America's Munificent Destiny
By James Bowden (02/11/05)
Nations, like men, have destinies. They choose to fulfill them or fail. Free Will, not fate, makes choices at every crossroads in life for men and nations alike. President George W. Bush stated the vision for the United States as “our generational commitment to the advance of freedom”. That vision may be part of a greater destiny for our Nation. America has a Munificent Destiny, if we, The People, choose it. America’s Munificent Destiny serves us for a century, perhaps longer.
America’s Munificent Destiny is to use our phenomenal aggregation of wealth, power, technology and culture with pragmatic generosity. The purpose for the engine of our economy is the Goose that Lays Golden Eggs. The point for our military power is to protect the security and stability of our Homeland and Allies. The profound goal for America’s place in the world in the 21st Century is to win World War IV and defeat the Islamists – whether the victory is in this century or another.
Americans believed in our 19th Century Manifest Destiny to expand the American Empire, the Empire of Liberty, across the whole continent. America fulfilled its destiny and closed the Frontier in 1892. Likewise, our 21st Century Munificent Destiny is believable and achievable.
This century sets the context for the Destiny. The 21st Century broadly divides the World into Haves and Have Nots. Compare the maximum rate of economic expansion, capital growth, and the population growth of the Have Nots and you see that per capita wealth will decrease, the poor will get poorer, on their own.
Furthermore, each continent has its own challenges. China is an elephant on a tightrope with huge internal crises to cross for the next 30 years. If China does not implode in part or whole, then the whole world will re-align to a new economic reality and military potential – after 2050. As China becomes more Christian its worldview may change. Likewise, India, the most populous country, faces internal tensions as its power alters the world economy. Japan ages itself down or reasserts itself with aggressive identity.
Africa declines. Islamists keep the border of Islam and Christendom bloody all the way across Africa.
Latin America’s demographics are destiny. Where capitalism triumphs over oligarchy and socialism, especially as the Protestant Reformation changes the minds of the majority, there is economic hope. But, more capital is needed.
Europe becomes a battleground, like Africa, for the Islamists. Europe, including Russia, converts Muslims to Human Secularist Pagans or awakens itself to Christianity and converts Muslims, or ages itself to a socialist grave tended by a Muslim majority.
The Muslim world, straddling the world like a belt along the lines of its military conquests since the 7th Century, will be produce a minority of Islamists until there is a Renaissance, Reformation, Enlightenment and Great Awakenings. The first steps to democracy in Afghanistan and Iraq are wonderful, but just first, hopeful steps.
It is in this world, that the U.S. can keep its economy strong by creating the personal ownership society for our health, welfare, senior social security and education. By producing more and more capital, America can invest throughout the world, where there is stability, just as Europeans, especially Britain, enabled the U.S. westward expansion. Our Manifest Destiny following the railroads west would never have happened without the foreign capital.
America’s capital can invest in eco-sanctuaries, tourism, and clean up, where there is security and stability. America can research more medicines to heal the sick. America can help feed the starving. America can do all and more when the laws of economics are obeyed like the laws of physics – so we don’t step off a building to defy gravity.
No Age of Aquarius follows this destiny. But, much that is right for America and the World can be done. Naturally, the Conservatives have to win the Great U.S. Culture War, our ACW II, for Americans to embrace a Munificent Destiny.
America’s great power and wealth can be put to good works. But, our power and wealth must be maintained, not abused in nation building, diminished in neglect, or squandered in socialism at home or abroad.
America’s alliances, established and ad hoc, are necessary to “Defend Freedom” against Islamist Totalitarianism. It’s like our World Wars against Japanese Imperialism, Human Secular Nazi and Communist Totalitarianism.
The defense, and expansion, of economic opportunity and individual liberty starts at home. Fixing Social Security is a first step towards America’s Munificent Destiny. Let’s go all the way.
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