Today is a dark day—not because of the individual returning to office, but because of what this fact reveals about the state of the American project: the ongoing endeavor to realize our founding ideals of political equality, individual rights, economic opportunity, and pluralism. Our nation is sliding ever further into plutocracy, with our government increasingly dominated by financialists intent on consolidating power by sowing division and manufacturing disharmony. Unless you are among the one percent, this should concern you—regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, ideology, or party affiliation.
Throughout my teaching and writing career, I’ve been accused of many things: being a progressive or conservative, an imperialist or internationalist, a socialist or capitalist. At my core, I’m none of those things. I’m an American. My great-grandfather’s great-grandfather was Private George DeLong, who in 1778 took up arms in Pennsylvania to fight British tyranny. This was two years after the Second Continental Congress sat in session and announced to the world that we were no longer subjects of King George III, but rather a self-governing people. “We hold these truths to be self-evident,” they said, “that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” It’s the hopefulness of this shared legacy that makes today so painful—a step backward toward the very subjugation our forebears, and countless generations after them, including our own, fought to escape. The promise of a more perfect union remains unfulfilled, and today’s events do not merely threaten to stall our progress—they risk undoing it entirely.
Before we go further, a quick practical note: this inaugural newsletter is longer than most posts will be. Typically, you can expect posts of about 1,000 words, with a reading time of 5-7 minutes. For those who prefer listening, Substack’s app provides an option to listen to posts directly, making it easier to engage with the content in your preferred format.
The Coming Age of Disorder
Although the United States is uniquely positioned to thrive in the twenty-first century, our current descent into deep polarization and mutual distrust comes at an extraordinarily perilous time. Most Americans have failed to recognize or acknowledge that we have entered a new age of global disorder—driven by a calculated shift in our own national security priorities, with serious implications for international stability. After the Second World War, the United States constructed a globalized economic order that effectively sidelined geopolitics, ushering in the most peaceful era in human history. For 80 years, there has not been a single great power war. Yet in recent decades, we have begun to question the benefits of this arrangement. Gradually and with broad bipartisan support, we have reduced our foreign policy commitments. While our retreat from the role of global hegemon may be rational, the resulting deglobalization signals a far more dangerous world ahead. We are already seeing this reality play out in conflicts like those in Ukraine and Palestine.
This would be troubling enough if it were the only danger we faced—but it isn’t. The world is also confronting a demographic crisis unprecedented since at least 1500. Depopulation is reshaping great powers, including China, Russia, Japan, the European Union, and many other nations. Declining birth rates, shrinking workforces, and aging populations are weakening economic growth, straining social systems, and reducing military capacity, leaving these countries less able to maintain domestic stability or exert regional and global influence. This demographic shift not only increases the likelihood of rising authoritarian governments but also heightens the risk of militarism. Nations may resort to aggression to manage domestic strife, pursue geopolitical goals while they still can, or secure vital resources like energy and food to sustain their economies.
And we still have one more massive challenge to account for: climate change. The effects of a warming planet are no longer a distant concern—they are already reshaping our world. Extreme weather events, from unrelenting droughts and devastating hurricanes to raging wildfires and catastrophic floods, are growing more frequent and severe. Food and water insecurity is escalating as agricultural yields decline and freshwater sources dwindle. Rising sea levels threaten to submerge coastal cities and low-lying nations, displacing millions. Compounding these crises is the growing reality of climate refugees—people forced to flee their homes due to environmental disasters. This mass dislocation will create unprecedented pressure on national borders, strain already fragile systems, and heighten geopolitical tensions. Deglobalization, depopulation, and climate change are each existential threats—yet we face all three at once.
Why America Should Be Poised to Thrive
Over the past decade, I’ve heard many people—both progressives and conservatives—say they would consider relocating to another country if a candidate from the opposition party were elected president. I’ve had moments when such thoughts crossed my mind, too. But upon reflection, this notion is misguided. Why? Because no nation is better positioned than the United States to weather the emerging global storms. America possesses unparalleled advantages that are often under-appreciated across the ideological spectrum.
We have the largest economy, one of the highest per capita incomes, and significant economic independence. Counterintuitively, America is one of the least trade-dependent nations in the world, with a trade-to-GDP ratio of just 27% in 2022—well below the global average of 63%. Unlike many countries, the United States has the capacity to adapt to deglobalization with minimal disruption. Our vast landmass, low population density, comparatively high fertility rates, and enduring appeal to immigrants also provide us with long-term demographic resilience.
These economic and demographic strengths are complemented by significant geographic advantages. The protection of two vast oceans, along with peaceful neighbors to the north and south, largely insulates us from global instability. With the world’s most powerful military, including the largest navy and a robust nuclear arsenal, we hold unmatched strategic power. Adding to these strengths, America’s abundant energy resources—spanning hydrocarbons and renewables—make us fully energy independent, providing tremendous geopolitical and economic advantages.
Additionally, as the most climate-resilient nation on the planet, we are uniquely positioned to navigate environmental challenges—though we are not immune to the trials that recent hurricanes, floods, and wildfires have made painfully clear. We boast the most arable land of any nation, ensuring unparalleled food security, and massive freshwater reserves that can be better utilized through improved efficiency. Our geographic size and resources also provide the capacity to absorb and relocate displaced populations within the country, offering a level of flexibility unmatched by most nations.
Given these unparalleled advantages, for most of us, leaving America for another country would likely be unwise. The real danger to our future is not our inability to address the external threats we face—our unique strengths make that possible—but our failure to come together as a people to confront them. As the cartoonist Walt Kelly famously wrote, “We have met the enemy, and he is us.” Our deepening polarization and growing perception of one another as enemies distract us from addressing the challenges that truly threaten our individual and collective well-being. If we allow these divisions to continue dominating our national discourse, we risk squandering the immense opportunities afforded by our unique position in the world. Instead, we must commit to a shared future and rediscover the sense of unity and purpose that has defined America’s greatest achievements. Only by working together can we ensure that America not only survives these emerging storms but thrives in their wake.
Looking Ahead: The Mission of Thor’s Forge’s
The work of this newsletter, in the coming months and beyond, will be to explore the systemic reforms and policy solutions needed to create a fairer, more resilient America. My approach will be guided by three core philosophies: progressivism, pragmatism, and cosmopolitanism. As we delve into future posts, you’ll come to understand what these terms mean to me and how they shape the vision I’m presenting. Below are some of the main themes and directions I will pursue.
The challenges we face today should not surprise us, given the inherent shortcomings of America’s governance system. Designed brilliantly for the 18th century, our Constitution has long struggled to keep pace with the demands of the modern world. Republican leaders have often exploited its minoritarian structures to their advantage, while Democrats have consistently failed to prioritize systemic reform. That must change. These inadequacies must be confronted head-on.
We must begin by rediscovering the foundational principles of our political system, as articulated in the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution’s Preamble—what scholars call the Thin Constitution—while recognizing that these ideals cannot be fully realized within our current structure. This will be the central focus of my first series of posts. Next, we must better understand our political history, which will frame the follow-up series. Finally, we’ll examine the major shortcomings of our structural framework and governing practices, from the very existence of the Senate and the Electoral College to single-member House districts and the makeup of the federal judiciary. Future series will explore each of these in depth, because without addressing these flaws, adopting the policies we need to thrive in the 21st century will remain too difficult.
Once these foundational ideas are in place, we will turn to policy discussions in three major areas:
Securing Our Nation: to safeguard America’s territorial and economic future, we must adopt new geopolitical strategies that account for the realities of deglobalization, demographic challenges, and shifting global power dynamics.
Achieving Happiness: to enable individual and collective flourishing, we need bold economic policies that prioritize fairness, opportunity, and security for all Americans.
Thriving Amid Climate Change: to navigate the challenges of a warming planet, we must embrace both mitigation and adaptation strategies that ensure long-term stability and sustainability.
Making these necessary changes will require courage, creativity, and a willingness to challenge entrenched ideas and institutional arrangements that are often taken for granted. This newsletter is an invitation to rediscover the principles that make this nation worth fighting for, confront uncomfortable truths, and explore bold, transformative solutions. The challenges we face are immense, but so too are the opportunities. Let’s forge something better together.
I think it's sad that you couldn't say President Donald Trump instead of "the individual" in your opening line. That kind of tells me where you are coming from. I voted 2 times for Obama and 3 times for Trump. And I, as a senior citizen, endured 4 years of President Joe Biden and Bidenomics that has severely crimped my economics via higher food prices, higher home heating prices, higher gas prices for my hybrid vehicle, AND higher property taxes to help pay for the increased need for special education in our local schools because of the influx of illegal immigrant children, as Connecticut is a sanctuary state. So please, give President Trump a chance. It can't be any worse economically for us, average working people and senior citizens, than under President Biden.