6 Comments

Excellent piece

Expand full comment

Thank you! I thought so, too.

Expand full comment

Claire and co, I am so happy that you all are doing what you are doing and providing some insight into the machinations happening in other parts of the world, the other political systems and conflicts that we never hear about over the din of American politics. While those are certainly interesting, it is nothing compared to what I am learning about the world because of the efforts that you all are making. Happy to be supporting you all. Hoping to one day know enough to offer some thoughts of my own.

Expand full comment

This comment brightened my mood so much you couldn't even imagine it. I was really talking myself into thinking, "Oh, no one will ever care about anything but Trump again."

Expand full comment

Thank you. This really explains why I feel my head spin every time I gaze in to the Ukraine and try and understand what's going on. Unless Putin's involved, which generally means I want the opposite position.

Expand full comment

Very informative and well worth reading. I couldn’t help but notice the parallels between Ukraine and the United States, especially this comment by Mr. Davidzon;

“Zelensky, unlike his predecessors, owns no television networks. He is reliant on good relations with the oligarchs to convey his political message.”

Couldn’t we say exactly the same thing about Biden (and for that matter, Trump)? They own no media outlets. Aren’t they dependent on oligarchs like Jeff Bezos, Jack Dorsey, Mark Zuckerberg, Sundar Pichai, Robert Iger, Rupert Murdoch, Brian Roberts and Shari Redstone to get the word out?

Are American oligarchs really any less powerful or corrupt than Ukranian oligarchs?

Could that be the reason a large percentage of Americans detest the status quo (which Biden represents) in the same way Ukranians do? Speaking of President-Elect Biden, perhaps Mr. Davidzon will tell us what to make of Hunter’s escapades in Ukraine.

Mr. Davidzon describes the Ukraine as a bifurcated society: one half oriented towards the West and one looking longingly to the East. Is Ukraine really any more bifurcated than the United States where the cleavage is between those who are college educated and those who aren’t?

Is our country any less embittered than Ukraine? Don’t both nations suffer from the same ailment; oligarchs who care only for themselves.

Expand full comment