Eastern Europe stands in stark contrast to Western Europe. Over the past decade, it has become cleaner, safer, and increasingly prosperous—often surpassing its wealthier neighbors in key areas. Meanwhile, the U.S. faces a critical moment under Trump, and I hope it pulls through because the last thing we need is an authoritarian China dominating the global stage. It’s time to stop kidding ourselves about Asian competitiveness. Despite having a mixed economy, China operates with a level of capitalism that, in many ways, outpaces the American model—and the results speak for themselves.