It is difficult to tell the difference between Donald Trump’s bluster and what policies might result were he to win office again. However, the direction a second Trump presidency would pull the world economy seems reasonably clear. Trump’s signature policies would foster a future world economy that is more divided, less prosperous, and increasingly unstable. Domestically, his policies would likely have analogous effects, reinforcing the economic cleavages fueling political polarisation and thus also the forces behind America’s retreat from international openness and cooperation.
Trump has promised to impose at least a 10 per cent tariff on all imports coming into the United States. China specifically would be hit by 60 per cent tariffs across the board. Trump also wants Congress to pass the Reciprocal Trade Act, which would enable him to impose tariffs on specific products to match what other countries impose on the United States. Reciprocal tariffs could notionally be used as bargaining chips to force open other countries’ markets. But more likely, they would simply be used to cherry-pick fights over specific products.
China specifically would be hit by 60 per cent tariffs across the board.
On the budget front, a key Trump policy is to extend expiring income tax reductions introduced under his 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act. Trump also promises to slash government spending. However, American politics, let alone Trump’s populism, imply any spending cuts would likely be limited. That means bigger budget deficits. Trump might seek to repeal key Biden-era industrial policies — the CHIPS and Science Act and Inflation Reduction Act — but as these substantially benefit many “red states”, Trump might instead opt to largely keep these in place with relatively minor adjustments.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon
Trump also wants to substantially curb illegal immigration, including through expanding his border wall, tougher law enforcement, removing work rights, and mass deportations. At the extreme, this could include following through on a threat to deport roughly 11 million illegal immigrants currently residing in the United States.
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Higher inflation and interest rates
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One predictable result from all this is higher inflation. More expensive goods from tariffs, increased demand from a bigger budget deficit, and reduced labour supply due to less immigration and more deportations would all push up inflation. This would in turn mean higher interest rates as well as a stronger US dollar as more capital is pulled into the United States.
Look closely and find the demon

To Trump’s chagrin, the trade deficit would likely expand, not shrink, with a higher dollar making imports cheaper and exports less competitive, while a bigger budget deficit would add demand to an economy already operating beyond full capacity, again encouraging higher imports and fewer exports.
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As the trade deficit is, erroneously, seen by Trump as a key measure of success, a higher deficit would likely spur further tariff escalations. Robert Lighthizer — the US Trade Representative during Trump’s first term, one of his most effective lieutenants, and a candidate as Trump’s Treasury Secretary — thinks America should go further to target a lower US dollar. Achieving this would be very difficult without the active cooperation of other major economies, which is unlikely. Unilateral action — direct currency intervention by the Treasury or Trump pressuring the Federal Reserve to act — would add a contentious currency war to Trump’s repertoire of beggar-thy-neighbour policies.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon
All of this mirrors the economics of Trump’s first term in office. The only question, as last time, is exactly how far he goes. This time, the potential costs could be much higher.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon
While Trump 1.0 was impeded by his own disorganisation and resistance from various parts of government, this time the Trump movement is reportedly much better organised and already planning to install loyal lieutenants across key government posts.
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Global vulnerabilities
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In addition, the world economy is in a much more parlous state compared to last time — still reeling from high inflation, interest rate hikes, the Ukraine war, and the after-effects of the Covid-19 pandemic. Global growth remains weak. Households the world over have been battered by a cost-of-living crisis. Government debt and budget deficits are much higher. Developing countries have especially suffered and progress in reducing global poverty is stalling. Rising global protectionism is becoming entrenched and China’s renewed export surge since 2020 is adding fuel to the fire.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon
The world is also struggling to deliver the international cooperation needed to deal with ever more urgent shared challenges such as combating climate change, restoring global development, preventing future pandemics, and managing the rise of artificial intelligence. Not addressing these shared challenges would mean reduced global prosperity, more instability, and less security for all.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon
A return to Trumpian economic nationalism is not what the world needs. Unfortunately, the world does not get a vote.
Yet Trump’s signature policies offer no solution to America’s problems. Automation means reshoring manufacturing, and deporting immigrants would not bring back many working-class jobs. Trump’s tariff hikes would hurt lower-income households the most, while his tax cuts benefit the rich. And an even bigger budget deficit only means larger future fights over who will ultimately have to pay for soaring government debt.
It is, then, doubly unfortunate for the world that a second Trump term would only aggravate the internal cleavages driving America’s retreat from international openness and cooperation.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon

Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon
Scriptural worship is a bloody, violent event. The entirety of the Biblical account is framed in the border of the blood of sacrifices offered to the Holy One. From Genesis to Revelation, man’s worship of the Creator is defined by a rubicund rite: the Living One must be approached with the blood of an innocent life to cover the sin of the offending party.
It is unpleasant, unsanitary, and yet, it is the ordained adulation we are to bring before Him. Modern man might find such method macabre and distasteful. This is not unexpected. In this day and time, removed by our refining of cosmopolitan and civilized barriers, we do not appreciate the call of the Spirit in Scripture to worship by the shedding of blood. The sacrifices made at the Temple can be discussed in passing, mentioned in messages, but do not truly resonate within us in as real and meaningful a way as it should. People are limited in truly grasping the nature of such florid fellowship. True worship is visceral and raw, and is as profoundly personal as it is meant to be inclusive – in reaching inward and showing what is on the inside, we do so in front of those around in such a manner that we call them to join in with us on the intimate matter of linking this realm of the flesh to the realm of the Spirit.
Worship in Scripture is intrinsically linked to blood. The Holy Spirit decreed in His wisdom that animals should be sacrificed as we seek the restoration of unity with His Presence. Why is this? Scripture tells us in Leviticus 17:11 that the individual’s soul resides within the blood that flows in the veins. Typically translated as “life” in most English versions, the word in the inspired Hebrew text is literally NEFESH – “soul.” Thus, the shedding of blood in worship is a soul-matter, a thing that reveals the basest, most intimate aspect of who we are. The claret contribution of the life-blood of an animal speaks to the sincerest motive of the one offering – man, unable to offer himself upon the altar, can give no more serious of a gift than the soul of what innocent that has been entrusted to him.
Look closely and find the demon

Strange Family
Look closely and find the demon

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For the soul of the flesh is in its blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar for a covering upon your souls, for it is the blood that covers the soul.
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Furthermore, the Spirit set up a place in Jerusalem whereby His worshipers could enter His Presence with these crimson sacrifices and engage Him individually and as a nation. The holy Temple was erected as the edifice upon which blood would be shed, and Adam’s sons would find atonement. Built within the city of Jerusalem, the Temple stood as a sanguine sanctuary where His Spirit accepted the sacrifices of His people. There, the blood of these offerings would show the sincerity of our true worship. It is not just a small drop of blood that we are called to offer in its hallowed walls, either, but the entirety of a creature’s blood is presented to Him in the Temple’s worship event!
The book of Leviticus is the central book of the Torah, the five books of Moses, what Scripture constantly refers to when it says “the Word of God,” and it is focused entirely on how we are to worship the Holy One. The laws that govern worship involving sacrifice are quite explicit: blood is to be offered to the Most High.
For instance, if a priest sins in ignorance of the commandments, Leviticus 4:7 plainly states what is to be done with the blood of the sacrifice offered:
And the priest shall place some of the blood upon the horns of the altar of sweet incense, towards the face of YHWH, which is in the Tabernacle of Appointed Time, and all the blood of the bull shall be poured at the base of the altar of burnt offering, which is at the door of the Tabernacle of Appointed Time.
Here we see that the blood of a bull is to be offered in the worship event of a priest who accidentally sinned by breaking the Torah. Not just some of the blood, but all the blood is to be given in the act of worship. While the amount might vary individually according to weight and build, a full-grown bovine generally has around ten (10) gallons of blood circulating through its body. A small portion is commanded to be placed upon the horns of the altar, but the majority would be poured at the base. This would be a significant amount, and not something that could easily be missed by all worshiper’s present. Blood meant everyone knew worship had occurred.
A similar event is commanded if the entire congregation sins in ignorance, as Leviticus 4:18 explains (4:14 specifies a young bull).