Expanding the Legacy
Tag: US
25 Posts
The Man, The Myth, The Charisma, The Appeal
It remains an enduring mystery why about half of American voters idolise a convicted felon, philanderer, pathological liar, and failed businessman. Liberals struggle to comprehend the mood in the mythical ‘American heartland’ - more of a cultural entity than a landmass and usually defined as comprising the twelve landlocked states of the Midwest plus eastern portions of the Mountain States and bits of the Southern States up to West Virginia, Kentucky, and Tennessee. Urbanite liberals cannot make sense of the apparent disconnect between the well-documented misconduct of Donald Trump and the traditional ethical values espoused with great devotion by heartland conservatives.
US Fed Celebrates Death of Inflation
The US Federal Reserve celebrated the death of inflation with a bold interest rate cut. As the Federal Open Market Committee mulled its next move during a highly-anticipated meeting yesterday, its twelve members just hoped, and perhaps even prayed (this is, after all, America), that the reports of inflation’s death are not ‘greatly exaggerated’. The benchmark federal fund rate receded to five percent.
Campaign Fun Facts
The Republican campaign for the presidency is being shredded by an epic catfight between Trump groupies vying for the love and attention of their idol. Get the popcorn! Also: Kamala Harris Takes Advice from Chinese Sage and American Cheapskates Fail to Pay Up for Defence of Ukraine.
Don’t Expect the Debate to Clinch the Deal Either Way
The showdown between the two contenders for the US presidency produced only winners. Campaign staffers on both sides declared their candidate victorious. To gauge who actually came out ahead, it is telling that mere minutes after both debaters had finished their closing arguments, Democratic campaign leader Jen O’Malley Dillon released a statement saying that Kamala Harris is ready for a second debate next month and asking, rhetorically, if Donald Trump would be up for that. He is believed to mull the question.
Trump Campaign Entering Panic Mode
The prospect of a Trump 2.0 presidency keeps EU officials in Brussels busy with contingency planning. Meanwhile in the US, the prospect of a Harris presidency also causes concern, mostly over the way Mr Trump’s and his more ardent followers may respond to another ‘steal’. Some Republicans have already threatened a civil war should their candidate fail to win the election. “I’m afraid if we lose this one, it’s going to take a civil war to save the country, and it will be saved,” assured Senator George Lang of Ohio when he introduced JD Vance, Mr Trump’s running mate.
Nervous Markets Easily Spooked
After a few dismal days, global stock markets staged a rebound of sorts with Japan leading the surge as both the broader Topix index (+9.3%) and the tech-heavy Nikkei 225 (+10.2%) rose in tandem pulling up indices across Asia. In early-morning trading, European markets also recovered some of their losses although without the fanfare prevalent in the east. The Pan-European STOXX 600 advanced 0.6% whilst exchanges in Germany, France, and the UK registered modest gains but remained in a holding pattern. US futures edged higher as well, pointing to the presence of a few bargain hunters.
Trump’s Wonderful Week Marks EU Misery
Whilst former US president Donald Trump – need we remind all and sundry that the man is a convicted felon? – had an excellent week, Europe suffered a funk of sorts as the likelihood of a Trump 2.0 administration seemed all but inevitable. Undoubtedly, Trump supporters, fans, and idolisers enjoyed...
Shakespearean Politics: A Mad King, Court Jesters, and Dark Forces
As a rule, nations outlive their leaders. Ask the King of Denmark. Nations learn to move on (‘it outlives me when I’m gone’)*. So too will the United States, although the country may no longer be recognisable as a beacon of freedom, the arsenal of democracy, or, indeed, a place where ‘huddled masses’ may find refuge and opportunity.
NATO Boots-on-the-Ground in Ukraine
This is how a continent sleepwalks into war. It’s not that Europe desires war, or pines for it after a hiatus of seventy years. Rather, the continent is slowly being ushered into one by immutable circumstance over which it no longer has control. It happened before. In 1914, the German...
The Great American Economy
Each year in spring, American families spread out impulse buys and other paraphernalia on their front lawn in a ritual known as the garage sale. Neighbours peruse each other’s wares and usually buy as much as they sell. The goods so acquired are stored in the garage which, in the...
