There’s lots of stuff going on right now, and all the news seems bad. From Ukraine to your own backyard, it seems as if all is out of control and the world is bleak. But cheer up! It may well be that things have turned a corner and are looking up. If events break a certain way—we may see a confluence of very, very good things happening and a bright future unfolding. Here are the possibilities:

                RUSSIA LOSES. Vladimir Putin’s Russia invaded the Ukraine. This unprovoked pounce by a great power to conquer a neighbor seemed to mark the breakdown of an international order and the beginning of a new dangerous era of aggression. Ukraine was to fall in days. It didn’t. It hasn’t.

 The spirited resistance of Ukraine, plus the response of other nations including sending arms to the defender, has stopped the Russians cold. Putin is now in a drawn-out conflict and victory recedes every day. The damage to Russia is severe and even a limited win is looking more illusory.

The Russia-Ukraine War can end with a weaker Russia, its army chewed up and its fearsome reputation in tatters, Invaded, a defending Russia is a killer. But invading others is another story. A humbled, second-rate power with a discredited autocrat, Russia could end up an object lesson: it’s not so easy for the so-called strong to go gobbling up your so-called weak neighbors.

CHINA THINKS IT OVER. You listening, People’s Republic? You were all ready to jump Taiwan. Ready…set… But now, looking at Ukraine, you might want to think it over. You’re surrounded by neighbors who fear you and resent your bullying.  Taiwan might not be as easy as you thought. And unlike Russia, who could drive across the street into Ukraine, China has to swim to Taiwan. Take a deep breath there, guys. And maybe, just don’t do it.

ALSO: China’s position keeps getting weaker. It’s ‘Zero Covid’ policy of draconian lockdowns to deal with the Covid Pandemic has not only failed to stop the spread, but is damaging the PRC’s economy as well. The lockdowns in Shanghai starved millions of people, but now the economic toll is starting to bite. China’s economy skids as lockdowns hit factories, retailers – EURACTIV.com

Time is not on the People’s Republic’s side. A demographic collapse caused by China’s ‘one child’ policy—which led to families choosing sons and hence no girls—and hence no babies—will swiftly rob China of its long-time strength: lots of people. Add in the fact that China’s economy has a real estate bubble that dwarfs ours of 2008, plus the malinvestment that naturally comes from a dictatorship.

China needs to be deterred until its ability to knock over the world applecart is dissipated. Our Afghan Bugout emboldened the PRC. But now? All tyrannies look unbeatable until they suddenly fall. Maybe the much-vaunted Asian Century will be over before it starts.

THE WEST IS BACK, BABY! By the West, I mean the free societies of America, Europe, Japan, Pacific friends and allies. And it’s bigger than just the USA. Since the end of the Cold War, NATO has been withering away without purpose. The European Union stagnated with a move to the exits. The whole “West” was wondering if it had any reason to exist as such, and any moral right to do so.

But now? Thank you, Good Mr. Putin! You showed everyone that really is a big bad wolf—or bear—in the woods, and why we keep our doors locked, our weapons handy, and our mutual aid society strong. NATO and the West has found new strength and purpose in its response to Russia’s unprovoked Ukraine Invasion. Long time neutrals like Sweden and Finland are joining up. The Baltics look west. Poland is strong. Collective economic weapons have been pulled out and deployed.

The EU seems to be waking up from its green dreams of alternate energy but actual dependance on Russia. The Axis of Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea looks less like the future and more like the losers’ table.

The West is back and strong, re-energized with purpose to a degree Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher could only dream about. And we have Vladimir Putin to thank! Spasebo, tovarich!

THE US LEFT IS SPUTTERING ON FUMES. An ever-leftward-drifting Democratic Party here in America took all the marbles in the 2020 election. Whether you believe 2022 was stolen, the Dems were at high water. Presidency, Senate, House—they had it all, with a “transformative” agenda for power forever: pack the Supreme Court, federalize all elections, admit two new states to permanently add 4 new Democrat Senators plus House members. The Big Tech platforms, media, and major entertainment outfits were enthusiastically aboard with “deplatforming” the opposition. This was a formula to turn America into an authoritarian. de facto one-party state.

Now into 2022, the whole dream has vanished. It’s looking like a big shellacking for the Dems this fall. Economic news is bad, kitchen table news is bad, President Biden and Veep Harris are polling under water, the left-leaning businesses like Disney are taking it on the chin. Elon Musk may be buying Twitter, and the reaction from “we demand censorship” crowd was deafening. Now it appears Twitter’s customer count may be wildly inflated and the whole thing a house of cards. And the sure-fire battle cry of “Abortion?” This aint 50 years ago.

The “Black-and-Brown People” alliance appears to be a mirage, as Latinos—not “Latinx, por favor”—seem to be deciding their own destiny won’t be defined by Democrat politicians. Being African Americans 2.0 is not part of the plan. Define “Irony:” busting your butt to import millions of people who may turn out to be Republicans. Not your father’s Republican Party, to be sure, but maybe Donald Trump’s.

The Left had it made—and they totally effed it all up. So now America can move on and abandon the wreckage of the future they had for us. From energy independence to freedom of speech, to prosperity as an agenda, to diversity of thought, to bringing manufacturing back home, America can be facing a real rebirth. After the disasters of giving left wing Democrats the wheel, we may not do that again for a while.

SO: all across the world, things are primed to break good in a really big way. Think late 80s good. Who thought in November of ‘88 that the Berlin Wall had only months to go, and the USSR had less than two years left?

Be of good cheer, fight the good fight, keep the faith, and be ready to party like it’s 1989.