Episode 2520: Larry Aldrich on what's Right with America
Does the United States of America still have anything going for it? According to the Arizona based Larry Aldrich, co-author of the upcoming What’s Right About America, there remains much to celebrate about his country’s foundational strengths, its resilience in the face of sometimes daunting challenges, and its continued innovation. He argues that America's focus on individual empowerment and the rule of law has created a structure that’s enabled the country to overcome its difficulties and divisions throughout its turbulent history. While acknowledging current political divisiveness over issues like immigration reform, Aldrich maintains that the American system of checks and balances continues to work and will enable the nation to navigate through its currently turbulent moment.
Five Point Takeaway
* Aldrich identifies five core American traits: courage, imagination, grit, generosity, and optimism, which he believes contribute to the nation's continued strength and resilience.
* He argues that America's innovative spirit continues to thrive through private sector achievements like SpaceX, which builds upon foundations established by government initiatives like NASA.
* Aldrich believes the American system of checks and balances, though currently stressed, is functioning as designed and will help correct excesses in governmental power.
* On immigration, he advocates for more humane policies and increased legal immigration, arguing that immigrants fill essential roles in the economy that many Americans don't want.
* Despite describing himself as a libertarian who has never voted for a Democrat at the federal level, Aldrich expresses views that sometimes align with centrist positions, including criticism of excessive regulation and opposition to political extremes.
Keen On America is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.
This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit keenon.substack.com/subscribe
Major Tom Schueman and Zainullah Zaki: Remembering the US War in Afghanistan and the Bond Between a Marine and an Interpreter
Wendy Smith on Profit AND Social Responsibility? How Today's Leaders Should Confront Our Toughest Problems
Nick Kostov on the Carlos Ghosn Story: A Modern-Day Greek Tragedy or the Parable of a Shameless Criminal Mastermind?
Kate Finn: Today Is International Day of the World's Indigenous Peoples. But What Should We Be Celebrating?
Elliot Ackerman: Why the American "Retreat" From Afghanistan Was a Giant Fuck-Up And How It Represents the Final Act of a Classic Five-Part Tragedy
Sabine Hossenfelder: An Existential Physicist Answers Life's Biggest Questions: Does God Exist? Is There Life in the Universe? Are We Living In a Simulated Reality?
Alan Murray: Tomorrow's Capitalism: Searching For that Elusive "Soul" of American Business
Anthony Marra: The Tools Which Allow Novelists to Create More "Realistic" Characters Than Those You See on the Screen
David Chalmers: If the World Itself Is a Giant Simulation, Then What's the Difference Between the Virtual Reality of Cyberspace and "Real Life"?
Liska Jacobs on The Pink Hotel: A California Novel Where You Can Check In But You Can't Check Out
Steven Thrasher: In the Age of Covid and Monkeypox, Should We Be Prioritizing the Health of the "Viral Underclass"?
Dwyer Murphy: How to Write About the City? Go Out Without an iPhone
Isaac Saul: Yes, "Truth" Still Exists in the Misinformation Age, But It's Unlikely to Make Many of Us Happy