Today, Victor Davis Hanson concludes his account of America’s role in the world at the end of the postwar international order; Joseph Ledford explores the evolution of US-Mexico security cooperation in recent decades; and Joshua Rauh and Benjamin Jaros call on Congress to reform the Congressional Budget Office so that its data and methods can be checked by external authorities.
Freedom Frequency
In the second part of an essay series for Freedom Frequency, Senior Fellow Victor Davis Hanson concludes his sweeping account of the 80 years since the end of World War II, tracing the geopolitical shifts and challenges that have led us to today. In his telling, both the triumphs and the mistakes of the postwar world—as well as the many unanticipated shifts after the Cold War’s end—are pointing to a new era of American leadership that is both similar to and different from the old. Read more here.
Determining America’s Role in the World
Writing at Engelsberg Ideas, Hoover Fellow Joseph Ledford examines the US-Mexican joint campaign to combat and dismantle drug cartels. Reviewing the history of bilateral security cooperation, Ledford shows that after a decline in such efforts during the first Trump term and the Biden administration, today, “the United States and Mexico wage a 21st-century battle against cartels.” Ledford explains that corruption in Mexico remains a challenge, as do sovereignty concerns. But as he concludes, “the United States and Mexico have entered a new age of security cooperation,” and the relationship between President Trump and his counterpart, President Claudia Sheinbaum, remains consequential for policy outcomes in both nations. Read more here.
Revitalizing American Institutions
“Washington is hurtling toward a spending crisis, but the fiscal watchdogs meant to check its excesses are already trapped in a crisis of credibility,” write Senior Fellow Joshua D. Rauh and Research Fellow Benjamin Jaros in an opinion column for The Wall Street Journal. Focusing on “the Congressional Budget Office [CBO] and its tax-scoring counterpart, the Joint Committee on Taxation [JCT],” Rauh and Jaros emphasize that replicability of projections, including disclosure of “the exact code, data and documentation needed to reproduce results,” is a hallmark of academic publications. “Yet,” they explain, “the CBO and JCT, whose work shapes trillions of dollars in federal policy affecting every American household, are held to a far lower standard.” Rauh and Jaros say, “Congress can fix this” through code and data disclosure requirements and increased oversight. Read more here. [Subscription required.]
Science and Technology
A new short video featuring Senior and Science Fellow Drew Endy explains that biology is rapidly becoming a general-purpose technology with far-reaching consequences for economic competitiveness and national security. While China advances with an all-of-nation strategy and world-class facilities, America risks forfeiting its longstanding leadership without decisive action. Three imperatives define the path forward: making foundational investments in biotechnology infrastructure and standards; securing biology through biological intelligence and modern biodefense capabilities; and expanding nationwide access to biotech education, tools, and capital. Endy argues that acting at scale will determine whether the next century of biotechnology strengthens American prosperity, security, and freedom. Last week, 60 Minutes spoke with Endy about the International Genetically Engineered Machine, or iGEM, competition he co-founded. "It's urgent that leadership of the next generation of biotechnology has a strong presence in America and it's represented by young American leaders,” Endy said. Watch here.
Artificial Intelligence
Writing for his weekly column at RealClearPolitics, Senior Fellow Peter Berkowitz draws on insights from Pope Leo, Palantir CEO Alex Karp, and author Paul Kingsnorth to analyze the challenges artificial intelligence (AI) poses to human flourishing and self-government today. Berkowitz finds that transmitting the value of “inalienable rights and the forms of government that secure them, human dignity, and the common good” to the next generation could “greatly improve the nation’s chances of clarifying AI’s blessings and curses.” But Berkowitz is clear that challenges associated with the technology, including serving as a cognitive crutch and blurring the line between truth and falsehood, render humanity vulnerable absent deliberate efforts. Read more here.
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