Is USA finally killing itself?

[Ross Scott]

I kind of consider the USA as whole now to be insane with its priorities. I think neither major political party represents the interest of the people at large anymore and a lot of people are just brainwashed or distracted by topics that are ultimately trivial in the long run as to the course the nation / globe is going to take. I don't see it collapsing without some sort of catalyst. I think if we continue the way we're going, the USA will follow a path similar to Argentina; a massively corrupt government with economics that will essentially eliminate the middle class.

 

In my opinion what COULD cause some sort of collapse in the short term would be finally getting past peak oil (I'm predicting 2015-2016 for that), or some eventual economic implosion from having a debt-based economy.

 

I personally don't see the South seceding prior to something like that. While the tension is real, I see that more as misdirected aggression towards larger problems where a scapegoat is needed. Plus, I feel I have to link to this article regarding their track record on that:

 

http://www.theonion.com/articles/south-postpones-rising-again-for-yet-another-year,377/

 

On the flipside, I see Obama as sort of a puppet politician, like many others, who may be well meaning, but doesn't strike me as especially serious about trying to reform some of our most extreme problems.

[ThePest179]

I kind of consider the USA as whole now to be insane with its priorities. I think neither major political party represents the interest of the people at large anymore and a lot of people are just brainwashed or distracted by topics that are ultimately trivial in the long run as to the course the nation / globe is going to take. I don't see it collapsing without some sort of catalyst. I think if we continue the way we're going, the USA will follow a path similar to Argentina; a massively corrupt government with economics that will essentially eliminate the middle class.

 

US media misguides the people, enough said.

In my opinion what COULD cause some sort of collapse in the short term would be finally getting past peak oil (I'm predicting 2015-2016 for that), or some eventual economic implosion from having a debt-based economy.

Do your predictions factor in the Shia-Sunni conflict sweeping the Middle East, Ross?

[BTGBullseye]

A conflict in another country (which doesn't directly involve Americans) doesn't affect this country enough to have anything to do with it's collapse... Why you even mention it is beyond me...

[Ross Scott]

Do your predictions factor in the Shia-Sunni conflict sweeping the Middle East, Ross?

I'm less familiar with that situation, but I think you're looking at my prediction the wrong way. Peak oil is a certainty. We're talking about steady depletion of a finite resource at a rate that's going to catch up to his sooner or later, I say sooner. A nuclear conflict in the middle east would of course hasten all kinds of things, but I find that something that's very difficult to predict. It would of course move the timetable far up, but I see that as less of a sure thing. Even my 2015-2016 prediction could be wrong, this is just based off the best data I've been able to fine. I would be amazed if we make it out of this decade without some sort of peak oil crisis hitting however.

[Qwerty3781122]

I kind of consider the USA as whole now to be insane with its priorities. I think neither major political party represents the interest of the people at large anymore and a lot of people are just brainwashed or distracted by topics that are ultimately trivial in the long run as to the course the nation / globe is going to take. I don't see it collapsing without some sort of catalyst. I think if we continue the way we're going, the USA will follow a path similar to Argentina; a massively corrupt government with economics that will essentially eliminate the middle class.

 

Which is exactly what is happening right now in my country, Italy. USA, in Italy, is still believed to be the perfect country ever, so perfect that we Italians must imitate it. So we are embracing liberism and anti-statism, we are giving (indirectly) political power and media control to big money, we are slowly abandoning our welfare and our work laws ("The article 18 of the Italian Workers' Satute, which prevents us to be fired without reason, is useless; So it can die; Duuuh...") and we are being brainwashed against European Union ("Our crisis is all their fault, not ours; Duuuh...").

 

No offence, but, reading the posts of this forum, it's funny to see that Italy and the legendary USA have almost the same problems. Yes, you don't have a serious problem of mafia and, maybe, we don't have the same serious problem of energy resources, but Italy is embracing your system in time of crisis, and we are paying the consequences.

 

Ross, you did well to move in Poland, to move in European Union. You did the right choice. Welcome in EU. Yes, Italy is part of it, but we are stupidly acting against it.

[ThePest179]

I see that as less of a sure thing.

 

Boy, how I wish that this was still true.

 

Anyways, the post above mine sums up my thoughts on the US right now (also welcome to the forum, please disregard anything I posted in 2013, thanks).

[ShakyOregon]

*cough* Roman empire *cough*

[BTGBullseye]

*cough* Roman empire *cough*

That's the comparison that has been made for almost 20 years now... It crops up at least once every 3-6 months.

[Vapymid]

What is 20 years? The decline and collapse of the Roman Empire (the Western Empire, actually, but this is what the public thinks of as the Roman Empire) lasted 300-odd years and the Eastern Empire lasted another 1,000 years after that, until the Turks took over...

 

A comparison of the USA with the Roman Empire (or of any other empire with another empire) may be valid if people know what they are talking about but most often, when it is used to make specific short-term predictions, is completely nonsensical.

 

Regards

[BTGBullseye]

Very true, but it doesn't stop people from using that as a comparison.

[Descriptor]

Really, the fall of the Roman empire is a terrible point of comparison, since the political situation of the world was very different back then.

Honestly, if anything, I see it happening more like the decline of the British empire. Just kinda fading into a somewhat less powerful role, but still fairly relevant.

Plus, I'm not sure if the U.S. will really "decline" so much as just being caught up with by other power players. It might sound kinda conceited, but I'm pretty sure that if the U.S. falls (especially if it falls quickly), it will more than anything take most everyone else with it. Like it or not, it's a pretty major player in this whole global economy thing.

[ShakyOregon]

God I hate politics on the global scale.

[ThePest179]

Plus, I'm not sure if the U.S. will really "decline" so much as just being caught up with by other power players.

 

It is quite possible for the US to fall behind as well. The Middle East clusterfuck keeps drawing the US in, so it may be steadily worn down by the burden of semi-constant war.

 

It might sound kinda conceited, but I'm pretty sure that if the U.S. falls (especially if it falls quickly), it will more than anything take most everyone else with it. Like it or not, it's a pretty major player in this whole global economy thing.

 

Very true. Destroying the US economy=destroying the Chinese and European economies with it.

[Qwerty3781122]

There's an article from the thought-provoking blog KeinPfusch, which I'd like to share in this topic. Problem is... it's completely in Italian, but I can translate it for you. Are you interested?

 

https://nientestronzate.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/united-soviet-of-america/

[RdClZn]

There's an article from the thought-provoking blog KeinPfusch, which I'd like to share in this topic. Problem is... it's completely in Italian, but I can translate it for you. Are you interested?

 

https://nientestronzate.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/united-soviet-of-america/

After reading the beginning I got the impression that it is an interesting article. I don't necessarily agree with the comparison with the USSR (financing a political, media and military elite doesn't make something 'soviet') but the opening statement is... interesting?! ("L’ ESENZIONE FISCALE E’ SPESA PUBBLICA A TUTTI GLI EFFETTI.").

 

I'd read it if I had a translated version, since it seems italian and portuguese are not mutually intelligible... ]:

[Qwerty3781122]

There's an article from the thought-provoking blog KeinPfusch, which I'd like to share in this topic. Problem is... it's completely in Italian, but I can translate it for you. Are you interested?

 

https://nientestronzate.wordpress.com/2013/01/13/united-soviet-of-america/

After reading the beginning I got the impression that it is an interesting article. I don't necessarily agree with the comparison with the USSR (financing a political, media and military elite doesn't make something 'soviet') but the opening statement is... interesting?! ("L’ ESENZIONE FISCALE E’ SPESA PUBBLICA A TUTTI GLI EFFETTI.").

 

I'd read it if I had a translated version, since it seems italian and portuguese are not mutually intelligible... ]:

 

Ok, I'll translate it (it's in Italian, my language). Give me a second...

[LemonVagabond]

Actually, I was being serious about the civil war part. Texas is ready to break away if another asshole gets in after we're finally rid of the current president, and there are plenty of other states that are ready to join them. Once that happens, there will be at least some civil war, and for most other countries that would be the time to invade. (not concerning the US though, as we would be even more dangerous, not less)

 

I think there was a video game like that. "Shattered Union" I think it was called. I do not think it will have to come to that though.

 

There was also the book "Empire" by Orson Scott Card.

[LemonVagabond]

It all depends on what goes on with the violations of the US constitution that are being forced upon the population... Several courts have already ruled Obamacare to be unconstitutional, and the government doesn't seem to care. Combine that with the repeated violations of the 4th amendment, and targeting of opposing political parties by the IRS, and you know what the root of people's discontent with the government is...

 

If it keeps on, we'll get a lot of people that are going to start separating from the current government, and forming their own, like Texas. Timing is not known, since there may or may not be anything further added to these violations, and they may even reverse some of the problems. (not likely, but we can always hope)

 

Personally, I'm much more worried about the state of affairs that Ross discussed in his Deus Ex video, and the corporate controlled and monitored 2016 election, especially in areas such as when the DNC colluded to push Bernie Sanders out of the election, and the actual criminal nature of the leading candidate, Hillary Clinton, along with the sometimes almost outright idiocy of Donald Trump, though I would much rather see him elected to the presidency than Hillary Clinton, as at least he's not completely controlled by the whims of corporations.

[LemonVagabond]

Really, the fall of the Roman empire is a terrible point of comparison, since the political situation of the world was very different back then.

Honestly, if anything, I see it happening more like the decline of the British empire. Just kinda fading into a somewhat less powerful role, but still fairly relevant.

Plus, I'm not sure if the U.S. will really "decline" so much as just being caught up with by other power players. It might sound kinda conceited, but I'm pretty sure that if the U.S. falls (especially if it falls quickly), it will more than anything take most everyone else with it. Like it or not, it's a pretty major player in this whole global economy thing.

 

I disagree, I find it a very good comparison. Look at this video if you want a good explanation of this, as I am too lazy to spend time comparing the entire history of the United States and Rome, and he doubtless does it better than I would if I were to attempt it.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtRj6x1jHuU

This one contains much more discussion of the recent political climate.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCvyg679bsg

This one also does, but is shorter and focuses more on the parallels, and yes, I do agree with this persons opinions.

[BTGBullseye]

It all depends on what goes on with the violations of the US constitution that are being forced upon the population... Several courts have already ruled Obamacare to be unconstitutional, and the government doesn't seem to care. Combine that with the repeated violations of the 4th amendment, and targeting of opposing political parties by the IRS, and you know what the root of people's discontent with the government is...

 

If it keeps on, we'll get a lot of people that are going to start separating from the current government, and forming their own, like Texas. Timing is not known, since there may or may not be anything further added to these violations, and they may even reverse some of the problems. (not likely, but we can always hope)

 

Personally, I'm much more worried about the state of affairs that Ross discussed in his Deus Ex video, and the corporate controlled and monitored 2016 election, especially in areas such as when the DNC colluded to push Bernie Sanders out of the election, and the actual criminal nature of the leading candidate, Hillary Clinton, along with the sometimes almost outright idiocy of Donald Trump, though I would much rather see him elected to the presidency than Hillary Clinton, as at least he's not completely controlled by the whims of corporations.

You realize that you're quoting a post I made over 3 years ago, right?