(Source: MSN: Cartoons: The Latest Editorial Cartoons From John Cole)
Before starting this blog, I thought that I needed to invent a new English word – “defederation,” to mean the destruction of a federal structure. A short search showed that it already exists:
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To cease to be united in a federation.
I found John Cole’s cartoon the most appropriate way to mark the transition away from previous blogs that were focused on the “12-Day War” and Israel’s connection to the various wars in the Middle East that are still the center of attention for many of us. The nuclear threat just shifted focus away from that area and back to the Ukraine-Russia war when Russia threatened to drop nuclear weapons on Kyiv and Lviv (Russia warns of nuclear Armageddon after Trump’s latest Ukraine move).
Following the cartoon, I am shifting my attention back to the US to focus on the new (6 months or so) Trump administration’s attempts to hollow out the federal structure of our government. This includes gutting its federal work-force and removing the US from the pseudo-federal structure of the world that goes by the name of “globalization.” I use “defederation” for both efforts.
It seems that President Trump is shrinking the Executive branch of the federal government, except for the office of the presidency, and is making the other two branches (Legislative and Judiciary), obsolete! Some of his efforts seem designed to force the world to learn how to conduct their affairs without the United States’ participation. This makes the United States—and the rest of the world—poorer.
John Cole’s cartoon is insightful, especially the “date” or time period on the side of the Trump plane (the “24/7/365 war”) and the list of some of the things that the Trump administration is aiming to destroy. I would also add a “global future” cluster bomb to his collection, which would include smaller bombs for deportation, science, climate change, global DEI, epidemics, the American Constitution, the weaponization of tariffs, etc. Most of these apply to the US, some globally.
Many of these “bombs” are strongly connected; I will expand on these connections in future blogs. The “bombing” is not limited to within the US territories such that the damages might be reversed in the next election. It contains major global components that might outlive the present American administration. An important global trend, which mainly impacts developed countries, is the global decline in fertility—in many places, below replacement value. This trend started way before Trump took office the first time and most likely will outlast this administration. This trend also takes place in the US, but the US population is still increasing, mainly due to immigration. About 20% of the population in the US is foreign-born (including myself and some of my family). Many of the immigrants are here illegally, but willing to work hard in low-paying jobs that native-born Americans stay away from. Massive deportation of these immigrants is having major impacts on important segments of the American economy (agriculture, hospitality, etc.). The federated structure of the US is constitutionally mandated, including the separation of powers with the states. The specific responsibilities of the federated power are defense and foreign affairs. However, it also acts as glue between the states, making all of us responsible for each other’s well being, independent of the states that we reside in.
It is appropriate to compare efforts to shrink the federal government to a more common phenomenon of shrinking businesses, which, in many cases leads to closing businesses. I will use two examples: Intel and Amazon. Both are important members of the US tech industry, and show that even high-tech companies are not immune:
Intel
Intel is now axing thousands of technicians and engineers in sweeping US layoffs, cutting 4,000 positions in the US, 2,392 in Oregon, etc.:
Intel this month officially began to cut down its workforce in the U.S. and other countries, thus revealing actual numbers of positions to be cut. The Oregonian reports that the company will cut as many as 2,392 positions in Oregon and around 4,000 positions across its American operations, including Arizona, California, and Texas.
To put the 2,392 number into context, Intel is the largest employer in Oregon with around 20,000 of workers there. 2,392 is around 12% of the workforce, which is a lower end of layoff expectations, yet 2,400 is still a lot of people. The Oregon reduction rose sharply from an initial count of around 500 to a revised figure of 2,392, making it one of the largest layoffs in the state’s history. Intel began reducing staff earlier in the week but confirmed the larger number by Friday evening through a filing with Oregon state authorities.
Amazon
The removal of foreign workers is having a major impact:
They are among thousands of foreign workers across the country who have been swept up in a quiet purge, pushed out of jobs in places where their labor was in high demand and at times won high praise. While raids to nab undocumented workers in fields and Home Depot parking lots have grabbed attention, the job dismissals at the Amazon warehouse are part of the Trump administration’s effort to thin the ranks of immigrants who had legal authorization to work.
However, businesses usually shrink their workforce to increase their profitability, the ultimate yardstick for commercial success. If such a shrinkage doesn’t increase profitability and it continues to decline, there is a high probability the business will end up closing. The declared function of government is to provide services to its citizens. In democratic governments, failure to provide such agreed-upon services will lead to election losses and a change of government. The missed direct advantage of democracies, compared to autocratic governments, is that you can go through such a government change peacefully (see my November 12, 2024 blog mentioning Karl Popper and The Open Society and its Enemies). My next blog will focus on the direct advantages of federated democratic governments, over non-federated ones.
As I started to write this blog, I noticed an interesting “coincident.” Reading my morning paper (NYT), the world seems to be falling apart. At the same time, the US stock market seems to be having a “great time.” The articles that caught my attention are listed below:
Opinion | ‘He’s Nuts, Your Trump.’ Canada Unites Against America. – The New York Times
Opinion | There’s Still Hope for PEPFAR – The New York Times
Brothers in Arms: Macron, Merz and Starmer Plan for a Post-U.S. Future | The New York Times
All four strongly point out how the world is trying to adapt to times without the US, at least as long as “Make America Great Again” rules. It’s a great topic to pursue. Stay tuned.