I would argue the Middle East is finally getting resolved. UAE has left OPEC and all the countries have united with Israel. Iranian funding of terrorism around the world has come to an end. This may be the crowning jewel of anything Trump has done or will do. Heck, even the Israeli currency is on a tear.
The Iranian regime is still in place. Iran hasn't renounced its nuclear weapons program, and still retains the know-how to re-build enrichment facilities and produce more weapons-grade material. They've now also got the motivation to finally proceed with building the actual weapons, which the previous regime leadership had shied away from for fear of provoking an American attempt at regime change. Finally, Iran has basically declared de facto sovereignty over the international strait of Hormuz, is setting up to control traffic and extract revenue through tolls, AND the Trump administration has all but conceded this.
No, the Middle East is not getting resolved. Trump's thrown rocks at a hornet's nest and is trying to claim that knocking the nest off the tree is good enough, nevermind that the swarm is attacking everybody around and will rebuild the nest.
When things are needed we will always wish we had spent more. I see our military, as one example, to be an insurance policy for the country. Like a home insurance policy you have likely chosen to purchase, based upon a variety of concerns, you have decided at this time to spend X dollars. The night your home burns down, you'll wish you had spent more. The day we need our military or any capacity we will wish we had spent more, done more etc.
No easy answers for it. I do like to scales such problems down to a level I can understand easier, like my household expenses, as a way to understand,
The premise that the US will go back to its Pre Trump ways are wrong. It has acted like this For 8 of the last 12 years. This must be treated as the new norm.
Good article, especially the sentence on Canada's development "My original prescription was basically right. What I underestimated was how inadequately we are equipped to follow it." It's possible that it's in Canada's best interest that items like better angels and holding critical minerals over others' heads do not work. Canada needs to get serious about developing as we can and better functioning as a nation. Elbows up does not work with adults.
It's frightening that the Carney Liberals refuse to get competitive with the rest of the world, for example by cutting CCUS. There's talk of the Liberals making uncompetitive rules/ requirements, paying for them, and demanding more money than ever. The Liberals are not adjusting to now, they are flagrantly spurring on separatism.
The Carney Liberals need to drop anything uncompetitive while retaining human rights, tax the private businesses that build the pipelines, railways, etc at an internationally competitive rate, and other wise stay out of it. That's the fastest and best way of getting to a government that can afford more health and social costs. But our PM is elsewhere rather than building here.
Carney is in Europe talking about a new social order. Why? To adopt an European model? His personal career planning? World order seems like policies creating poor economies like Europe has, taxes spent by a largely unfettered elite like Europe has, and ignoring opportunities. How can central Canadian seniors who voted for Carney not be disappointed. Do they never read?
You're right, talk is easy, the hard work "may" be starting but the proof of that pudding will be in the tasting and we're a long ways away from picking up the spoon.
What fundamentally unites Trump's coalition is a sense of grievance: they think they and America have been taken advantage of, treated unfairly, denied opportunities that should belong to them. They're also united in their preferred solution: exerting dominance over others, and using humiliation as a tool to prove it.
Trump's geopolitical conception of the world seems to be that of a mafia don: he's the boss of his territory, everybody in his territory has to do what he says and pay tribute. He regards Xi and Putin as rival heads of their own territories, to be given a free had in their turf and granted deference for their status. Again, the theme is dominance over others. America (particularly as embodied by Trump) is the boss, and the rest of us are supposed to be subservient.
It's a very old-fashioned, primitive view of the world: it wouldn't be out of place in a patrimonial society like ancient Rome. It's also a trap that leads to economic and social stagnation, punctuated by regular wars.
Trump is the figurehead. The oligarchs controlling the GOP are the cancer. There are no guardrails on Trump's actions, and it's clear that decisions are made by throwing things at a spinning dartboard. The US is finished as a democracy until it proves otherwise. It should never be trusted or relied upon again. Vance is owned by Peter Thiel. That won't change a thing, except there will be fewer hysterically stupid sound bites coming out of the White House. 35% or Americans are either remarkably stupid, openly racist, or both.
I agree with your sentiments about Canada not being able to overcome its traditional inertia to match the moment. I hope it doesn't cost us more than it already has.
I don't think this is really a useful frame. There are lots of powerful players in the Trump administration and GOP who have malign intent. But the obsequious public displays of loyalty to Trump would make Kim Jong Un blush. Whatever random nonsense Trump spits out becomes policy/doctrine, at least until he changes his mind.
In that sense, he has both more and less control over the government than the typical President. Less, because the people he has appointed are more inclined than usual to do whatever they want and less capable of managing the government, but also more because whatever he says becomes a new litmus test. Like the eye of Sauron you better be doing what he wants if he is looking.
These are two separate but related problems, not one problem with a figurehead covering it up.
I would argue the Middle East is finally getting resolved. UAE has left OPEC and all the countries have united with Israel. Iranian funding of terrorism around the world has come to an end. This may be the crowning jewel of anything Trump has done or will do. Heck, even the Israeli currency is on a tear.
The Iranian regime is still in place. Iran hasn't renounced its nuclear weapons program, and still retains the know-how to re-build enrichment facilities and produce more weapons-grade material. They've now also got the motivation to finally proceed with building the actual weapons, which the previous regime leadership had shied away from for fear of provoking an American attempt at regime change. Finally, Iran has basically declared de facto sovereignty over the international strait of Hormuz, is setting up to control traffic and extract revenue through tolls, AND the Trump administration has all but conceded this.
No, the Middle East is not getting resolved. Trump's thrown rocks at a hornet's nest and is trying to claim that knocking the nest off the tree is good enough, nevermind that the swarm is attacking everybody around and will rebuild the nest.
This statement hurts me all the time: "What I underestimated was how inadequately we are equipped to follow it."
Oh, canada....
When things are needed we will always wish we had spent more. I see our military, as one example, to be an insurance policy for the country. Like a home insurance policy you have likely chosen to purchase, based upon a variety of concerns, you have decided at this time to spend X dollars. The night your home burns down, you'll wish you had spent more. The day we need our military or any capacity we will wish we had spent more, done more etc.
No easy answers for it. I do like to scales such problems down to a level I can understand easier, like my household expenses, as a way to understand,
The premise that the US will go back to its Pre Trump ways are wrong. It has acted like this For 8 of the last 12 years. This must be treated as the new norm.
Matt’s article
“Never Fing Again “ is the new normal
Appreciate the glass half full take on things.
Good article, especially the sentence on Canada's development "My original prescription was basically right. What I underestimated was how inadequately we are equipped to follow it." It's possible that it's in Canada's best interest that items like better angels and holding critical minerals over others' heads do not work. Canada needs to get serious about developing as we can and better functioning as a nation. Elbows up does not work with adults.
It's frightening that the Carney Liberals refuse to get competitive with the rest of the world, for example by cutting CCUS. There's talk of the Liberals making uncompetitive rules/ requirements, paying for them, and demanding more money than ever. The Liberals are not adjusting to now, they are flagrantly spurring on separatism.
The Carney Liberals need to drop anything uncompetitive while retaining human rights, tax the private businesses that build the pipelines, railways, etc at an internationally competitive rate, and other wise stay out of it. That's the fastest and best way of getting to a government that can afford more health and social costs. But our PM is elsewhere rather than building here.
Carney is in Europe talking about a new social order. Why? To adopt an European model? His personal career planning? World order seems like policies creating poor economies like Europe has, taxes spent by a largely unfettered elite like Europe has, and ignoring opportunities. How can central Canadian seniors who voted for Carney not be disappointed. Do they never read?
You're right, talk is easy, the hard work "may" be starting but the proof of that pudding will be in the tasting and we're a long ways away from picking up the spoon.
What fundamentally unites Trump's coalition is a sense of grievance: they think they and America have been taken advantage of, treated unfairly, denied opportunities that should belong to them. They're also united in their preferred solution: exerting dominance over others, and using humiliation as a tool to prove it.
Trump's geopolitical conception of the world seems to be that of a mafia don: he's the boss of his territory, everybody in his territory has to do what he says and pay tribute. He regards Xi and Putin as rival heads of their own territories, to be given a free had in their turf and granted deference for their status. Again, the theme is dominance over others. America (particularly as embodied by Trump) is the boss, and the rest of us are supposed to be subservient.
It's a very old-fashioned, primitive view of the world: it wouldn't be out of place in a patrimonial society like ancient Rome. It's also a trap that leads to economic and social stagnation, punctuated by regular wars.
Trump is the figurehead. The oligarchs controlling the GOP are the cancer. There are no guardrails on Trump's actions, and it's clear that decisions are made by throwing things at a spinning dartboard. The US is finished as a democracy until it proves otherwise. It should never be trusted or relied upon again. Vance is owned by Peter Thiel. That won't change a thing, except there will be fewer hysterically stupid sound bites coming out of the White House. 35% or Americans are either remarkably stupid, openly racist, or both.
I agree with your sentiments about Canada not being able to overcome its traditional inertia to match the moment. I hope it doesn't cost us more than it already has.
I don't think this is really a useful frame. There are lots of powerful players in the Trump administration and GOP who have malign intent. But the obsequious public displays of loyalty to Trump would make Kim Jong Un blush. Whatever random nonsense Trump spits out becomes policy/doctrine, at least until he changes his mind.
In that sense, he has both more and less control over the government than the typical President. Less, because the people he has appointed are more inclined than usual to do whatever they want and less capable of managing the government, but also more because whatever he says becomes a new litmus test. Like the eye of Sauron you better be doing what he wants if he is looking.
These are two separate but related problems, not one problem with a figurehead covering it up.