Bill Kristol claims the debt bill "embodies a vision of America in decline" because of the potential defense cuts and that yesterday was "the best day the Chinese have ever had." Reihan pushes back:
If you were a Chinese military official hostile to U.S. interests, would you be more concerned about a United States that is economically stagnant due to a crushing spending and tax burden but that devotes a fairly big share of GDP to defense expenditures? Or would you be more concerned about a rich, dynamic United States that is growing pretty fast for a mature economy and that devotes a somewhat smaller share of of a much bigger GDP to defense expenditures?
I have to say, I’d be more freaked out about the latter than the former because the former United States has a great deal more latent power than it can draw upon when necessary. Granted, this “latent power” might not matter all that much in an immediate crisis, but it shouldn’t be neglected.
Douthat believes defense hawks like Kristol are out of luck. Defense spending chart from Friedersdorf.
The Dish 