Trump-Putin summit begins: How to navigate volatile times

When the World Cup began a month ago, Argentina was favored to defeat Brazil in the final. France was predicted to lose in the knockout stage; Croatia was not expected to get that far.

As half the world watched yesterday, France defeated Croatia to win the title.

Before Saturday morning, few people had heard of Angelique Kerber, while Serena Williams has been recognized as the greatest tennis player of all time. Then Kerber defeated Williams to win the Wimbledon championship.

This time last year, Novak Djokovic was out of tennis and dealing with an elbow injury that required surgery. Yesterday he won the men’s Wimbledon title in straight sets.

Now the world is watching as Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin prepare for their summit in Helsinki, Finland. According to Fox News, the two are expected to discuss Russia’s role in the 2016 presidential election, Putin’s forcible annexation of Crimea, sanctions imposed by the US in response to that annexation, the conflict in Syria, and nuclear arms control.

However, it is impossible to predict what will actually come from their meeting.

Facing an unpredictable future

The Soviet Union was our World War II ally, then it became our bitter Cold War enemy, then it became our ally in democracy, then it became whatever it is today under Putin. Are the Russians helping us defeat ISIS and counter Iran in the Middle East? Or are they undermining our democracy and electoral process? Or both?

Is a recession more likely after ten years of economic expansion, twice the average length since 1945? Or are market fundamentals so sound that a continuing bull market is more likely?

The legal status of abortion has been secure since the Supreme Court’s tragic Roe v. Wade decision in 1973. Now the nation is asking whether abortion will become more restricted if Judge Brett Kavanaugh wins confirmation to the Supreme Court.

Religious liberty was a bedrock value of American democracy before the Supreme Court legalized same-sex…