America seems to be in a state of malaise on all sides–thanks to Trump hatred, government shutdown, political paralysis, cultural dysfunctions, etc., etc.–and there is a pervasive sense that the nation is undergoing a decline. But an outside perspective from another country is arguing that America is, in fact, in a state of “resurgence” that is “reshaping the world.”
The controversial Canadian businessman Conrad Black in that country’s National Post marvels at the strength of the American economy–stressing details I had not thought about–and dissects the problems of Europe, Russia, China, the Middle East, and other global players, saying that the United States is forcing reforms that the whole world needs.
Such success does not, of course, mitigate our cultural woes–as we discussed in the Tucker Carlson post–but it is worth reflecting upon.
From Conrad Black, America’s resurgence is reshaping the world:
In fact, the economy of the United States is astoundingly strong: full employment, an expanding work force, negligible inflation and about three per cent economic growth. And it is a broad economic recovery, not based on service industries as in the United Kingdom (where London handles most of Europe’s financial industry, while most of British industry has fled), and not based largely on the fluctuating resources markets as has often been Canada’s experience. In the eight years of president Obama, the United States lost 219,000 manufacturing jobs; in the two years of Trump, the country has added 477,000 manufacturing jobs. This was not supposed to be possible, and this time, unlike in the great Reagan boom, it cannot be dismissed by the left (and it was false in the eighties) as a profusion of “hamburger flippers, dry cleaners and people delivering pizza,” (all necessary occupations). . . .
Every U.S. president starting with Dwight Eisenhower has bewailed American dependence on foreign oil. Foreigners then supplied 10 per cent of America’s oil, a figure that rose to 60 per cent under president Obama, and no one has done anything about it, until the past two years, when oil production has been sharply increased and reliance on oil imports has been sharply cut, on its inexorable way to zero. For decades, whenever the U.S. made purposeful noises about doing the necessary to reduce oil imports, the Saudis engineered a cut in the international price and American will collapsed backwards into the contemptible torpor of declining powers. All that has changed.
[Keep reading. . .]
Black says that the trade war with China is working to rein in that country’s bad behavior–and that it is greatly appreciated by Japan and India–that Korea is now on its best behavior, and that “the Ayatollah’s are quaking.” I was most interested in his take on the European Union–with France, Germany, Italy, and Spain all in disarray–and with Great Britain leaving. He said that the Commonwealth countries, the remnants of the British empire including Canada and Australia, have long been dismayed at the U.K.’s cozying up to Europe at their expense. Now the U.K. is breaking away from the E.U., though it cannot figure out how to do so.
He concludes, “Through it all, the United States, appearing to be disorderly, its establishment and media at war with the occupant of the White House, is demonstrating almost effortlessly how illusory is the idea that any other country or group of countries can challenge its pre-eminence among the world’s nations.”
So Americans have much to be thankful for, things that we have been taking for granted or been oblivious to. But, again, in light of all of this good news, why are we so depressed?
Photo by geralt via Pixabay, Creative Commons License
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In