THE PRAIRIE EDITOR: A New Global Geopolitical Landscape

 

A new global geopolitical landscape is now coming into

view as the post-Cold War international scene dissolves.

The latest development is the imminent collapse of the

Islamic Republic of Iran, a major regional power which

served as the major state sponsor of terrorism not only

in the Middle Easr but also with infloence beyond its

regional borders.

The two most populous nations, China and

India, have re-energed as both economic and military

superpowers after centuries of decline. Each saw their

current national identity created just after Worl War II —

China as a communist totalitarian state, India as a

democratic socialist state. Both were primarily rural

and agricultural, and both saw mass rural emigration 

to cities and the creation of industrial societies. China

remained totalitarian, but adopted some free market

economic strategies while India evolved from rural

socialism to urban capitalism.

From the devastation of World War II, the nations of

Europe re-emerged while being also the battleground

of the Cold War between the democratic nations led by

the United States and the communist states led by

the Soviet Union. That Cold War persisted until the

early 1990s when the Soviet Union collapsed. and

many of its vassal states broke away. Much of Europe

formed the European Union, but this organization

proved to be fragile, and went into decline.

After a brief period as a democratic states, Russia

has once again become an authoritarian state, and

has become embroiled in a protracted conflict with

Ukraine, once a part of the Soviet Union. This war

has also destabilized the whole region, as the EU

nations perceive a larger threat from Russia. The 

military alliance of the European nations and the

United States has weakened in this period as the

U.S, has turned its attention to its own hemisphere

and adjacent South America.

In Asia, China seeks to expand its regional influrnce, 

but is constrained by the U.S., South Korea and Japan,

as well as by India.

In South America, failed leftist and oligardhial

nations are being replaced by conservative free

market governments.

As jihadist Iran fades, a new MIddle East 

geopolitical landscape is emerging under the

Abraham Accords.

Old alliances in the new geopolitical world are

being altered as a new global era is forming.

Some historic conflicts are being replaced by

new ones. Technology, as always, is a primary

catalyst for change.

The forms of the new global world are still

inclear, but each day seems to bring them

more and more into view.

_______________________________________________

Copyright (c) 2026 by Barry Casselmn. All rights reserved.

THE PRAIRIE EDITOR: Walz Withdraws. Now What?

As I have been suggesting for several weeks he would,

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz has now withdrawn

from his declared candidacy for a third term in this

year’s mid-term elections.

But this is not the end of this political story.

The allegations and unfolding evidence of massive

fraud in Minnesota is a story only beginning to be

told. It was this, and charges that Walz and his DFL

administration failed to investigate this fraud for so 

long that precipitated his withdrawal, but the ongoing

and expanding story will now cast dark shadows over

the entire campaign of the Democratic-Farmer-Labor

Party’s efforts to keep the statewide, congressional

and U.S. senate offices it now holds.

It also presents a political roadblock to the DFL’s

desire to win control of the state legislature.

The question is whether the state Republican Party

can nominate the caliber of candidates who can

win in this political environment.

The immediate question is now who will be the DFL

candidate for governor. The most mentioned name

in the wake of Walz’s withdrawal is current U.S.

Senator Amy Klobuchar. She is a popular and

well-known figure in the state, and probably would

be the most formidable DFL candidate. She has

made a role for herself in the Senate, and once ran

for president. If she still has White House ambitions,

she might feel she would be a stronger candidate 

in 2028 or 2032 as a sitting governor.

At the same time, she would face the risk of losing

in what might become a GOP wave election in 2026

because of extreme voter anger over fraud. In her 

last re-election, Klobuchar won by a smaller margin

than expected against a weak GOP opponent.

Other DFL candidates, especially those who now

hold statewide office, including Lt. Governor Peggy

Flanagan, Secretary of State Steve Simon and

Attorney General Keith Elliison, might find that

voters might direct their anger at them.

Flanagan is currently running for the open U.S.

Senate  seat, vacated by incumbent Tina Smith,

but with Walz out of the governor’s race, she might

switch. Ellison is currently running for re-election 

as attorney general, but faces some of the same

criticism as Walz did. Simon has faced criticism

for his role in pushing controversial voting issues

Republicans have several major candidates

running for governor, including Speaker of the

State House Lisa Demuth, State Rep. Kristin

Robbins and 2022 GOP nominee Dr. Scott

Jensen. Each of them would have likely defeated

Walz, but can any of them defeat Klobuchar?

The Republican slate for the open U.S. Senate

seat, and the other statewide offices so far mostly

lacks major candidates. Further, the state GOP

so far lacks the fundraising, voter ID and GOTV

capability that the DFL has had for many years.

The DFL nominee for the U.S. Senate could be 

retiring 2nd District Congresswoman Angie 

Craig who is untainted by the fraud scandal

and is known to be an effective campaigner.

As already noted, the GOP does not yer have a

serious candidate in this race,

Tim Walz is still governor, and there have been

many calls for him to resign. The full dimension

of fraud is yet unknown, but is now, and almost

certainly will remain, as the major issue of this

year’s political campaign in Minnesota.

The national and international media coverage of

the fraud scandals has been devastating to the

state’s self image, and voter anger is clearly 

rising, but the impact of the issue on who wins and

loses in November remains the biggest political

question of all.

________________________________________________

Copyright (c) 2026 by Barry Casselman. All rights reserved. 

THE PRAIRIE EDITOR: Assessing 2025

There have been dramatic changes in virtually all aspects

of public life from the previous year when so many

political and economic conditions seemed negative and

incoherent.

The year 2024 concluded and  2025 began with a new 

president and administration in Washington, DC.

President Trump has issued a very large number                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    

of executive orders, some of which have been halted by

lower federal courts. Many, but not all of these actions

have reversed by the U.S. Supreme Court, and others

are pending.

The result has been to cancel many previous executive

orders, policies and programs of Trump’s predecessor

Joe Biden.

The year has ended with allegations of widespread

fraud in public programs in Minnesota, and this has

become the number one news story in the nation, and’

has been circulated  all over the world. New fraud

disclosures continue to be made.

The dimensions of this fraud are still unknown, although

some national and state figures have contended that

it involves billions of dollars. State official are saying

these numbers are exaggerated, but several federal

agencies, including the FBI, Homeland Security, and

the Small Business Agency have each sent investigators

to the state. This is likely to be a major story next year

as well.

It was an off-year for most state and national elections,

but there were local elections. Minneapolis and St. Paul

held elections for mayor. Incumbent DFL Mayor Jacob

Frey faced a serious challenge from three socialist

challengers, but survived to win another term.

Considered much less vulnerable, incumbent DFL St

Paul Mayor Melvin Carter, however, suffered an upset

defeat by Kaohly Her, a DFL state legislator who 

entered the race very late, and was given little chance

by most observers to win. Both Frey and Her 

are more moderate DFlers.

Elsewhere, Democrats won two governorships in

New Jersey and Virginia as well as and many city 

elections across the country.

This year also had  record number of retirements

from Congress and a large number leaving the

U.S. Senate. This will likely make the 2026 national

mid-term elections quite competitive, and although

Republicans are likely to keep control of the Senate,

many Democrats are optimistic they can take back

control of the House which the GOP now has by a

very slim margin.

With key Supreme Court decisions pending, a

hard-fought mid-term election imminent,  an

uncertain economy and so many global trouble

spots and conflicts erupting, the coming year is

likely to be as interesting, or more so, than the one

just ending.

_______________________________________________

Copyright (c) 2025 by Barry Casselman. All rights reserved