James Macdonald
@jmacd.bsky.social
Historian. Author of When Globalization Fails: The Rise and Fall of Pax Americanan, and of A Free Nation Deep in Debt: The Financial Roots of Demcracy.
Reposted by James Macdonald
The 🇺🇸 Deputy Secretary of State has today made your choice as a European very clear:
1️⃣Live in a vassal state of either America or Russia
2️⃣Live in a united federal EU
Which do you choose?
www.TheOwnedContinent.eu
1️⃣Live in a vassal state of either America or Russia
2️⃣Live in a united federal EU
Which do you choose?
www.TheOwnedContinent.eu
December 7, 2025 at 9:56 AM
The 🇺🇸 Deputy Secretary of State has today made your choice as a European very clear:
1️⃣Live in a vassal state of either America or Russia
2️⃣Live in a united federal EU
Which do you choose?
www.TheOwnedContinent.eu
1️⃣Live in a vassal state of either America or Russia
2️⃣Live in a united federal EU
Which do you choose?
www.TheOwnedContinent.eu
Reposted by James Macdonald
I could be proven wrong within days or even hours, but I think this is a decision Trump is constitutionally unable to make.
On one hand, he would demonstrate power, which he confuses with strength.
On the other, he would face potentially disastrous consequences of which he is terrified.
On one hand, he would demonstrate power, which he confuses with strength.
On the other, he would face potentially disastrous consequences of which he is terrified.
June 18, 2025 at 7:21 AM
I could be proven wrong within days or even hours, but I think this is a decision Trump is constitutionally unable to make.
On one hand, he would demonstrate power, which he confuses with strength.
On the other, he would face potentially disastrous consequences of which he is terrified.
On one hand, he would demonstrate power, which he confuses with strength.
On the other, he would face potentially disastrous consequences of which he is terrified.
Reposted by James Macdonald
The key chart right now:
Usually US economic pain is cushioned by falling bond yields and a strengthening dollar, which mean lower interest rates and more spending power for consumers.
This time we’re seeing the opposite, meaning the pain will be amplified.
Usually US economic pain is cushioned by falling bond yields and a strengthening dollar, which mean lower interest rates and more spending power for consumers.
This time we’re seeing the opposite, meaning the pain will be amplified.
April 22, 2025 at 1:41 PM
The key chart right now:
Usually US economic pain is cushioned by falling bond yields and a strengthening dollar, which mean lower interest rates and more spending power for consumers.
This time we’re seeing the opposite, meaning the pain will be amplified.
Usually US economic pain is cushioned by falling bond yields and a strengthening dollar, which mean lower interest rates and more spending power for consumers.
This time we’re seeing the opposite, meaning the pain will be amplified.
Reposted by James Macdonald
All right I got fed up and had to write this.
And I’m sure after reading it carefully, Trump will stop saying this
www.propublica.org/article/hist...
And I’m sure after reading it carefully, Trump will stop saying this
www.propublica.org/article/hist...
April 8, 2025 at 3:24 PM
All right I got fed up and had to write this.
And I’m sure after reading it carefully, Trump will stop saying this
www.propublica.org/article/hist...
And I’m sure after reading it carefully, Trump will stop saying this
www.propublica.org/article/hist...
Reposted by James Macdonald
In just two months, DOGE has —lost— the government an estimated half a trillion dollars. I propose that Musk pay it back personally.
This continues to be the biggest story in the country: DOGE has already squandered half a trillion dollars in 6 weeks. Not billion. half a trillion, $500 billion talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/irs-p...
IRS Predicts DOGE Lost Half a Trillion Dollars for the USA
The Post reports today that the IRS’ internal projections estimate that the...
talkingpointsmemo.com
April 7, 2025 at 1:24 AM
In just two months, DOGE has —lost— the government an estimated half a trillion dollars. I propose that Musk pay it back personally.
Reposted by James Macdonald
Talked to a business friend deeply involved in CEO world, knows Trump and Scott Bessent. Calls Trump “a drunk driver taking the economy off the cliff into a needless recession,’ says Bessent told him he agrees. Predicts “he’ll be the shortest tenured Sec of Treasury in history.”
April 5, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Talked to a business friend deeply involved in CEO world, knows Trump and Scott Bessent. Calls Trump “a drunk driver taking the economy off the cliff into a needless recession,’ says Bessent told him he agrees. Predicts “he’ll be the shortest tenured Sec of Treasury in history.”
Reposted by James Macdonald
America’s main negotiator with Russia appears to be completely captured by Russian propaganda. Witkoff: “there have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated … they want to be under Russian rule.” www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202... www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
March 22, 2025 at 8:04 AM
America’s main negotiator with Russia appears to be completely captured by Russian propaganda. Witkoff: “there have been referendums where the overwhelming majority of the people have indicated … they want to be under Russian rule.” www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202... www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
Reposted by James Macdonald
The Russians must be dumbstruck they their opponents have managed to find perhaps the most gullible man on the planet. Putin “told me a story, Tucker, about how when the president was shot, he went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed.” www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
March 22, 2025 at 8:06 AM
The Russians must be dumbstruck they their opponents have managed to find perhaps the most gullible man on the planet. Putin “told me a story, Tucker, about how when the president was shot, he went to his local church and met with his priest and prayed.” www.pravda.com.ua/eng/news/202...
Reposted by James Macdonald
"We wanted to see Hayes electrical substation which is famous not just in Europe, but in the whole world"
March 21, 2025 at 9:27 AM
"We wanted to see Hayes electrical substation which is famous not just in Europe, but in the whole world"
Reposted by James Macdonald
Because of Brexit, the U.K. is blocked from the €150bn EU defence fund.
Leaving the Single Market will go down in history as the greatest act of British self harm this century.
www.thetimes.com/article/baae...
Leaving the Single Market will go down in history as the greatest act of British self harm this century.
www.thetimes.com/article/baae...
British arms industry blocked from €150bn EU defence fund
The money must be spent on weapons from EU-based defence companies, ruling out suppliers in the UK, Turkey and the US
www.thetimes.com
March 19, 2025 at 10:11 PM
Because of Brexit, the U.K. is blocked from the €150bn EU defence fund.
Leaving the Single Market will go down in history as the greatest act of British self harm this century.
www.thetimes.com/article/baae...
Leaving the Single Market will go down in history as the greatest act of British self harm this century.
www.thetimes.com/article/baae...
Reposted by James Macdonald
I'm a great fan of @pkellner.bsky.social and his substack, which I recommend to you all. His piece today is interesting, reproducing the Times editorial following Chamberlain's trip to Munich. kellnerp.substack.com/p/peace-for-... 1/5
Peace for our time?
A warning from history, courtesy of The Times, on how NOT to deal with tyrants who want to annex the country next door.
kellnerp.substack.com
March 17, 2025 at 8:25 AM
I'm a great fan of @pkellner.bsky.social and his substack, which I recommend to you all. His piece today is interesting, reproducing the Times editorial following Chamberlain's trip to Munich. kellnerp.substack.com/p/peace-for-... 1/5
Reposted by James Macdonald
The discourse JD Vance uses towards Germany, Ukraine and Europe is a deliberate ideological othering that is a step towards declaring Europeans as the supposed civilisational enemies of the United States
"Europe is on the brink of civilizational suicide," US Vice President Vance told Fox News. "Countries don’t control borders, restrict free speech. If Germany takes in millions more incompatible migrants, it’ll destroy itself. America can’t save it."
March 16, 2025 at 9:14 AM
The discourse JD Vance uses towards Germany, Ukraine and Europe is a deliberate ideological othering that is a step towards declaring Europeans as the supposed civilisational enemies of the United States
Reposted by James Macdonald
SitRep - 13/03/25 - Russia doesn't like a ceasefire on these terms.
An overview of the daily events in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin said that a ceasefire would only be accepted if Ukraine stops mobilization, training, and re-armament.
REPOST=appreciated
1/X
An overview of the daily events in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin said that a ceasefire would only be accepted if Ukraine stops mobilization, training, and re-armament.
REPOST=appreciated
1/X
March 13, 2025 at 9:03 PM
SitRep - 13/03/25 - Russia doesn't like a ceasefire on these terms.
An overview of the daily events in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin said that a ceasefire would only be accepted if Ukraine stops mobilization, training, and re-armament.
REPOST=appreciated
1/X
An overview of the daily events in Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Putin said that a ceasefire would only be accepted if Ukraine stops mobilization, training, and re-armament.
REPOST=appreciated
1/X
Reposted by James Macdonald
A rare map of the Technate of America drawn by the Technocracy, Inc., 1940 (or the Technocracy movement), which Elon Musk's Canadian maternal grandfather was a member of until he was arrested when the organisation was proscribed in 1943.
March 13, 2025 at 5:16 PM
A rare map of the Technate of America drawn by the Technocracy, Inc., 1940 (or the Technocracy movement), which Elon Musk's Canadian maternal grandfather was a member of until he was arrested when the organisation was proscribed in 1943.
Reposted by James Macdonald
Inside Russia's shadow war in the Baltic Sea - a series of suspected sabotage incidents has exposed the vulnerability of Europe’s undersea infrastructure
ig.ft.com/baltic-sea/
ig.ft.com/baltic-sea/
Inside Russia’s shadow war in the Baltics
A series of suspected sabotage incidents has exposed the vulnerability of Europe’s undersea infrastructure
ig.ft.com
March 10, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Inside Russia's shadow war in the Baltic Sea - a series of suspected sabotage incidents has exposed the vulnerability of Europe’s undersea infrastructure
ig.ft.com/baltic-sea/
ig.ft.com/baltic-sea/
Reposted by James Macdonald
After Elon Musk has been insinuating to turn off Starlink in Ukraine, Poland‘s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski is reminding Musk that Poland is paying for it, and he is making clear that if Musk follows through that Poland will abandon Starlink altogether for being an unreliable service.
March 9, 2025 at 12:52 PM
After Elon Musk has been insinuating to turn off Starlink in Ukraine, Poland‘s Foreign Minister Radoslaw Sikorski is reminding Musk that Poland is paying for it, and he is making clear that if Musk follows through that Poland will abandon Starlink altogether for being an unreliable service.
Reposted by James Macdonald
Some of us have been saying this since 2020 and even before: Dems should make corruption *the* central issue in US politics and public life and go on the offensive against GOP/MAGA/Trump transparent and hypocritical corruption and grifting. Most voters hate corruption.
March 8, 2025 at 2:24 PM
Some of us have been saying this since 2020 and even before: Dems should make corruption *the* central issue in US politics and public life and go on the offensive against GOP/MAGA/Trump transparent and hypocritical corruption and grifting. Most voters hate corruption.
Reposted by James Macdonald
Some thoughts on the European response to the chaos now emanating from the White House - on Ukraine and more broadly, based on chats with senior European policymakers directly or indirectly involved in formulating the bloc's response 1/
March 7, 2025 at 7:36 AM
Some thoughts on the European response to the chaos now emanating from the White House - on Ukraine and more broadly, based on chats with senior European policymakers directly or indirectly involved in formulating the bloc's response 1/
Reposted by James Macdonald
"Let’s start with security guarantees. Putin has never agreed to them for Ukraine—in any form"
Read Bob Kagan on the Trump capitulation to Russia
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Read Bob Kagan on the Trump capitulation to Russia
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Trump Is Offering Putin Another Munich
Hitler didn’t want a peace deal, and neither does Putin.
www.theatlantic.com
March 8, 2025 at 12:21 PM
"Let’s start with security guarantees. Putin has never agreed to them for Ukraine—in any form"
Read Bob Kagan on the Trump capitulation to Russia
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Read Bob Kagan on the Trump capitulation to Russia
www.theatlantic.com/internationa...
Reposted by James Macdonald
Reposted by James Macdonald
lol, from UK satirical magazine Private Eye
March 7, 2025 at 9:12 PM
lol, from UK satirical magazine Private Eye
Reposted by James Macdonald
NEW: The actions of Trump and Vance in recent weeks highlight something under-appreciated.
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
March 7, 2025 at 9:58 AM
NEW: The actions of Trump and Vance in recent weeks highlight something under-appreciated.
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
The American right is now ideologically closer to countries like Russia, Turkey and in some senses China, than to the rest of the west (even the conservative west).
My column: www.ft.com/content/3046...
Reposted by James Macdonald
If Trump can secure a source of revenue (tariffs) that doesn't need Congressional approval, & can spend the proceeds without Congressional permission, he'll have done what Charles I failed to do in the C17th.
Trump wants to govern as an elective monarch. The GOP in Congress must decide if it cares.
Trump wants to govern as an elective monarch. The GOP in Congress must decide if it cares.
March 6, 2025 at 8:40 AM
If Trump can secure a source of revenue (tariffs) that doesn't need Congressional approval, & can spend the proceeds without Congressional permission, he'll have done what Charles I failed to do in the C17th.
Trump wants to govern as an elective monarch. The GOP in Congress must decide if it cares.
Trump wants to govern as an elective monarch. The GOP in Congress must decide if it cares.
Reposted by James Macdonald
@privateeyenews.bsky.social on top form as usual this issue.
March 5, 2025 at 7:10 PM
@privateeyenews.bsky.social on top form as usual this issue.