The telephone call between president-elect Donald Trump and Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen created quite a buzz over the weekend. It appears that it was not a spontaneous mutual congratulations call, as first reported, but rather a project long in the works among Trump’s more China-hawkish advisors. If the message to China over the unprecedented telephone call was not clear, Trump’s Tweetstorm afterward left little for the imagination. The incoming administration appears to intend to confront China. How strongly? To what end? To whose benefit? We discuss in today’s Liberty Report:

Are the alphabet soup international organizations like the IMF, UN, etc. about to go by way of the horse and buggy? Likewise, is the nation-state, where “patriotism” is tied to nothing more than the geographic accident of one’s birth? And is the “deep state” really a threat? Famed investor Doug Casey and his associate, Nick Giambruno of International Man, join today’s Liberty Report from Argentina with their take:

Over the past week, the Syrian military has re-taken more than 40 percent of the territory in east Aleppo that had for several years been controlled by the rebels. Most believe that this last large population center not controlled by the government will soon return to government control. After this, the nearly six year insurgency would likely soon be completely defeated. Meanwhile Secretary of State John Kerry is reportedly desperately attempting to make an agreement with the Russian government to halt the Syrian army advance into rebel-held east Aleppo. The Obama Administration fears a new US policy toward Syria would be launched by the incoming Trump Administration and is eager to preserve a flicker of the regime-change project in Syria. What happens next? Tune in to today’s Liberty Report:

Though its main source remains anonymous, the Washington Post claims to have uncovered a vast conspiracy of more than 200 alternative news outlets — such as the Drudge Report, Zero Hedge, the Ron Paul Institute, and others — who have worked as Russian propaganda tools to defeat Hillary Clinton and elect Donald Trump as the next president. Kooky…or dangerous? Our take in today’s Liberty Report:

We’ve spent the year urging fixes to what is wrong with our foreign, domestic, and monetary policy. In today’s Liberty Report we prefer to discuss things we are thankful for. Dr. Paul recollects his childhood, how he is grateful for the opportunities he has had through his life, and more. We are thankful also for our Liberty Report viewers. Watch the episode here:

Ron Paul lays out the case for legalizing all drugs and ending the war on drugs in a new interview released Tuesday. The chairman of the Ron Paul Institute and former Republican House of Representatives member from Texas tells interviewer Jacob Hornberger of the Future of Freedom Foundation that the war on drugs is really a “war on liberty.” Paul elaborates that the drug war is a war on people making their own choices and taking responsibility for their choices.

Paul further argues in the interview that the war on drugs “has been extremely successful for those who want to build an authoritarian government, a centralized government, and a police state.” This, Paul suggests is a necessary result of prohibition because only via authoritarianism can government “make people behave better by not using drugs.” Paul says “the case could be made” that the drug war is “the most — or close to being the most — significant event for the undermining of true civil liberty.” Supporting this conclusion, Paul comments on the high incarceration rate in America, much of which is related to the drug war.

While Paul points to the enormous harm the war on drugs has caused, including increased violent crime, he is optimistic about the future. “People are waking up,” says Paul. The process starts with education, explains Paul, who states, “first the ideas have to change and then the policies will follow.” Paul also notes states exercising “nullification” by enacting laws removing themselves from participation in portions of the drug war. “We will see a lot more of that,” Paul predicts.

In response to states’ liberalization of marijuana laws, Paul observes that “the federal government has thrown up their hands.”

This trend of state and local governments opting out of portions of the drug war is particularly strong in regard to marijuana laws. In line with Paul’s comment that policy changes follow changes in ideas, states’ actions to roll back the war on marijuana, which have largely been accomplished via popular votes for ballot measures, have progressed as public support for marijuana legalization — now the majority view in America — continues to grow.

Watch Paul’s complete interview here:

What does the Trump era hold for the liberty movement? For those who are pursuing peace and prosperity over the war and poverty of the neocons and elites? Do we have anything to cheer? Future of Freedom Foundation’s Jacob Hornberger joins today’s Liberty Report with his take:

Is there a silver lining in the recent presidential election for those who value liberty, peace, and prosperity? The answer is a surprising “yes” – but only if we play our cards right. Mises Institute president Jeff Deist joins the Liberty Report to discuss the pros and cons of the current political landscape:

One of the essential battles in the effort to move toward a more peaceful and prosperous United States is the effort to restore the proper balance among the three branches of our government. The rapid concentration of power in the Executive Branch has led to more wars with less Congressional oversight, trampling of our civil liberties with no resistance from our Representatives, and out of control military spending. Contrary to what many people believe, the Congressional ability to earmark spending to specific projects was an important function of the Legislative Branch. When earmarks were abolished, spending did not decrease. It was just hidden. We discuss the need for their return in today’s Liberty Report:

We are often asked, when criticizing the foreign policy of the past several Administrations, “oh yeah, what would you do?” Well we decided to come up with five specific fixes to the prevailing foreign policy that we believe would make a huge difference and would move us much closer to a foreign policy of peace and prosperity. Our top five today on the Liberty Report:

Both the Middle East and the South China Sea area are hot spots that can potentially lead to major wars. Will the US and Russia clash over Syria policy? What about the US and China at odds over China’s reclaimed islands off their coast? As a new US Administration readies itself to tackle some of these issues, today’s Liberty Report speaks with distinguished US diplomat, Ambassador Charles Freeman, to see what we might expect. Will the neocons keep the administration on a bellicose and militaristic approach to the rest of the world, or will real diplomacy be given a chance?

According to the Washington Post, President Obama did a 180 degree turn in Syria and will begin attacking al-Qaeda’s affiliate in the country. The five year “Assad must go” strategy lies in tatters, as Assad will likely still be in power when it’s time for Obama to go. What are the implications of this shift? We discuss on today’s Liberty Report: