The Once and Future Superpower is a bold, myth-shattering agenda that can help post-cold war America regain our economic strength as we reduce energy use and curb pollution. Since 1945, the United States has concentrated on competing with the Soviet Union. To this end America directed not only its military policy but also its industrial, foreign, and trade policies. Now The Once and Future Superpower shows how America can turn its attention from the vanishing Communist threat to today's potent economic and environmental challenges. This commonsense, nondoctrinaire book debunks a variety of firmly held notions. Myth: Wise energy policy would hurt economic growth. Myth: The free market, unaided, can revitalize America's economy. Myth: Combating global warming will be costly. Myth: Cutting the defense budget will put U.S. security at risk. Myth: Higher taxes are needed. The Once and Future Superpower reveals how an updated national strategy can restore America's manufacturing excellence and create the best possible jobs for the greatest number of people. This new national goal has its roots in dialogues from the earliest days of the Republic. Japan already has such an economically oriented national security strategy, which is a key reason why that small, resource-poor nation has had such remarkable economic success. Joseph J. Romm, in his ground-breaking first book, proposes a comprehensive set of programs for ensuring that America becomes the most economically competitive, resource-efficient nation in the world. America can and must achieve world leadership in energy and environmental technologies, which will be a key source of international trade and high-wage jobs in the twenty-first century. Written in jargon-free language, The Once and Future Superpower raises the level of American political discourse and offers practical solutions to our most pressing national problems.