It’s different now that we have a $3 trillion unpayable deficit. Nobody wants to hold Treasuries any more. Open your eyes and see what is happening to the price of gold. IIn addition we have the BRICs nations offering competition to the dollar. The old world order is slowly collapsing. The US may be able to muddle through more or less because we have natural resources but Europe is screwed. That’s why so many EU politicians want war with Russia. Not because they really consider Russia a military threat but because they want to steal Russia’s vast natural resources.