On July 27, War on the Rocks published a commentary by Mathew Burrows and Robert Manning on the Biden administration’s democracy agenda. The authors make the point that there is an inherent tension between the importance Biden has assigned to promoting democracy and the American people viewing it as a less important foreign policy issue.
“America’s domestic dysfunction has undermined its legitimacy and international influence. The country now appears to be a ‘dysfunctional superpower,’ one unable to pass budgets, manage its debt, ratify treaties, or carry out a coherent and consistent foreign policy. Some might add an inability to put medical science ahead of polarized, tribal politics. Until these problems have been fixed, it is probably wise to tone down the over-the-top rhetoric as if Washington knows best.”
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