America is the new Rome
The American empire is arrogant, brutal and yet completely indispensable to Western civilisation.
In the legendary HBO series The Sopranos, a Hasidic Jew, being beaten for not paying up, refers to Masada, where a handful of Jewish zealots kept an entire Roman legion at bay for years. ‘Where are the Romans now?’, he asked. Tony Soprano’s response: ‘You’re looking at them, asshole.’
Like the Mafia, Americans are hardly reluctant to apply force against opponents. As we see in Iran, even a bully can prove a civilisational necessity when confronted with existential threats. At a time when most democracies have become cream puffs, there remains a need for an authoritative force, which right now only America and Israel seem willing and able to apply.
How the current conflict in Iran ends up is far from certain, but something had to be done about the Islamic Republic. The world’s primary exporter of terrorism was on the verge of being able to deliver nuclear-tipped missiles over long distances. Nothing was going to stop them – not the EU, much less the United Nations. Britain, which can barely defend its bases in Cyprus, has not proved of much consequence.
Politics
National Civitas Institute Poll: Americans are Anxious and Frustrated, Creating a Challenging Environment for Leaders
The poll reveals a deeply pessimistic American electorate, with a majority convinced the nation is on the wrong track.
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Liberal Democracy Reexamined: Leo Strauss on Alexis de Tocqueville
This article explores Leo Strauss’s thoughts on Alexis de Tocqueville in his 1954 “Natural Right” course transcript.
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Long Distance Migration as a Two-Step Sorting Process: The Resettlement of Californians in Texas
Here we press the question of whether the well-documented stream of migrants relocating from California to Texas has been sufficient to alter the political complexion of the destination state.
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Who's That Knocking? A Study of the Strategic Choices Facing Large-Scale Grassroots Canvassing Efforts
Although there is a consensus that personalized forms of campaign outreach are more likely to be effective at either mobilizing or even persuading voters, there remains uncertainty about how campaigns should implement get-out-the-vote (GOTV) programs, especially at a truly expansive scale.
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The Logic of Pressing for Change in Cuba Now
How can the Trump Administration effect political change that satisfies the United States while appearing organic rather than dictated by Washington?
