How did we get here?
I propose a confluence of the evolution of corporate business conduct[1] and influence over the US government representatives to an election of a US businessperson to the highest office in the nation.
For 3 years Zeihan has been talking about the withdrawal from the US Navy of guaranteeing freedom of seas to allow free trade. WHY? Because that guarantee bore some extraordinary costs. We no longer can afford to fund that with our massive ever increasing national debt. The US government is unwilling to adequately fund the nation with increased taxation. Eventually the tab comes due
Zeihan argues that the U.S., because of its unique geography (location, land, water transport, infrastructure, etc.), can more or less go it alone. The U.S. is no longer willing to serve as the guarantor of peace and security on the high seas, nor to keep its markets open to the likes of China. COVID was a wake up call to fragility of supply chains and a strategic threat to a nation. Globalization is fini. The Ukraine War has demonstrated the fragility of the US defense industry base of production. It will take decades to reindustrialize the USA.
The US Congress for 75 years have allowed that branch of government to become weak. They’ve allowed the president to intervene/invade in other sovereign nations without a peep of protest.
Greenland & Venezuela are now viewed by the president [CEO of USA]as weak entities that can be sliced off and merged with the conglomerate: USA. After all we have engaged in Gaza genocide & bombing Iran without any meaningful international protest.
US corporate behavior continues to violate laws with nefarious business practices with only minor fines imposed. A cost of business. Now that behavior is on the international stage. Can or will US behavior be opposed from the outside? Past history says no.
Only an internally can a change be made.
So buckle up buttercups. The current system is what we allowed to evolve.
[1]How the US Corporation & Economy has Transitioned-Thanks to Jack Welch