Caregiver’s Arm and Fall Asleep”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dRnlUUvCTTs
________________________________________________
Bats can be surprisingly cute, even old ones.
AD: “For ugly clothes and ugly haircuts, the 1970s are second to none. A few of the dames look presentable.”
Q: How do you keep kids off drugs?
A: Show them pictures of how people dressed in the 1960s and 70s.
@ Mike Plaiss > “Wish we were getting that here. Here being Vail, where I’m on a ski trip. Slopes have what I presume to be man made snow on them, but no snow at all anywhere else.”
I’m down the mountain from you in the “anywhere else” and I am FINE with not having any or not very much snow!
However, I hope you still have a good time, and come back when there is more of the real stuff.
Huxley: Fruit bats can give kittens a run for their money in the cute department.
AesopFan, the problem with no snow in the mountains or on the plains is what will happen to the water supply in the summer. This is not good.
@ Kate – this is true; I was being somewhat facetious!