Despite Joe Biden beginning his presidency in 2021 by declaring that ‘America is back’ – and that he’d reverse the previous administration’s efforts to put ‘America First’ – the present midterm campaign-trail is not focusing on international issues. Instead, November’s congressional election is being posed by some as a battle for the ‘soul of the nation’.

When first elected, Biden promised a new Cold-War narrative that would return America to its global activist role. However, nearly two years later, the US has struggled to influence any events regarding the war in Ukraine decisively. Meanwhile, China’s Belt and Road Initiative is beginning to challenge the economic influence of the US in some parts of the world. Despite these negative trends, the US remains the world’s largest economy, with a global influence far beyond that of China, and many US weapons are proving effective against Russia in Ukraine. So, to what extent is America really declining?

Do Americans themselves even care about remaining the preeminent power when midterm debates focus so much on internal fights over divisive cultural questions like school choice, abortion, and voting issues? Much of the mainstream political discussion in the US is caught up in the culture wars, with rows over race, gender ideology and so-called ‘woke’ politics seeming to divide communities. Will the upcoming midterms, which crucially set the stage for the 2024 presidential elections, hasten or hinder America’s apparent international decline? Will an electoral challenge resolve or exacerbate internal divisions? What is happening in America, and what consequences will it have for the rest of the world?

SPEAKERS:
Yaron Brook, chairman of the board, Ayn Rand Institute; host, The Yaron Brook Show; co-author, In Pursuit of Wealth: the moral case for finance

Jack Garland, student, University of California, Los Angeles; writer and editor, Bruin Political Review

Dr Richard Johnson, writer; lecturer in US politics, Queen Mary, University of London; author, The End of the Second Reconstruction: Obama, Trump, and the crisis of civil rights

Helen Searls, chief operating officer, Feature Story News; founder, Washington Hyenas book club; Ulysses enthusiast

CHAIR: Fraser Myers, deputy editor, spiked; host, The spiked podcast

PRODUCER: Claire Fox, director, Academy of Ideas; independent peer, House of Lords; author, I STILL Find That Offensive!

This live discussion from the Battle of Ideas 2022 took place on October 15, 2022 in London, UK. Hosted by the Ayn Rand Centre UK (ARCUK). ARCUK is a platform of talented thinkers who apply Ayn Rand's philosophy to many popular, intriguing, and complicated topics.

#BattleofIdeas2022 #BattleofIdeas #Culture #ARCUK #Midterms #Midterms2022 #USPolitics #USA"

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