The U.S. has fundamentally changed in the last 30 years. Did you notice?

For the better part of a century the U.S. did well--very, very well indeed--for many reasons.  Anyone with an IQ over room temperature can think of at least a dozen.

One is that we rejected the caste system of England for a meritocracy.  It was a great idea.  And people around the world noticed.

Another factor--closely related to the first--was the introduction of the concept of "private property"--that "commoners" could own property, and that our "law" would defend that ownership.  And people around the world noticed.
 
A third key was freedom of speech.  The rest of the world didn't have it, but we enshrined it in our Constitution.  And it seemed to be a really good thing.  And people around the world noticed.

You can easily continue this list for another hour, but the point is that everyone noticed the things that made us better.  And this in turn started something interesting:  The best and brightest and most highly motivated people from around the world came here, looking for the opportunity to excel.

It's not an accident that U.S. inventions are the backbone of the world today.

But in the last 20 years or so almost all that has changed.

Today, thanks to Democrat rule, our rulers are letting in not the best and brightest, but everyone.  At the same time the courts have basically gutted freedom of speech, so now you can be fired for saying something that offends Democrats.

Where we once had a meritocracy--a "culture of competence"--we now have one party screaming that the highest result is *equal outcomes, regardless of effort.*

It used to be unquestionably accepted that hard work would usually lead to success.  Or more often the converse: that useless slackers usually didn't fare well in life.  But today public schools are keen to pass every student, even if the student refuses to take tests or study.  They're not only dumbing everything down but even refusing to notify National Merit Scholars in Virginia schools of their accomplishment, "to avoid hurting the feelings of other students."

Will this have an effect?  If so, will it be positive or deleterious?

If a nation's system rewards not studying, not working, but instead rewards celebrity and coarseness, what do you think will happen?

It's not surprising to most people that if you reward something, you get more of it.

Breaking the law is now rewarded.  In the worst case it's merely not punished.  Figure it out.