I Spent Decades Working with American Officials. The Country I Knew Is Gone | The Walrus

"In moments of real pressure, I saw first-hand the seriousness with which many approached power-particularly the understanding that power must be constrained if it is to be legitimate and durable. That understanding mattered, and it shaped outcomes."

"As the clock approached midnight on the final day, we had largely resigned ourselves to failure. Moments later, then treasury secretary James Baker informed us that Ronald Reagan had agreed to independent judicial review-to bind the United States to the rule of law rather than to political discretion."

"That decision did not weaken American power-it legitimized it. It signalled that the United States was willing to bind itself in order to lead. That was the America many of us worked with. And that is the legacy now being dismantled."

"Recent US trade decisions-including sweeping tariffs imposed even after the Supreme Court curbed certain emergency levies-show how the United States is moving away from rule-bound leadership toward unilateral economic measures."

The stability of the global economic system has historically depended on decisions made in Washington, DC, particularly regarding the balance between rules and discretion. A pivotal moment occurred during the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement negotiations when President Reagan agreed to independent judicial review, reinforcing the rule of law. Recent US trade decisions, however, indicate a shift towards unilateral measures, undermining the legacy of rule-bound leadership. The distinction between power and leadership is crucial, as American power remains strong, but leadership requires adherence to established norms.

Read at The Walrus