The American election results of 2018 almost guaranteed, there would be a struggle for power in the United States between Democrats and Republicans. What is dismaying, is that it would occur over the issue of national security. Any objective person can clearly observe, that the border between the United States and Mexico is becoming increasingly dangerous. Illegal activity coming from this porous frontier, has major consequences that have permeated throughout the United States. The endless caravan of drugs, illegal migrants and human […]
Jeffrey Hagenmeier
Venezuela: President Maduro Begins His Second Term As Economy Collapses
Nicolas Maduro was inaugurated as President of Venezuela for a second term in early January. He can now be seen as one of the worst peacetime leaders ever, not only in the history of the country, but worldwide. A second six year term for Maduro, will bring nothing short of catastrophe, for the long suffering citizenry. As the economy collapses, Maduro is running out of gimmicks and excuses to explain why his brand of socialism,will fail to bring anything to the people, […]
Colombia Voted For Economic Growth And Security In Last Election
Colombia a nation of more than 49 million people and a country rich in natural resources, has enormous potential as an export giant and economic power. In order to fulfill this promise, investments from both within and from abroad, must be promoted. However, foreign investment is dependent on a legal framework, that supports growth and above all security. Former President Juan Santos had become term limited, and once again Colombian voters were being asked to choose between the policies of the left […]
United States Election Results Will Provide Ongoing Political Gridlock In 2019
The 2018 elections at the Congressional level will provide ongoing political gridlock, beginning in January. Although the Democratic Party will retake the United States House of Representatives, thus ending unified government under the Republicans, they will not have the sufficient legislative power to push through an agenda. The electorate knowingly or not, voted for a divided Congress and government. What they will get is very little actual legislation and even more political turmoil. Despite the political grandstanding, the freshly empowered Democratic leadership […]
United States 2018 Mid-Term Elections: Crucial For Direction Of The Country
Rarely have midterm elections in the United States been so crucial to the overall economic and political direction of the country. The nation remains deeply divided, as the electorate becomes increasingly intolerant, of viewpoints outside their own political affiliation. Centrists on the left and the right, are being sidelined, by party purists. This is the biggest voter turnout for a midterm election, since 1966. Already 34 million people have voted. Nationally, Republicans were leading by 2%. It is usually Democrats, who win […]
The Political Endgame Has Finally Arrived For German Chancellor Angela Merkel
It was not the way German Chancellor Angela Merkel thought she would be spending, the beginning of her fourth term in office. After 13 years in power, her political coalition is unraveling and there is little that can be done, to reverse the downward spiral. As head of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) since 2000, there are those within her own party, that believe the political endgame for Merkel has finally arrived. Germany is doing financially well, the federal budget has a […]
Brazil Moves To The Political Right With Strong Support For Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil, the economic giant of South America and 8th largest globally, has been cursed with poor governance for decades. The electorate has responded to the irresponsible siren call of government largesse, for most of the 21st century. The negative and sometimes freewheeling role, that public officials have played in the economy, has reduced overall growth and made the entire country poorer. The Brazilian left-wing socialist Workers Party (PT) in power from 2003 to 2016, provided short term rewards at the expense of […]
The American Economy Comes Roaring Back Under United States President Trump
The American economy had been growing rather slowly, since the economic recovery beginning in 2009. Many pundits and politicians claimed a growth rate of 2%, was the new norm for an advanced economy, like the United States. The election of President Trump in the November elections of 2016, has changed that paradigm, as the domestic economy comes roaring back. The Trump growth agenda was relying on two basic principles. These were business deregulation and a massive tax reform, which would end up […]
Elections in Italy Lead To More Political And Financial Uncertainty For Europe
The March elections in Italy, saw a center-right coalition take first place, but failed to achieve a majority. The upstart anti-establishment 5 Star Movement (M5S), is now the largest political party in the legislature, taking over 30% of the total. That created a hung legislature, which necessitated the building of new political alliances in Italy. Italy is the 3rd largest economy in the Eurozone, 9th largest globally, with a GDP (Gross Domestic Product) of $1.934 trillion USD (United States Dollar). Ongoing political […]
Argentina: Macri Struggles To Overcome Years Of Disastrous Economic And Financial Mismanagement
The center right government of Argentine President Mauricio Macri, in power since December 2015, has been struggling to reverse 12 years of financial and economic mismanagement, under the former left-wing populists President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner and her husband Nestor Kirchner. Argentina, once the wealthiest country in the region,remains the third largest economy in Latin America, after Brazil and Mexico. However, it is quite evident that Colombia will slowly close the gap, unless Argentina adopts a more long term pro-growth model. Although […]