Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions- Trump’s Radical 4 Foreign Policy Announcements

In the past week Trump issued four announcements that continue to portend a radical restructuring of the US imperial system. First: US proposes to ‘own’ GAZA, allowing Israel to focus on future expansion into Syria, west bank & Lebanon, and shift its policy from genocide to ethnic cleansing. The role of Trump son-in-law Kushner’s US-Israel real estate consortium behind the scenes. Second, Trump holds 90 min. talk with Putin, followed by 10 min. with Zelensky, while ignoring the Europeans who in response are now freaking out. Third, Trump announces escalation of US tariff weapon by introducing principle of ‘reciprocal’ tariffs with all US trading partners + offers rollback of US use of sanctions. Fourth, Trump offers Russia to rejoin US SWIFT international payments system, then threatens BRICS with 100% tariffs if they abandon the US $ in trade, declaring thereafter ‘the BRICS are dead!’. Show concludes what we are witnessing is the beginning of the restructuring of US imperial relations abroad, while simultaneously the Trump government takes on the US bureaucratic State apparatus bloated by empire to reduce its power and influence over the government.

Alternative Visions- Trump Foreign Policies & Their Impact

 today’s show addresses Trump’s recent foreign policies moves, including US ‘owning’ GAZA, Trump overtures to negotiations with Russia over Ukraine, threats to impose tariffs on Mexico and Canada and their response sending 10k troops to US border, Rubio’s visit to Panama, latest on Greenland and China tariffs exchanges. The show then  describes the various US moves in recent years that have had the effect of making Europe a growing economic and political dependency of the US. Show closes with early discussion of Trump’s proposed tax cut bill and DOGE. Trump policies represent historic and unprecedented effort by the government to tame and bring the capitalist state under its control once again after decades of the latter exerting supremacy over the former

Alternative Visions- Early Look at Trump’s Emerging Policies

Today’s show moves on to the Trump years, with many more shows to come no doubt. It’s been only one week but some outlines of where Trump may be going are emerging. Today the discussion focuses on the emerging spending cuts and how they’re designed to pay for Trump’s new tax cuts. Some DOGE austerity targets are discussed. How $200B/yr will cover just half of Trump’s $400B/yr tax cuts. How Tariffs & assumed GDP growth is supposed to cover the rest. That still leaves $1-$1.5 trillion budget deficit for 2025, however. What’s behind Trump’s talk about providing another $500B stimulus for artificial intelligence? Or his ‘drill baby drill’. What’s the multiple roles for tariffs? In global geopolitics, some scenarios behind Trump’s emerging attitude to Ukraine war. Why war won’t end until late 2025. The likely Trump strategy behind Greenland and Panama Canal.

Alternative Visions- Biden’s Legacies

 As Joe Biden prepares to leave office on Jan. 20, what area the legacies he leaves behind. Today’s show reviews those legacies—economic and political, domestic and global. For the US economy, a review of the inflation legacy, Covid relief program and results, the Biden jobs record, subsidies to corporate investment, actual US GDP, budget and trade deficits, and national debt. In domestic politics his contributions to the decline of democracy, identity politics, immigration and the failed election of 2024. In foreign policy: the debacle retreat from Afghanistan, his preparation and provocation of the US proxy war in Ukraine, Russia and China tariffs and sanction, support for Israeli genocide in GAZA, and policies that accelerated the rise of the BRICS and their challenge to the US global economic hegemony.

Alternative Visions- Political Predictions 2025 & Jimmy Carter’s True Legacies

 this show continues the beginning of 2025 predictions for US domestic and global politics (see last week’s show for economic predictions). Predictions include Ukraine army will collapse by the summer and real negotiations then begin. Before talks commence with no solution. Europe: Germany’s Afd right wing party will win big in the February elections. Instability in Europe will grow. EU will begin to steal Russia’s frozen assets in its bank. Russia will conclude mutual defense treaty with Iran and more countries will join BRICS in 2025. Israel will air attack Iran and US-Israel will occupy Damascus replacing HTS rebels. Turkey will defeat Kurds and de facto occupy north of former Syria. Political instability will intensify in So Korea, In US politics, Greenland will break from Denmark and negotiate with USA as a territory. Panama Canal will agree to joint control of the canal with US. Trump will renegotiate trade deals with Canada, Mexico and Europe, in a comprehensive ‘Plaza Accords 2.0’ Musk and DOGE will recommend $200B annual spending cuts and Congress will pass Trump’s tax cuts extension costing US budget $4T next decade. Trump will slash foreign aid, education, federal work force, energy subsidies, and restart southern US border wall construction. US budget deficit will again hit $1.5T in 2025 despite the cuts.

Alternative Visions- Predictions 2025: US & Global Economy

Predictions were made for this coming year for the US and global economies. They include likelihood of recession in 1H25 beyond goods sector,  inflation likely to drift up again, Fed rate policy, DOGE/Congress austerity measures cutting social programs, Trump tax cuts, deficits and national debt, Tariffs and their consequences, AI technology trends, financial asset markets (stocks and bonds). For the global economy the direction of the US $ short term v. long, a new Plaza Accord 2.0 for US allies, likelihood of Europe sliding further into recession, BRICS expansion in ’25, Russia’s economy and China’s. (Next week: predictions for US domestic political scene and geopolitical developments re. Ukraine & middle east, Russian sanctions, and So. Korea political instability. Also: the legacies of Jimmy Carter presidency)

Alternative Visions- 2024 Year in Review Show

Today’s show is the annual year end summary of the more important events and developments for 2024 for the economy and politic: A review of the US economy inflation trends, Fed rate policies, US goods sector recession, USA’s runaway budget deficit and national debt, Longshore union negotiations, Artificial Intelligence & Tech trends, pending 2025 Austerity social program cuts & Musk’s DOGE, Biden sanctions on Russia and China, BRICS expansion, the state of Europe & China economies, and the emerging global currency instability as prices and US $ rise. Political review includes the US election of 2024, Trump’s victory, Biden’s coup & Democrat party confusion, and globally the War on the ground in Ukraine, Israel wars in Lebanon-Iran-Yemen, and the collapse of Syria and its consequences. (NEXT WEEK: Annual economic and political predictions for 2025 and review of last year’s predictions for 2024)

Alternative Visions- Key Economic Developments Year End 2024

Today’s show discusses the key economic events of recent weeks and their relevance to economic policy in 2025. Why did the debt-ceiling deal collapse and then pass last week. What does it mean. Trump’s fiscal strategy taking shape: tariffs, tax cuts, and austerity social spending cuts coming. Musk-Swarmy’s DOGE. Why it won’t resolve the chronic $1 trillion plus annual budget deficits, rising national debt, and $ trillion annual payments to rich bondholders. Neoliberalism fiscal contradictions and crisis will continue. What’s Musk’s DOGE plans? Why the Fed cut interest rates but admitted inflation is rising into 2025. Why inflation will continue to rise. As rates rise will a rising dollar in turn precipitate a global currency war? (Next week show: review of key events of 2024 and my predictions for 2024 made December 2023 last year)

Alternative Visions- The Empire Strikes Back

As follow up to last week’s show Ukraine war is center topic. But in past week pro-NATO forces opened up new ‘fronts’ well beyond the conflict. Not by accident rebel forces, coordinating with Turkish, Israeli and US forces accelerating an attack in Syria opening a new front Russia must commit forces to. Another front is Georgia as CIA-US NGO forces continue street demonstrations to try to overthrow that country’s elected government, in a ‘color revolution’ effort much like Ukraine 2014. Yet a third front is the events in So. Korea where the pro-US president attempted to declare martial law, reversed by the Parliament, but supported by the Korean and US occupation military. The show explains how all three events are best understood as events related to US empire counters to Russia-China.  Trump’s latest tariff moves against China and BRICS also part of the counter strategy. Show concludes with analysis of Trump’s several anti-war initial nominees being rejected as US neocons & Biden admin. buy time to restore aid & weapons to Ukraine

Alternative Visions- Ukraine War Sliding Toward NATO-Russia War?

Today’s show focuses on last two weeks’ events in Ukraine wear and the steady US/NATO escalation. Biden approves US long range missiles fired into Russia; US & France provide Storm Shadow long range missiles in turn; Macron reportedly (by Le Monde) again discussing sending French troops; NATO planning document reveals plan for Poland-Romania-UK-Germany to divide up Ukraine; US general Bauer, head of NATO military commission publicly calls for ‘pre-emptive’ strike on Russia; Biden gives Ukraine another $700m and calls for another $24B and tells Ukraine to lower its draft age to 18; Trump NSA pick Gorka calls Putin a thug and warns US under Trump will double its aide, Trump selects neocon friendly NSA advisers raising doubt about his campaign promises to end the Ukraine war. Meanwhile, Putin answers NATO/US escalation with new Oreshnik hypersonic missile with 36 warheads, lowers decision to use tactical nukes, threatens to hit any NATO base from which missiles are fired, signs mutual defense treaty with Iran, and gives warnings to west in speech in Kazakhstan.