Welcome to DU!
The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards.
Join the community:
Create a free account
Support DU (and get rid of ads!):
Become a Star Member
Latest Breaking News
Editorials & Other Articles
General Discussion
The DU Lounge
All Forums
Issue Forums
Culture Forums
Alliance Forums
Region Forums
Support Forums
Help & Search
TexasTowelie
TexasTowelie's Journal
TexasTowelie's Journal
October 16, 2025
Moldova has just unveiled its 10-year defense strategy – and Moscow’s response was as predictable as it was loud. Prime Minister Dorin Recean warned of “hysterical voices” opposing the plan, and the Kremlin quickly obliged. The strategy aims to modernize Moldova’s small army, align it with EU standards, and strengthen cyber and intelligence capabilities. Russia, meanwhile, calls it “anti-Russian militarization,” ignoring its own troops still stationed illegally in Transnistria. In this episode, we unpack why even modest defense ambitions can send shockwaves through Moscow’s worldview.
Neutral No More: Moldova Stands Firm - Eastern Express - TVP WORLD
Moldova has just unveiled its 10-year defense strategy – and Moscow’s response was as predictable as it was loud. Prime Minister Dorin Recean warned of “hysterical voices” opposing the plan, and the Kremlin quickly obliged. The strategy aims to modernize Moldova’s small army, align it with EU standards, and strengthen cyber and intelligence capabilities. Russia, meanwhile, calls it “anti-Russian militarization,” ignoring its own troops still stationed illegally in Transnistria. In this episode, we unpack why even modest defense ambitions can send shockwaves through Moscow’s worldview.
October 16, 2025
Democracy Watch episode 296: US Supreme Court hears critical Voting Rights Act case.
Breaking: Major update at US Supreme Court - Brian Tyler Cohen
Democracy Watch episode 296: US Supreme Court hears critical Voting Rights Act case.
October 16, 2025
Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson, who was briefly expelled from his legislative seat in 2023 after leading a gun safety protest on the floor of the state's General Assembly, has launched a bid to unseat 76-year-old Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen. Pearson argues the party needs new voices and perspectives. He joins "The Takeout" to discuss.
"Tennessee Three" Democrat Justin Pearson launches bid to unseat Rep. Steve Cohen - CBS News
Tennessee State Rep. Justin Pearson, who was briefly expelled from his legislative seat in 2023 after leading a gun safety protest on the floor of the state's General Assembly, has launched a bid to unseat 76-year-old Democratic Rep. Steve Cohen. Pearson argues the party needs new voices and perspectives. He joins "The Takeout" to discuss.
October 16, 2025
Hey folks, my name is Mark Biernat. In this video, I want to take you through something that’s happening quietly but has massive implications — the collapse of Russia’s oil-based economy as global prices, especially WTI, continue to fall. When you look past the daily headlines, what’s really unfolding is a slow structural unraveling of a system that has depended for decades on oil revenue to keep the state running. P.S., I am on my new Camera. It is a conscious ethical choice.
For most of modern Russia’s history, oil has not just been a commodity; it’s been the lifeblood of the entire political and fiscal system. The Russian budget depends on oil and gas for roughly forty percent of its total revenue. When prices stay high, the money flows easily — pensions get paid, the ruble holds steady, and the government can finance both domestic programs and its foreign ambitions. But when the price of oil falls below the country’s fiscal breakeven, which is around seventy-five to eighty-five dollars a barrel, everything begins to tighten. That’s where we are right now.
WTI has dropped into the low sixties, and because Russian Urals crude sells at a discount, Moscow is effectively earning under sixty dollars per barrel. That’s a problem that no amount of state propaganda can spin away. Every ten-dollar drop in oil prices costs the Kremlin roughly half a percent of GDP in lost revenue. The National Welfare Fund, once a source of national pride, is being drained month by month to cover routine expenses. If this trend continues, those reserves could run dangerously low within a year.
When oil revenue falls, the ruble follows. A weaker ruble means more expensive imports and rising inflation. The central bank is forced to raise interest rates to prevent total currency collapse, but higher rates choke off credit and small business growth. The result is a feedback loop — a kind of economic suffocation that hits ordinary people long before it shows up in official statistics. You can already see it in delayed wages, shrinking purchasing power, and regional governments struggling to meet payroll.
Now, some analysts describe this as a textbook case of the “resource curse.” When an economy depends too heavily on exporting one commodity, it becomes trapped by its own success. Instead of diversifying, the government builds a fiscal system around the expectation that oil prices will stay high forever. When they don’t, the state finds itself with commitments it can’t sustain. That’s what we’re witnessing now — not a sudden crash, but a long unwinding of a rentier model that can no longer fund itself.
You might ask, can Russia adapt? It’s possible, but diversification takes time, investment, and trust — three things in short supply right now. The war effort is consuming billions every month, scaring away what little foreign capital remains. Domestically, industrial capacity is aging, and many of the technologies needed to modernize production are under sanctions. Even if Russia could switch to non-oil exports, global competition in metals and agriculture is fierce, and profit margins are thin.
So what happens when the world no longer needs Russian oil the way it used to? We’re already seeing it. As renewables expand and electric vehicles become mainstream, the demand for crude isn’t growing the way it once did. The shift is gradual, but for an economy tied to a single resource, even a gradual decline feels like a collapse. The rest of the world is moving toward energy efficiency, innovation, and decentralization. Russia is still betting everything on a resource that’s losing its strategic value.
When you add it all up — shrinking revenues, a falling ruble, rising inflation, and mounting fiscal pressure — the outcome looks inevitable. The economic foundation that once financed Russia’s global ambitions is eroding from underneath. And as history shows, when the money runs out, political stability is the next to go.
Thanks for watching, and if you’re interested in deeper economic analysis like this, stay tuned. My name is Mark Biernat, and I’ll see you in the next one.
WTI Falls! Russia in Economic Panic Fundraiser - Econ Lessons
Hey folks, my name is Mark Biernat. In this video, I want to take you through something that’s happening quietly but has massive implications — the collapse of Russia’s oil-based economy as global prices, especially WTI, continue to fall. When you look past the daily headlines, what’s really unfolding is a slow structural unraveling of a system that has depended for decades on oil revenue to keep the state running. P.S., I am on my new Camera. It is a conscious ethical choice.
For most of modern Russia’s history, oil has not just been a commodity; it’s been the lifeblood of the entire political and fiscal system. The Russian budget depends on oil and gas for roughly forty percent of its total revenue. When prices stay high, the money flows easily — pensions get paid, the ruble holds steady, and the government can finance both domestic programs and its foreign ambitions. But when the price of oil falls below the country’s fiscal breakeven, which is around seventy-five to eighty-five dollars a barrel, everything begins to tighten. That’s where we are right now.
WTI has dropped into the low sixties, and because Russian Urals crude sells at a discount, Moscow is effectively earning under sixty dollars per barrel. That’s a problem that no amount of state propaganda can spin away. Every ten-dollar drop in oil prices costs the Kremlin roughly half a percent of GDP in lost revenue. The National Welfare Fund, once a source of national pride, is being drained month by month to cover routine expenses. If this trend continues, those reserves could run dangerously low within a year.
When oil revenue falls, the ruble follows. A weaker ruble means more expensive imports and rising inflation. The central bank is forced to raise interest rates to prevent total currency collapse, but higher rates choke off credit and small business growth. The result is a feedback loop — a kind of economic suffocation that hits ordinary people long before it shows up in official statistics. You can already see it in delayed wages, shrinking purchasing power, and regional governments struggling to meet payroll.
Now, some analysts describe this as a textbook case of the “resource curse.” When an economy depends too heavily on exporting one commodity, it becomes trapped by its own success. Instead of diversifying, the government builds a fiscal system around the expectation that oil prices will stay high forever. When they don’t, the state finds itself with commitments it can’t sustain. That’s what we’re witnessing now — not a sudden crash, but a long unwinding of a rentier model that can no longer fund itself.
You might ask, can Russia adapt? It’s possible, but diversification takes time, investment, and trust — three things in short supply right now. The war effort is consuming billions every month, scaring away what little foreign capital remains. Domestically, industrial capacity is aging, and many of the technologies needed to modernize production are under sanctions. Even if Russia could switch to non-oil exports, global competition in metals and agriculture is fierce, and profit margins are thin.
So what happens when the world no longer needs Russian oil the way it used to? We’re already seeing it. As renewables expand and electric vehicles become mainstream, the demand for crude isn’t growing the way it once did. The shift is gradual, but for an economy tied to a single resource, even a gradual decline feels like a collapse. The rest of the world is moving toward energy efficiency, innovation, and decentralization. Russia is still betting everything on a resource that’s losing its strategic value.
When you add it all up — shrinking revenues, a falling ruble, rising inflation, and mounting fiscal pressure — the outcome looks inevitable. The economic foundation that once financed Russia’s global ambitions is eroding from underneath. And as history shows, when the money runs out, political stability is the next to go.
Thanks for watching, and if you’re interested in deeper economic analysis like this, stay tuned. My name is Mark Biernat, and I’ll see you in the next one.
October 16, 2025
In a shocking move, the Trump administration has drastically reduced the staff of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), the very office responsible for overseeing special education funding and services for 7.5 million children with disabilities across the nation. This reduction-in-force (RIF) has left many employees, who fear retribution, voicing their concerns about the devastating impact on the rights and services for infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities. With approximately $15 billion in special education funding at stake, the cuts threaten to dismantle the essential support systems that ensure compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Join us as we delve into the implications of these layoffs, hear from affected employees, and discuss what this means for the future of special education in America.
Trump Guts Vital Office For Disabled Kids - The Logical Leftist
In a shocking move, the Trump administration has drastically reduced the staff of the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), the very office responsible for overseeing special education funding and services for 7.5 million children with disabilities across the nation. This reduction-in-force (RIF) has left many employees, who fear retribution, voicing their concerns about the devastating impact on the rights and services for infants, toddlers, and youth with disabilities. With approximately $15 billion in special education funding at stake, the cuts threaten to dismantle the essential support systems that ensure compliance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). Join us as we delve into the implications of these layoffs, hear from affected employees, and discuss what this means for the future of special education in America.
October 16, 2025
Mel Gibson has at long last cast the lead role in his sequel to The Passion of the Christ, according to The Daily Beast Trump’s inner circle is becoming increasingly fearful of the impact Fox News has on his decision making, we are now on day fifteen of the government shutdown, representatives in the House are refusing to swear in Adelita Grijalva from Arizona, Trump has been doing his part to bring the two sides together, he held a press conference/pity party where he patted himself on the back, his granddaughter Kai went golfing with him, Trixie Matell hosts Drag Queen Storytime in honor of Eric Trump’s new book, and we invited viewers living in alleged post-apocalyptic wastelands to show us their “hellholes” and we got a lot of videos from our friends across America. If you’d like to contribute make a video and post it to YouTube or any social media platform with the hashtag #ShowMeYourHellhole
Kimmel: Trump Can't Stop Blaming and Bragging, Fox News Has a Grip on Him & We See His "Hellhole" Cities
Mel Gibson has at long last cast the lead role in his sequel to The Passion of the Christ, according to The Daily Beast Trump’s inner circle is becoming increasingly fearful of the impact Fox News has on his decision making, we are now on day fifteen of the government shutdown, representatives in the House are refusing to swear in Adelita Grijalva from Arizona, Trump has been doing his part to bring the two sides together, he held a press conference/pity party where he patted himself on the back, his granddaughter Kai went golfing with him, Trixie Matell hosts Drag Queen Storytime in honor of Eric Trump’s new book, and we invited viewers living in alleged post-apocalyptic wastelands to show us their “hellholes” and we got a lot of videos from our friends across America. If you’d like to contribute make a video and post it to YouTube or any social media platform with the hashtag #ShowMeYourHellhole
October 16, 2025
Russia is collapsing from the inside—and the clock is ticking. In this explosive new episode, we break down how Putin is running out of time as the internal collapse of the Russian military secretly begins. Behind every desperate draft campaign, every false “victory,” and every empty speech lies a regime choking on its own lies. Russia keeps bombing Ukraine to prove it still matters, but what’s really happening is the unraveling of its economy, its army, and its illusion of power.
We’ll uncover how the “Economy of Illusion” built on war contracts and propaganda is now devouring itself. The factories that once made cars now make shells. Soldiers are bribed with promises that turn into funerals. Inflation skyrockets. Oil revenue vanishes. The so-called “stability” Putin brags about? Just smoke and mirrors hiding an empire in freefall.
Then, the hard truth: the Bleeding Army. Over a million Russian casualties for a few ruined cities. Recruitment collapsing. Commanders lying. Mothers hiding their sons instead of celebrating them. Putin’s “special operation” has turned into a black hole of lives, money, and morale—and no one inside the Kremlin can stop it anymore.
And finally, Lukashenko’s dire warning to Ukraine—a desperate puppet lecturing others on sovereignty while clinging to Moscow’s sinking ship. His “call for peace” isn’t diplomacy; it’s fear. Fear of being dragged under when the empire that owns him finally drowns.
Watch till the end, because this episode exposes what Moscow doesn’t want the world to see: the quiet, unstoppable internal collapse that’s already begun. Putin can pretend he’s in control—but time, history, and his own mistakes are running out.
"He's on Borrowed Time": Putin Loses Control Over Situation. Lukashenko's Dire Warning to Ukraine - The Russian Dude
Russia is collapsing from the inside—and the clock is ticking. In this explosive new episode, we break down how Putin is running out of time as the internal collapse of the Russian military secretly begins. Behind every desperate draft campaign, every false “victory,” and every empty speech lies a regime choking on its own lies. Russia keeps bombing Ukraine to prove it still matters, but what’s really happening is the unraveling of its economy, its army, and its illusion of power.
We’ll uncover how the “Economy of Illusion” built on war contracts and propaganda is now devouring itself. The factories that once made cars now make shells. Soldiers are bribed with promises that turn into funerals. Inflation skyrockets. Oil revenue vanishes. The so-called “stability” Putin brags about? Just smoke and mirrors hiding an empire in freefall.
Then, the hard truth: the Bleeding Army. Over a million Russian casualties for a few ruined cities. Recruitment collapsing. Commanders lying. Mothers hiding their sons instead of celebrating them. Putin’s “special operation” has turned into a black hole of lives, money, and morale—and no one inside the Kremlin can stop it anymore.
And finally, Lukashenko’s dire warning to Ukraine—a desperate puppet lecturing others on sovereignty while clinging to Moscow’s sinking ship. His “call for peace” isn’t diplomacy; it’s fear. Fear of being dragged under when the empire that owns him finally drowns.
Watch till the end, because this episode exposes what Moscow doesn’t want the world to see: the quiet, unstoppable internal collapse that’s already begun. Putin can pretend he’s in control—but time, history, and his own mistakes are running out.
October 16, 2025
Luke discusses a recent Obama podcast moment where he discusses the GOP reaction to Jade Helm 15.
Obama Shocks Trump, Digs Up Old Info To Expose Him! - Luke Beasley
Luke discusses a recent Obama podcast moment where he discusses the GOP reaction to Jade Helm 15.
October 16, 2025
Greta Thunberg, the global face of climate activism, is now facing a wave of blacklash, not for her environmental stance, but for a single post that went viral for all the wrong reasons. On a new episode of Break The Fake, Benjamin Lee breaks down what really happened, the reaction from both sides, and why this moment says so much about today's digital culture - where emotion spreads faster than facts.
Mistaken post sparks global backlash - Break the Fake - TVP WORLD
Greta Thunberg, the global face of climate activism, is now facing a wave of blacklash, not for her environmental stance, but for a single post that went viral for all the wrong reasons. On a new episode of Break The Fake, Benjamin Lee breaks down what really happened, the reaction from both sides, and why this moment says so much about today's digital culture - where emotion spreads faster than facts.
Profile Information
Gender: MaleHometown: South Texas. most of my life I lived in Austin and Dallas
Home country: United States
Current location: Bryan, Texas
Member since: Sun Aug 14, 2011, 03:57 AM
Number of posts: 123,619