The U.S. elections to be held in her 248th year are about the swinging pendulum of the world’s great power. At the beginning of the former President Donald Trump’s first term (he also aspires to be the next president) he publicly challenged many countries, including long-standing allies of the world’s largest democracy, such as Germany. Trump rebuked both Chancellor Angela Merkel and the European Union in general about the need for dramatically increased defense budgets. Why did this matter to Trump? Certainly, the numbers do not lie, and he, like many Republicans, knows them well: while the U.S. allocates nearly a trillion dollars annually to defense, which is about 4% of its GDP, Germany allocates only 1.3% of its GDP to defense. In absolute terms, China, the world’s second-largest defense spender, spends a third of what the U.S. spends on defense, which is also a lower percentage of its GDP than that of the U.S.

The Western world permits itself to spend less on security, counting on the U.S. to intervene in its defense against looming threats from dictatorships. Meanwhile, the U.S. prioritizes security over economic growth, while its allies seemingly celebrate amidst a world fraught with threats.

This is just one of many issues highlighting significant differences between two central worldviews among Western policymakers. Trump also initiated a direct confrontation with China: he demanded that China enforce copyright law and protect the intellectual property rights of American industry. With Turkey, he emphasized loyalty to NATO and did not hesitate to issue threats, as detailed in Dr. Hai Eitan Cohen Yanaracuk’s article. Following Trump’s presidency, Joe Biden sought reconciliation with Turkey and even extended an invitation to its president to the White House—a gesture thwarted by the outbreak of the “Swords of Iron” conflict and Erdogan’s statements favoring Hamas while opposing Israel and America.

Trump fundamentally undermined the failing healthcare plan led by former President Barack Obama which was increasing public spending while reducing medical service accessibility for everyone.

USA - 'The first nation that rose around an idea'
image: FOTOGRIN / Shutterstock.com

Is America still the world’s leader in freedom?

Celebrating its 248th anniversary, America remains the first nation founded on an idea – not a common ethnicity or shared history, but an idea. This idea didn’t originate with the American Revolution, but it flourished alongside the Industrial Revolution.

The seeds of this idea were planted by ancient Greeks who developed the concepts of individual liberty, transferring power to the people through direct elections, uniform laws for all, and enforcement of legal compliance. The Roman Republic later incorporated these Greek ideas, flourishing with democratic governance for 200 years.

The Byzantine Empire embraced this philosophy along with Jewish and Christian values, a notion that continued in the Republic of Venice. The Dutch Republic in the 17th century continued along the path of individual freedom, manifesting in capitalist governance as articulated by thinkers like Rousseau, Montesquieu, John Locke, and Adam Smith.

James Hickman, an American intelligence officer, military historian, and investment wizard, explains that America didn’t start from scratch but drew from an intellectual heritage spanning two millennia.

It is no coincidence that ideas of democracy and freedom thrived in these empires—they recognized that controlling a diverse population through force alone was untenable. Hence, governance that permitted individual freedom, social mobility, and expression for all communities became essential. This is also why communism, once favored by many of Israel’s founding fathers, couldn’t take root here. Democracy fosters diverse lifestyles in kibbutzim, settlements, Haredi communities, and in any other way individuals and ethnic groups choose to live.

Everything is “The Largest” – Including the Debt

Factually, free democracy that respects property rights and personal rights is also responsible for alleviating hunger and fostering prosperity worldwide. The United States welcomed refugees who arrived from destitution, unfamiliar with its language; many were escaped criminals who had failed in their own countries and traveled far from home to start anew. They found no welfare system or reception basket waiting for them there, but “money was on the floor,” as many said. This means no one hindered them from establishing businesses and earning money. Soon, they sent funds back to their families in countries considered much stronger than the United States.

On its 248th anniversary, America finds itself in crisis. Primarily due to its immense debt, inflation, high interest rates stifling growth, and a decline in patriotism manifesting in a drastic decrease in military enlistment.

Therefore, the upcoming elections in the United States are crucial for the nation’s core values. At the heart of these elections is the clash between capitalist ideals and welfare policies, a recurring theme in recent election cycles where Democrats aimed to strengthen public health initiatives, security funding, and diplomatic relations with China, Russia, and terrorist countries. American elections resonate globally because the United States continues to be a dominant economic force, boasting the world’s highest GDP. China’s GDP, though immense, still less than half of America’s – a testament to its remarkable success story. Despite numerous challenges, America remains an unparalleled global powerhouse.