What Actually Mattered This Week: Texas Freezes Over, Trump Acquitted
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WHAT ACTUALLY MATTERED THIS WEEK
My thoughts on some of this week’s biggest news stories:
Former President Donald Trump acquitted in 2nd impeachment trial
History made, again.
And not in a good way.
Trump has faced consequences for his actions exclusively on social media—the opposite of the precedent you’d want set in a democracy.
Texans devastated by ice storm are now hunting empty shelves for food and water
The US not supposed to look like this—or like January 6.
A lot of work is required to repair US democracy.
Americans need to understand what decades of unregulated capitalism, captured by special interests, is doing to our country. The only way to begin to fix this is to get the money out of politics.
No advanced industrial democracy allows the sort of regulatory capture we now have in the US. It’s devastating for average citizens.
For far too long the US has pronounced ourselves the exceptional nation.
We need to stop and get our act together.
Prefer long-form analysis? Here are my thoughts on what happens next in Italy with Mario Draghi taking charge and how long Mexico's president can defy political gravity.
TRUTHS, DAMNED TRUTHS, AND STATISTICS
10 countries have administered 75% of the world’s available covid vaccine supply.
130 countries haven’t yet received their first doses.
THE GZERO WORLD WE’RE JUST LIVING IN
More from GZERO Media (subscribe here)
GRAPHIC TRUTH
YOUR GZERO WORLD
Mexico finds itself at a critical moment in history: its populist president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador (also known as AMLO), appears unable to get control of the rampant violence that he promised to curb or of the raging coronavirus that he himself was just infected by. And during this moment of crisis, Mexico's most important trading partner, the United States, has just elected a new president. Outside observers were surprised by leftist AMLO's ability to get along so well with former President Trump. Will President Biden prove a tougher challenge? I welcome acclaimed journalist and Univision anchor Jorge Ramos to GZERO World.
For a longer, more in-depth version of my interview with Ramos, check out the GZERO World podcast.
WORLD IN 60 SECONDS
What's happening in Texas?
The World Trade Organization, WTO, has a new leader. Who is she and what challenges lie ahead?
What's happening between Iran and the US over sanctions?
And Rush Limbaugh at 70 no longer, passed away this week. What do I think?
Find out in this week’s World in 60 Seconds!
Do you like what you’ve seen? Subscribe and stay informed.
BECAUSE THE INTERNET
Wind turbines in Antarctica.
Spoiler: they work in the cold.
WHAT TO PRE-ORDER THIS WEEK
For ALL the People: Redeeming the Broken Promises of Modern Media and Reclaiming Our Civic Life by Michael Slaby
Frustrated by what social media has done to our society, but not really sure what we can do about it? Then pick up Michael Slaby’s latest book For ALL the People: Redeeming the Broken Promises of Modern Media and Reclaiming Our Civic Life. A book as constructive as it is illuminating, and on a topic that’s only going to grow more important for our daily lives.
DEEP THOUGHTS
“You’re not obligated to win. You’re obligated to keep trying to do the best you can every day.” – Marian Wright Edelman
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Ian Bremmer is president of Eurasia Group and GZERO Media and foreign affairs columnist at TIME. He currently teaches at Columbia University's School of International and Public Affairs and previously was a professor at New York University. You can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.