By Lee H. Hamilton March 30, 2022 Who are the most important Americans? It’s a question that’s sure to generate lots of disagreement. It might even start some passionate arguments. Everyone has a different idea of who they are. Most of us would include presidents on the list: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, maybe Franklin Roosevelt…. Read more »
By Lee H. Hamilton March 16, 2022 The value of a free, independent press to representative democracy is incalculable. Our system of government relies on the people knowing what their elected representatives say and do. The best check on every elected official is an active news media looking over their shoulders. Autocrats know this as… Read more »
By Lee H. Hamilton March 2, 2022 American policymakers have a very full plate. They’ve got to grapple with health care, education, the environment, economic growth and more. The list goes on and on. Along with these priorities, I have argued for some time that the policy community needs to do more to address poverty…. Read more »
By Lee H. Hamilton February 16, 2022 The 2022 Winter Olympics, wrapping up in Beijing, have again focused the world’s attention on China. The games have provided China with an opportunity to impress a worldwide audience and to distract attention from criticism over human rights violations and other issues. But there is rarely a time… Read more »
By Lee H. Hamilton February 2, 2022 The North Atlantic Treaty Organization is the largest peacetime alliance in the world and has been arguably the most successful such alliance in history. It has had remarkable success in achieving its basic goals: containing Soviet expansion, checking the rise of nationalism and helping integrate Europe. It provides… Read more »
We Americans share a common faith in democracy as the best and most just system of governance. We treasure government “of the people, by the people and for the people.” With the founders, we believe that governments derive their authority from the consent of the governed.
President Joe Biden took office a year ago with a promise to restore America’s role as a world leader, re-engage with allies and rebuild alliances that had frayed under Donald Trump’s “America First” approach. “America is back. Diplomacy is back,” Biden said.
We had high hopes for the future of U.S.-Russian relations after the collapse of the Soviet Union three decades ago. The Cold War had ended, and Russia seemed for a time to be moving in the direction of openness and democracy. But those hopes were soon dashed.
The United States emerged in the 20th century as the world’s most powerful and competitive nation. Our economy, our technology and our political system became the envy of all others. But in recent years, many observers have claimed that America is losing its edge.
The rise of China is the most formidable challenge that American foreign policy faces. With its population of nearly 1.5 billion people and its rapid growth, China has transformed itself into an economic and political powerhouse.