Americans deserve to feel secure in their own lives, in their own middle-class aspirations, before you go to them and say, 'We're going to have to enforce navigable sea lanes in the South China Sea.'
This quote highlights the importance of addressing domestic concerns and ensuring national security and economic stability before focusing on foreign policy or military interventions. It underscores that a nation's primary responsibility is to its citizens' well-being and aspirations. Prioritizing internal stability creates a stronger foundation for engaging in international issues, suggesting that the needs of everyday people should come first. This perspective encourages policymakers to balance foreign actions with the social and economic realities faced domestically, emphasizing that national pride and security are intertwined with addressing domestic concerns first.
