The year 2020 has been like no other since the end of World War Two. We have put up with lockdowns to fight a virus along with a worldwide eruption of protest and rioting, most notably in the U.S. after the killing of a black man by a police officer in Minneapolis. Most things in life come with benefits and drawbacks, and the year 2020 is no different. We can determine at this point the winners and the losers for 2020
The Winners
China
Before 2020 China was reeling. Hong Kong was in turmoil with demonstrators demanding the retention of their autonomy which was the deal worked out when the British handed Hong Kong to China in 1997. The Chinese economy was declining with the imposition of U.S. tariffs, and President Xi was on the defensive. Then suddenly, it all turned around.
The Covid-19 virus that was unleashed on the world quickly changed everything. Whether by intent or by accident, the Communist regime hid the fact that the virus was transmittable from person to person. Also, the Chinese propaganda machine said they had everything under control as they stopped domestic travel but allowed international flights to continue with thousands travelling to the U.S. and Europe, spreading the disease.
Within a short period, the shutdown of western economies had devastating results. While the U.S. was preoccupied both with Covid-19 and the Black Lives Matter protests, China laid down the gauntlet on Hong Kong, initiated hostilities with India, and its propaganda machine exerted a full-on attack on American society.
China, instead of liberalizing, turned to more repression. America changed too but not for the better. The American experiment was in danger of totally collapsing with repressive policies of lockdowns and arrests for such innocuous activities as swimming in the ocean. In other words, China changed America! China, being a totalitarian state, is much less sensitive to its citizens than those countries who value democratic ideals.
The Tech-Financial-Media Complex
President Eisenhower used to speak to the power and danger of the military-industrial complex. Today the greatest threat to freedom is the tech companies and their friends in financial and media circles.
The hedge funds and other big-money players made a financial killing starting in late February. They sold their stocks short, betting on a fall in values which began in February 2020. In just over a month the value of the Dow Jones average dropped 60%. Then the vultures came in and started to buy at the bottom, driving the market up, in the process, making substantial gains. Today the market is up 45% from where it bottomed out.
The media has a significant influence on the stock market. Just the report of a possible drug or vaccine for Covid-19 can unleash a buying spree. The media has also been driving the narrative about Black Lives Matter and systemic racism. Together this complex wields more power than ever before in history, and it will undoubtedly have a significant influence on the upcoming election. Tech researcher, Dr Robert Epstein has calculated that Google alone will sway 10% of the votes to the Democrat Party. Epstein is a Democrat, but he is entirely objective in his assessment and is concerned about tech bias and voting manipulation.
The Philosophy of Leftism
Leftism is that side of the political spectrum that adopts socialist or communist ideals. For the longest time, the extreme left has been in the closet, working behind the scenes. In 2020, the death of George Floyd was the catalyst that permitted leftists to come out in the open.
Marxism is now openly touted by groups like Black Lives Matter. Many in both TV and print media espouse socialism. Politicians in Congress have no qualms about adopting socialistic policies with some expressing, and some even promoting extreme antisemitic talking points. It’s hard to believe that this is going on in America.
When people and corporations start to change their behaviour, it’s a sign that leftism is winning. Many corporations, including professional sports teams, are on board with changing names to end “systemic racism”. People who express the term, “all lives matter”, are vilified and even assaulted. Many mayors are defunding or eliminating police departments. People who express contrarian opinions to the prevailing narrative are losing their jobs. So in effect, free speech is stifled.
The way that socialists and communists produce change is by creating chaos through rioting, burning and assaulting their opposition. The fact that they are getting away with this is an indicator that they are on the offensive, while law-abiding citizens are on the defensive. The longer that this goes on, the more likely it is that America will go down the path of socialism.
The Losers
Donald Trump
Whether you love or hate Trump, there is no doubt that his policies were successful for America. In less than three years he made America an energy superpower with self-sufficiency in oil and gas. The economy was the best it had been in decades with virtually full unemployment across all demographic sectors.
In January 2020, a hostile House of Representatives brought impeachment proceedings against Trump, despite no evidence of any wrongdoing. While the Senate trial acquitted Trump, it was still a distraction. By February, Coronavirus hit the U.S. with more political hysteria. Then the killing of George Floyd resulted in demonstrations with further attacks against Trump by Democrats.
By June, the good times of 2019 vanished, and people started to blame Trump, the incumbent, for the ills of the country. How quickly leaders can fall into disfavour. In 2019, the consensus was that Trump was a shoo-in to return to power in 2021. Currently, he is the underdog, and it’s questionable whether he will recover.
The Worker
Whether we are referencing the average working person or small business, the Coronavirus shutdown and restrictions have been devastating throughout the world. In America, this situation has been exacerbated by rioting in many cities, destroying many small businesses. Many businesses disappeared because they were already in a weak financial position.
Many workers are looking at extended periods of unemployment with some states instituting school closures. Parents are under pressure to stay off work to take care of their children. One of the ironies of the U.S. rioting is that the very people that the radicals purport to support are the people who have been most affected by the chaos.
The elites at the top end never have to worry. The hardworking men or women on average or below-average incomes are the real losers.
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