America’s economy is bigger and better than ever SubscribeEnterpriseLog inMenuSkip to contentSubscribeEnterpriseLog inMenuThe world in briefCatch up on global daily news1843 magazineDive into compelling long readsPodcastsTune into engaging conversationsVideoWatch engaging short filmsDigital eventsGain insights from expertsNewslettersCurated news, direct to your inboxCurrent topicsWar in the Middle EastWar in UkraineThe World Ahead 2025Climate changeGeopoliticsThe world economyArtificial intelligenceUS presidential trackerCurrent topicsWar in the Middle EastWar in UkraineThe World Ahead 2025Climate changeGeopoliticsThe world economyArtificial intelligenceUS presidential trackerWorldWorldThe world this weekChinaUnited StatesEuropeBritainMiddle East & AfricaAsiaThe AmericasInternationalBusiness & economicsBusiness & economicsFinance & economicsBusinessBig Mac indexEconomic & financial indicatorsOpinionOpinionLeadersLetters to the editorBy InvitationIn depthIn depthScience & technologyBriefingGraphic detailInteractivesThe Economist explainsSpecial reportsTechnology QuarterlyEssaySchools briefCulture & societyCulture & societyCultureThe Economist readsObituaryWeekly editionWeekly editionThis weekPast editionsWeekly editionThe world in briefWar in the Middle EastWar in UkraineThe world economyArtificial intelligenceClimate changeArchive 1945German election 2025Dateline quizMy EconomistUnlimited digital access to all reporting, podcasts, newsletters and eventsSubscribeSUBSCRIBER BENEFITSPodcastsNewslettersVideoLive virtual eventsThe Economist appEspresso appSaved storiesAccountLog outLeaders | The envy of the world America’s economy is bigger and better than ever Will politics bring it back to Earth? image: Peter Crowther/Alamy Oct 17th 2024ShareFew sights have better captured America’s world-beating ingenuity. On October 13th a giant booster rocket built by SpaceX hurtled to the edge of the atmosphere before plunging back to Earth and being neatly caught by the gantry tower from which, only minutes earlier, it had taken off. Thanks to this marvel of engineering, big rockets could become reusable and space exploration cheaper and bolder. Yet, just as the launch was a testimony to American enterprise, so Elon Musk, SpaceX’s founder, captures all that is going wrong with its politics. In his support for Donald Trump, Mr Musk has spread misinformation about voter fraud and hurricane relief and derided his opponents as ill-intentioned idiots.Explore moreElectionsDonald TrumpElon MuskEconomyUnited StatesKamala HarrisThis article appeared in the Leaders section of the print edition under the headline “The envy of the world ”Leaders October 19th 2024America’s economy is bigger and better than ever How the Biden administration botched America’s sanctions against IranCanada’s Trudeau trapBritain’s budget risks being a huge missed opportunityStarship will change what is possible beyond EarthFrom the October 19th 2024 editionDiscover stories from this section and more in the list of contentsExplore the editionShareReuse this contentMore from LeadersReciprocal tariffs really mean chaos for global tradeAmerica has tried reciprocity before, and discovered its flawsThe Lucy Letby case shows systemic failure and a national malaiseWhether or not the neonatal nurse is guilty of murder, her saga is revealingCountering China’s diplomatic coupChina has turned much of the global south against Taiwan. That could be laying the ground for forced unificationWill Donald Trump and Elon Musk wreck or reform the Pentagon?America’s security depends upon their successCan Friedrich Merz save Germany—and Europe?He is on track to win the election, but to fix Europe he will have to fix his country first After DeepSeek, America and the EU are getting AI wrongEurope has a chance to catch up, whereas America should ease upLinkedInInstagramFacebookXTikTokYouTubeWhatsAppGet The Economist app on iOS or AndroidThe EconomistThe EconomistAboutReuse our contentSubscribeEconomist EnterpriseSecureDropThe Economist GroupThe Economist GroupThe Economist GroupEconomist IntelligenceEconomist ImpactEconomist Impact EventsEconomist Education CoursesContactContactHelp and supportAdvertisePress centreCareersCareersWorking hereExecutive JobsTo enhance your experience and ensure our website runs smoothly, we use cookies and similar technologies.Manage cookiesTerms of usePrivacyCookie PolicyAccessibilityModern Slavery StatementSitemapYour Data RightsCopyright © The Economist Newspaper Limited 2025. All rights reserved.


Oh shit,dont tell any of the mfs on ANY of the FB groups ive joined. Those idoits are still shitting on biden and claiming weather is being used as a weapon. Seriously,how tf does politics become such a heated debate on a plumbing group? Shit,even the dorks on a retro video game group are posting kamala memes. So dumb. Fuck bots