Jared Cohen

In the article, Dave McCormick and I argue that America's system of federalism is its most underutilized foreign policy asset. With some direction and support from Washington, America's states could serve as a strategic asset to the national government as it confronts global challenges. The need for federal officials to tap subnational actors will become even clearer as lines between the national and the international continue to blur, as states engage more directly with foreign powers, and as… Show more

In the article, Dave McCormick and I argue that America's system of federalism is its most underutilized foreign policy asset. With some direction and support from Washington, America's states could serve as a strategic asset to the national government as it confronts global challenges. The need for federal officials to tap subnational actors will become even clearer as lines between the national and the international continue to blur, as states engage more directly with foreign powers, and as economic relations become increasingly intertwined with geopolitical competition. Show less

While COVID-19 Delta variant cases rise and cities like Washington and Los Angeles return to mask mandates, many Americans remain persistently divided about the best tool we have to leave such measures behind: vaccines. The unifying example the Founders set almost 250 years ago, when a deadlier disease required riskier measures, should serve as a model for today. By inoculating themselves then, they may have saved the Republic.

Seventy-five years ago, an unlikely political duo teamed up to tackle a global famine. Their successes offer lessons as America gears up to help the world fight Covid-19.

The combination of small-country leadership and large-state participation—call it “microlateralism”—should emerge as a key instrument in the United States’ collective-action toolkit.

As we think about great power competition with China, COVID-19 has shifted the paradigm significantly. We used to frame competition with China as a battle between open and closed models. At times it felt as if China had an easier time dealing with the challenges of being closed than we did navigating the complexity of being open (disinformation, political deadlock, etc.). If technology is the language of efficiency, then we find ourselves in a great power competition with China where they are… Show more

As we think about great power competition with China, COVID-19 has shifted the paradigm significantly. We used to frame competition with China as a battle between open and closed models. At times it felt as if China had an easier time dealing with the challenges of being closed than we did navigating the complexity of being open (disinformation, political deadlock, etc.). If technology is the language of efficiency, then we find ourselves in a great power competition with China where they are advancing techno-nationalism, a top-down authoritarian model of efficiency, while we are advancing techno-democracy, a values-based model of efficiency. They can do techno-nationalism alone, we can only do techno-democracy multilaterally. This article proposes an approach. Show less

The strength and prestige of the American presidency has waxed and waned since George Washington. Accidental Presidents looks at eight men who came to the office without being elected to it. It demonstrates how the character of the man in that powerful seat affects the nation and world.

Eight men have succeeded to the presidency when the incumbent died in office. In one way or another they vastly changed our history. Only Theodore Roosevelt would have been elected in his own right. Only… Show more

The strength and prestige of the American presidency has waxed and waned since George Washington. Accidental Presidents looks at eight men who came to the office without being elected to it. It demonstrates how the character of the man in that powerful seat affects the nation and world.

Eight men have succeeded to the presidency when the incumbent died in office. In one way or another they vastly changed our history. Only Theodore Roosevelt would have been elected in his own right. Only TR, Truman, Coolidge, and LBJ were re-elected.

John Tyler succeeded William Henry Harrison who died 30 days into his term. He was kicked out of his party and became the first president threatened with impeachment. Millard Fillmore succeeded esteemed General Zachary Taylor. He immediately sacked the entire cabinet and delayed an inevitable Civil War by standing with Henry Clay’s compromise of 1850. Andrew Johnson, who succeeded our greatest president, sided with remnants of the Confederacy in Reconstruction. Chester Arthur, the embodiment of the spoils system, was so reviled as James Garfield’s successor that he had to defend himself against plotting Garfield’s assassination; but he reformed the civil service. Theodore Roosevelt broke up the trusts. Calvin Coolidge silently cooled down the Harding scandals and preserved the White House for the Republican Herbert Hoover and the Great Depression. Truman surprised everybody when he succeeded the great FDR and proved an able and accomplished president. Lyndon B. Johnson was named to deliver Texas electorally. He led the nation forward on Civil Rights but failed on Vietnam. Show less

White Paper on how to win the technology competition against China