The Age of Anxiety

In the wake of this month’s elections, many Democrats have asked over and over again, “I get that voters are angry. But what are they possibly angry about?”

It’s easy to understand Democrats’ mystification: The US economy is booming. The country still dominates higher education, scientific research, military spending, technology, and diplomacy.

Yet, for most Americans, the economy is at best stagnant.  The world is in chaos with American leadership eviscerated, and the country’s government – if not the very concept of government itself – lies in tatters.  This all raises unsettling questions:

– Are we facing a “jobless economy” that will leave most people poorer, more marginalized, and with less control over their destinies?

– Does this represent US decline relative to the rest of the world, and particularly a rising China?

– Do these developments signify that governments and experts everywhere have no real idea how to manage economies and solve problems like this – and that we’re descending into an age of chaos?

You’ll be able to find my answers in my latest article in The Hill, The Age of Anxiety.

And, if you’re interested in going deeper on the global affairs part of my argument, you’ll be able to find that today in US News & World Report.

Lastly, if you are in Chicago this evening, stop by the University Of Chicago Harris School’s forum, “Election Analysis: The 2014 Midterms and What It All Means.”  Panelists include Dan Proft, former GOP gubernatorial candidate; Jim Warren, Washington bureau chief for the New York Daily News; and Charlie Wheelan, economist and founder of the Centrist Party.  I’ll be moderating. You can follow the live tweeting at @weareteamharris and @chicagoharris.

Please leave comments below.  I look forward to further debate and reaction.

I’ll look forward to further debate and reaction.