Fourth of July 2023

As fireworks are being prepared to illuminate the night sky this coming Fourth of July, Atlas wants to take a moment to reflect on the dynamism and resilience of the American economy - a spectacle as breathtaking, varied, and evolving as the pyrotechnics that celebrate our nation's independence.

Rockets' red glare are like the fiery entrepreneurial spirit at the heart of America.  Each day businesses and their employees rise and spark, showing off our nation’s belief in the power of innovation, creativity, and taking risks.   Like fireworks that blaze brightly to only fade, some ventures are fleeting even if they burn hot right out of the mortar.  Nevertheless, each pop of entrepreneurial activity, successful or not, adds to the mosaic display that is the American economy.

Just as no two fireworks are exactly alike, no two firms are identical.  And each sector, whether it be services, technology, art, manufacturing, or agriculture is unique in its contribution, and vital to the overall spectacle.  Together, they create a working tapestry of activity, one which is interconnected like the components of a Fourth of July celebration.

Any worthwhile fireworks display requires coordination, a balance of light, sound, and perhaps even music filling the air.  Similarly, a healthy economy needs a choreographed sequence of output, income, employment, and sales.  If anything gets out of sync, they each lose their luster.  To the casual observer, the beginning of unexpected chaos at a fireworks show can be difficult to point out.  One might even mistake it for a grand finale.  The same can be said about an economy showing signs of wobbling as virtually everything appears to be running well just before it isn’t.

So, this Fourth of July, as you watch the night sky come alive with light and sound, let us celebrate the birth of our nation but also the strength and opportunities offered in our dynamic economy.  Independence Day is a reminder that, just as the spectacle of fireworks, our economy is a brilliant display of creativity, resilience, and the endless pursuit of opportunity.