America and the Art of the Possible

Restoring National Vitality in an Age of Decay

By: Christopher Bushkirk

Narrated by: Alex Boyles

Between 1920 and 1950, America saw an unprecedented expansion of wealth and power underwritten by technological innovation, cultural confidence, and victory in war. American elites won World War II, rebuilt the world order with America at its head, inaugurated the jet age, and put a man on the moon. The boom led to a larger, richer middle class that confirmed America’s best ideals.

By the early 1970s, that ended. American elites have captured a disproportionate share of the social and economic rewards over the last fifty years. Meanwhile, the middle class has shrunk in size and has become economically insecure, owning a smaller share of national wealth than at any time in the nation’s history. This has happened even while most households have two income earners, versus the single-income households that characterized the period of shared prosperity. At the same time, technological innovation that improves people’s standard of living has dramatically slowed.

These trends undermine the basic premise behind the broad acceptance of a meritocratic elite, whose rule is predicated on the belief that if the best rise to the top, their talent and energy will create a rising tide that lifts all boats. We had that once. We can have it again.

©2023 Christopher Buskirk (P)2023 Blackstone Publishing

Great logic and points

This viewpoint is so valid. Humans need challenge and strife. When the US was formed the challenge was conquering frontier and we all shared similar values. Now people seek conflict in things that do not matter. This book really helps to put all that in perspective.

Must read

This should be required reading for all school administrators and all business leaders and politicians- or just everyone!

Great book on these Untied States

I saw the interview with the author on Tucker Carlson and really enjoyed his description of what is going on in our country. I bought the audio book and am on my second listen. It is a really good book! I agree with all that he says. about 90% of the book explains how we got to where we are and gives you a snapshot of some numbers which illustrate our decline. Then in the end he gives a very fine explanation of how we can crawl out of our poor state of affairs. Though I agree with his answers to the problems, none of this can be accomplished so long as the people keep following the corporations and oligarchs who control our politicians like a set of puppets. We each must makes personal choices our lives Rostand up for what is moral and right to take this country back to where we once were before the 1950's. I strongly suggest this book. a bit about me and my mind set... I am 58 years old, white male, husband for 29 years father of two, I served in the Marines, I am a Mason, an Admiral in the Texas Navy, anti Abraham Lincoln, supporter of the Confederacy, a citizen of Texas, supporter of Coolidge, Truman, Reagan and Trump. an enemy of BLM, an enemy of the Marxist left and a supporter of the first ten amendments to the Constitution!