The US federal government has lost the capacity to build basic infrastructure, let alone advanced military hardware.

government What states are for and what they are worse at than markets and networks: legitimacy, moral hazard, and who may be entrusted with power.

infrastructure Building the large physical things -- reservoirs, roads, pipelines -- and why some countries have stopped being able to.

war Armed conflict and preparing for it: military spending, alliances, and what changes when machines are in the loop.