[johnforbes]

So this bowtied fellow, who didn't earn an undergrad degree until 1989, was lecturing lesser mortals today on the essential nature of Ukraine's borders, and the need to keep foreign policy that same as (his words) 75 years ago.

Look, nobody cares much about Ukraine's borders, and most sane people care far more about OUR southern border.

[RealJustme]

Jesse Water summed it up best!

Trump impeachment proceedings a 'hearsay hearing' of 'griping by no-name diplomats.

[johnforbes]

It was really fascinating to listen to G Kent, the guy with the matching bowtie and pocket hanky.

He serious said -- no kidding -- that our basic foreign policy for 75 years had been to be concerned about Russia, and that Russia had been aggressive re Crimea, and that we should all be very concerned about Ukraine's borders.

Kent was almost delusional.

Sure, Putin is aggressive and pursuing his own interests. But I care far more about our southern border.

And Kent admitted that ALL UKRAINE FOREIGN POLICY INVOLVED CONDITIONS, with IMF and so forth.

ALL UKRAINE POLICY HISTORICALLY HAS INVOLVED CONDITIONS, ACCORDING TO SCHIFF'S OWN WITNESS.

[RealJustme]

Kent was almost delusional.

Absolutely! When he said our foreign policy had been the same for 75 years and implied Trump is trying to changed that, I thought for sure some would point out if our foreign policy hadn't changed in 75 years, it's way past time to put in some fresh blood and consider updating it.

[johnforbes]

Exactly.

That guy with the bowtie went to Harvard, but he said our foreign policy had been that way for 75 years and he seemed to imply that that was a good thing.

Obviously, things change, and it sounded utterly absurd for Kent to suggest that our policy should remain unchanged for even MORE than 75 years.

[RealJustme]

Another point is that diplomats don't establish policy, they implement the policy of the people through their elected President. That's the reason, Presidents don't have to give a reason to replace diplomats. Trump should announce that if there are any diplomats that aren't prepared to implement the peoples' policy, they need to say so they can be replaced.

[johnforbes]

Yes, it wouldn't even matter if Kent and Taylor were 100 percent correct and Trump was 100 percent wrong.

Trump is the elected president, and the Dept of State is supposed to implement the policy of the president.

Bloomberg was saying Trump was attempting to take control of foreign policy away from "seasoned diplomats." But nobody elected Kent or Taylor to anything. They are paid by we taxpayers to implement presidential policy.