The Limits Of Power

Via James Fallows, I see that Prof. Andrew Bacevich, a TAC Contributing Editor, was recently interviewed on NPR’s Fresh Air about his new book, The Limits of Power, and again by Bill Moyers.  Prof. Bacevich also has a new, extensive article adapted from his book in the latest issue of TAC.  In the NPR interview, Bacevich was especially interesting and persuasive when he was talking about the relationship between American expansionist impulses, reckless foreign policy and our culture of consumption and acquisition, which is a theme he discusses at some length in this article.  Here is a provocative excerpt:

Carter’s speech did enjoy a long and fruitful life—chiefly as fodder for his political opponents. The most formidable was Ronald Reagan. He portrayed himself as conservative but was, in fact, the modern prophet of profligacy—the politician who gave moral sanction to the empire of consumption. Beguiling his fellow citizens with talk of “morning in America,” Reagan added to America’s civic religion two crucial beliefs: credit has no limits, and the bills will never come due. Balance the books, pay as you go, save for a rainy day—Reagan’s abrogation of these ancient bits of folk wisdom did as much to recast America’s moral constitution as did sex, drugs, and rock and roll.