Kerby Anderson
Tech CEO Chamath Palihapitiya on a recent interview reminded us why the world needs a strong America and what it takes to have a strong America. He began by saying that it was important for “Americans to take a step back and acknowledge this one truth. We are the single most important country in existence in the world.”
He went on to argue that “there are two things that underpin that. We are the single most vibrant economy in the world, and we are the single strongest military in the world. If you can agree to those two things, which I think should be non-controversial,” then we will be the strongest country in the world.
He believes those two key elements are why America is the most important country. It doesn’t matter if we make the best oranges or burritos or make the best shoes. Those products don’t equate to being the most powerful country.
America has “the strongest and most vibrant economy and the strongest and most powerful military.” He then argues that “there is only one thing that gives you both of those two things, which is technological supremacy.”
Next comes his concern. He believes “we are in an existential risk of losing our place in the world.” The reason, he believes is simple. We have had “people from the inside trying to sabotage our economy effectively and trying to sabotage our military capability.” And he adds that we have had too many in leadership who don’t know what they’re doing.
I would add that the last election was about this, at least in part. But much more reform needs to take place. We need people with economic judgment and military judgment.
Earlier this week, my commentaries have touched on the problem with DEI. We need to return to a meritocracy, and we need to put the right people in the right positions to have a strong America.

Kerby Anderson
Once President Trump was back in office, he ordered a pause on federal grants so that the incoming cabinet could evaluate what was being pushed through in the last few months of the Biden administration. As you might expect, the reaction from Democrats and the legacy press was over the top.
Fortunately, the editors of The Wall Street Journal decided to address what they called “The Spending Freeze Panic” explaining that the “pause on federal grants wasn’t illegal and didn’t even affect most spending.” They remind us, “It’s well within Mr. Trump’s executive authority to pause disbursement of discretionary funds to ensure they comply with the law and his priorities.”
The editors did add that “the White House didn’t help itself with a lack of clarity on the details.” And they pointed to a follow-up memo from the Trump administration that the pause would not affect financial assistance to individuals (such as food stamps, small business grants, aid to farmers) or even entitlement programs (like Medicaid and children’s nutrition).
There is a good reason for this pause. Yesterday I mentioned Trump’s executive order on DEI programs. There were federal grants heading out the door that required “diversity statements” for government funding, even though the Supreme Court ruled against racial preferences in education. The editors of The Wall Street Journal also remind us of the EPA grant that went for “climate justice” to leftist groups who were calling for the abolition of Israel and Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
A spending pause is constitutional. The Impoundment Control Act (which might someday be declared unconstitutional by the current court) would only apply if the president refuses to ever spend funds. The spending freeze panic was “much ado about nothing.”