We now have a president of the United States, Donald Trump, who says he is committed to streamlining the federal government. He is setting up an investigatory arm of the administration, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), to identify and recommend the removal of wasteful government programs, departments, and personnel.
There is a case to be made for going much further, to return the federal government to what the Founders intended; to pare it once more back to its proper constitutional boundaries. This will go beyond trimming the fat; this will involve cutting the imperial colossus our federal government has become down to the bone, and then paring away some of the bone to boot.
For the second installment of this series, let us discuss foreign affairs, immigration, and trade.
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Nations have no permanent allies, only permanent interests.
American foreign policy is in the purview of the federal government. In fact, constitutionally, it’s one of the few aspects of government that the federal government is actually supposed to be in charge of. Foreign policy is a pie with several pieces:
Foreign aid: Foreign aid is indeed only about one percent of the Federal budget, but aside from the spending concerns, there are matters of principle involved. The United States spends a lot of money abroad, much of it in places like Egypt, Sudan, Russia, Mozambique, and Ethiopia. What is the compelling U.S. interest that justifies spending money on those places? In almost every case, there is none. We spend a lot of money to fund despots, to prop up corrupt regimes, and to support people who plot against American interests. That should stop.
Foreign campaigning: Following the 2003 invasion of Iraq, Colin Powell noted “If you broke it, you bought it.” The United States should only engage in foreign wars if there is a compelling national security interest involved if the United States, its territories, or treaty partners (see: NATO) are attacked, or if there is a clear and present danger posed to the U.S. and its citizens. Once a commitment is made, following Mr. Powell’s observation, we should be prepared to see the operation through to the end. In some cases, it might take generations – something to consider before engaging in foreign adventures.
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Caveat: If America is attacked or our interests threatened, we should be able to respond vigorously, with overwhelming force. The Roman poet Lucius Accius famously said "Oderint dum metuant": “Let them hate, so long as they fear.” There will always be those who hate America, for our freedoms, for our economic power, for whatever reason. Their hate should be tempered by fear – by fear of the overwhelming might of American arms. As Roman citizens traveled the roads of Rome freely, knowing their safety was guaranteed by Roman power, so should American citizens feel secure in the world, knowing that the mightiest military machine in world history has their backs. We should only deploy troops when there is no other good option, but when we do, the bad guys should be soiling themselves in terror from the moment the first American private steps off the first airplane in theater.
Trade. A law of economics states that in a free market, resources always move towards their best possible use. It makes little sense for advanced countries with educated, skilled workforces to make textiles when they can make laptop computers and high-tech medical devices. Lower-skilled work is best done in developing nations, where they provide valuable jobs to an emerging workforce and provide a flow of capital into those countries. Free trade is responsible for the emergence of a middle class in countries like India, for the first time in history. But we must also have American interests at heart; that means using the power of trade barriers like tariffs to ensure that trade is even-handed.
Immigration. We are well past the time when the United States can absorb an unchecked flow of immigrants from the world over. We should encourage immigrants with valuable, marketable skills; we should also vigorously enforce immigration laws. People who come here illegally should not be rewarded with “paths to citizenship.” They should be deported back to their country of origin and sent to the end of the immigration line. Furthermore, illegal immigrants who break our laws, especially those who harm American citizens, must be dealt with - harshly.
The United States even now, even with our overwhelming debt, even with our runaway spending, even with our ever-expanding, monolithic federal government, occupies a unique place in history. We are the heirs of Rome; not since the fall of the Roman Empire has one nation held the domination of economic and military might that America holds today.
American foreign policy should have two and only two objectives: To promote American interests and to secure the safety of American citizens at home and abroad. The United States Marines have an unofficial motto that reads “no better friend, no worse enemy,” and that’s how America should be viewed in the world.
