The David McWilliams Podcast The Great Uncoupling & Fiscal Crisis: America, Europe & the Bond Market Reckoning
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Jan 15, 2026 Fergal O'Brien, Director of Lobbying and Influence at IBEC, shares insights on Ireland's business landscape as it prepares for its EU presidency. He emphasizes the importance of competitiveness, infrastructure, and talent cultivation amid rising geopolitical tensions. The discussion also delves into the widening philosophical divide between America and Europe, likening it to the historic Sino-Soviet split. Additionally, they examine the looming threats posed by increasing debt and the possibility of a comeback for bond vigilantes, highlighting fiscal vulnerabilities across both continents.
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Power Versus Restraint In Worldviews
- The liberal order balances power with restraint, privileging institutions and dialogue over brute force.
- David McWilliams warns that autocratic worldviews prize domination and erode cooperative global rules.
Transatlantic Split Mirrors Sino‑Soviet Break
- McWilliams likens the US–Europe split to the Sino-Soviet rupture of the 1960s, with a junior partner feeling betrayed.
- He argues the transatlantic break could be long-lasting and reshape alliances and strategy.
Khrushchev Blocked From Disneyland
- Khrushchev's 1959 US visit included a diplomatic spat when he wasn't allowed into Disneyland.
- McWilliams uses the story to humanise Cold War tensions and diplomatic friction.
