John Block Reports from Washington

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And now today’s commentary 

What is at the top of our list of worries today? Ukraine. Russia has 150,000 troops surrounding Ukraine. By the time you hear this radio program, we may know if Russia is really going to invade Ukraine. President Biden and Russian President Putin have agreed to meet this coming Sunday.  We need to work out some kind of compromise.  

However, that compromise should be between Europe and Russia. Ukraine is 5000 miles from the U.S. – but Europe and Russia are right over the fence from each other. Why aren’t they negotiating? Why is it on our shoulders? I realize that the U.S. is a member of NATO with Europe.  And the U.S. is the leader of the world if we ignore China.  

I simply don’t understand why we should take the lead. Europe is threatened. Europe has a huge demand for Russian gas. We don’t do very much trade with Russia at all. Russia and Ukraine are on the other side of the world. Putin does not like the fact that NATO countries are surrounding Russia. O.K. – maybe there is a limit. It’s time for NATO (Europe) to cut a deal with Russia.  

Enough on that subject. I cannot pick up the paper or turn on the tv without seeing more stories about savage crime in our big cities. There are so many violet criminals. They get released back into society to go for armed robbery or carjacking. There is little respect for law officers. And with the talk about “defund the police” we see cops just leaving for a safer job.  

Leaders in the big cities have enacted policies that have opened the door to death and destruction.  Fortunately, we don’t have much of that in small town and rural America. Last subject – a decision  that I don’t think is fair. NCAA allows transgender women to compete in sports against other women even though they used to be a man. Here is an example. Lia Thomas, University of Pennsylvania, competed on the men’s swim team for 3 years. But this year he is a she and she  competes against biological women. In 2 events, she swam faster than any female college swimmer  i history. I don’t think this is fair to or female athletes.  

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