There are two very different views of American greatness, and I'm afraid Trump shares the view that globalists and other enemies of freedom have. They understand American greatness in terms of imperial power, of armies and navies dominating the globe militarily, crushing all opposition and using force to impose the will of the elites in Washington on the world.
But there is another vision of our greatness that I call "de Tocquevillian greatness," after Alexis de Tocqueville. This vision says that our greatness was in the liberty that was given to the American people. Rather than being plundered and used as slaves by an elite class, people were allowed to retain more of their wealth, which they could then use in myriad ways to improve the world around them. Rather than corrupt, inefficient government initiatives that commonly make problems like poverty and poor education worse, individuals and private cooperatives can respond to solve problems far more effectively. But they can only do that if they have personal freedom, and retain more of their wealth to fund their own projects.
Needless to say, things are moving in the wrong direction. I hoped when Trump started fighting the bureaucracy in Washington that he would strike a blow for freedom, but increasingly it just looks like a factional fight between different bands of collectivists.
The problem with the de Tocquevillian view is that it was possible to achieve this in the 1700s on an isolated continent far away from all the great powers of the world.
It is not really possible in the 21st century when other powers who seek hegemony and domination can inflict harm on you from across the globe. You have to protect yourself, and some times preemptively, sometimes with a show of strength (both militarily and economically) as deterrent that requires the ability to act in ways that are indistinguishable from an imperial power.
Truly excellent post. I very much see it the way you do.
America being great again depends on what a person thinks made it great for the citizens of America. Projecting world power is nice, but it only works if the people believe in their countries internal greatness.
The problem is that what is happening has left out the average middle class people who are just getting nothing that makes any improvement in their lives. I see old people having to move out of apartments with nowhere to go because rents and housing have risen way beyond their means. Crushed by rising costs, the people aren’t asking for free stuff, just to bring the costs to being real as to what people can make. They don’t want to marry, have kids, if they have to work a bunch of crappy jobs never owning a home and struggle just to keep a roof over their head and an old beater in the parking lot.
People under pressure of being broke brings about the push for socialism. It will continue until someone makes it possible for people to live with a degree of affordability.
Schools are horrible, prices are terrible. We back down on immigration and other policies.
The high hopes are diminishing for a good future. 80’s and 90’s are looked back on with awe now. Although they were not perfect at all.
Socialism truly stinks. Unfortunately, it sells when people see the rich getting richer and everyone else can hardly make it.