America is a Hall of Mirrors

 A key feature of the American system---its stability in its growth in freedom and prosperity over time--is due to the purposeful fracturing of the American nation into fifty separate little nations, of different size and character. To understand America is not to understand one nation but one plus fifty more, which is nearly impossible to do for any one man or woman during one lifetime. Thus America is always an illusion that disappoints, because it is different from what one can expect from any angle. That is a good thing. It is better that way.