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Beyond Abundance: The Case for Competent Capacity in US Planning
In a compelling new work, Ezra Klein and Derek Thompson issue a vital call for the United States to reclaim 'competent capacity'—the foundational ability to plan, approve, and execute large-scale projects with strategic foresight and bureaucratic efficiency. This is an undeniably necessary goal for a nation whose infrastructure ambitions are too often mired in procedural gridlock and political stalemate.However, the authors' framing of this mission under the banner of 'abundance' is a misstep; it is a rhetorical choice that risks undermining their own argument by evoking a bygone era of unchecked growth. The concept of 'abundance' feels increasingly anachronistic in our contemporary landscape, which is defined by climate constraints, resource scarcity, and intense global competition.It harks back to the post-war industrial boom but fails to grapple with 21st-century imperatives like environmental sustainability, supply chain resilience, and social equity. The unguided pursuit of abundance is, in fact, what produced the carbon-intensive industries and inefficient suburban sprawl we are now forced to reckon with.True national strength, echoing the strategic wisdom of leaders like Churchill, lies not in the sheer volume of output but in its precision, sustainability, and intelligent application. A nation can be abundant in poorly planned housing that worsens congestion or in energy projects that perpetuate fossil fuel dependence.Competent capacity, by contrast, is the less glamorous but more critical work of building a smarter electrical grid, of refining environmental review without gutting it, and of crafting public-private partnerships that serve long-term national interests. Framing the solution as 'abundance' plays into a dangerous political narrative that prioritizes speed over deliberation and quantity over quality, potentially allowing vested interests to dismantle necessary safeguards in the name of growth.The landmark infrastructure achievements of the past were not mere exercises in abundance; they were masterclasses in competent capacity, driven by clear objectives, meticulous planning, and a since-fractured societal consensus. To rebuild this capability, the US must look past the seductive but hollow promise of abundance and commit to the arduous task of restoring its institutional muscle for complex project management—a endeavor that demands political will, bipartisan collaboration, and the recognition that in the modern world, the most critical resource is not raw materials, but competence itself.
#editorial picks news
#Ezra Klein
#Derek Thompson
#competent capacity
#project planning
#US policy
#infrastructure
#governance
