I'm not on Facebook much but a friend sent links. Apparently Norway and Denmark are in the news with statements against Israel, and Italy snubbed Rubio. Don't know if these are verifiable.
Great interview! Crooke has so many insights about what is going on in the ME/West Asia vis-a-vis Iran (Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in particular); macro-economically; the AI advantages China has over the U.S. and where that will lead; and China's current attitude toward the global economy. What Crooke states about China is in line with what Mark has said: China doesn't want to bring down the American economy but they do want the U.S. to recognize what is realistically possible and what isn't as they promote cooperation in both economic and strategic defense frameworks (much like Russia has been trying to push). No doubt that will include a rebuke of the U.S. aggression toward Iran.
Of course the U.S. national security establishment will never accept multi-polarity until they recognize there is no other choice. As an example, his assertion that it is no longer possible for the U.S. to have a direct role in the security architecture of the GCC states and West Asia. The reticence to accept that (even after the destruction of 13 of their military facilities) no longer jibes with the "on the ground" truth, now. How much destruction will be necessary before they recognize that fact?
I watched Robert Pape with Mario Nawfal yesterday. Pape hammered down on the reference Foo makes to Trump's trip to Beijing as a "humilitation ritual". As he has in the past, Pape states that Iran intends to keep this war going for up to several more months to inflict economic damage on the US and max political humiliation--Pape uses the H word emphatically--on Trump. Not simply out of vindictiveness but for self defense and deterrence.
First of all, I'd like to say that I've been following Mark for a year. Recently I subscribed. Not simply becuz he's well informed. Mark is a very decent, cultured and moral fellow. One of my sheep skins is in Ph.D (PoliSci). It was obtained long ago, when sheep shins weren't a sham. I've been around, knew more than a few "Big Boys," and must say Mark is not only intelligent, he's very keen about what's going on.
As far as this piece goes, Mark was very diplomatic. The fact is 'The Don' is not merely narcissistic, he has many tendencies of an individual with other impairments. Most striking is his disregard for the killing of Palestinians and other neighbors of Capitol Hill's best friend and "Ally." Then adding frosting to that cake of evil, you see that he had the gumption to send such zionistic elements as Kushner and Witkoff to negotiations. Mind you, he must've had some type of inclination to realize that the Iranians didn't particularly relish those types. Seems Trump could care less what they think
Another bit of evil frosting was to include war criminal Tony Blair to his "rebuilding" of Gaza. As for the destruction in Tel Aviv, American tax payers will eventually pick up the tab. Bottom line: Despite enriching his family with billions, he couldn't care less if the world suffers in any economic strife. What -"somewhat"- concerns him is his image. It'll take a miracle if he's able to wiggle out of Bibi's demands.
Lastly, look at the Z people in his inner circle. If you include his pathological lying and their fearing to contradict him, you'd have to wonder what's going on in his inner being. Does he think the entire world cannot see his fabrications?
I am hoping that Xi cancels all meetings as soon as Trump lands in China... such a humiliation may put Trumpus II The Incontinent into an asylum and we'll see how much of a snake JD really is...
But far more likely, IMHO... is the Donald giving away massive wins/capitulations to China, in a DEAL (details kept under wraps for some time)... in return for China brokering a US/Iran peace "deal", painted as a HUGE Trump Victory... but which actually gives Iran everything they want, including massive reparations, removal of all sanctions and return of all stolen assets.
Butcher Bibi, even more insane than the Orange Bozo, might refuse to play... but between the US and China threats of massive sanctions... and other economic attacks... it might be done.
I was not surprised to see the inflation rate hit 3.8%. The question is where is it going to be in the fall? I’m not sure 8 to 10% is not out of the range of possibility. We will all be suffering by then.
I was very interested in that breakdown of just wear the SPR Oil ends up and I’m not surprised by that either . You have so many people out there who think that the United States is totally immune from anything that’s going to happen or is happening in the Middle East is far as oil and oil products are concerned.
Trump has spun this narrative that we don’t need anything from the Middle East whatsoever and we’re totally self-sufficient and yes, we’ve got so much oil we can supply other places. I guess math was not a requirement in the trump administration..
How do you replace 17 to 20,000,000 barrels of oil a day taken off the market? There are too many people who know nothing about the business whatsoever and somehow think all they gotta do start drilling in and get it to market. It doesn’t work that way.
Bringing new feels online can take years, they are long-term Cap Ex investments that take a while to pay off.
The other thing most people don’t understand or all the valuable and vital petrochemical products and byproducts that are coming from the Middle East .
Most farmers this year cannot afford the fertilizer prices so we are going to have decreased yields all the way around . Now I think we can feed ourselves but as far as the export market, I think you could forget about that. We’re not gonna have enough food export, and we probably are not gonna have a surplus of soybeans to sell to China.
I think the most interesting things I have found out about what comes from the Middle East is helium, which is a byproduct of natural gas. The Middle East accounts for 33% or more of the helium market, which is used in most medical imaging devices, including in most importantly MRIs. What would happen if we had to ration MRIs?
We’ve got at least 95% of the people in this country who have zero understanding of what’s happening because they think that we live in a fortress America and we are totally abused to what goes on anywhere else.
I have no doubt that Trump is going to get his head handed to him in China. China has too many things we need especially rare earth, minerals, and now the shoes on the other foot we need trade with China and they don’t need trade with us.
I suspect in private without the cameras, Trump would be willing to perform fellatio on Xi to get a deal so he can go home and look like a hero. But you got people out there, thinking Trump’s gonna turn the Chinese inside out and I’m thinking how is that possible?
I think the next few months we may see Trump in some type of capitulation to Iran, he will not have any choice. The second thing that’s going to happen is Russia is going to finally finish the war in Ukraine on their terms. European Union is not going to like that, but there’s nothing they can do. Trump will have to capitulate to the Russians also.
The next six months to watch are going to be very interesting. That will bring us right up to the midterm elections and if we have 10% inflation $8 gallon gas and a severe recession starting the Republican party could forget about running for years. They will be able to thank Donald John Trump Caligula for destroying everything that we have for the near term.
He probably has the triumphant spin in place already, but count on it--anything that looks like a win will be revealed in the not too distant future as merely a bone that was tossed to Trump. He simply has no leverage. You can tell that from his *first for any POTUS* remark--that he will discuss arms sales to Taiwan with Xi. The agenda will be what China wants it to be, which is why the meeting is in Beijing. Xi knows that Trump was planning on humiliating China again after what was supposed to be a game changing grab of Middle East oil. No freebies for Trump that will mean much of anything.
This admin was always a gamble, and would have been for any POTUS--the US decline has gone way too far. He pinned his hopes on the tariff driven shakedown to get all that new investment to bail us out--remember the $18 trillion claims? Haven't heard about that recently. Venezuela was gonna be just the start, then the Iran op would break up BRICS. Woops!
"I think the next few months we may see Trump in some type of capitulation to Iran, he will not have any choice. The second thing that’s going to happen is Russia is going to finally finish the war in Ukraine on their terms. European Union is not going to like that, but there’s nothing they can do. Trump will have to capitulate to the Russians also."
That would be wonderful. The only questions now are whether or not Trump is sane, whether he is being fed with accurate information, and whether or not he is being blackmailed.
We hope you're right. I spent a great deal of time in Byelorussia, Ukraine and the E European region. R needs to take Odessa before the start of any ending.. In all probability, even taking that port city -btw, it's a beautiful place- you'll see Ursula von de Leyen surely picking up bread from the green bakery of several Westen European countries. Also, Kaja Kallas hates R. Further, Merz was into big buck businesses. He worships Euros... No doubt he and those mentioned want to continue reaping in unofficial rewards. Therefore it's more than possible that everything will be done to keep the MSM's god Zielinsky afloat. I hope I'm wrong and you're right. One last thing, in addition to those mentioned, Warsaw's Donald Tusk belongs to that globalist club. These individuals know the conflict is a neocon created war. That's beside the point. Just listen to that liar Macron or Starmer!
Taking Odessa is a must and it would be a blow to Jewish Nationalists as this was their great trading city and where they made millions also selling white Christian slaves to Islamic Emirs.
The list goes on, sulphur comes as a byproduct, and without sulphuric acid, copper miners, who are already suffering from a critical investment shortage due to the commodity cycle, will have a hard time.
Taiwan runs on middle eastern LNG. Almost 10% of Taiwan's power draw is TSMC. Nice AI bubble you have there. Would be a shame if anything happened to it.
I think you're spot on with Ukraine. Russia is rapidly coming to the point where they can no longer ignore the direct NATO attacks. I'm expecting an ultimatum to Europe to shut the airspace for Ukrainian drones, and to stop the supply, or have some factories demonstrably shut down via Oreshnik.
Peter Thiel, Musk, Karp, most of the CEOs going to China, the All In crew, are DIGITAL Sphere elites. They are not steeped in the history and traditions of the Western Culture: great books would be alien/odd to virtually all of them, as an example.
They come across as super pro Modern West: pro Ukraine, pro Israel (which is not actually part of the West), pro state intervention, pro ideologies of the Post/Modern West: diversity, humans are fundamentally the problem to be overcome. Not pro human, pro universe. Past trans humanism. The US is the best hope for the planet and universe, but will need to become something else. Perpetuate secularism or put in place a new civic religion. Hierarchy/Oligarchy is necessary. Dark Enlightenment.
New Declaration. New Constitution.
Vance is a Catholic convert. What does that mean for him?
How do Digital Sphere elites critique “politics?” How do they critique the West culture? Why talk of anti-Christ?
They have to situate the West in the new context and then start offering new directions. These will seem Western, but are not. Western Civilization was Catholic/Christian. Young people working in the Digital Sphere are reaching out to Catholics for guidance. Why?
Too much focus on Trump, as he has done exactly what the Founders did not want: personalized “politics,” everything is an attack on HIM not US.
What comes next? Vance may be a window into this, though most Digital Sphere will support Dems in the short term, as they think this will pacify people and prevent them from peeling away at what they are really about.
I wish I could be optimistic about America becoming "something else". It would help if the Church could become something other than what it has become. I'm not indulging in nostalgia for supposed good old days, but the spiritual capital deficit is mirroring the debt crisis. Or so it seems.
Trump, ... has done exactly what the Founders did not want: personalized “politics,”
I assume you noticed Trump's attack on Gorsuch and Amy--saying they should have been "loyal" to him? Re Gorsuch:
Yep. This is “politics” in the post-post modern era. Digital divides and it’s not going to get better. The idea that America was either “culture” or “creedal” came up in the Progressive era and then again after WWII. See Harry Jaffa’s writings. Leaning on the Declaration happens because Electric comms changed the Print world. All the 20th century battles over education were over this in various ways.
What no one, aside from Marshall McLuhan and a few others, ever understood in the modern era is Formation. The techno-psyche environment and how it forms everyone in it, without people realizing it: perception before concepts.
As for the Church: it is made up of human beings mal-formed by the Television era, just like the rest of us. Theology was abandoned. It will take a couple of generations to retrieve it, but it is happening: new “sacred education” coming.
The Declaration became part of our sacred education, but the culture went in a different direction so…
Trump is about Trump. But they all are. Everyone that gets into politics and business at these levels is a kind of psychopath. That was the Television Paradigm! We all see it now, too late, but what the “reveal” now does is lead to something “new” in the future. Just takes a couple generations.
No matter what Trump and his ilk do, there is not going to be peace and prosperity anytime soon. There is no ground for it yet. We do not have in place what is needed.
Bottom line: we have no elites in the West. We have not since say 1970, when the nuttiness of the television paradigm became dominant. This is a massive problem. Everyone we look to as elites lets us down. Everyone sees that now.
Leo, taking the name Leo, understands somethings. He went to Villanova and I know a couple of his professors from then. He is going to “play” be different rules. He has issues within the Church, the big medieval corp that it is. His focus is likely going to be saving souls and getting proper Church teachings going throughout. Massive task as he has most against this.
I would not make too much out of Trump’s comments about the justices, or others. He is straight Television, you take shots, if the target survives, you respect it and move to another target. This was the conversation he had with Obama at either Bush or Carter’s funeral: you withstood my going after you, so I respect you.
Two growth college degrees: psychology (new) and theology (old).
In fact Vance should, if he has a conscience, be having nightmares about Minab, while Biden probably sleeps like a baby. He did not go to war against Iran, nor did Obama.
Right. I work from the Youtube transcripts. Foo's are usually pretty good but I have to be careful because of his accent. I did puzzle over that because he states that Shell was the second largest, but ... brain fart.
Dimitri Lascaris reported from a conference in Athens & recorded one bit: Israelis pitching Greece-Israeli alliance to manage Israel's "abundant" gas resources in Mediterranean, ship to Europe, make lotsa $$.
One snag, perhaps: legal action against Israel & any partner in taking resources that belong to Palestine/Gaza. Zionists have used lawfare for generations to bankrupt others. What if Karma bit back? What if having been sanctioned for the crime of genocide impaired ability to contract? What if a group of tough lawyers took on the worthy task of calling to account rogue Israel? (nb. anyone else notice that the lawyer who played a key role in the FBI case against the Boston fraudsters is a Black man?)
Trump is attempting to increase the pressure on Iran.
And Iran is increasing pressure back.
Initially it seemed Trump believed the propaganda Irans economy would crumble any day with the blockade of the blockade, and more sanctions. China’s pushback on the refinery sanctions is huge.
And it’s suspicious that two Qatari tanker sailed through the gulf, this smells of a hidden deal.
The fun part about oil reserves is that they don't just go one way. If or when the situation eases, they have to be refilled, which is going to keep prices up.
We're getting the first taste with an April CPI of 3.8, which has driven the 30y back over 5% again. If the Fed runs high rates into a supply shock, they'll set leverage up for more stress, if they cut into it, they get even more rampant inflation. They can't do nothing either, since it'll destroy the bonds market, depending how long it goes. Yield curve control starts looking better every day.
Everything kind of works till it doesn't. Time to see who blinks first, and be kind to your neighbours.
Yeah, not raising the Fed funds rate, printing more money, and financial repression/YCC, that's the ticket! Just look at how well it has worked for Japan over the last 30 years! Warsh will wash his hands of the situation handed to him.
Everything Trump says is a mishmash of Lies, Misdirection, with a pinch of Truth added--but it's not haphazard. That's the Art of the Gaslight, the genius of MAGA--everyone thought they knew what he meant, for and agin.
Trump is in the pocket of the Jewish Nationalists--whether as a result of blackmail or pure greed or whatever. Therefore he has to keep parroting the BS they feed him about Iran. It's getting harder and harder to maintain this line of BS. This incredible statement was intended 1) to present himself as principled and 2) a defender of America rather than just of Israel. I suspect most Americans are well past being fooled. If not now, the great unmasking is coming.
Must be a Married With Children fan. Loved it whenever Peggy told the kids to thank their father for whatever short-coming they were experiencing. "Thanks, Dad," in unison. I can hear every voter in the country saying what you just said, in unison.
Catherine Austin Fitts' interviewed Alastair Crooke at https://solari.com/civilization-at-the-crossroads-with alastair-crooke/
I'm not on Facebook much but a friend sent links. Apparently Norway and Denmark are in the news with statements against Israel, and Italy snubbed Rubio. Don't know if these are verifiable.
I heard about Norway a few days ago.
Thanks. Queued up.
Great interview! Crooke has so many insights about what is going on in the ME/West Asia vis-a-vis Iran (Saudi Arabia and the UAE, in particular); macro-economically; the AI advantages China has over the U.S. and where that will lead; and China's current attitude toward the global economy. What Crooke states about China is in line with what Mark has said: China doesn't want to bring down the American economy but they do want the U.S. to recognize what is realistically possible and what isn't as they promote cooperation in both economic and strategic defense frameworks (much like Russia has been trying to push). No doubt that will include a rebuke of the U.S. aggression toward Iran.
Of course the U.S. national security establishment will never accept multi-polarity until they recognize there is no other choice. As an example, his assertion that it is no longer possible for the U.S. to have a direct role in the security architecture of the GCC states and West Asia. The reticence to accept that (even after the destruction of 13 of their military facilities) no longer jibes with the "on the ground" truth, now. How much destruction will be necessary before they recognize that fact?
I watched Robert Pape with Mario Nawfal yesterday. Pape hammered down on the reference Foo makes to Trump's trip to Beijing as a "humilitation ritual". As he has in the past, Pape states that Iran intends to keep this war going for up to several more months to inflict economic damage on the US and max political humiliation--Pape uses the H word emphatically--on Trump. Not simply out of vindictiveness but for self defense and deterrence.
Zero white hats in this administration.
Let's be clear.
I wonder, when Trump is going to tell Xi how he destroyed Iran with his blockade, if Xi can suppress his laugh.
Col Mac... always worth listening to...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ntHXdIvOcIk
First of all, I'd like to say that I've been following Mark for a year. Recently I subscribed. Not simply becuz he's well informed. Mark is a very decent, cultured and moral fellow. One of my sheep skins is in Ph.D (PoliSci). It was obtained long ago, when sheep shins weren't a sham. I've been around, knew more than a few "Big Boys," and must say Mark is not only intelligent, he's very keen about what's going on.
As far as this piece goes, Mark was very diplomatic. The fact is 'The Don' is not merely narcissistic, he has many tendencies of an individual with other impairments. Most striking is his disregard for the killing of Palestinians and other neighbors of Capitol Hill's best friend and "Ally." Then adding frosting to that cake of evil, you see that he had the gumption to send such zionistic elements as Kushner and Witkoff to negotiations. Mind you, he must've had some type of inclination to realize that the Iranians didn't particularly relish those types. Seems Trump could care less what they think
Another bit of evil frosting was to include war criminal Tony Blair to his "rebuilding" of Gaza. As for the destruction in Tel Aviv, American tax payers will eventually pick up the tab. Bottom line: Despite enriching his family with billions, he couldn't care less if the world suffers in any economic strife. What -"somewhat"- concerns him is his image. It'll take a miracle if he's able to wiggle out of Bibi's demands.
Lastly, look at the Z people in his inner circle. If you include his pathological lying and their fearing to contradict him, you'd have to wonder what's going on in his inner being. Does he think the entire world cannot see his fabrications?
Thanks for the kind words. You're right on the rest.
I am hoping that Xi cancels all meetings as soon as Trump lands in China... such a humiliation may put Trumpus II The Incontinent into an asylum and we'll see how much of a snake JD really is...
But far more likely, IMHO... is the Donald giving away massive wins/capitulations to China, in a DEAL (details kept under wraps for some time)... in return for China brokering a US/Iran peace "deal", painted as a HUGE Trump Victory... but which actually gives Iran everything they want, including massive reparations, removal of all sanctions and return of all stolen assets.
Butcher Bibi, even more insane than the Orange Bozo, might refuse to play... but between the US and China threats of massive sanctions... and other economic attacks... it might be done.
(I'd prefer that Israel is completely destroyed)
I was not surprised to see the inflation rate hit 3.8%. The question is where is it going to be in the fall? I’m not sure 8 to 10% is not out of the range of possibility. We will all be suffering by then.
I was very interested in that breakdown of just wear the SPR Oil ends up and I’m not surprised by that either . You have so many people out there who think that the United States is totally immune from anything that’s going to happen or is happening in the Middle East is far as oil and oil products are concerned.
Trump has spun this narrative that we don’t need anything from the Middle East whatsoever and we’re totally self-sufficient and yes, we’ve got so much oil we can supply other places. I guess math was not a requirement in the trump administration..
How do you replace 17 to 20,000,000 barrels of oil a day taken off the market? There are too many people who know nothing about the business whatsoever and somehow think all they gotta do start drilling in and get it to market. It doesn’t work that way.
Bringing new feels online can take years, they are long-term Cap Ex investments that take a while to pay off.
The other thing most people don’t understand or all the valuable and vital petrochemical products and byproducts that are coming from the Middle East .
Most farmers this year cannot afford the fertilizer prices so we are going to have decreased yields all the way around . Now I think we can feed ourselves but as far as the export market, I think you could forget about that. We’re not gonna have enough food export, and we probably are not gonna have a surplus of soybeans to sell to China.
I think the most interesting things I have found out about what comes from the Middle East is helium, which is a byproduct of natural gas. The Middle East accounts for 33% or more of the helium market, which is used in most medical imaging devices, including in most importantly MRIs. What would happen if we had to ration MRIs?
We’ve got at least 95% of the people in this country who have zero understanding of what’s happening because they think that we live in a fortress America and we are totally abused to what goes on anywhere else.
I have no doubt that Trump is going to get his head handed to him in China. China has too many things we need especially rare earth, minerals, and now the shoes on the other foot we need trade with China and they don’t need trade with us.
I suspect in private without the cameras, Trump would be willing to perform fellatio on Xi to get a deal so he can go home and look like a hero. But you got people out there, thinking Trump’s gonna turn the Chinese inside out and I’m thinking how is that possible?
I think the next few months we may see Trump in some type of capitulation to Iran, he will not have any choice. The second thing that’s going to happen is Russia is going to finally finish the war in Ukraine on their terms. European Union is not going to like that, but there’s nothing they can do. Trump will have to capitulate to the Russians also.
The next six months to watch are going to be very interesting. That will bring us right up to the midterm elections and if we have 10% inflation $8 gallon gas and a severe recession starting the Republican party could forget about running for years. They will be able to thank Donald John Trump Caligula for destroying everything that we have for the near term.
Not in the middle of Tian An Men square?
He probably has the triumphant spin in place already, but count on it--anything that looks like a win will be revealed in the not too distant future as merely a bone that was tossed to Trump. He simply has no leverage. You can tell that from his *first for any POTUS* remark--that he will discuss arms sales to Taiwan with Xi. The agenda will be what China wants it to be, which is why the meeting is in Beijing. Xi knows that Trump was planning on humiliating China again after what was supposed to be a game changing grab of Middle East oil. No freebies for Trump that will mean much of anything.
This admin was always a gamble, and would have been for any POTUS--the US decline has gone way too far. He pinned his hopes on the tariff driven shakedown to get all that new investment to bail us out--remember the $18 trillion claims? Haven't heard about that recently. Venezuela was gonna be just the start, then the Iran op would break up BRICS. Woops!
Steve, we really enjoyed you correct take. We hope you have more commentary. thank you.
"I think the next few months we may see Trump in some type of capitulation to Iran, he will not have any choice. The second thing that’s going to happen is Russia is going to finally finish the war in Ukraine on their terms. European Union is not going to like that, but there’s nothing they can do. Trump will have to capitulate to the Russians also."
That would be wonderful. The only questions now are whether or not Trump is sane, whether he is being fed with accurate information, and whether or not he is being blackmailed.
The newest word coined by WU is
"Hormuzzed"(Adj): When you are stuck in a situation where every option is technically available but practically impossible.
Usage: Client wants innovation but with zero change,zero risk and zero cost. We are hormuzzed. https://x.com/theamitkpaul/status/2048436301255631341
Further expanded on here: https://www.instagram.com/p/DX4x8-mk_Ql/
We hope you're right. I spent a great deal of time in Byelorussia, Ukraine and the E European region. R needs to take Odessa before the start of any ending.. In all probability, even taking that port city -btw, it's a beautiful place- you'll see Ursula von de Leyen surely picking up bread from the green bakery of several Westen European countries. Also, Kaja Kallas hates R. Further, Merz was into big buck businesses. He worships Euros... No doubt he and those mentioned want to continue reaping in unofficial rewards. Therefore it's more than possible that everything will be done to keep the MSM's god Zielinsky afloat. I hope I'm wrong and you're right. One last thing, in addition to those mentioned, Warsaw's Donald Tusk belongs to that globalist club. These individuals know the conflict is a neocon created war. That's beside the point. Just listen to that liar Macron or Starmer!
Taking Odessa is a must and it would be a blow to Jewish Nationalists as this was their great trading city and where they made millions also selling white Christian slaves to Islamic Emirs.
Agreed. Kharkov and Odessa at a minimum. Don't be surprised if it ends up being everything.
The list goes on, sulphur comes as a byproduct, and without sulphuric acid, copper miners, who are already suffering from a critical investment shortage due to the commodity cycle, will have a hard time.
Taiwan runs on middle eastern LNG. Almost 10% of Taiwan's power draw is TSMC. Nice AI bubble you have there. Would be a shame if anything happened to it.
I think you're spot on with Ukraine. Russia is rapidly coming to the point where they can no longer ignore the direct NATO attacks. I'm expecting an ultimatum to Europe to shut the airspace for Ukrainian drones, and to stop the supply, or have some factories demonstrably shut down via Oreshnik.
Peter Thiel, Musk, Karp, most of the CEOs going to China, the All In crew, are DIGITAL Sphere elites. They are not steeped in the history and traditions of the Western Culture: great books would be alien/odd to virtually all of them, as an example.
They come across as super pro Modern West: pro Ukraine, pro Israel (which is not actually part of the West), pro state intervention, pro ideologies of the Post/Modern West: diversity, humans are fundamentally the problem to be overcome. Not pro human, pro universe. Past trans humanism. The US is the best hope for the planet and universe, but will need to become something else. Perpetuate secularism or put in place a new civic religion. Hierarchy/Oligarchy is necessary. Dark Enlightenment.
New Declaration. New Constitution.
Vance is a Catholic convert. What does that mean for him?
How do Digital Sphere elites critique “politics?” How do they critique the West culture? Why talk of anti-Christ?
They have to situate the West in the new context and then start offering new directions. These will seem Western, but are not. Western Civilization was Catholic/Christian. Young people working in the Digital Sphere are reaching out to Catholics for guidance. Why?
Too much focus on Trump, as he has done exactly what the Founders did not want: personalized “politics,” everything is an attack on HIM not US.
What comes next? Vance may be a window into this, though most Digital Sphere will support Dems in the short term, as they think this will pacify people and prevent them from peeling away at what they are really about.
I wish I could be optimistic about America becoming "something else". It would help if the Church could become something other than what it has become. I'm not indulging in nostalgia for supposed good old days, but the spiritual capital deficit is mirroring the debt crisis. Or so it seems.
Trump, ... has done exactly what the Founders did not want: personalized “politics,”
I assume you noticed Trump's attack on Gorsuch and Amy--saying they should have been "loyal" to him? Re Gorsuch:
https://thefederalist.com/2026/05/08/neil-gorsuch-is-wrong-america-isnt-a-creedal-nation/
Yep. This is “politics” in the post-post modern era. Digital divides and it’s not going to get better. The idea that America was either “culture” or “creedal” came up in the Progressive era and then again after WWII. See Harry Jaffa’s writings. Leaning on the Declaration happens because Electric comms changed the Print world. All the 20th century battles over education were over this in various ways.
What no one, aside from Marshall McLuhan and a few others, ever understood in the modern era is Formation. The techno-psyche environment and how it forms everyone in it, without people realizing it: perception before concepts.
As for the Church: it is made up of human beings mal-formed by the Television era, just like the rest of us. Theology was abandoned. It will take a couple of generations to retrieve it, but it is happening: new “sacred education” coming.
The Declaration became part of our sacred education, but the culture went in a different direction so…
Trump is about Trump. But they all are. Everyone that gets into politics and business at these levels is a kind of psychopath. That was the Television Paradigm! We all see it now, too late, but what the “reveal” now does is lead to something “new” in the future. Just takes a couple generations.
No matter what Trump and his ilk do, there is not going to be peace and prosperity anytime soon. There is no ground for it yet. We do not have in place what is needed.
Bottom line: we have no elites in the West. We have not since say 1970, when the nuttiness of the television paradigm became dominant. This is a massive problem. Everyone we look to as elites lets us down. Everyone sees that now.
Leo, taking the name Leo, understands somethings. He went to Villanova and I know a couple of his professors from then. He is going to “play” be different rules. He has issues within the Church, the big medieval corp that it is. His focus is likely going to be saving souls and getting proper Church teachings going throughout. Massive task as he has most against this.
I would not make too much out of Trump’s comments about the justices, or others. He is straight Television, you take shots, if the target survives, you respect it and move to another target. This was the conversation he had with Obama at either Bush or Carter’s funeral: you withstood my going after you, so I respect you.
Two growth college degrees: psychology (new) and theology (old).
https://crisismagazine.com/opinion/on-sanctifying-sodomy
In fact Vance should, if he has a conscience, be having nightmares about Minab, while Biden probably sleeps like a baby. He did not go to war against Iran, nor did Obama.
We enjoyed your post, Jeff.
Very minor point: the transcript has Shell Trading buying 80 million barrels, but the graphic shows 18.
Right. I work from the Youtube transcripts. Foo's are usually pretty good but I have to be careful because of his accent. I did puzzle over that because he states that Shell was the second largest, but ... brain fart.
Dimitri Lascaris reported from a conference in Athens & recorded one bit: Israelis pitching Greece-Israeli alliance to manage Israel's "abundant" gas resources in Mediterranean, ship to Europe, make lotsa $$.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oYOg9lCGLw
One snag, perhaps: legal action against Israel & any partner in taking resources that belong to Palestine/Gaza. Zionists have used lawfare for generations to bankrupt others. What if Karma bit back? What if having been sanctioned for the crime of genocide impaired ability to contract? What if a group of tough lawyers took on the worthy task of calling to account rogue Israel? (nb. anyone else notice that the lawyer who played a key role in the FBI case against the Boston fraudsters is a Black man?)
Spot-on analysis as usual . Looking forward to the press releases from all sides after the China debacle.
The Chinese will be eating Don Don soup, and that’s just the starter.
Trump is attempting to increase the pressure on Iran.
And Iran is increasing pressure back.
Initially it seemed Trump believed the propaganda Irans economy would crumble any day with the blockade of the blockade, and more sanctions. China’s pushback on the refinery sanctions is huge.
And it’s suspicious that two Qatari tanker sailed through the gulf, this smells of a hidden deal.
I thought Iran attacked those two tankers from Qatar and they didn’t go through
Information is so confusing from that area.
Seems both going to Pakistan and were successful.
https://www.thenationalnews.com/business/energy/2026/05/10/qatari-lng-tanker-headed-to-pakistan-attempts-strait-of-hormuz-transit/
https://www.geo.tv/latest/663890-qatari-lng-tanker-heads-via-strait-of-hormuz-to-pakistan-shows-data
Probably Iran taking care of Pakistan for favors done.
Caught Macgregor earlier on Judging Freedom. I loved the baseball card quip. Thanks for Foo's report; haven't seen the vid.
The fun part about oil reserves is that they don't just go one way. If or when the situation eases, they have to be refilled, which is going to keep prices up.
We're getting the first taste with an April CPI of 3.8, which has driven the 30y back over 5% again. If the Fed runs high rates into a supply shock, they'll set leverage up for more stress, if they cut into it, they get even more rampant inflation. They can't do nothing either, since it'll destroy the bonds market, depending how long it goes. Yield curve control starts looking better every day.
Everything kind of works till it doesn't. Time to see who blinks first, and be kind to your neighbours.
Yeah, not raising the Fed funds rate, printing more money, and financial repression/YCC, that's the ticket! Just look at how well it has worked for Japan over the last 30 years! Warsh will wash his hands of the situation handed to him.
Oh, and don't forget the uncomfortably close unemployment rate Grommen mentioned that'll start flipping passive inflows.
Thanks, Trump.
Trump says 'I don't think about Americans' financial situation' in Iran negotiations
https://www.yahoo.com/news/articles/trump-says-dont-think-americans-204838490.html
Everything Trump says is a mishmash of Lies, Misdirection, with a pinch of Truth added--but it's not haphazard. That's the Art of the Gaslight, the genius of MAGA--everyone thought they knew what he meant, for and agin.
Trump is in the pocket of the Jewish Nationalists--whether as a result of blackmail or pure greed or whatever. Therefore he has to keep parroting the BS they feed him about Iran. It's getting harder and harder to maintain this line of BS. This incredible statement was intended 1) to present himself as principled and 2) a defender of America rather than just of Israel. I suspect most Americans are well past being fooled. If not now, the great unmasking is coming.
Must be a Married With Children fan. Loved it whenever Peggy told the kids to thank their father for whatever short-coming they were experiencing. "Thanks, Dad," in unison. I can hear every voter in the country saying what you just said, in unison.
Followed by a raspberry.