The Fall of the Showman Empire
I’m not sure if most people realize that Trump didn’t create his most enduring catchphrase. He borrowed it from Ronald Reagan’s 1980 presidential campaign slogan, “Let’s Make America Great Again.” (One assumes Trump cut the Let’s out because the contraction reeks of elements like unity and cooperation.) It might be time to borrow a new slogan from REM: It’s the End of the World as We Know It. The acronym ITEOTWAWKI might not conveniently fit on a trucker hat, but the messaging fits the moment when it comes to America and the world. From our military shortcomings in Iran to our damaged relations with allies to the rapid demolition of our own values and institutions, it’s hard to argue with some of the points in Phillips Payson O’Brien’s assessment in The Atlantic (Gift Article): The American Age Is Over. “President Trump did not erode U.S. capabilities on his own. But Trump’s war with Iran has revealed just how the underlying dynamics of global power have shifted—and just how much American might has decayed.” I’m not sure the American age is over, but it sure feels like fall is in the air. It’s hard to make the case that we haven’t suffered a remarkable (and predictable) setback in a very short amount of time. And, at this point, it’s impossible to argue that the second election of Donald Trump isn’t one of the most egregious self-goals in the history of empires. Maybe we’re not quite ready for REM’s slogan, but we’re gonna definitely need this one from Mr. T. “To have a comeback, you have to have a setback.”
+ Bloomberg (Gift Article): Iran Blockade Costs Are Draining America’s Global Military Power.
+ Weapons can be replenished. Rebuilding alliances will be more difficult. European Union invites Canada to become first ever associate member. “In an unprecedented offer, von der Leyen said on Wednesday that the EU and Canada ‘see the world with the same eyes’ through shared democratic values and common approaches to many big issues, from AI to climate breakdown, the Ukraine war and geopolitics.” (Guess which country no longer sees the world with those eyes…) Leave it to social media to create a live view of Canadians waking up as associate members of the EU.
+ “Global investors are balking at U.S. bonds. Talk of the dollar’s dwindling power is getting louder. Foreign governments are hauling their gold out of American vaults.” NYT (Gift Article): The World Economy Is Becoming Wary of the US.
