I wish I could share your confidence in Trump. I wish our future didn’t depend so much on a narcissistic and deeply flawed octogenarian. But I will hope, with you, for better days. Happy New Year, Diane Francis, and thank you for writing and sharing.
Agree I dread Trump in power. A criminal, deeply in debt, a bully surrounded by unelected lickspittles like Musk and Kennedy. But then stupidly the majority of the American electorate put him there. The question how to remove him.
Diane... Thank you for your excellent assessment of world affairs going into 2025. However, I must express my disappointment, at some risk of creating controversy, with your reference to "Palestine" as a Country. Your map of the globe also refers to the State of Israel as "Palestine. There is no such country as Palestine, there has never been a Palestine.
Happy New Year Diane & to those who read your newsletters that are above & beyond well done! Your common sense & analysis should be read by those who are elected to 'lead' our country & Americans have to take the 'situation' they voted for seriously. Like in the Harry Potter book - we're in for a 'bumpy ride.'
Among the absurd things that Trump threaten the world he would do, blackmailing Europe, mass deportations and tariffing BRICS nations stood out the most laughable.
The EU now realized they cannot rely on the US anymore and try to find a way out. The Dec 06 trade agreements with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguayan, Paraguay and Bolivia was the first attempt. Via Brazil, one of the founding nations of the BRICS, the EU gets closer alignment with the BRICS than with the US. Any nation on Earth now knows they can buy anything from the BRICS cheaper and easier. The US is no longer the only game in town.
The US now has nothing indispensable to offer the world anymore. It has abandoned the free world leadership, you want protection, you pay first. The US now acts like a mad bully threatens any and everyone into submission with no real strength behind, it will not work. The world will see it. You can make your move but do not expect others just lay down.
The US had checkmated itself 30 years ago with outsourcing all manufacturing activities overseas. It is impossible to build it back in a short time, it requires a minimum a decade to even begin to see the effects.
On the deportations, I would bet that maybe few thousands of criminals currently in US jail will be deported. They will not be able to deport millions like Trump promised. If they do so, the economy will crash in a week.
On the tax cut to corporates, not much of
new manufacturing would be built since it would take a long time and most of supplies come from China and outside the US. But corporations would use the windfalls to buy back shares and push the stock markets up a little bit longer, while inflation would be rampant since there is no new productions.
Do you see any nation in the BRICS gets scared, absolutely not. They just ignore the US and go on with no bother. The US has 320 millions consumers, India has one billions, China has 1.4 billions, Brazil has 216 millions, ASEAN has almost 600 millions…It seems to me the US needs the world much more than the world needs the US.
If that did not convince you, consider this fact, for food stuffs, China imports from Brazil twice the amount it imports from the US. It was not like that only few years ago.
Another fact, the shipbuilding capacity of China is more than 200 times that of the US, I emphasize here it is not a misprint, more than 200 times.
The US has no way out from here, and thus the strange behavior from the US and I am afraid wars between the US and the world are coming. And this time, the US does not wear a white hat.
Interesting points, but the US outsources whatever it wants and can re-shore or tariff whatever it wants. It's in the cat-bird seat geo-economically. No one's close. Europe is big without security or enforcement. China is big but in economic trouble because of bad decisions by Beijing. India is big but has a long way to go. Russia is big geographically, but tiny economically and a scourge that will lose its war with Ukraine then disintegrate into pieces.
Sad to say it looks like business as usual out there. Thanks for sketching in the details. A little puzzled as to why Brazil is on the extreme list. The good news is that the West is finally adjusting their geo-political policies to the realities on the ground. Very few dictators walk off in to the sunset on their own. Happy New Year!
have a look at ''the dangerous case of donald trump''' by dr bandy lee and over thirty psychiatrists...this guy is dangerous and unpredictable....no long term solutions here
You're right Diane. Many War virulents have escaped the labs running loose in many regions of the world. All while most focussed on Ukraine and Israel. Latin America is a hot mess. Europe has serious financial and immigrant related violence.
We have our own war fumes with Newest lethal Drugs from Mexico will kill 1000s of Americans and Canadians each year; while Cartels gain financial ground to their North and gain power. All whilst internally the politics in Canada and the USA has become more visceral and financially corrupt, creating homelessness and unsafe communities at home.
Let's hope Trump survives just these menaces on the continent.
Well done. You can only cover a certain amount in any single “column” but I like to simplify what seems complex in order to make decisions that are tangible and operationally feasible. Our civilization has to clearly define who the bad guys are and identify them publicly as well as give them the opportunity to examine their direction and choose a truly revised path. We are already fighting World War 3 but our leaders have yet to publicly acknowledge it. It is possible that some of the leaders of our “civilization” have yet to admit it to themselves. Just because this war does not look like previous ones does not mean it is not being actively waged on our adversaries terms. Please do not ignore that there are other significant players who are also involved now in disruptive actions - Turkey is certainly worth mentioning…. Is Winston out there somewhere??
On reshoring to the US, it is much easier said than done. First it requires all necessary supplies to be available in the US, for some manufacturing it could be done, but for a larger part, it is not. Second, it requires time, a considerable amount of time.
But assuming that the US can reshore everything in a short time, where does the US find consumers for its newly made goods? Keep in mind that other nations can make everything that the US can and more.
The technology transfer had been done. As of right now the US does not hold any edge in any field of manufacturing.
Talking about technology transfers, it is indisputable that China invented paper, paper money, porcelain, silk, printing, cloth weaving, gun powder and the compass.
In the past nations sent their delegations to China to learn those game changing inventions and technologies. Technology transfer is a natural as your breathing, it is survival.
European nations, after learning and master the use of gunpowder, further develop it, putting it in a cartridge, with a bullet and fire it through a barrel called a gun and conquered and dominated China with it.
It is most ironic that China was subjugated by its own invention, its own game.
I think the US is in a similar situation.
The citizens of Rome did not care how and where their daily bread comes from. They entrusted that task to the emperors.
Right now the US citizen (a majority of them) entrust Trump to do the task. You already know the rest of the story.
On the tariffs barriers, you must agree that who has more consumers and also can produce eventually would win.
The whole world is decoupling itself from the US without fear of suffering some consequences. The world is laughing at the recent threats from the US. It is the beginning of the end of the US world domination.
I wish I could share your confidence in Trump. I wish our future didn’t depend so much on a narcissistic and deeply flawed octogenarian. But I will hope, with you, for better days. Happy New Year, Diane Francis, and thank you for writing and sharing.
Agree I dread Trump in power. A criminal, deeply in debt, a bully surrounded by unelected lickspittles like Musk and Kennedy. But then stupidly the majority of the American electorate put him there. The question how to remove him.
always a perspective and compilation of facts and premises that mainstream news in America seems incapable of presenting
Diane... Thank you for your excellent assessment of world affairs going into 2025. However, I must express my disappointment, at some risk of creating controversy, with your reference to "Palestine" as a Country. Your map of the globe also refers to the State of Israel as "Palestine. There is no such country as Palestine, there has never been a Palestine.
Not my reference ACLEDs.
Happy New Year Diane & to those who read your newsletters that are above & beyond well done! Your common sense & analysis should be read by those who are elected to 'lead' our country & Americans have to take the 'situation' they voted for seriously. Like in the Harry Potter book - we're in for a 'bumpy ride.'
Excellent column Diane! I would have added a couple of extra words at the end “and Putin ‘and Trudeau’ will walk.”
Such an interesting read. Thanks Diane.
Among the absurd things that Trump threaten the world he would do, blackmailing Europe, mass deportations and tariffing BRICS nations stood out the most laughable.
The EU now realized they cannot rely on the US anymore and try to find a way out. The Dec 06 trade agreements with Brazil, Argentina, Uruguayan, Paraguay and Bolivia was the first attempt. Via Brazil, one of the founding nations of the BRICS, the EU gets closer alignment with the BRICS than with the US. Any nation on Earth now knows they can buy anything from the BRICS cheaper and easier. The US is no longer the only game in town.
The US now has nothing indispensable to offer the world anymore. It has abandoned the free world leadership, you want protection, you pay first. The US now acts like a mad bully threatens any and everyone into submission with no real strength behind, it will not work. The world will see it. You can make your move but do not expect others just lay down.
The US had checkmated itself 30 years ago with outsourcing all manufacturing activities overseas. It is impossible to build it back in a short time, it requires a minimum a decade to even begin to see the effects.
On the deportations, I would bet that maybe few thousands of criminals currently in US jail will be deported. They will not be able to deport millions like Trump promised. If they do so, the economy will crash in a week.
On the tax cut to corporates, not much of
new manufacturing would be built since it would take a long time and most of supplies come from China and outside the US. But corporations would use the windfalls to buy back shares and push the stock markets up a little bit longer, while inflation would be rampant since there is no new productions.
Do you see any nation in the BRICS gets scared, absolutely not. They just ignore the US and go on with no bother. The US has 320 millions consumers, India has one billions, China has 1.4 billions, Brazil has 216 millions, ASEAN has almost 600 millions…It seems to me the US needs the world much more than the world needs the US.
If that did not convince you, consider this fact, for food stuffs, China imports from Brazil twice the amount it imports from the US. It was not like that only few years ago.
Another fact, the shipbuilding capacity of China is more than 200 times that of the US, I emphasize here it is not a misprint, more than 200 times.
The US has no way out from here, and thus the strange behavior from the US and I am afraid wars between the US and the world are coming. And this time, the US does not wear a white hat.
Interesting points, but the US outsources whatever it wants and can re-shore or tariff whatever it wants. It's in the cat-bird seat geo-economically. No one's close. Europe is big without security or enforcement. China is big but in economic trouble because of bad decisions by Beijing. India is big but has a long way to go. Russia is big geographically, but tiny economically and a scourge that will lose its war with Ukraine then disintegrate into pieces.
Sad to say it looks like business as usual out there. Thanks for sketching in the details. A little puzzled as to why Brazil is on the extreme list. The good news is that the West is finally adjusting their geo-political policies to the realities on the ground. Very few dictators walk off in to the sunset on their own. Happy New Year!
Brazil's Supreme Court was attacked and the place is very violent
Excellent thank you and wishing you a very happy, healthy and prosperous new year
have a look at ''the dangerous case of donald trump''' by dr bandy lee and over thirty psychiatrists...this guy is dangerous and unpredictable....no long term solutions here
You're right Diane. Many War virulents have escaped the labs running loose in many regions of the world. All while most focussed on Ukraine and Israel. Latin America is a hot mess. Europe has serious financial and immigrant related violence.
We have our own war fumes with Newest lethal Drugs from Mexico will kill 1000s of Americans and Canadians each year; while Cartels gain financial ground to their North and gain power. All whilst internally the politics in Canada and the USA has become more visceral and financially corrupt, creating homelessness and unsafe communities at home.
Let's hope Trump survives just these menaces on the continent.
Well done. You can only cover a certain amount in any single “column” but I like to simplify what seems complex in order to make decisions that are tangible and operationally feasible. Our civilization has to clearly define who the bad guys are and identify them publicly as well as give them the opportunity to examine their direction and choose a truly revised path. We are already fighting World War 3 but our leaders have yet to publicly acknowledge it. It is possible that some of the leaders of our “civilization” have yet to admit it to themselves. Just because this war does not look like previous ones does not mean it is not being actively waged on our adversaries terms. Please do not ignore that there are other significant players who are also involved now in disruptive actions - Turkey is certainly worth mentioning…. Is Winston out there somewhere??
On reshoring to the US, it is much easier said than done. First it requires all necessary supplies to be available in the US, for some manufacturing it could be done, but for a larger part, it is not. Second, it requires time, a considerable amount of time.
But assuming that the US can reshore everything in a short time, where does the US find consumers for its newly made goods? Keep in mind that other nations can make everything that the US can and more.
The technology transfer had been done. As of right now the US does not hold any edge in any field of manufacturing.
Talking about technology transfers, it is indisputable that China invented paper, paper money, porcelain, silk, printing, cloth weaving, gun powder and the compass.
In the past nations sent their delegations to China to learn those game changing inventions and technologies. Technology transfer is a natural as your breathing, it is survival.
European nations, after learning and master the use of gunpowder, further develop it, putting it in a cartridge, with a bullet and fire it through a barrel called a gun and conquered and dominated China with it.
It is most ironic that China was subjugated by its own invention, its own game.
I think the US is in a similar situation.
The citizens of Rome did not care how and where their daily bread comes from. They entrusted that task to the emperors.
Right now the US citizen (a majority of them) entrust Trump to do the task. You already know the rest of the story.
On the tariffs barriers, you must agree that who has more consumers and also can produce eventually would win.
The whole world is decoupling itself from the US without fear of suffering some consequences. The world is laughing at the recent threats from the US. It is the beginning of the end of the US world domination.