Trump was right about one thing, we are a nation in decline, but it’s not for the reasons he’s claiming.
Democracies grant immense power to the electorate. Including the power of suicide. Democratic systems are inherently capable of ending themselves because ultimately their survival depends on enough people believing in the system and holding the integrity of the system to be more important than any particular democratic outcome. That is lost in the US. Most voters don’t care.
That truth alone makes a decent argument for US being in decline. It will take a long time , but it’s beginning.
End? It was always a myth?
They aren’t exceptional. They’re just like Russia.
We are not just like Russia.
We aren’t exceptional though, you got that right. America hasn’t been exceptional in decades.
Oh, it has… just not in the ways anyone would desire to be considered exceptional.
Given that Russia has a competent government and isn’t on a verge of a civil war, not sure in what way America is like Russia.
“I live in the best country on the planet!”
“Have you ever been to another country?”
“Well, no. But why would I do that when I’m already in the best country!”
This doesn’t apply to just the US…
Traveling does wonders to people. Shame not a lot of people can afford it and even those who can not all travel.
Maybe even the start of Americans engaging with reality, I’m not holding my breath though.
The End of American Exceptionalism
But not the end of them claiming it regardless of the reality.
Then again, their claims of being the bestest ever at everything have been false for a very long time already.
It is difficult to get Drezner to understand that American exceptionalism is already dead when his salary depends upon his not understanding it.
