A few days back, the Senate approved $40 billion in aid to Ukraine; the vote was 86 to 11. The only "no" votes were from a few GOP senators.

The bill dedicates over $4 billion for food and shelter needs in Ukraine, $15 billion for defense operations and maintenance, $3.9 billion for U.S. forces in Europe, $2 billion for long-term support to NATO allies and DOD modernization programs, and $16 billion to economic support for Ukraine.

The bill also authorizes Biden to transfer articles and services to Ukraine worth $11 billion without congressional approval.

These are unprecedented and astronomical sums. Worse still, the bill has no built-in tracking mechanisms. Attempts by Sen. Rand Paul (R-Kentucky) to add transparency and accountability measures were blocked.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R) told Fox News the following after the bill was passed:

“My colleague, Sen. Paul, has always been an isolationist. He’s proud of it and believes that’s where America ought to be.

There’s always been a strand of isolationism in our party, but it’s not the dominant view, which was expressed in the vote that we had today and will be expressed again when we vote on the admission of Finland and Sweden into NATO.”

Thus $40 billion of taxpayer money will be spent to defend and rebuild a faraway country that has little to do with your well-being. Those who asked questions or attempt to add accountability measures are branded "isolationists" which is a fancy way of saying "selfish" and "anachronistic."

This is like a company having an employee who is exclusively occupied with rebuilding another struggling firm, while the firm that pays his salary struggles financially.

Biden uses your credit card to fund his needs and that of another firm. When you see your credit card bill and demand accountability, he calls you pejorative names and refuses to furnish details. You can’t terminate him because his contract states he remains employed till 2024.

McConnell recently visited Kyiv to meet with with Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“It’s in America’s interest to do this. This is not a charity we’re involved in. It’s in our interests to help Ukrainians just like it’s in the interest of NATO countries,” McConnell told reporters after his meet with Zelensky.

McConnell called Russian President Vladimir Putin a “ruthless thug” and added that the United States should be “first in line” to ratify potential new NATO members Finland and Sweden. He also wants Biden to designate Russia a state sponsor of terror.

Politico reports that ahead of the trip, McConnell informed Biden that he wanted to blunt President Trump’s influence by conveying to allies in Eastern Europe that “Republicans believe NATO is important.”

McConnell told Biden he wanted to “push back against the isolationist sentiment in my own party.” 

Do not be surprised if McConnell concurs with Biden that the "MAGA crowd" is "the most extreme political organization that exists in America."  

The Democrats already have a January 6 Select Committee to target the MAGA wing of the GOP. The Democrats are also conducting myriad gratuitous probes on President Trump. The Democrats will gleefully assist McConnell if he wants to bring harm to the "isolationist" MAGA wing.

McConnell's term ends in 2027, he will be 85 by then, and perhaps he may not seek re-election. Currently, there are no recall provisions for senators, which gives McConnell five more years to do as he pleases without any challenge or concern about being voted out.

The U.S. is going through one of its worst phases in recent history.

From inflation at a 40-year high to a supply chain crisis that has caused a shortage of essential items such as baby formula, the problems are mounting.  The U.S. border remains effectively open, resulting in an influx of 2 million unvettted and illegal migrants as well as large-scale trafficking of illicit narcotics.

But neither McConnell nor his colleagues who visited Kyiv had the time to talk with suffering citizens or local or state officials. They didn’t even utter perfunctory words of assurance. The very citizens who pay for their salaries and who fund their trips to Ukraine are the least of their concerns.

Worse, McConnell’s utterances and actions are engaging the U.S. into a war with nuclear-armed Russia that could place the life of citizens in peril. McConnell conceded the war in Ukraine now could “drag on”  yet he seems determined and committed to the welfare of Ukraine.

From which we come to the Washington Democrat Establishment that runs the show. This nefarious cabal exists solely to benefit its members and their cronies. Engaging in prolonged conflicts in faraway nations is the easiest way to profit without accountability.

Most of Washington, irrespective of party affiliation, feeds off the establishment. The establishment ensures that its members are taken care of. If someone suffers an electoral defeat, the establishment finds him profitable employment elsewhere. 

The establishment also takes care of family members, perhaps an offspring is seeking admission to an ivy league school, or perhaps another who needs a cushy government or NGO or consulting job. The members share a symbiotic relationship. They closely watch each other's backs, always.

Take, for example, Elaine Lan Chao, the wife of McConnell, who comes from a family that has extensive business interests in China. But nobody in the Biden administration will question or investigate her. In return, McConnell remains mum about Hunter Biden’s shady business activity. See how this works?

They may pretend to have differences for which they put up a charade on T.V., calling each other names. But on matters such as sending $40 billion in aid to Ukraine, they stick together.

It was President Trump’s entry that truly exposed them. During his 2016 race, Trump challenged and exposed them. In response, Republicans such as Mitt Romney and John McCain, both of whom lost to Barack Obama during their respective presidential races, suddenly developed venomous fangs. 

Bush Republicans and old school ‘conservatives’ became Never Trumpers and opposed Trump on MSNBC with the same petty viciousness as Democrats. McConnell probably doesn't want Trump to win the White House in 2024 any more than a far-left Democrat does.

This is the biggest risk after the midterms in November. The GOP may take back the Senate and the House, but the power will not be used to bring about real change.

Instead, the likes of McConnell will be focused on foreign wars and other gratuitous pursuits that are disconnected from the well-being of the citizen.

McConnell may get back his power owing to MAGA votes, but once he gains power, he could collaborate with the Washington Democrat establishment to wage war against President Trump and his supporters.

Republicans like McConnell are still marginally better than far-left Democrats; McConnell, after all, did enable the vote on conservative judges in the Supreme Court and helped Trump pass the tax cuts that helped the economy.  But McConnell could also commit an act of betrayal when you most need him. We have seen in the past that it often takes one vote to repeal or pass a bill or convict in an impeachment trial.

McConnell is hence an untrustworthy ally which is often worse than a sworn and committed foe.

The adversary is expected to attack you and hurt your interests, and when the adversary causes you harm, you are prepared for it. But when the putative ally colludes with the adversary to act against you, it causes betrayal in addition to the harm, which is infinitely worse.

Image: Gage Skidmore, via Flickr // CC BY-SA 2.0