The Biggest Year Of Voting In Global History

In 1789, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin wrote a letter to French physicist Jean-Baptiste Leroy. It contained a line that outlived both men and will likely still be around when you and I are long gone…

“The only two certainties in life are death and taxes.”

Now, far be it from me to factcheck The First American but, to my mind, he left out the other certainty that cannot be denied.

“All politicians are idiots.”

And this year a record number of them are in the job market.

National elections are set to be held in some 64 countries (plus the EU) this 2024 as almost half the world’s population has their say in who gets to govern them… or casts a vote at least.

It’s the biggest year of voting in global history.

Yesterday, Feb. 14, voters in Indonesia cast their ballots for president and parliament. Next week, voters in Belarus and Liechtenstein head to the polls. After that, Iran, Ireland, Portugal, Russia, the Maldives, Slovakia…

And on it goes.

May 5 is voting day in Panama’s presidential election but the drama is already well underway.

At a rally in Panama City on Feb. 3 the country’s former president, Ricardo Martinelli, was officially presented as the candidate of the Realizing Goals Party.

The only fly in the ointment was his conviction for money laundering and the 10-year prison sentence he was handed along with it. Panama’s constitution bars anyone sentenced to a prison term of five years or more from serving as president.

Martinelli continues to protest his innocence and had been leading in the polls but the decision on whether or not he’s eligible to participate in the election now falls to the nation’s electoral tribunal.

Meantime, Martinelli has been granted political asylum in Nicaragua and is waiting out proceedings in the country’s Panama City embassy.

Back in the U.S., Trump won his fourth nominating contest in the Nevada caucuses. Following on from her defeat to “none of these candidates” in the Nevada primary, Nikki Haley declared, “I’m not going anywhere”. On that, at least, I would wager she’s right.

In the mainstream media, debate rages about whether these global elections will be free and fair… If democracy will survive… If indeed it exists at all…

On the ground, no matter the country, the general consensus remains the same, no matter who gets in, real change remains elusive.

Wars, famine, poverty, crippling inflation, soaring taxes, idiotic policies… most anyone in power could do better but going on past efforts from all sides all over, it seems unlikely.

And even if you’re not among those casting a vote this year, chances are the election results in countries beyond yours may still impact your day to day life.

Let’s face it, there’s not many of us who could honestly claim to have taken much interest in the 2019 election in Ukraine… or have considered that just a couple years later Congress would be sending $75 billion in humanitarian, financial, and military support its way… But here we are.

So, with another year of global turmoil laid out before us, what’s to be done?

My advice: take heart in this old Polish proverb…

“Not my circus, not my monkeys.”

Don’t allow the chaos and the clowns of this election year to be your personal problem.

You can back your candidate, you can cast your vote, and if you have the energy and the time you can even quarrel with your neighbor about it…

But why bother?

Instead, I’d suggest you look to what is in your control. Your own personal situation. And your own escape plan should you ever need it.

That’s what I’ve been doing these past 25 years and as a result my family’s wealth and future is protected from global shocks and the whims of world leaders.

My best advice, to fully protect yourself and your loved ones in the short- and long-term, is to diversify your assets at an international level.

Not only will it help to protect your quality of life but it may also substantially increase your wealth in the years ahead…

Oh, and don’t forget to pay your taxes. There’s no escaping that clown show.

Stay diversified,

Editor, Offshore Living Letter