courtesy of wikipedia.org
When Donald Trump says he wants to make America great again, he isn’t talking about reverting to isolationism. He’s said America shouldn’t stand alone. What he envisions is a global strategy that divides the world into three spheres of influence the way the U. S., Britain, and Russia divided it at Yalta in 1945. The difference is that Trump wants to change teams. Europe is out and Russia and China are in.
At least, that’s how economist James K. Galbraith sees it. He predicts Trump will abandon Ukraine because he sees no economic value in it. (“The Political Economy of Trumpism,” The Nation, Feb. 2025, pgs. 6-7.) “Let that landmass be Europe’s headache” he seems to think. In fact, given the Contintent’s few natural resources, modest technical advances, and increasingly unstable society because of mass immigration, our president more than hints that he’s ready to abandon our former allies.
Why not? According to Galbraith, Trump sees a weakened Europe as America’s advantage. Should London fall as a financial center, for example, the United States would gain.
Iran without Syria seems less of a threat than in the past, so Trump has reason to suppose the spheres of influence could be reduced to a new three. What’s more, if Russia were allowed to regain segments of its former empire, and China left free to reign in the Indo-Pacific, avenues of commerce might open that Trump could exploit.
Surprisingly, the oligarchs who form a part of his base offer no objection to this plan. Neither do the Evangelicals who believe Israel’s security will hasten the Second Coming. As for the White Supremacists, if the president rattles a few immigrant chains from time to time, they will be happy.
Galbraith fears a world order based on an economic model would favor a predatory class that would take control of our government. His fear is prescient. Many politicians find it difficult to resist the lure of money and power, largely because most of them can’t see beyond their next election. Joni Ernst and Bill Cassidy are examples. They betrayed their deepest convictions rather than lose the title of Senator.
Lindsey Graham is the most ludicrous example of all. To stay on the right side of power, he has turned himself inside out so many times I doubt he could identify himself in a police lineup.
The courts may uphold justice for a while…until the Supreme Court makes its decision. But perhaps their decisions are no longer necessary, having decided our President is above the law. Little wonder that realists slake their thirst for justice by watching reruns of Law And Order.
The good news is that if politics is to be based on economic power, then “we the people” have some leverage. Let consumerism be the new strategy. Already, in a previous blog, I listed forms of resistance, acts so simple they can be performed from a hospital bed. Here are two more and they are critical.
We are facing some special elections over the next few months. Anyone with agile fingers and a smartphone can help topple Trump’s world. Susan Crawford is battling for a seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court. Elon Musk is betting against her with his money. A flood of small contributions could turn the tide. Likewise, Gay Valimont in Florida hopes to step into Matt Gatez’s House shoes. If she succeeds, Mike Johnson will need more than a new mattress to sleep at night.
These special elections need our immediate action. Don’t wait until 2026 to right the ship of state. Hitler brought down the German Republic within weeks after gaining control of the government. Trump has been in office for six. How much chaos can you stand?
Finally, even someone languishing in an oxygen tent can support tomorrow’s boycott. The goal is to buy nothing. Doing nothing, tomorrow will be the first salvo of our resistance. Hopefully, it will be a stampede.
BOYCOTT TESLA
