<p></p><p>“If they want to put on my tombstone ‘The Last Idealist’, that’s fine,” the iconic (and I don’t use that word lightly) American journalist <a target="_blank" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Suarez">Ray Suarez</a> tells me. But even Suarez’s idealism was tested by Trump’s America in 2025. It was a “jaw-dropping” year, he tells me, astonishing for a veteran journalist like Suarez. In some senses, he says, America has reverted to being a 19th century colonial power. So what happens when you “repeal” the 20th century? For all his idealism, Suarez is a realist, particularly in economics. So it's worth noting his warnings about the “devils of inflation” in 2026 which he sees as a likely consequence of Trump’s economic populism. </p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p></p><p><p>Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.</p></p><p></p> <br/><br/>This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit <a href="https://keenon.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&#38;utm_campaign=CTA_2">keenon.substack.com/subscribe</a>