How did we get here

"Free" Trade brought profit to few and unemployment to many. The Washington Consensus left economics to the market and the citizens were supposed to be entertained by the culture war. It seems unlikely that the Washington Consensus would ever be broken from the left. The left-wing worried about trans, trees, guns, abortion and other culture issues. They forgot about jobs. Meanwhile the official right-wing was happy to play the counter-party to the narrow and endless debates about trans, trees, guns, abortion and other culture issues, hoping that economic issues would stay off of the radar, especially the trade agenda. Into this stalemate strides Donald Trump. He took power because he described what everyone saw but no one would say. He made more promises than any American politician since the modern era. He promises to fix somethings and to break others. I hope Donald Trump makes bold moves to overturn the Washington Consensus. I anticipate whatever maneuvers he makes will mostly be for the benefit of billionaires and maybe some millionaires. If Donald Trump does rearrange the structure of the economy in favor of American employment it will be at the cost of some billionaires and millionaires too. It was America and not China and Mexico that built plants to make American products in those countries. It will be the portfolios of those wealthy households, along with pension funds, 401(k)'s and other investors who will suffer the loss of billions of dollars of stranded capital in those foreign countries if American trade relations are radically rearranged. Let's also not forget the potential for retaliatory measures by China or Japan. They both own a healthy portion of American debt in the form of bonds. A structural change to America's trade deficit promises to be disruptive and painful. Trump's approach to Russia is likewise a radical departure from almost a century of aggression. A lasting and peaceful understanding with Russia by cooperating with Putin is risky. Dealing with Putin is risky. But nothing is as risky as nuclear war. If Russian containment is taken off the table perhaps we will be able to reap the mythical peace dividend that the world was expecting at the end of the cold war. The racism issue with Donald Trump has been troubling. To some observers the claim appears to be exaggerated. I would not argue that he is, or that his campaign was, racist. I would argue that racial violence is a logical conclusions to some of the statements made on the campaign trail. Especially around proposals like Muslim registration. Islam in practice is clean living and straight forward family values. At its spiritual heart it is sincere praise of god, just in another language. If you want to know more ask a Muslim person or read something written about Islam by someone without a political agenda. Just as you would not ask Hitler for advice on Judaism. You should not ask Ann Coulter for advice on Islam. It is reasonable however to fear Islam in light of history. The twin towers attack was the most high profile mass murder of American civilians in history. The history of militarized Islam is not a gentle story of peace. If you want to know more about that read anything about the Muslim conquest of India or ask a Sikh person about the hundreds of years of genocidal war that they endured at the hands of fundamentalist Islam in the centuries prior to the arrival of the British in the subcontinent. No matter, abstract history is no excuse for cruelty in the present. Human history has a tendency to spiral out of control. Dark, or even good, intentions coupled with violence make men monsters. Democracy is fragile. Like all of our institutions it is made by men and can be destroyed by men. America divided against itself will not be stronger. America at war with the world will not be better off. Americans have a duty to leave America in better shape than they found it. Once American values are compromised they will not be easily redeemed. It won't be hard to let racism get out of control. I hope it will not come to this. It will be easy to allow round-ups or bans on religions or any other terror be done in our name in America. Anything is easy when it is done to someone else. Especially if it is done supposedly on your behalf. Many factors contributed to Trump's victory. In my heart I do not think he won because of hate. Every racist may have voted for Trump but not every Trump voter was a racist. We Americans, Trump voters, Hillary voters and non-voters, need to agree on where to draw the line. No matter how loud it's been yelled over the centuries by every stripe of king, priest, politician, mullah or president. Blood cleans nothing.