Are America’s best days behind her? That is the topic of a new book by Australian philosopher and author Nick Adams. In The American Boomerang, Adams takes a close look at America’s “boomerang spirit” of entrepreneurialism and pragmatism to better understand whether the nation is poised for another great century or a slow decline. Adams joined Glenn on radio this morning to discuss what can be done to ensure our best days are ahead.
Adams has been on with Glenn in the past, and one of the things Glenn most appreciates is Adams’ optimism.
“I really do believe in America. And I think that sometimes a spectator sees more of the game. I hope to offer Americans a perspective that perhaps they no longer have or they may even have forgotten,” Adams explained. “And I seek to make America strong. I want America to feel relaxed and comfortable about its position in the world, so that it can go forward and lead the world in the great way that it's done for so many decades. I find it really unfortunate that America is losing that optimism, losing that resiliency. And I'm just seeking to fill Americans up with hope.”
His overwhelming belief in America comes from his love of history. As Adams explains, throughout history, whenever America has been under attack – freedom has been under attack – the nation has rebounded. It is that ability to bounce back that formed his “boomerang” theory.
“Every single time America bounced back, and it did so with interest. So I don't think that it's going to be any different this time,” he said. “I believe that America has got a different founding. I think a lot of America's shortcomings and policy failures can be reversed. You know, decline is not a condition. And I think that really can fix up America and get it back to what it was.”
Adams believes that one of the pathways to success is realigning ourselves on the Judeo-Christian values we were founded on.
“This is the only major industrialized nation that is Christian,” Adams said of the United States. “On average, 9% of Australians go to church at least once a week. Now, 49% of Americans identify as going to church once a week… In Europe, it hovers between 9 and 15%. A godless America would be Europe between Mexico and Canada.”
“Believe it or not, I'm here to tell you that America is an enormously faithful country compared to the rest of the world. Now, is it good enough? No. Should it go back to what it was? Absolutely,”he continued. “But it's important to note that I still believe that Christianity is at the heart of the American exceptionalism. And that's what I talk about in my book.”