The U.S. Capitol Building is seen on January 19, 2023 in Washington, DC. The contours of divided government in Washington are now clear: The main point of contention is the looming debt ceiling deadline, and the main area of agreement is addressing systemic competition with Communist China. Continued brinksmanship and extremism over the debt ceiling is only serving to undercut a key element of U.S. strength, as we call into question our very own financial and economic leadership. The 365-65 vote creating the House Select Committee on the Strategic Competition Between the U.S. and the Chinese Communist Party demonstrates this. Therefore, as the both sides in Washington seek to outdo each other on a tough-on-China approach, radicals on the debt ceiling are counterproductively undermining fundamental drivers of U.S. strength — the dominance of the U.S. dollar, U.S. financial institutions, and Wall Street.

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