 On January 23rd 2017, on his first day on the job, US President Donald Trump issued an executive order pulling the USA out of the TPP. That was the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a 12-nation free trade block that former President Obama had worked to get passed for years. In this podcast, the Professor outlines the TPP-tanking process, who liked it and who hated it, the potential impacts to major world players, and ideological free-trade fallout due to this now-defunct deal. TPP party on! Related Plaidcasts: In Other News...the TPP: Trans-Pacific Partnership Keywords: TPP, free trade, USA, Trump, Pacific, China, ISDS, RCEP, Asia, Japan

Plaid Avenger Plaidcast

Ta-Ta, TPP! No Longer The Place To Be!

 Pip, pip, and Cheerio, Great Britain! And so long to the EU! Greetings Global Friends! The Plaid Avenger has been pulled out of summer slumber in order to rant and rage a bit about the BREXIT vote which has pulled the UK out of the European Union, and caused chaos across the continent! In this extended plaid filibuster, the Professor will cover what happened with this BREXIT deal, why it happened, the short term effects, the long term effects (like losing Scotland), and even some points on the broader, ideological context that this BREXIT business has brought into question. God save the Queen!…but who will save the UK? Related Plaidcasts: A Lesson about the EU from the European Commission Is the EU becoming E-Useless? The EU-3 on Diverging Paths.... Keywords: BREXIT, UK, Great Britain, United Kingdom, Scotland, Northern Ireland, European Union, EU, referendum, David Cameron, Prime Minister, eurosceptic, sovereignty, nation-state, populist, trade

BREXIT: Britain Votes To No Longer Be “Great”

 Rio de Impeachment! It has happened! The current President of Brazil Dilma Rousseff is going to be impeached! The Professor made this impeachment podcast for you before the final vote was even tallied, but it has since come to pass, and what was passed was the start of the full-on impeachment of Brazil’s first female President, which will leave the country in political turmoil just before they host the summer Olympics this year! This political turmoil adds to the economic turmoil, the corruption turmoil, and the overall angst turmoil that is seeing South America’s largest country and economy falling apart! The Professor explains why, and looks at the broader meaning of this for Latin America! Related Plaidcasts: Dilma’s Democratic Dilemma in Brazil 

Dilma’s Downfall

 Holy Boko Haram in the hot-seat! A big election just went down in the “Giant of Africa” which is Nigeria! President-elect Muhammadu Buhari will soon be taking the top slot of power there, and this spells HUGE changes for the corrupt politicians and peeps currently on the take in this super state, but even more importantly, it spells DOOM for the radical insane clown posse known as Boko Haram! In this podcast, the Professor introduces the new boss, explains why the old boss lost, and why this awesomely democratic election is a watershed event for a brand new era in Nigeria! Keywords: election, Buhari, Muhammadu, Hausa, Boko Haram, corruption, terrorism, radical, Islam, All Progressives Congress (APC), People’s Democratic Party (PDP)

Buhari: Bad Luck for Goodluck, and Boko!

 Hundreds of thousands of Brazilian peeps took to the streets to protest against the government of President Dilma Rousseff last weekend…some calling for her to resign, others calling for a military coup to overthrow her! What, what what is that all about? The Professor explains the situation, and why it is actually an awesome sign of democracy in action, in this bodacious Brazilian society! Keywords: Brazil, democracy, economy, corruption, car wash, PT, Workers Party, Petrobas, leftist, Latin America, protests, junta, Sao Paulo

Dilma’s Democratic Dilemma in Brazil

 After a year of almost non-stop chaos in eastern Ukraine, the Professor summarizes the major events of the Ukrainian unraveling in the last 11 months….but mostly as a backdrop to the actions of Vladimir Putin in this drama, and the potential long-term impacts that all of this mess will have in the Eurasian region. Putin can certainly ‘win’ at any confrontation in Eastern Europe, but many of us fear that Russia will ‘lose’ in the long run. The East/West rift between Russia and the US/EU seems to be getting progressively worse, and all will suffer for it…it may not be a new Cold War, but the possible outcomes look very similar already. Keywords: Ukraine, Donbass, Donetsk, Luhansk, Crimea, Putin, Vladimir, Russia, NATO, Cold War, military, Europe, EU, Eurasia, Estonia, madness

Putin Can’t Lose; Russia Can’t Win

 Holy House of Saud! The most revered and awesome King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia passed away on Jan 23, and has been replaced by new King Salman. In this 3-part podcast, the Professor chats about the old King, the new King, and the possible huge (but subtlety unfolding) impacts of this regime change for the Saudis, for the region, and for the world! Related Plaidcasts: Saudi Shift to Salman #1: Adios King Abdullah Saudi Shift to Salman #2: Salaam to King Salman 

Saudi Shift to Salman #3: Potential Impacts

 Holy House of Saud! The most revered and awesome King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia passed away on Jan 23, and has been replaced by new King Salman. In this 3-part podcast, the Professor chats about the old King, the new King, and the possible huge (but subtlety unfolding) impacts of this regime change for the Saudis, for the region, and for the world Related Plaidcasts: Saudi Shift to Salman #1: Adios King Abdullah 

Saudi Shift to Salman #2: Salaam to King Salman

 Holy House of Saud! The most revered and awesome King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia passed away on Jan 23, and has been replaced by new King Salman. In this 3-part podcast, the Professor chats about the old King, the new King, and the possible huge (but subtlety unfolding) impacts of this regime change for the Saudis, for the region, and for the world!

Saudi Shift to Salman #1: Adios King Abdullah

 Let’s get rude with the crude! What’s up with dropping oil prices world wide? Like the Titanic, they are going down my friends, and that has titanic geopolitical consequences for a whole lot of countries. The Professor points out the winners (USA! USA! USA!) and losers (sorry Russia!) of the precipitous petroleum plunge! Keywords: oil, petroleum, OPEC, frack, fracking, USA, Russia, Saudi Arabia, supply, demand, China, Japan, EU, India, Iran, Iraq, Venezuela, Qatar , Libya, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Nigeria, Angola, North Dakota

Oil Price Drops: Geopolitics Pops!

The world according to the Plaid Avenger.

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Plaid Avenger Plaidcast

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