My grandson, Michael, recommended an article by Fukuyama in the Financial Review that placed the Trump phenomenon in the context of the Western World’s retreat from internationalism. He describes how neither political party in the U.S. recognized the impact of internationalism on the older white working class and how these people were drawn to Trump. Fukuyama also discusses what is happening to our democracy (which he calls a vetocracy). It is long, but very worth reading.
Enemies and Friends
In one tick-tock of the clock, on the twentieth, that day
When the swearing-in’s complete, at that moment all things change
But among those changes stark, prominent in many ways
Is the way we’ll view the Russians, full transformative and strange
For the last six years, we’re told, Putin has been grooming Trump
Subtly implying Trump should really run for President
‘Twas a Putin long shot, with Trump’s ratings being in the dumps,
Some assistance Trump would need to be the White House resident
And some assistance Trump received from Russia’s cyber bears
And Putin’s gamble Putin won beyond his wildest dreams
Where Russia and the U.S. were on terms quite less than fare,
Now with Donald Prexy, Putin’s hands are free, it seems
But sometimes getting what you ask for doesn’t work your way
With friends one must be careful not the bond to jeopardize
With enemies there are no bonds, just thresholds held at bay
There’s evidence already Putin this has realized
1/1/17