Friday, November 11, 2016

The Trump Phenomenon: What It Means For America and the World

The rise and victory of political 'apprentice' Donald J Trump is phenomenal. How he launched his campaign and won the nomination and final election against all odds with the mainstream media, his own party members and the oligarchy of vested corporate interests from America to Europe and China stacked against him. This man has already achieved so much even before he takes office on 20th January 2017.

Despite all the usual fears and criticism hurled at him (racist, fascist, Islamophobia, egomania, sexist, womanizer, unpredictable, anti-trade, anti-immigration,etc), his actions and success has proven so far that he is a true game changer in the political and public arena. He knows the true art of the deal to trump the established players. He doesn't need their money nor their power simply because he already has it. If he is another puppet of the elite (or shadow government), then why are the elite's forces mobilized so strongly against him?

We shall see a new era with Trump's presidency simply because he will overturn the root causes of America's decadence as a nation birthed in religious and intellectual freedom. America will definitely have to be reformed in a process filled with birth-pangs before it can become great again. But it is my confident prayer that he will bring back many traditional values (pro life, marriage between man & woman) enshrined in honoring the one true God of the nation's forefathers and Constitutional authors. May the Lord bless America in this period of President Trump's administration and may the world benefit from his wisdom and policies to bring a genuine peace in the Middle East.

On the economic front, Trump's economic policies have been described as Keynesian, deregulation and anti-free trade. He has pledged to cut corporate taxes (to as low as 15%) which will incentivise American companies to relocate and repatriate their capital back to the U.S. even though there may be labour cost disadvantages. The impact on the government's tax revenue is initially negative before turning more positive over time if the policy succeeds. Trump's strong fiscal stimulus may result in higher debts, higher inflation and stronger economic growth. The problem is that the Federal funds rates can not rise higher than 4% when real GDP growth is stabilising at 3.0% and inflation is 2% because a real Fed funds rate of 2.0% is just sufficient to sustain a real GDP growth of 3.0% given that inflation may exceed the equilibrium rate of 2.0% during periods of excessive growth.

On trade, Trump's policy is against unfair trade especially where countries which artificially suppress their currencies are able to gain export competitiveness against American goods. This policy may be problematic due firstly to the risk of triggering trade wars. Secondly, his domestic policy is likely to strengthen the U.S. dollar (as long as inflation is contained by appropriate interest rate levels) and competing trading partners will not have to take any protective action as their currencies will automatically depreciate against the stronger US dollar. The key unknown about his economic policies is whether the jobs created from the relocation of manufacturing facilities will provide a long-term improvement in the productivity of the economy. Will the source of demand for the US manufacturers be Americans or global? How will America help China become a more advanced nation without creating a trade war and how will America deal with Europe's economic problems of integration in a post-Brexit world?

In the final analysis, Trump will be a game changer in both the economic and political world. Overall, his objective to focus on rebuilding American industry and inner strength as a sovereign nation will be positive for the world as it will set an example to the nations of the importance of self-governance and sovereignty Globalism and its destructive elements will take a back seat if not go into reverse gear so that the economic and political well-being of the middle and lower class citizens can be restored after more than two decades of increasing inequality, disenchantment and spiritual struggles with corrosive liberalism.

America has one last chance in this narrow window of grace. Listen to Amir Tsarfati:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OH7qL6DAfes&feature=youtu.be


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