As many of the world’s wealthiest people wrap up virtual talks today at the World Economic Forum based in Davos, Switzerland, Oxfam reports the incomes of 99% of the world’s population dropped during the pandemic while the world’s 10 richest men saw their wealth double. Meanwhile, vaccine profits have minted at least nine new billionaires at Moderna, BioNTech and China’s CanSino, amassing a combined new wealth of over $19 billion. To discuss the rise of billionaires and the policies that got us here, we speak with New York Times global correspondent Peter Goodman, author of the new book “Davos Man: How the Billionaires Devoured the World.” Goodman says billionaires’ championing of “stakeholder capitalism” is ruining U.S. democracy, and attributes the Omicron variant to “our unwillingness to challenge patents.”

 Vaccine billionaires abound, even with anti-vax boycotting cutting fractionally into the haul. Davos is for Davos people.  Those Carlin noted as, "A big club and you ain't in it." The headline is the lead-in paragraph at this Democacy Now post. 

TPP revisited? Not directly as another proposal of an Asian trade deal with China excluded, but instead promoted within the latest military budget?

 TPP had become a 2016 election issue, and was not advanced after Trump's win.

Jacobin, here, discusses military dimensions including recent budget language. Also, Pompeo's position while in Trump's Cabinet is examined.

Will TPP be resurrected, or will things cool down? How big a threat is China to the "American Way of Life," whatever that may mean to you, me, or policy makers?

What effect does next year's military spending have on international relations and international law? On China's place in international understandings, and world order, (new or otherwise)?

With French reactions to the U.S. - Australia - U.K. nuclear submarine deal as recent news, where does all that fit with anti-China rhetoric and spending?

No arrogance here in proposing answers. Instead asking questions which can get lost in the yin-yang of Trump election claims and Manchin-Sinema drama? Lost in the fodder of MSM information and misinformation?

With Pompeo looking as if he intends a Presidential run, is this a Biden attempt to disarm an issue? Bottom line question - should encircling China be pursued as a good or bad policy direction in itself, or should it be viewed as a fluid diplomatic position in an attempt to redefine economic issues between the two massive economies, via sabre rattling? 

Then, if the latter, will it work? What might the more powerful economic interests in our nation want to gain from China out of all this, be it TPP or military spending?

What are our nation's goals and hopes? And are they cognizant and supportive of the best interests of our ordinary people, or indifferent to that, with satisfying special interests being only what the game is about? Who gains? Who loses?

UPDATE: Strap on a sabre each side of Eurasia? Because we can! Because you would not want to change horses midstream? Why else? To sound firm? To bolster argument aimed at justification of the recently approved glutenous military budget?

Still alive, but "on vacation."

 Away, thinking. Still sucking air. Not posting over an extended period, and likely to not post much short term. Cut me some slack. Check back from time to time to see if/when new things get posted.

Considering moving to a more civil tone. Criticism is easy, while constructive focus on interesting things is harder. There may be an approach better than being a curmudgeon. Thinking out details. 

Thanks to those who have been readers. Stay the course. Stay skeptical. Keep learning. Yearning and hoping. All that. Let us wish for a 2022 better than the recent past's disappointments. Keep voting, even if it reduces almost always to a sigh and noting how good or bad you view the "lesser evil."