Why are Republicans helping Putin by blocking aid to Ukraine? How do Ukrainian voters feel about the GOP betrayal of Ukraine and democratic values to support a Russian dictator?
We mapped where voters of Ukrainian descent live in the United States. along with Republican congressional reps, Senators and candidates representing those areas. Some refuse to investigate Russian war crimes in Ukraine. How well are these Republicans representing American ideals of fighting for democracy?
Check your understanding. (Answers below)
- Who said “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another?"
- Which Republicans voted against providing aid to Ukraine?
- Who said "NATO should help Ukraine, unaware of the fact that NATO has sent more than 20,000 sophisticated weapons to Ukraine?
- Which Republicans against investigating war crimes in Ukraine?
“The Russian army can stop burning churches. The Russian army can stop destroying cities. The Russian army can stop killing children. If the same person in Moscow just gives such an order. And the fact that there is still no such order is an obvious humiliation for the whole world.” said Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.
Republicans abandoning Ukraine and democratic values
How the GOP Has Been Pro-Putin or Anti-Ukraine
House Republicans voted against investigating war crimes in Ukraine. The Republican Party has a growing pro-Putin, anti-Ukraine wing and undermined America’s response to Putin’s unprovoked attack on Ukraine. - Democrats.org
- Members of Kevin McCarthy’s House Republican caucus voted against investigating war crimes in Ukraine.
- Majority of Senate Republicans voted against military aid to arm Ukrainians literally fighting for their lives.
- Republican leaders have repeatedly refused to condemn Trump’s praise of Putin, a likely war criminal.
- Republican lawmakers defended Trump’s attempt to extort President Zelenskyy and withhold military aid from Ukraine in 2019.
- Senate Republicans have also blocked the confirmation of key Biden administration officials who would play critical roles in our Ukraine response.
- Nearly a third of House Republicans voted against a resolution that reaffirmed our support for NATO.
Rand Paul undermined U.S. assistance to Ukraine by delaying the revocation of normal trade relations with Russia while innocent Ukrainians endure Russian bombs and missiles.
Ukrainian voting power
Of the 1.128 million Ukrainians 63 % or 709 thousand are potential voters. The number of potential voters is directly related to the total number of Ukrainians in a State or Metropolitan Area. Some of the states with the largest number of potential Ukrainian voters are New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Wisconsin, Florida and California. - Shevchenko Scientific Society
This map was designed with ArcGIS Online using data on Ukrainian communities from the Shevchenko Scientific Society along with details of Republican actions on Ukraine from news sources including Newsweek, Business Insider, Democrats.org and the Atlanta Journal Constitution.
What is a map dashboard?
A dashboard lets you add context and calls to action to a map. This dashboard includes cartoons from Cagle Cartoons along with calls to action to register to vote and links to some of the data sources used. Dashboards can be easily shared on social media, embedded in a website and automatically adjust to display well on a phone or laptop.
Conservatives become Ultra MAGA
In the months leading up to the vote on the Ukraine aid bill, Heritage’s policy experts argued in favor of an aggressive American role in the conflict, including huge amounts of aid. One report said that the United States “must ensure that its massive humanitarian aid response helps the Ukrainian people to survive Russia’s war of aggression.” Another report, published in April, declared: “A sovereign Ukraine is necessary for overall European stability, which is in U.S. and NATO interests. In many ways, the long-term stability of the trans-Atlantic community will be decided in Ukraine. The U.S. must act accordingly.”
Concerned Veterans for America, an advocacy group funded by the Koch network, which called it “a mistake for Congress to fast-track yet another massive aid package to Ukraine ...”
James Wallner, a senior fellow at the R Street Institute who previously led policy research at Heritage, said the discrepancy between the tone of the reports and the group’s opposition to the aid bill reflected a situation at the think tank “where the tail starts to wag the dog” and politics, not policy principle, begins to drive decisions. “I always raise the issue of what happens when this grass-roots army that you’re creating runs counter to the policy research,” Mr. Wallner said in an interview. “Do you just do what the grass-roots army wants? And if that’s the case, are you still a public policy organization that’s putting out cutting-edge research? I think you can’t have both at the same time, and I think that’s the challenge.” - NY Times
TakeAway: Elections matter. Vote for candidates who represent your values and democratic ideals - not just their billionaire donors or overseas interests.
Deepak
DemLabs
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Answers
- J.D. Vance Republican candidate in Ohio said, “I don’t really care what happens to Ukraine one way or another.” - PoliticusUSA
GOP Senators who voted agains the Ukraine Aid Bill - Newsweek - House Republicans who voted against the Ukraine Aid Bill - Newsweek
- Republicans who voted against investigating war crimes in Ukraine - Business Insider
Herschel Walker Republican candidate in Georgia said "I would really pressure NATO to get involved.” - Atlanta Journal Constitution
