What are the enduring sources of American power and influence?

A more focused intro and background info TBD. But basically, maybe think of this topic as a kind of antidote to our earlier discussions on the decline of U.S. power and influence under President Trump and other recent presidents and events (2008 financial crisis, growing debt both public and private, losing wars in the Middle East, etc.).

What are the enduring sources of U.S. strength? Both domestically, for our own people's prosperity and freedom, and internationally, to get other countries to help solve global problems we cannot solve on our own? What wellsprings of U.S. power and influence cannot be ephemerally and whimsically tossed away by this president and his strange crew of advisors?

• Hard power (military and national security tools)
• Soft power (economic, cultural, diplmatic tools)

The latter might include our:

• Dynamic economy and its historic ability to innovate and weather storms.
• Broad and deep capital markets and openness to entrepreneurship.
• Welcome mat for immigrants and the strengths they bring ashore, and that a diverse culture has over its more closed off rivals.
• Geographic size and rich resources.

I weep when I think that so much is being thrown away to quickly and carelessly - and that most Americans will receive so little in return.

But maybe I am wrong, or at least overly pessimistic. The United States weathered recent crises, like COVID and financial shocks, far better than most peer countries. Before that, we got strong for concrete reasons. On March 23, let's discuss whether/which sources of American strength are beyond the power of government - even this government - to destroy.

Optional Background readings -

• TBA.