Why I’m bullish on the United States

I hope you all had a great July 4th! Nothing is better and more American than a holiday filled with boats, BBQ, beer, and fireworks.

We have our problems just like anywhere, but I still believe this is the best country in the world.

So I thought it’d be a good time to look at our place in the world and why I’m still bullish on the U.S.

Who’s coming to take our throne?

After WWII, it was the U.S.S.R.

In the 1980s, it was Japan.

Today, it’s China.

In case you haven’t been paying attention, the news hasn’t been great for our biggest rival.

A housing crisis, slowing economic growth, and a declining population.

If you grew up in the 1960s, you may have read the book The Population Bomb and wondered what’s wrong with population decline. Fears of overpopulation remain today, but the fact is a declining population causes lots of problems—especially if your country’s aim is to become the dominant global empire.

When you have more old people than young people, you have fewer people earning income to pay for vital social services. Less in their prime earning years spending money. Less to start businesses. Fewer employees for those businesses. Less to take care of the elderly. Less to join the military.

We don’t have that problem, in part due to my next point.

People still want to live here.

While we tear ourselves apart, many still clamber to move here.

According to a Gallup poll, 160 million people around the world list the U.S. as their desired future residence.

Many of them are young, hungry, and entrepreneurial. Ready to come start a business and make a life for themselves.

According to the SBA, immigrants make up 13.6% of the population but make up about 25% of the entrepreneurs in the U.S.

Without them, we’d find ourselves with the same problems that come with an aging population that China, Japan, and Western Europe are facing.

Our businesses dominate the world’s economy.

Germany’s entire stock market was valued at around $2.2 trillion at the beginning of 2024.

Microsoft is worth $3.3 trillion on its own.

That isn’t to mention Apple, Nvidia, and Google which all are valued on their own more than the entire German stock market.

This reflects the reality that most innovations from the last few decades have come from U.S. companies.

Personal computing, the iPhone, internet search, social media, streaming, or online shopping.

These inventions could have easily been dominated by some other country. We very easily could have been browsing the web on a Japanese search engine, and yet, we don’t.

That should tell us something. We have real economic challenges, but we still have the most dynamic and innovative economy in the world.

Energy independence.

Who would you guess is the largest producer of oil in the world? Saudia Arabia? Russia?

Nope, it’s us.

Natural gas? Also us.

Many countries are forced or have chosen to import their energy from others. Leaving themselves vulnerable to energy price shocks.

Simply look at what happened to the price of natural gas in Europe when it suddenly found itself looking for a new energy partner after Russia invaded Ukraine.

Yes, our energy prices go up and down. Yes, you may agree or disagree with certain politicians’ policies on energy. But the fact is, we are much more insulated from price shocks than the rest of the world.

A couple more just for fun: natural beauty and art.

I don’t think there’s another country that can match the variety of natural beauty we have.

From the mountains in Glacier National Park…

To the sandstone cliffs in Zion…

To the Great Lakes…

To the almost jungle-like Great Smoky Mountains…

To the white beaches in Florida…

If you want to get outside and explore, the U.S. has you covered.

And when it comes to art and pop culture, the U.S. still dominates.

American music genres like rock ‘n roll or hip-hop permeate through headphones across the globe.

Movies about superheroes and animated princesses top box offices.

And people around the world relax on their couches to stream Friends or Breaking Bad.

This isn’t to say everything is perfect; it isn’t even close. I realize many people continue to struggle here. There are many things we could do better. And other countries around the world have much to be admired.

That being said, as a place to call home, start a business, go for a road trip, or invest your hard-earned dollars, there’s no place like the good ol’ USA.