IAP Political Forum

With America's current financial problems and the two major wars they have been involved in is this the beginning of the end? Or at least as the worlds superpower?

Personally, i don't think it is. As long as certain decisive policies are implemented in the next few years I think American can recover. But i do have my doubts.

Handing over the reigns of power to China and possibly Russia as the worlds superpower is tragic in my opinion.

This is post is not intended to be a university style essay on why America is dieing .. rather just a heading and few topic questions. My aim is to see what American's see there country in the next five , ten or fifty years.

I should point out that I'm not American.

Empires don't commit suicide, imo. Their allies and vassels lose confidence while their leaders suffer from over confidence.

With that in mind the current loss in confidence in the US 'empire' market looks even more ominous. I believe it will turn out ok though mostly because people want to have confidence in the US market, (I think very few want the status quo to be fundementally changed), thusly they will be willing to gamble.


Ahk

I think a lot is going to change - or rather, a lot HAS to change if we want to avoid an even worse problem.

Do I think it will lead to the end of the US? No. We're in a deep rut and it's going to hurt and we have to tread carefully, but I think, at some point, we'll get through this.

The world will change and the US's influence is waining, but Russia will not fill the void. If our economy looks bad, their's is even worse. It dropped 18% yesterday and has closed several times the last few weeks... so they're in no position to pick up our slack.

China too is suffering an economic crisis of sorts, as well. They just have the benefit of no over-reaching and expensive foreign policy. We're spread too thin and Russia is too... but China has the benefit of concentration. But they've bought a lot of our debt, which in the end COULD hurt them... but we won't know until more time passes.

Basically, I think it's going to be rough... but we're not going anywhere.





P.S. Where are you from JFree89? Just curious.

I do see your point Abraxas, with the current globalised market, The China and Russian people stand to lose a decrease in their standard of living for some time. But, given their style of Regime ( authoritative) they would be able to cope efficiently with direct and decisive action, without the stag mented procedures of democracy. Unlike the western world. China politically would be untouched ( because they have no one to compete with in terms of elections)

If American does fall, the worlds markets would decline and many countries would go into depression, but some would survive. China and Russia would be able to recover and assume control without the threat of American power or veto.

I'm from Melbourne, Australia. A cute little island below Southeast Asia, and yes we do love our queen, unlike you rebellious Americans who had to leave the family. :P

 

All very true.


Right.

It's gonna be rough, scary and a lot will change at the end. The US may finally understand it can't overextend itself... I hope.


Ugh! Damn relatives! ;)

Jeri, another member of IAP, is from Australia. I don't know if he's anywhere near you, but I thought I'd mention.

Judging by he's masculine tanned legs from his forum picture, I would say hes from further north. ( not that i stare at them  :police:)

Most empires rot from the inside out.....once it gets out far enough....it collapses.

We are losing but they are gaining at the same time. The United States won't disappear as a global power, just be reduced to only one of them. The others being Russia and China. Europe's power will remain economic and is leading the way in redefining "Global Power" as representing economic rather that military power. But as long as we need armies, it's Russia and China and the US.

I'll bet you think that "party" gif is insulting. It isn't. I love it. After this 8 year nightmare, i think we could all use a party while we run your creepy-ass Darth-Cheney Republicans out of town on a rail.

You're right. For example look at the Roman Empire, it fell apart inside out

 This is my prediction for what its worth.
 This bail out won't make a dent in the colapse of our credit based economy.
  The depression we are heading into will be global. The US will fair no better or worse than other countries. All countries in the world are financially linked and our economies will fall together. Credit will cease to be a commodity to trade in, at least for a decade or so.
 I used to be optimistic, but what I have read and heard in the last two weeks has changed my mind.

the previous post by freethinker pretty much sums up my thoughts too...A few countries will fare a little worse than the US
-GCC states especially the KSA
-Eastern Europe
-Ireland
-Luxembourg
-Hong Kong

A few will fare better
-Venezuela
-South Africa
-South Korea



 

No.

Al empires rot from within so that they become easy prey to the barbarian outside.

Pretty much any oil producing country should do pretty well as 2nd world countries begin to develop their infustructure...

Some of the OPEC nations are going to be the worst hit...I think most oil countries are going to be hit hardest...IMHO

No one else is interested in alternative energy (with the exception of the French who are, what? 80% nuclear?), so as long as OPEC can pump it out for $2 a barrel and sell it for even $100 (provided it doesn't shoot up again), I figured they'd be alright...

Plus, China and other developing countries won't go straight to solar or nuclear cause they can't afford to... so oil is their only choice (unless there is suddenly a bigger market for coal... which is doubtful).

*shrugs*

Oil producing countries should thrive, or at least survive, pretty well I would think.

The United States does not have the natural resources to sustain its disproportional power in the world forever, nor does it have a national committment to sustained technological prowess which could at least partially compensate for this limitation. We had a great run, but it can't last.

Having said that, the U.S. is so far ahead of any other country that it will remain the sole superpower for the rest of our lifetimes--the only nation that could possibly sustain a long-term, major war on the other side of the Earth from itself.

China is getting stronger every day, and will probably be our match at least economically within two or three or four decades. They have their problems though, including massive environmental issues and ethnic divides to its west.

I'd like to see a two-pronged strategy:
1) Maintain our strength for as long as possible by restoring our economic strength. We can't get stronger in the long run by spending beyond our means. We have to bring the budget back into balance, or at least closer to balance. That means cutting back on military spending, which is about half of all our discretionary spending. At the same time we need to increase our investment in our "seed corn"--that which yields greater returns than it costs. That includes infrastructure improvements, educating our citizens, and investing in technologies of the future (and since no one can predict the future, this translates into investing in basic research as opposed to applied research).

2) Do all we can to construct a peaceful global community which coexists peacefully with each other, because we won't be in the driver's seat forever. We have to find an answer to nuclear proliferation. We have to find answers to global poverty and the ensuing alienation of citizens who have no future, no hope, no dignity--which leads to terrorism. We will have to work cooperatively in order to solve global warming.

The United States does not have the natural resources FOLLOWING CURRENT TRENDS AND USUAGE.

That doesn't mean new resources don't exits or that we cannot move in another direction.

Any of course we will. I'm still not sure why we don't pursue with more vigor nuclear energy. Why can't that be the bridge to future energy supplies?

It isn't portable.

Oil is portable energy. We haven't even come up with a nuclear power plant for something like a rocket - let alone a car.

I believe this crisis is the product of over-extended markets and careless individualism without basic regulations. Free trade, globalization, and financial pressures on the middle class have created a very unstable and volatile situation.


With more development, nuclear energy can certainly be contained and transported with efficiency. This, in conjunction with reliable solar power, could enable complete energy independence.

I've been saying that for a long time too!

I'm not saying that our current situation will lead to the fall of the US. But just in general, America will commit suicide because its citizens are fat, dumb, and happy.

And I would say this rule applies to all empires. People get complacent...

Nuclear power generates electricity, which can run electric cars like GM's Volt.