The globalism debate – finally arrived in DC in or about 2015.

After percolating for decades in what DC considers America’s hinterlands – which is the vast expanse of America between its coasts.

Globalism – per the dictionary:

“The development of social, cultural, technological, or economic networks that transcend national boundaries; globalization.”

Globalism per DC:

At least a half century spent subjugating US interests – to every other nation on the planet.  So as to expedite the exodus of American companies – to cheaper locales abroad.

DC didn’t care if other countries screwed US with massive tariffs, import limits and domestic subsidies.  Because the companies whose bidding they were doing – didn’t care.

Because these companies were already out of America – and in those other countries.  And those countries’ tariffs, import limits and subsidies – were now helping them…rather than hurting them.

Meanwhile, US domestic policy kept getting worse and worse.  We kept jacking taxes and piling up regulations.

And companies, rather than fight for governmental sanity – fled the insanity and followed their cohorts abroad.

Lather, rinse, repeat for fifty years – and you get President Donald Trump.

Thanks to President Donald Trump, we are rightly rolling back this half-century-plus of abject governmental stupidity.  Companies are returning to our shores in droves.

However….

We have a LONG way to go to undo all the damage done.  Even if the Trump approach is applied for decades – there will still be companies that should be here…that are still over there.

And, of course, there will always be American companies that do business abroad.  Because even the most passionate nationalist (which I consider myself to be) – knows there is money to be made out there beyond our borders.

And as has always been the case:

It is the job of the American government to protect American citizens – no matter where they are.  Absolutely including when they are engaged in commercial activities.

Thomas Jefferson and James Madison – our third and fourth Presidents – absolutely thought so:

“The Barbary Wars were a series of conflicts that culminated in two wars fought at different times over the same reasons between the United States, Sweden, and the Barbary states (the de jure possessions of the Ottoman Empire, but de facto independent, Tunis, Algiers, and Tripoli) of North Africa in the late 18th and early 19th centuries….

“At issue was the Barbary pirates’ demand for tribute from American merchant vessels in the Mediterranean Sea. If ships of a given country failed to pay, pirates would attack the ship and take their goods, and often enslave crew members or hold them for ransom.

“When Thomas Jefferson became President of the United States in March 1801, he refused to pay tribute and sent a United States Naval fleet to the Mediterranean; the fleet bombarded various fortified pirate cities in present-day Libya, Tunisia, and Algeria, ultimately extracting concessions of fair passage from their rulers.

“James Madison, Jefferson’s successor, directed military forces for the second war in 1815, shortly after the conclusion of the War of 1812 against the British.”

US businesses were getting screwed.  And Jefferson and Madison – had their backs.

Two-centuries-plus later – we still face the exact same problem.

America First – Must Include Demanding Foreign Govs Unfreeze Americans’ Coin:

“(US company) KGL (Investment has) made much of its money in Kuwait – and now wants to return much of it to the US.

“Enter Middle East cronyism.

“The Kuwaiti and Dubai governments – have frozen KGLs coin for no reason whatsoever.  Well, no legitimate reason.

“Behold Agility Logistics.  A Kuwaiti company – with close ties to the Kuwaiti government.  Agility’s CEO, Essa Anwar Al-Saleh – is a former Chairman of Kuwait’s Gulf Bank.  So he exercised significant power over Kuwaiti commerce and finance.

“And it appears Al-Saleh still does.  Agility is a KGL competitor – with the home court advantage.  The Kuwaiti government appears to be freezing KGLs coin – to benefit Agility.”

“Not satisfied with crucifying just the company – Kuwait is going after its executives.

“When Leaders Land In Jail: Prominent Gulf Businesswoman Gets Ten Years, Vows To Appeal:

“Marsha Lazareva, (chief executive and vice-chairman of the private equity group KGL Investment), has vowed to appeal her conviction for misusing public funds in Kuwait after being sentenced to ten years hard labor.”

“‘Ten years hard labor’ – ain’t Club Fed.

“Lazareva is a Russian national – but she has a five-year-old America-born child.  And the charges against her – appear to be as bogus as those against her company.”

It certainly seems so.

Kuwait Government Faces International Tribunal over Jailing of Russian Businesswoman:

“Lazareva(’s)…lawyers…say the charges brought against her were ‘demonstrably false’ and the case amounted to a ‘show trial.’…

“Her lawyers say she was denied access to one of the hearings and on other occasions the defence team was not permitted to introduce its own witnesses and was refused access to critical documents….

“‘Ms. Lazareva is the subject and victim of a politically-motivated vendetta initiated by powerful persons and entities, as well as competitors and rivals in Kuwait, against KGLI, KGL, and TPF,’ the (lawyers’) notice says.”

This is orders-of-magnitude bogus:

“Kuwait is attempting to smear as many KGLI people as possible – in an attempt to make their crony garbage case against KGLI look less like crony garbage.

“This heinousness began in 2018.  More than a year later – Kuwait ain’t behaving any better.

“Despite the fact the contingent demanding Lazareva’s release – keeps getting bigger.

“Kuwait Refuses Release of Female CEO Held Over a Year on False Charges:

“‘The Port Fund confirmed today that a Kuwait court has refused to release Marsha Lazareva, a prominent member of the international business community, who has been subject to unlawful detention and other human rights violations for the past 15 months.’”

President Trump – absolutely needs to do what Presidents Jefferson and Madison did.

Protect our citizens – and their businesses.

And when real heinousness arises – get them out of hostile foreign hands.