Alternative Visions

Alternative Visions- Trump’s Domestic Policies Emerge

 Today’s show discusses some of Trump’s emerging domestic policies, with focus on what’s behind shutting down the Education Dept., Trump Tariffs, and the $4.5T tax cuts working its way through Congress. What’s the real impact of Tariffs on inflation and economic growth? What’s Trump’s 3 part tax strategy? Which presidents since 2001 are responsible for cutting US taxes by $17 trillion and how much did each contribute? Why Trump’s overall fiscal policies are classic Neoliberalism. The show also comments on US air attacks on Yemen and Trump-Putin’s phone calls and scenarios for future US-Russia-Ukraine negotiations.

Alternative Visions- US-Ukraine Jeddah Meeting & Ukraine War Negotiations Update

After US & Russia met in Riyadh, US and Ukraine followed up to meet in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia this past week. Today’s show summarizes the positions and demands of the various parties in the 4-way negotiations that are the current discussions re. future peace in Ukraine: USA, Russia, Ukraine, and European Union NATO. What did the USA tell Ukraine in Jeddah? The context of negotiations as military conflict continues, and likely will escalate, in Ukraine. How Russia has cleared out Kursk. Next likely Russian fronts in Sumy and Zaporozhie in the south. Europeans declare $1T new spending on military industry and Germany’s Merz announces $540B more for ‘infrastructure’. Where will EU get the funding? Reports Trump & Putin to talk directly next week (again with no Ukraine or Europeans involved). Meanwhile, US escalates tariff war with Europe. (Next week show: Understanding Trump Tariff Strategy)

Alternative Visions- Trump’s Speech to Congress & Europe’s London Summit

Today’s show analyzes two key events of the past week: an in-depth discussion of Trump’s speech to Congress: EOs, DOGE, Taxes, Tariffs, new defense spending in the pipelines, reaffirmation of Greenland and Panama Canal takeover and further shift in US support for Zelensky and Ukraine. Democrats’ Senator Slotkin weak response indicate Democrats still have no alternative program or strategy. Show then discusses Europe’s emergency conference in London to try to develop a response to US policy on Ukraine and likely withdrawal from Europe. European announcement of $1 trillion development of war/defense industry and continued support for Ukraine. Where will Europe get the money for both?

Alternative Visions- US-Zelensky Minerals Deal + Restructuring the US Empire (Part 2)

 What’s behind the Minerals deal with Ukraine? Why it’s mostly smoke & mirrors, not a contract or final deal. Why both parties compromised & left the deal vague. Who benefits from the deal? How it’s related to Europe’s $260B frozen Russian assets. Why it’s PR. Second part of show continues discussion of the intensifying contradictions behind continuing the US global empire. Why the empire as now structured is no longer affordable and US imperialists are intent on restructuring it (once again as in 1913-19, 1944-50 and 1979-86). US deficits & debt levels unsustainable and DOGE spending cuts for tax cuts as desperate effort to regrow faltering US economy and restore empire’s finances. Domestic US economic restructuring as next phase of Neoliberal policy or as beginning of the end of Neoliberal policies. (For further details on Trump-Zelensky minerals deal, check out my latest published article at http://jackrasmus.com or at LA Progressive, World Financial Review, Znet.)

Alternative Visions- Trump Restructures the Empire (Part 1)

 Today’s show first of two parts on how current events, geopolitical and US domestic, represent the start of a fundamental US restructuring of its global empire. US-Russia meeting in Riyadh Saudi Arabia marks the opening event. What happened in Riyadh? Zelensky reacts. European leaders in tizzy over being side-lined. Starmer (UK)-Macron (France) on coming Europe take over of the war as US bows out. Implications of US-EU feuding for future of NATO. US VP Vance’s speech in Munich. Current emerging restructuring of US empire in context of prior restructurings in 1913-1919, 1944-50, and 1979-85. Next week: How Trump domestic policy (economic & political) and DOGE $2T spending cuts reflects US imperial restructuring as well.

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.