Do Trade Deficits Matter?

According to Victor Davis Hanson, trade deficits do matter if they're sustained while national debt to GDP is high, like that of the US debt to GDP ratio of 110%.

Fun Under Trump

 Are we facing a new golden age for the US and the West in general? Victor Davis Hanson notes the crassness of Donald Trump, something I also noted. I found it refreshing, especially his impromptu press conference while signing his executive orders.

Trump spoke like a businessman getting on with things, dealing with competitors. He seems to have his energy back, after all he has appeared drained these last few years. Yes, there was the fist pump, but overall he has been more subdued, but not today.

When I've driven around the US, I always wonder why the US doesn't really let rip, it has so many natural advantages, space being paramount. Instead, for a lot of the time, the US seems caught up in navel gazing and endless bickering. Trump seems to be saying - just do it. 

Of course, Zuckerberg was at the inauguration looking down the cleavage of Lauren Sanchez (don't let Jeff Bezos see you doing that), as was Elon Musk. These people are fair weather friends, you cannot trust them as far as you can throw them. So, there is real potential for the next four years to be derailed, we'll have to see.

Does America realise the potential it has? I once asked my father why he always bought Caterpillar? Because they don't break down, he quickly replied. And if you cannot afford Caterpillar, then buy International, they weren't reliable but offered plenty horsepower (both are American brands, although in terms of equipment, International are now Komatsu and also Euclid trucks are now Hitachi - both from Japan...ahem). 

So, I agree with the message - drill, baby, drill. Oh and start making stuff again.

California Wildfires

Victor Davis Hanson explains what is happening; civilisation breakdown where politicians do performance art but real work is ignored or has its funding reduced.

Why Trump Won

Former Australian politician, John Anderson talks to Victor Davis Hanson about all those factors that lead to Donald Trump's landslide victory: