I am not sure why most people were surprised by Bush’s inaugural
speech. It contains the essence of what swept the Republicans to power,
and what will keep them there. What is it? It is the last gasp of the
idea of a “nation” — a people with a common beliefs, origin, and
history. Bush merely pumped the idea that American nationalism was
exceptional.
The problem is that we live in a market-world. Our ability to
compete effectively in these global markets determines our long-term
success. Muscular nation-states don’t do well in this environment. They
involve themselves in non-economic behavior that radically harms their
ability to compete effectively. [John Robb’s Weblog]