[SmokingJoe]

Thoughts?

[Persevero]

I don’t think any civilization is immortal but I think the U.S.’s greatest asset is her people - at least the 48% who did not vote for Obama.

That’s about 61 million of us. That’s a lot of people who get it. I think we can keep the Republic going.

[americanophile]

I used to think this kind of stuff was hyperbole, but when you’re headed for 94% GDP to debt ratio, you have to wonder.

[GOP_Raider]

Why? Throughout history imperial leaders inevitably emerge and drive their nations into wars for greater glory and "economic progress," while inevitably leading their nation into collapse. And that happens suddenly and swiftly, within "a decade or two."

So is this the $20 version of saying "It's Bush's Fault"?

[panaxanax]

I agree that we are fighting for the very survival of our country and our freedom.

I also think that we are heading towards CW2, but it will take a much different form than Part One did.

Must get some sleep. Been doing tax returns and I’m tired and not in a good mood. Will pick up on this discussion in a few hours.

Pray for our Republic.

[iowamark]

A combination of fiscal deficits and military overstretch...

Kevin Phillips, political historian and former Nixon strategist, also captured this inevitable tendency in Wealth and Democracy: "Most great nations, at the peak of their economic power, become arrogant and wage great world wars at great cost, wasting vast resources, taking on huge debt, and ultimately burning themselves out."
We sense the "consummation" of the American Empire occurred with the leadership handoff from Bill Clinton to George W. Bush.

The US is certainly not overextending itself militarily, despite what the Left might say. We are overextending ourselves with the social welfare state.

[ATX 1985]

Very interesting, I fear the USA could lose its dominance along with much of our great Sphere of Influence in the coming decades. But, the premise of this OP is wrong because the USA is no Empire. Countries join our Sphere of Influence out of their own willingness, we don’t plunder resources and cheat people. Like Fareed Zakaria said in The Post American World, “the USA has been the creator and sustainer of the current order of open trade and democratic government.”

As long as we don’t take on a protectionist and/or isolationist mentality, the USA will be able to adapt in the 21st century and we will benefit from the vast markets that will spawn out of these emerging markets and growing middle classes. GM sold more cars in China in the USA in 2009! in 2009, HP computers had over a 10% unit share in China and Dell had an 18% market share as China’s computer market stays on pace to become the largest in the World by 2012. In India, the Financial Times is predicting that nuclear energy output will grow from 1700MW up to 470,000 MW in the next 40 years! Some of these markets are going to be so big, our measly sized middle class (relatively speaking to World GDP) will be able to capitalize on all of the demand. I have all the faith in the World that even though the Indians and the Chinese will be copying much of our stuff, the West will still remain the greatest leader in innovation in most fields.

Also, as renewable technology progresses the USA will be more self sustainable.

[Irenic]

Death and taxes certain...collapse, not so much =P

[hosepipe]

When things get scary... THATS WHY THE SHEEP STAMPEDE....
The wolves just HATE stampedes...

[jsh3180]

Hmmmm, nothing about the effects of the concentration of power in the hands of a relative few. Nothing about the systemic looting of private capital to enrich a relative few while enslaving a large number. Nothing about policies implemented to turn a nation of independent, optimistic, hard working people into a mass of dependent sheep. Nothing about dishonesty and fraud run amok. Nothing about the loss of morality, the refusal to see the difference between right and wrong.

Yeah, I’ve got thoughts. When it comes to the people who have sold this country down a river for their gain in the here and now, coupled with the virtual enslavement of a once proud people, my thoughts are not pleasant ones.

[cranked]

“Thoughts?”

Yeah, empires come and go. The alleged American empire is no different.

[deadrock]

Imperial? BS, Ferguson. Don’t mistake protecting oneself for imperialism. Other than that, he is usually spot on.

[RC one]

It isn't just America that stands on the precipice, the whole world is staring into the abyss. The superpowers have been maneuvering for position in the next century. We have made some excellent investments for an uncertain future but (IMO) we face Russia, empowered by its recent oil revenues and China, empowered by its massive capacity. It is my belief that, if we are to go down to hell, we should ensure that we are in good company lest we find ourselves dependent on the benevolence of predators who will see our weakness as an opportunity. or maybe I'm just an untrusting soul that sees the worst in people.

[OrangeHoof]

Global power = wealth. Wealth attracts freeloaders. Freeloaders attract big government socialists to promise them government goodies in return for their votes. Socialists come to power. Freeloaders take control of the government and vote themselves unlimited access to other people’s money. Goodbye wealth. Goodbye global power.

We’re watching it right before our very eyes. America’s last chance is to vote out the freeloaders and the socialists who champion them. 2010 will say a lot about how fast this nation declines.

[backhoe]

Thoughts?

I can't do any better than my intro to -America Held Hostage--:

”Zimbabwe On The Potomac...”

You know there were warning signs...

I kept telling people when Bill Clinton slithered in to office, and clung to it, despite all the scandals, and Impeachment itself-- “He's just a symptom. Like a fever is of a disease- there's something wrong with America.”

Like Popular Culture- look at the magazines-- I call it “thugs & jugs,” or “which Pop Tart is popping out whose baby this week?”

Or Katrina- ever seen so many people milling around with their hands out, when they should have been helping themselves?

We did it to ourselves, and The New, Improved Black Jesus is merely a symptom.

All civilizations have a shelf life- once enough citizens figure out that by electing the “right” representatives, they can use the power of the government to pick the pockets of others,

...it's all over, except for the details.

Well, we're in the “details,” now.

Meanwhile, I have to figure out what Miss Emily and I do with what's left of our lives, and bush hog her Mom's old place in the country, because City Life isn't going to be worth living from here on out.

I'll catch you all later...

...maybe...

[Sprite518]

I believe this will be the case if our nation continues to push God away. I believe this is atthe root of all of our issues.

What happen to God, Family and country? Yes it is still around. However, the atheists, the anti-family, the absolute disrespect to the U.S. Constitution, our bill of rights, borders, language and culture seem to be slowly dissolving.

We can either get back to what made us a great nation, or go back to what our founders were trying to escape.

[RSmithOpt]

Very sadly, I have to agree w/ the article.

Even more sadly and terribly uncalled for, it can be corrected now.

Goobermint is out of control and has been. Time to cull the herd. Time to stop the handouts. Time to bury the corrupt.

[DollyCali]

Scary BTTT

[Lazamataz]

My thoughts are these: Never before in the history of mankind has a leader of a nation actively worked to destroy that nation. This is the situation we Americans are in. Obama is working constantly to find new and innovative ways to completely ruin us.

[Halgr]

To me the NWO is real and these last few years have served to confirm that America is doomed.

“They” are everywhere and “They” have been working for decades, perhaps longer to destroy the foundations of America.

But unfortunately the vast majority see my view as wacko and tinfoil.

Now I understand the biblical term “Mystery Babylon”.

[rlmorel]

"...warns anthropologist Jared Diamond..."

The journalistic failboat, that is.

Any opinion or article that opens with a quote from Jared Diamond is a non-starter in the same way reading any opinion or article on history that opens with a quote from Howard Zinn is.

This is utter leftist BS. If America is going to collapse, it is because we have had and currently have too many people in power who think like Marx, Lenin, Castro, Chavez and Stalin (the heroes of people like Diamond) not because we engaged in warfare for sport because it is the type of thing "Imperial Powers" just love to do.

These are the same people who think we got rich by stealing from everyone else around the world, as if economic prowess is a zero sum game, that you can make money only by stealing the labor or resources from others. Let's see...who else thinks that way? Hmm. Eludes me...

These are the same people who refer to the conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan as an "American Adventure".

My thoughts? An utter waste of bandwidth, doesn't even approach the value of the billions of spam emails sent each day on the Internet.