In the final chapter, Kim Holmes of the Heritage Foundation sums up why “the current path is bound to fail.” (A) “No economy as indebted as ours will be able to sustain an ever-expanding welfare state;” (B) No culture that so demeans self-reliance and responsibility can nourish the spirit of a great nation;” (C) No political system so divided and mired in ever-constant crisis as ours is today will continue forever to enjoy the confidence of the people;” and (D) “No great power that allows its armed forces to atrophy will ever continue as a great world leader.”
Fine, these charges make sense. So does the preceding analysis, which relates how a nation that started out very well in the late 18th Century – and eventually corrected the scourge of slavery - has drifted off course over the past century or so.
The starting point is an ethos of free people taking charge of their own destiny with voluntary social networks as a backup when they get in trouble. Aside from providing security against foreign and domestic threats, the government (especially the federal government) plays a rather limited role – as was intended. Claims that the government played a major role from the get go in building the US economy are, according to this book, just plain wrong.
Enter the idea that bureaucrats and central planners can solve problems better than ordinary people, and should be provided the resources to do so. The voluntary associations decline, e.g., far more parents used to be in PTA’s than are today, and Americans come to place more and more reliance in government action.
The new government programs are costly, and imposing enough taxes to pay for them is not politically convenient – so politicians authorize deficit spending and start nibbling away at the defense budget. In half a century since the high water mark of American power and prestige in the 1950s, the country has declined to its current state.
The discussion seems particularly well informed when it comes to the erosion of the US military in recent years, and understandably so as Holmes has done most of his work over the past 20+ years in the military/international relations area. http://herit.ag/1bz4JuZ
When it comes to how we could get American “back to great,” Holmes says he is not suggesting an attempt to recreate the 18th American republic. Our concern must not be nostalgia for the past, but rather a vision for the future. His punch list, however, sounds a lot like undoing things that have happened. Restore the culture – provide opportunity for all – revive the US economy – rebuild constitutional government – give more power back to the states – support the military properly and use its power wisely.
These things won’t be easy, Holmes concedes, but it’s not too late and Americans can swing back to the right as they have done before. Perhaps, but he doesn’t present a convincing game plan – nor explain why Americans will rise up and resist trends that they have been complacently accepting for decades.
Readers who agree with the diagnosis should look elsewhere for solutions.
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Reviewed in the United States on November 8, 2013
'Rebound' takes a step back. Kim Holmes invites us on a journey to uncover how America got where we are today. It's big-picture analysis on the next generation's increasing isolation, how the 60s "summer of love" movement was not ultimately freeing, and why this plays into America's role in the world.
You might say 'Rebound' is the anti 'America: The Story of Us' -- History Channel's 2010 mini-series that places the federal government front-and-center in the United States' economic and global rise. Great visuals, just the narrative lacks what 'Rebound' provides: an understanding of America's values, weaving in great lives along with solid stats to back it up.
Many people seem to be puzzled by how conservatives view the world. With Rebound, a historian with policy expertise presents that narrative you need: just the right mix of data, stories and analysis to provide real insights.
Engaging mix of current events, culture and the story of America
By J Michaels on November 8, 2013
So often in today's busy world, we live in the moment: work deadlines, family needs, bills to pay... and "breaking news" with red alerts flashing is the most we sometimes get to understand what's happening nationally. (That's me, anyway.)By J Michaels on November 8, 2013
'Rebound' takes a step back. Kim Holmes invites us on a journey to uncover how America got where we are today. It's big-picture analysis on the next generation's increasing isolation, how the 60s "summer of love" movement was not ultimately freeing, and why this plays into America's role in the world.
You might say 'Rebound' is the anti 'America: The Story of Us' -- History Channel's 2010 mini-series that places the federal government front-and-center in the United States' economic and global rise. Great visuals, just the narrative lacks what 'Rebound' provides: an understanding of America's values, weaving in great lives along with solid stats to back it up.
Many people seem to be puzzled by how conservatives view the world. With Rebound, a historian with policy expertise presents that narrative you need: just the right mix of data, stories and analysis to provide real insights.
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