In the year 2000, “the Western U.S. entered the beginning of what scientists call a megadrought—the second worst in 1,200 years” (CBS News, April 12, 2021). Today, 60 percent of western states in the United States are in severe, extreme, or exceptional drought—conditions that extend even into the Pacific Northwest. “Lake Powell [which provides water to California, Nevada, and Arizona] is within just a few feet of its lowest level ever observed since it was first filled....

You don’t have to have a degree in economics to recognize inflation. Just go to the grocery store, retail store, gas station, or shop online, and you discover higher prices.

For years, my dad has run—not jogged—down an unpaved road located just a few miles from our home. “The Old Dirt Road,” as we called it, was just one of the many farm roads that decorate the American South. This three-mile, undeveloped byway served my father well for his exercise of choice after a hard day’s work. It also served me, by giving me a chance to learn an important lesson from my father about planning for the future.

Russia and other nations around the globe are working to disconnect themselves from the dollar. The U.S. dollar, or “greenback,” has been a powerful element of American hegemony for more than a century. When nations trade goods in U.S. dollars, it keeps the currency strong and provides greater American influence in the affairs of those nations. It also helps keep the standard of living very high in the United States.

France and Germany have functioned as the leading nations of the European Union for more than a decade. Both nations contribute significant financial resources to the EU. But a recent article in German Foreign Policy observed, “Merkel’s last Franco-German Ministerial Council meeting feigns harmonious relations. Yet Merkel had successively increased Berlin’s predominance over Paris.” In recent years, the gulf between the two nations has widened.