Since government by nature consists of force and
coercion, legislation and regulation, mandatory contribution and taxation, it
naturally creates division among people anywhere in the world. Those who
benefit from welfarism are happy while those who are affected by endless
regulations and taxation express the opposite sentiment.
Below is my list of top 10 news around the world in 2016,
five international and five national/regional.
INTERNATIONAL
1 “Brexit.” British voters opted last June to exit from
the European Union (EU), a regional government that allows free trade and free
mobility of people and services among member-states, but also imposes various
protectionism and restrictions on goods and people mobility to countries
outside the EU. This combination of free trade and trade protectionism, simpler
migration for fellow EU citizens but difficult migration for non-EU people, tax
harmonization and prevention of tax competition among member states, among
others, have created confusion and even more animosity among the British. So
far nothing is definite and details of the exit may not be known until 2019.
2 Trump victory. A big businessman without past political
position but employed an unconventional campaign, President-elect Donald Trump
outlasted 16 Republican rivals and then a famous Democrat candidate Hillary
Clinton. Not being part of the entrenched political establishment, he is known
more to reverse the various regulations and high taxation policies of the Obama
and Bush administrations. For instance, he plans to cut the US corporate income
tax from 35% to 15%, reverse the anti-coal, anti-oil sentiments and policies,
and so on.
3 Terrorist attacks in Europe. Massacres in a newspaper
office and rock concert in Paris, airport bombing in Brussels, lorry attack of
people in the streets of Nice, France during a Bastille Day celebration,
another lorry attack of people in a Christmas shopping in Berlin. Plus some
foiled attacks in other cities in Europe. To fight this kind of war,
governments will need less of those deadly fighter planes, huge battle tanks
and ships. Instead, they will need more drones, CCTVs, crawling small robots,
cyberware. The fight is not country to country but house to house, building to
buildings.
4 Syria. Endless war among many armed factions has
resulted in large-scale murders and displacement by the millions. Aleppo has
become the main reference point of why civil war by some proxy countries should
be avoided as much as possible. The volume of civilian deaths and destruction
of properties is so big.
5 Malaysia and South Korea. Big governments always invite
big opportunities for big corruption and wastes, the degree just vary from
country to country. In particular, the corruption scandals of Malaysian PM
Najib Razak over IMDB and S. Korean President Park Geun-hye over her friend
Choi Soon-sil’s involvement in government affairs have pushed their people to
conduct various rallies calling for their resignations. And these leaders
continue to cling to power.
PHILIPPINES
6 Duterte victory. President Rodrigo Duterte was the
first Mayor to move straight to Presidency with a different campaign strategy
focused on fighting criminality, drug proliferation, and corruption. Unlike the
three other major candidates -- former VP Jojo Binay, Sec. Mar Roxas, and Sen.
Grace Poe -- who all focused on more welfarism. And he got huge support from
the poor, which shows that the poor are not exactly asking for more welfarism
and subsidies, but are seeking increased peace and order to protect themselves
against thieves, murderers, rapists, drug pushers, corrupt officials, and other
criminals.
7 Drug deaths. From a campaign promise of killing 100,000
criminals if he wins, President Duterte later mentioned that “like Hitler, (I
will) annihilate 3 million drug criminals.” The on-going “war on drugs” has
resulted in several thousand murders so far, about one-third from police
operations and two-third from vigilante-type of executions. The rule of law and
its long process of police investigation and court proceedings have been
sidestepped.
8 PI Obama, Pakyu EU. Before and during the ASEAN summit
and related meetings last September, President Duterte has directly or
indirectly lashed out against US President Obama who attended the event in
Laos. President Obama and later the EU have voiced criticism over the high
number of deaths and disrespect for the rule of law, not the drugs war per se.
President Duterte and his avid supporters did not make a distinction between
these two and thus, the expletives and harsh words. These were reported heavily
in international media.
9 Marcos burial at Heroes’ Cemetery. The sneaky burial of
former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani has stirred
some political upheavals that many protest rallies were held in Metro Manila
and key cities in the country. Since the burial is supported by President
Duterte and affirmed by the Supreme Court, the cemetery may better be renamed
“Libingan ng mga Bayani at Magnanakaw” (LBM).
10 Non-assertion of territorial rights at SCS/WPS.
Mid-December, the President said the Philippines and China can “share” oil in
the disputed territories in South China Sea/West Philippine Sea despite an
international arbitral award affirming the Philippines’ ownership in the
exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
From this list, it seems that many people around the
world are dissatisfied and disappointed with more government, more regulations,
taxation and corruption. Authorities should deliver positive results in areas
where stronger government is justified, to protect the people’s right to life,
right to private property and right to liberty.
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See also:
BWorld 99, China insecurity and belligerence, December 30, 2016
BWorld 100, Multinationals in the PH, what do they want? January 03, 2017
BWorld 99, China insecurity and belligerence, December 30, 2016
BWorld 100, Multinationals in the PH, what do they want? January 03, 2017
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