Slate has started a very interesting experiment called How is America going to end?.

This isn't about America losing as a superpower, but about the demise of the country itself.

Take a look at the article, and then give your thoughts.

Discussion also on Facebook, but post your thoughts here.

bankruptcy due to militarism run amok; similar to that of the soviet union's demise.

A chimp will say "No"!

Unless things change, it'll soon be time to hand over the keys to two entities:

1. Retiring babyboomer's medicare, medicaid and social security payments
2. China's IOUs

The US is mortgaged to the hilt, with these issues bigger than any other threat by 2040 according to the previous GAO Comptroller.

As the article starts out, the US stopped being a so-called superpower via its handling of Katrina, and the aftermath. Prepare without change, for a continual slow and painful decline.

My theory is the USA will split into conservative and democratic sections, and I wonder if the health care reform bill will be the catalyst.

Several conservative states have already started working on legislation to reject any "health care reform" based on states' rights arguments. Don't know how successful that will be, but this issue is so deep-seated that states like Texas may secede because of it.

I for one think this would be a good thing, considering the fact that our population has become so polarized.

Would be very ironic if Obama was remembered as the president who broke the nation apart.

Morg

Bankruptcy due to Obama's social programs, rather. He's working to reduce the military.

Morg

Problem is most of the conservative states are the biggest suckers of federal money.

That would be the greatest change ever, if he could really do it....he can't. The military/industrial complex is alive forever.

He did get rid of the F-22 program, which seemed to me at least to be a very expensive program for an aircraft that would be soon supplanted by the F-30.

The one thing I agree on Obama's military stance is bringing the troops back home from overseas. We need to protect our own borders now, other countries can police themselves.

Morg

There's a 10-year-old book that predicts an eventual breakdown into smaller, more independent entities, citing the bureaucratic and monetary incompetence and despotism that is inevitable in any empire. The authors suggest that the information age will eventually usher in that change, and it's interesting that the current growth in anti-establishment sentiment (e.g., "tea parties," the Ron Paul campaign, secessionist organizations, etc.) has been largely enabled by the Internet.

The founding documents of what has become the U.S. contain the very seeds of its own destruction:

"Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed... it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish [bad govt]... it is their duty, to throw off such government..." — Declaration of Independence

And the constitutions of many states contain similar language.

What evidence is there for that?

... especially after we destroy their country.

I've actually had this conversation with friends back in Texas and around the country. They all think I'm crazy - but if you look closely - the secession drum has already been rung by Gov. Perry. He made more than a passing reference to it a few months ago. Most people say that Texas is as American as you get - however - while I was living there for 7 1/2 years I seemed to notice a Texas first - country second attitude. I'm not saying that it was the same for everyone - but a pretty large majority. Texas is also pretty self sufficient and has a realistic chance of making it if they wen't off on their own.

I just got off the phone a few minutes ago with a friend there who is in her very late 50's. This whole health insurance / coverage issue has everyone apparently up in arms. So the poster who mentioned that the Health Care issue could be part of the split up of America may not be so far off the mark.

As an American - I would absolutely hate to see the country be torn apart. All of my friends and family are there and I'd really hate to see what would happen as the states divide and align. We've already had 1 civil war which was bloody enough -- I'd hope we'd never face another. Who knows what a modern day civil war in America would look like - but I don't think it'd be pretty.

I think the US needs to take a time out -- slow down and begin working on fixing our own problems. We need to study other countries - learn from their mistakes and then try to implement the best possible solution for our country. I think we also need to pull back from around the world -- focus on our own house because as Lincoln said - "A house divided cannot stand."

That certainly didn't originate with Lincoln, though it may have been a convenient soundbite for his agenda.

In any case, division isn't necessarily a bad thing, and there's no basis for assuming it must be a violent process. Though besieged from without by violence as it breathed its last, the Roman empire didn't break up amidst a total bloodbath. Nor did the Soviet Union.

Unfortunately this is an issue that cannot be discussed logically. Emotional appeals tend to override common sense (on both sides of any issue). See the bickering that goes on this forum on this issue even.

...which prevents very few from pretending to do so anyway.

That's my view exactly - a division should actually be amicable. We just acknowledge that the Fed is just not serving our needs as a country, and hasn't for a while.

The parts that would be tricky would be:

1.) Splitting up the nuclear arsenal / other military assets
2.) Splitting up the deficit.
3.) Setting up a new government for the secessionistic states

I wonder what the country would look like after such a split? I can see the coasts and the extreme northern Great Lakes states joining together and the rest of the country going its own way.

Morg

I actually see a regional break up. I don't think the New Englanders are going to listen to the Californians. California will do its own thing. Texas probably too.

I think the issue could be easily debated in the US if it wasn't being shoved down everyones throats. Everyone agrees that health care is an issue that requires some attention but the speed at which this legislation is being created is scary. There don't seem to be many facts and concrete details - more blanket statements and inneundo of what will and won't be coverred and who and who will not be affected. Although a life long Democrat - I'm afraid my party is having a knee jerk reaction on this and other issues. They were so long out of power - of having the ability to have some actual input into legislation that now they seem to hell bent on doing anything as fast as they possibly can. It can only lead to disasterous results.

Point well taken on the fall of Rome - breakup of the Soviet Union -- if America were to split I'd hope it'd be in as bloodless as manner as possible.

And why should it? It's a privately owned institution.