Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Wednesday, February 01, 2017
China’s “One Belt, One Road” Is a Nice Thought, but Nothing More / Politics / China
By: John_Mauldin
BY JACOB SHAPIRO : In late 2013, Chinese President Xi Jinping showed off the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) plan in Kazakhstan and Indonesia.
Xi’s OBOR could be a bold economic development program that will vault Chinese political power ahead in the modern day. However, the OBOR plan is at an early stage.
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Wednesday, February 01, 2017
Britain Needs Trump for Smooth Brexit / Politics / BrExit
By: John_Browne
At the Washington joint press conference with Prime Minister May held on January 27th, President Trump told the watching world, "Brexit is going to be a wonderful thing." The meeting did much to clear the way for Britain to stand alone and enter trade with the United States without the European Union (EU). Their talk of a U.S.-UK free trade agreement could do much to ease the fears of some key English Members of Parliament and counterbalances the fears that Britain will be punished by a bitter EU. The positive meeting occurred at a fortuitous moment. Only four days prior, the UK's Supreme Court had ruled that Parliamentary approval must be specifically obtained before Her Majesty's Government can sign trigger negotiations to exit the EU.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2017
A Better Solution Than Trump's Mexico Border Wall / Politics / US Politics
By: Dr_Ron_Paul
Just one week in office, President Trump is already following through on his pledge to address illegal immigration. His January 25th executive order called for the construction of a wall along the entire length of the US-Mexico border. While he is right to focus on the issue, there are several reasons why his proposed solution will unfortunately not lead us anywhere closer to solving the problem.
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Tuesday, January 31, 2017
The Philippines “BRIC” Effort / Politics / Asian Economies
By: Dan_Steinbock
From Regime Change Ploys to Accelerated Economic Development
While the Obama White House prepared plans for regime change in the Philippines, President Trump is working on an assertive strategy in Asia. Meanwhile, President Duterte is accelerating the country’s economic growth – dramatically.
After the election triumph of President Rodrigo Duterte, the Philippines has initiated a series of economic reforms to accelerate development, decentralise governance and a tough but controversial struggle against corruption and drugs.
Tuesday, January 31, 2017
New Cold War with a Different Enemy / Politics / New Cold War
By: BATR
As all the alarm bells ring continuously that the Russian Federation is the cause for the latest cold war, the actual risk for a hot conflict or an intentional brinkmanship of worldwide proportions should focus on the real enemy of humanity. The Brexit campaign was about more than just leaving the European Union. Likewise, the Trump movement is about a great deal more than just keeping Hillary Clinton from the oval office. Formerly the nation-state was the organizational format for government. Europe emerged from the dark ages to carve out kingships and spend centuries of warring with mostly bloodline relatives. When the bonds of feudalism loosened and economic advancement expanded the enlightenment of human thinking altered the political landscape. Notions of democratic principles germinated into ushering aside Kaisers, Czars and Kings. The popular vote in a strange ritual came to be known as an election, was culturally adopted as registering the popular will of the people.
Monday, January 30, 2017
Brace Yourself For The Battle Of the Senate Republicans / Politics / US Politics
By: John_Mauldin
BY GEORGE FRIEDMAN : On Jan. 20, Donald Trump became the 45th president of the United States. For Trump (as with every president before him), all that he said up until that point consisted of promises.
But now, the focus must shift... from what he will do, to what he is doing. (Subscribe to my free weekly newsletter, This Week in Geopolitics, and stay informed on the most important geopolitical developments)
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Monday, January 30, 2017
10 Things I learned From Meetings With Trump’s Transition Team / Politics / US Politics
By: John_Mauldin
I was in Washington, DC, on Inauguration Day.
That gave me the opportunity to set up a few meetings with members from Trump’s transition team (many of whom read my free weekly letter, Thoughts from the Frontline).
During those talks, I gained some insight into what the first 100 days, the first six months, and the first year of the Trump administration might look like.
Here’s a summary of my impressions.
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
Are Green Card Holders Safe From Trump’s Muslim Immigration Ban? / Politics / US Politics
By: Stephen_Lendman
His anti-Muslim order caused a firestorm of outrage nationwide, from relatives of affected individuals, activists, human rights groups, as well as state and local officials.
Appearing on NBC’s Meet the Press, White House Chief of Staff Reince Priebus said Trump’s order “doesn’t include green card holders going forward,” then reversed himself, saying “of course it does.”
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
Trump Muslim Green Card Ban Avoided Through Trump Golf Course Membership / Politics / US Politics
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Trump trumpeted his blanket refugees and muslim bans from 7 mostly Islamic nations Friday that even includes partners in the war on terror such as Iraq that as Trump was busy signing the executive order with his shrunken hand were busy fighting ISIS in Mosul.
Apparently the muslim ban includes green card residency holders, so anyone from the 7 target nations AND other muslims nations in for 'extreme vetting' finding themselves outside the United States are now unlikely to find themselves able to get back into the United States. And the ban extends to third nations i.e. UK passport holders who originate from one of the 7 banned nations are also banned from entry into the United States.
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
When The Rich Become Preppers, It's Time To Worry / Politics / Social Issues
By: Adam_Taggart
Chris Martenson writes: For over 10 years now, we've been openly advocating that folks take action to become more prepared should crisis arrive. And for a long time, this advice relegated us to being labeled "tin-foil hat doomsday preppers" (and other less-polite monikers). The media just couldn't figure out any other box to put us in.
But now, the concept of taking at least some responsibility for your own future well-being by increasing your self-reliance is finally moving towards the mainstream.
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
Le Pen, France - Sometimes It’s Better To Be Lucky Than Good, Populist Edition / Politics / European Union
By: John_Rubino
In 2015 there was no way the UK would vote to leave the European Union, so Prime Minister David Cameron promised to call a “Brexit” referendum as a cost-free sop to his party’s right wing in the upcoming election. The Conservatives won big, and Cameron kept his promise to run the meaningless referendum. But against all odds and contrary to nearly every election-day poll, Brexit won, flushing Cameron out of politics, pulling the UK out of the EU, and handing a huge victory to a populist coalition led by the UK Independence Pary’s Nigel Farage.
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Sunday, January 29, 2017
Sheffield Schools Crisis, Why 2017 Will be Worst Year Ever for School Place Admissions / Politics / Sheffield
By: N_Walayat
It will soon be crunch time for the parents of Sheffield's children starting secondary school this year as they will find out whether their child has obtained a place at their preferred / catchment area school or not. Or as has been increasingly the case during the past few years are going to be disappointed by the outcome as they contemplate the stressful process of appealing. A crisis due to a number of factors including that which prompted latest years BrExit vote. A Sheffield schools crisis that in large part has been the city councils own making, regardless of the party in power as the council has been determined in a continuation of the crisis that has no end in sight.
Friday, January 27, 2017
This America, beacon on the hill, will survive this challenge / Politics / US Politics
By: Walter_Brasch
This is a globalized world. There is no changing this fact. There is no changing “climate science”. There is no changing the will of the people to be fair, when fairness commands it. There is no changing the slow-moving ascent of multiculturalism, racial integration and sexual equality; and no replacement for secular Democracy. Mr. Trump and the Republicans think it all can be unraveled with the stroke of a pen.
The masters of delusion might have convinced almost half of voters, but the other half will carry the torch into the future. The Women’s March in Washington and countless American cities proved their numbers don’t lie.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
How to Cut US Infrastructure Costs in Half / Politics / Infrastructure
By: Ellen_Brown
Americans could save $1 trillion over 10 years by financing infrastructure through publicly-owned banks like the one that has long been operating in North Dakota.
President Donald Trump has promised to rebuild America’s airports, bridges, tunnels, roads and other infrastructure, something both Democrats and Republicans agree should be done. The country needs a full $3 trillion in infrastructure over the next decade. The $1 trillion plan revealed by Trump’s economic advisers relies heavily on public-private partnerships, and private equity firms are lining up for these plumbing investments. In the typical private equity water deal, for example, higher user rates help the firms earn annual returns of anywhere from 8 to 18 percent – more even than a regular for-profit water company might expect. But the price tag can come as a rude surprise for local ratepayers.
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Thursday, January 26, 2017
Will Theresa May Lap Dance for President Alt Trump? The Special Needs Relationship / Politics / UK Politics
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Is Theresa May making a huge blunder by running to see President Alt Trump? After all it will reek of desperation wanting to be the first leader to the meet and great America's emerging tyrant, especially as no other leader of significance is rushing to the White House. The British press has already worked itself up into a frenzy of expectations, one of a special trade deal for the special needs relationship, as Britain fulfills its destiny of leaving the European Union before it implodes.
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Italy's Bank Rescue Foreshadows Nationalization of More EU Banks / Politics / Eurozone Debt Crisis
By: John_Browne
On December 7, 2016, Italy's Prime Minister Matteo Renzi resigned following defeat in a national referendum, that he had supported, that would have changed the country's parliamentary system. The development, which represents just the latest sign of anti-EU sentiment spreading throughout Europe, was felt acutely by Italy's troubled banking sector. In particular, the Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena (MdP) has been teetering on the brink of collapse and now may stand as a case study that may be encountered by other EU member nations.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Currecide: The Globalists’ Planned Annihilation of Your Savings and Freedom / Politics / Banksters
By: Stewart_Dougherty
After a decade’s worth of sharply detailed and psychologically painful analysis, Dr. Rudolph Rummel determined that in the 20th Century, governments killed 262 million of their own citizens. This was in addition to the roughly 40 million persons killed in combat during the same century, in government-waged wars. In all, governments were responsible for the murder of more than 300,000,000 people in the 1900s alone.
Rummel coined a term for this mass annihilation: “Democide,” which he defined as “the murder of any person or people by a government, including genocide, politicide and mass murder.”
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Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Alt Trump Builds that Wall, Bans Muslims But Not Saudi Terrorists / Politics / US Politics
By: Nadeem_Walayat
Trump's pen has been busy this week signing off executive orders left, right and centre, from checking off the fossil fuel industries top 10 wish list, to authorising the start of construction of the "Trump Wall", to starting to implement a ban on muslims entering the United States from 7 nations, supposedly for reducing the risks of importing terrorism. Though the Alt-Facts President Trump chose to turn a blind eye to by far the greatest exporter of terrorist ideology, Saudi Arabia with it's wahabi puritanical ideology that petro-dollars has fuelled the export of since the 1970's. That and 15 of the 19 Sept 11th hijackers were Saudi's. But FACTS don't matter for America's Alt-Facts President for Trump cannot ban rich Saudi's as that will hit custom at his hotels and golf courses.
Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Disturbing US Anti-China Saber Rattling / Politics / US Military
By: Stephen_Lendman
Saber rattling by Trump administration officials on China give pause for concern, continuing Obama’s hostile approach, risking direct confrontation if not curbed.
At his Senate confirmation hearing, Secretary of State designee Rex Tillerson recklessly said “(w)e are going to have to send China a clear signal that, first, the island-building stops and second, your access to those islands also is not going to be allowed.”
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Wednesday, January 25, 2017
Police State Tactics Target Independent Journalists Covering Anti-Trump Protests / Politics / US Politics
By: Stephen_Lendman
First Amendment rights are too precious to lose. Without them, all others are at risk.
On January 20, six independent journalists were arrested in Washington for doing their jobs - covering protests during Trump’s inauguration.
They committed no crimes, yet face possible prosecution and imprisonment. The affected journalists include documentary producer Jack Keller, independent photojournalist Shay Horse, independent journalist Matt Hopard, free lance reporter Aaron Cantu, Vocativ journalist Evan Enger, and RT America’s Alexander Rubinstein.
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