We’ve all heard of the annual conference at the World Economic Forum (WEF) at Davos. The World Economic Forum is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. It was established in 1971 as a not-for-profit foundation and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.
According to the WEF website, “It is independent, impartial, and not tied to any special interests. The Forum strives in all its efforts to demonstrate entrepreneurship in the global public interest while upholding the highest standards of governance. Moral and intellectual integrity is at the heart of everything it does.”
On the other side critics such as Michael Ivanovitch, an independent analyst focusing on the world economy, geopolitics, and investment strategy describe the yearly conference in less than glowing terms. In a recent interview Ivanovitch said, “The forum is a talking shop without any consequence for world affairs … On the economic front, you will just hear platitudes you’ve heard ‘x’ times already.”
Good or bad this is one of the major platforms in the world of international economics and finance. Most of us out here in fly-over country may ignore it what with the Super Bowl and all, but the movers and shakers on the world stage attend or at least pay rapt attention to who’s moving and what’s shaking. So of course, despite the ever-on-going slow-motion coup grinding on in the Emerald City President Trump made his appearance as the biggest mover and shaker of all. And he didn’t’ disappoint those of us who are moved when he shakes up the collectivists plotting and planning to micromanage our lives.
Holding up the accomplishments of his America First agenda President Trump spoke of the rebirth of the American dream pointing to the success of economic nationalism in front of the globalist elites gathered at Davos. The President cited the fact that since he was elected and thanks to his economic policies, America has gained over seven million jobs, currently has the lowest unemployment rate in 50 years, and is experiencing rising wages and household incomes for the first time in decades.
At the annual conference in Switzerland according to the President, it’s his economic nationalist agenda in a free market system that provides a successful model for the world not globalism. In his speech, which should be the center stage for forward-thinking discussion, Mr. Trump said, “A nation’s highest duty is to its own citizens.” Trump also said, “Honoring this truth is the only way to build faith and confidence in the market system. Only when governments put their own people first will people be fully invested in their national futures.” And, “A pro-worker, pro-citizen, pro-family agenda demonstrates how a nation can thrive when its communities, its companies, its government work together for the good of the whole nation.”
Then getting very specific President Trump continued, “Today I hold up the American model as an example to the world of a working system of free enterprise that will produce the most benefits for the most people in the 21st century and beyond.” Speaking of how previous administrations negotiated we-lose-they-win trade deals that gutted America’s industrial base and impoverished our middle-class the President said, “I think it’s primarily the reason that I ran.”
Turning to those who tell us the sky is falling President Trump said, “We must reject the perennial prophets of doom and their predictions of the apocalypse. They are the heirs of yesterday’s foolish fortunetellers.” Once again getting specific President Trump addressed the goals of their predictions of overpopulation, mass starvation, and an end of oil based on phony science and media hype saying, “These alarmists always demand the same thing, absolute power to dominate, transform, and control every aspect of our lives.” He went on to declare unequivocally, “We will never let radical socialists destroy our economy, wreck our country or eradicate our liberty.”
Highlighting who the culprits are our President took aim at the metastasizing legions of bureaucrats spreading like a festering fog around the world having the courage to say, “Today I urge other nations to follow our example and liberate your citizens from the crushing weight of bureaucracy.” Then, in conclusion, he let the world know America doesn’t want to control them instead he is shining a light on a successful way forward, “With that, you have to run your own countries the way you want.”