2000s: The Digital Age & Global Conflicts
The 2000s were called the "Decade of Disruptions" due to a series of turbulent events, including the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks that sparked wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, followed by the 2007 global financial crisis that caused the Great Recession. Britannica. The decade also saw transformative technology, with Apple releasing the iPod in 2001 and the first iPhone being unveiled by Steve Jobs in January 2007 WatchMojo. The Euro became the official currency for 12 European countries in 2002 Wikipedia, and Vladimir Putin was elected President of Russia in 2000 WatchMojo.
2010s: Social Movements & Tech Revolution
The 2010 Haiti earthquake devastated Port-au-Prince in January, while the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in April became the largest oil spill in US history Wikipedia. Osama bin Laden was killed by US Navy SEALs in Pakistan on May 2, 2011, ending a 10-year manhunt. The CEO Magazine. The first image of a black hole was captured by the Event Horizon Telescope in April 2019, and Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris suffered a major fire that same month Wikipedia. Donald Trump won the 2016 presidential election in an upset against Hillary Clinton Wikipedia.
2020-2025: Pandemic & Political Upheaval
The COVID-19 pandemic dominated 2020, leading to global lockdowns and the worst economic recession since the Great Depression Wikipedia. George Floyd's death on May 25, 2020, sparked protests worldwide and initiated conversations about systemic racism, Council on Foreign Relations. The January 6, 2021, Capitol riot saw a mob of Trump supporters attack the US Capitol in an attempt to overturn the 2020 election results Wikipedia. Joe Biden served as the 46th president from 2021-2025, passing major legislation, including infrastructure and gun control laws Wikipedia. Donald Trump was inaugurated for a second, nonconsecutive term as the 47th president in January 2025 Wikipedia.
During these past 25 years, we witnessed extraordinary technological advancement, devastating natural disasters, global pandemics, economic crises, social justice movements, and significant political shifts that continue to shape our world today…
Since we're currently at the end of November 2025, we have a few weeks left in the year.
Politics & Trump Administration
- Cabinet appointments and confirmations
- Early policy announcements and executive orders
- Transition developments and planning for the January 20th inauguration
International Developments
- Ongoing conflicts (Ukraine, Middle East, etc.)
- Major elections worldwide
- Diplomatic negotiations and treaties
Economic Trends
- Federal Reserve decisions and inflation data
- Stock market performance as the year closes
- Cryptocurrency and tech sector developments
Science & Space
- NASA missions and private space exploration
- Medical breakthroughs and AI in healthcare
- Climate science findings
Natural Disasters & Climate
- Hurricane season conclusions
- Wildfires, floods, or extreme weather events
- Climate summit outcomes
Cultural & Social Movements
- Major protests or activism
- Entertainment milestones
- Demographic or social shifts
Technology
- AI developments and regulations
- Major product launches
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Tech industry changes
GOP Embracing Trump’s Picks -
Loyalty Over Competence
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Pete Hegseth (Defense): Critics argue he is unusually underqualified for Secretary of Defense. While he has military experience, others have noted that he lacks traditional national-security and bureaucratic leadership experience. The Washington Post+2Newsweek+2
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Russell Vought (OMB): As a lead architect of Project 2025, Vought has pushed for radical expansion of executive power and weakening of agency independence. The Guardian+2Newsweek+2
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These appointments suggest a preference by Trump (and acquiescence by the GOP) for loyalists who will carry out his agenda, even if their prior experience or policy positions raise red flags.
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Ideological and Authoritarian Leanings
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Project 2025 Connection: Vought’s prominence in Project 2025 is especially alarming to critics because of its blueprint for consolidating executive power and limiting civil service protections. Newsweek+2CNBC+2
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Vought’s View on the Bureaucracy: He has spoken of wanting to “traumatize” bureaucrats so they “do not want to go to work” — suggesting a deeply antagonistic view toward civil servants. The Guardian
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Such views feed concerns that Trump is building an administration structured more on personal loyalty and strong executive control than on traditional checks and balances.
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Questionable Foreign Policy Judgment
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Tulsi Gabbard (Director of National Intelligence): Her past comments and actions have drawn controversy:
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She has expressed sympathy for Russia and Putin, and has made comments minimizing U.S. culpability or overreach. The Guardian+1
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Her 2017 meeting with Bashar al-Assad raised eyebrows; critics argue it gave legitimacy to a brutal regime. Al Jazeera+1
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During her confirmation, concerns were raised about her lack of direct intelligence experience. NPR+1
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These raise serious national security questions: putting someone with limited intelligence credentials, and with controversial views on U.S. adversaries in charge of all 18 intelligence agencies is viewed by many as high-risk.
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Partisanship / Weak Institutionalism
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Kash Patel (FBI): His confirmation raised major concerns about the politicization of the FBI:
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This undermines the idea of the FBI as a neutral, non-partisan law-enforcement institution.
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Unchecked Executive Power & Erosion of Democratic Norms
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Vought’s confirmation and ideology point to a vision of governance where the executive branch has much more control, potentially at the expense of Congress. The Guardian
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If his OMB role is used to centralize budgetary control, it could be a powerful lever to bypass traditional legislative checks. KCRA+1
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That, combined with other loyalist appointments, suggests not just a “yes-man” cabinet but a broader strategy to reshape government structure.
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GOP Complicity / Weak Resistance
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As you note, the GOP has largely fallen in line with these nominees, even when some senators expressed “initial skepticism.” Fortune
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This raises questions about whether there is effective institutional pushback or whether party loyalty to Trump is overriding substantive concerns.
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Experience vs. Fresh Perspectives:
Some defenders argue that non-traditional picks (e.g., from media or think tanks) bring fresh energy and are less beholden to bureaucratic norms. The counterargument: national security, intelligence, and budget oversight are not areas where “inexperience” is a minor risk — they are core levers of power. -
Senate Votes & Legitimacy:
Even though these nominees are controversial, many (like Gabbard and Vought) were confirmed through Senate votes. That gives them formal legitimacy, though not necessarily moral or practical confidence. -
Vision vs. Governance:
Trump may genuinely envision a government less constrained by bureaucracy and more directly controlled by the presidency. His loyalists are implementing that vision. The danger: if unchecked, this could erode institutional safeguards. -
GOP “surrendered” by embracing deeply loyal, underqualified, or ideologically extreme cabinet picks — is well-supported. Many of Trump’s nominees appear to be more about advancing a radical executive agenda than about governing competently or safeguarding democratic institutions.
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The Epstein case illustrates how powerful networks, political, financial, diplomatic, and cultural, protect their own interests, often at the expense of the vulnerable.
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This is not a single conspiracy.
It is a pattern of: -
institutional protection
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concentrated wealth
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unaccountable elites
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legal double standards
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geopolitical opportunism
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moral erosion
And so it goes, where it will stop nobody knows, except the crystal ball above?