If last week’s U.S. election results took you by surprise, then you may not have been closely following the converging social, economic, and political issues coalescing in America—an empire in decline.
On Tuesday, the majority of voting Americans cast their ballots for President-elect Donald Trump, choosing to accelerate that decline.
The Democratic Party’s collapse is evident and undeniable. It validates left-wing critiques of its rightward drift, reliance on hollow identity politics and lack of an egalitarian economic agenda. While this may be validating for leftists who were criticized, lampooned, and defamed by Democratic Party elites for warning about this collapse, the party’s decades-long failure to become a bastion of the working class has paved the way for a full-on fascist and ultimately self-destructive takeover of the United States.
Predictably, self-identifying liberal elites are now raising their voices to cast blame on everyone but themselves – voices that were previously silent about the genocide in Palestine, the betrayals of progressive climate and immigration policies by the Biden Administration, and the suppression of “Stop Cop City” activists in Atlanta. While they decry the downfall of democracy, it is unlikely that they will learn from their mistakes and will be sublimated into a junior partner in an overridingly fascist system rather than alter course and become a genuinely radical party.
Here we are—locked into supporting two high-profile, ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East—with a volatile and unpredictable president-elect showing signs of cognitive decline. Predicting his actions is challenging; his policy positions are often mutable and vague. However, he has publicly discussed seven potential action items.
First, he has promised mass deportations of undocumented migrants, aiming for the most extensive deportation effort in U.S. history. Many experts warn that such an operation would face significant legal and logistical obstacles and could hinder economic growth. Second, Trump has proposed sweeping tax changes, including extending his 2017 tax overhaul, eliminating taxes on Social Security payments, and further cutting corporate taxes. He also plans to impose punitive tariffs on China, a move likely to raise consumer prices.
Trump has also pledged to slash climate regulations to support the American auto industry and boost domestic fossil fuel production. He has suggested ending U.S. involvement in Ukraine, aligning with his stance against entanglement in foreign conflicts. Regarding the Gaza war, Trump, a vocal supporter of Israel, has urged the U.S. ally to end the conflict by his inauguration.
On abortion, Trump stated in a debate with Kamala Harris that he would not sign a national abortion ban, leaving the issue to individual states. He has also suggested he would pardon January 6 rioters and has expressed intent to fire Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is leading two investigations against him.
Join us on “State of Play” to examine Trump’s incoming cabinet, the promised policies mentioned above, and what they would mean for America and the world in general.
Greg Stoker is a former U.S. Army Ranger with a human intelligence collection and analysis background. After serving four combat deployments in Afghanistan, he studied anthropology and International Relations at Columbia University. He is currently a military and geopolitical analyst and a social media “influencer,” though he hates the term.
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