The United States is currently experiencing two simultaneous cycle transitions for the first time in history—the 50-year socioeconomic cycle and the 80-year institutional cycle are both reaching transition points at roughly the same time (2020s), which could either make the crisis worse or could enable better solutions by forcing simultaneous renewal.

The 9/11 attacks briefly created a sense of unity in American politics around foreign policy, similar to Cold War bipartisanship, but this unity subsequently eroded over subsequent wars and policy debates.