Drezner’s World

Drezner's World is a Substack focused on international relations, American politics, political economy, and popular culture, examining various geopolitical events, political figures, and policies. It highlights demographic trends, global diplomacy, political partisanship, economic policies, and societal issues, offering critical analysis on current events and their broader implications.

International Relations American Politics Political Economy Demographic Trends Global Diplomacy Partisanship and Governance Economic Policies Societal and Cultural Issues

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Who Does Europe Call If It Wants to Talk to the United States?

943 implied HN points • 06 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Foreign Relations Diplomacy International Aid Global Alliances
  1. Europe faced challenges in making foreign policy decisions due to internal disagreements, but eventually reached an agreement by employing strong tactics.
  2. The European Union managed to secure financial support for Ukraine despite obstacles from Hungary by applying pressure and using negotiation strategies effectively.
  3. The United States encountered difficulties in passing aid packages for Ukraine as negotiations were linked to immigration policies, ultimately leading to a stalled process and uncertain outcomes.

Useless Partisanship Weakens Necessary Partisanship

1100 implied HN points • 12 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Policy Government Partisanship Oversight Congress
  1. Partisanship is important in politics but can become harmful if taken too far, leading to government dysfunction.
  2. Transparency and proper communication are essential in high-ranking government positions, like Secretary of Defense.
  3. Having a functioning opposition party is crucial for proper governance, as it ensures accountability and oversight.

Just So We're Clear on the 2024 Election....

963 implied HN points • 10 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Election Trade policy Inflation Authoritarianism
  1. The author has issues with both Biden and Trump, but views Trump's economic policies as far worse.
  2. The author emphasizes the difference between the economic policies of Biden and Trump, particularly in relation to inflation.
  3. The author highlights the authoritarian tendencies and disastrous economic policies of Donald Trump, leading to a preference for Biden in the 2024 election.

Belated Balloon Thoughts

1592 implied HN points • 04 Feb 23
  1. China government's handling of the spy balloon incident was not good
  2. Speculation about intentional action by China seems improbable
  3. Maintaining diplomatic relations is crucial in US-China relations

Just How Revisionist is China?

609 implied HN points • 01 Feb 24
🌍 World Politics Global Economy Conflict International relations Global order Iran
  1. The global economic order is unraveling based on data from sources like Uppsala Conflict Data Program and Global Peace Index.
  2. China, Russia, and Iran are involved in global conflicts, but China seems to have more complex preferences and constraints on its revisionism.
  3. China is publicly rejecting U.S. pressure while privately pressuring Iran, showing limits to their revisionism.

I Am Still Optimistic About 2024. Sorry.

668 implied HN points • 08 Jan 24
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Elections Democratic Party Republican party Presidential Campaigns Government Policies
  1. The author remains optimistic about the year 2024 despite current political tensions.
  2. There are concerns about the Biden administration's approach to the 2024 election, especially regarding complacency towards the threat of losing to Donald Trump.
  3. The Biden team is banking on factors like the economy, abortion rights, and negative portrayals of Trump to secure victory in the 2024 election.

Israel is Going Through It Right Now.

1081 implied HN points • 27 Mar 23
🌍 World Politics Israel Civil Society Democracy
  1. Israel is facing significant political turmoil due to proposed judicial reforms, prompting widespread protests and internal government conflicts.
  2. Civil society in Israel is reacting strongly to the government's attempt to push through legal changes that weaken judicial power and spark concerns about democratic values.
  3. International concerns are also growing, with the United States urging Israeli leaders to seek compromise and uphold democratic principles.

Everything Old Is New Again in 2024

569 implied HN points • 25 Jan 24
🎭️ Culture Politics Comedy Television Satire Entertainment
  1. The likelihood of a Joe Biden-Donald Trump rematch in the 2024 election is high, causing mixed reactions among Americans.
  2. The return of Jon Stewart to 'The Daily Show' as a host and executive producer in 2024 is seen as a major event for Comedy Central and Paramount Global.
  3. Stewart's comeback is anticipated to bring comedic relief and potentially influence the political landscape with his unique perspective.

What I Learned about how the U.S. Handled the Run-Up to Russia's Invasion of Ukraine

845 implied HN points • 27 Feb 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Foreign Policy Intelligence Sanctions National Security Geopolitics
  1. The U.S. believed Putin invaded Ukraine due to perceptions of Russian weakness, not U.S. weakness.
  2. Intelligence was used effectively by the Biden administration to persuade allies and delay Russia's invasion.
  3. Biden officials concluded that pre-emptive sanctions wouldn't have deterred Russia and focused on seizing oligarchs' assets to highlight corruption.

Bye Bye Blue Check

786 implied HN points • 31 Mar 23
🕹 Technology Social media Tech Companies Digital Content Online Culture Monetization
  1. Twitter is changing their verification program and making it tied to subscribing to Twitter Blue for $8 a month.
  2. There is controversy and dissatisfaction among users about having to pay to keep their blue checkmark.
  3. Elon Musk's decisions regarding Twitter's verification system and revenue generation strategies have faced criticism and led to speculation about his ability to run the company.

Elon Musk's Scorched-Earth Twitter Environment

786 implied HN points • 27 Jun 23
🌍 World Politics Social media
  1. Elon Musk's actions have negatively impacted Twitter's ability to handle breaking-news crises effectively.
  2. Verified accounts on Twitter used to filter out news from rumors well in the pre-Elon era.
  3. Twitter before Elon Musk was more reliable at providing useful information during real-time crises.

CNN and the Inventory Problem

766 implied HN points • 03 Jun 23
🇺🇸 U.S. Politics Media Journalism
  1. The story highlights the failures and hubris of CNN's CEO, Chris Licht, through various anecdotes and examples.
  2. Licht's attempts to cater to different audiences have not been successful, alienating viewers and failing to make CNN an attractive choice for news consumption.
  3. CNN, under Licht's leadership, needs to rethink its strategy, focus on reputable news reporting, and consider a more traditional approach like PBS for its future direction.