AIP column: Imagine there’s no strong America
posted at 8:46 am on May 28, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
For this week’s AIP column, I allowed my imagination to run after seeing multiple warnings this past week about the credit rating for US Treasuries. The rapid increase in deficit spending by the Obama administration has analysts worried, and investment rating systems — stung by accusations of inaction during the housing bubble — have begun raising red flags about US debt. Standard and Poors has already issued a specific warning to the UK that they may get rating a “negative” risk, which will make it much harder and costlier to cover their own deficit spending, and the US will probably be next.
If the US can no longer sell enough Treasuries to cover the deficit, what happens to the American currency? What happens to American credibility in global financial markets? We could lose a lot more than people realize if we have to start printing money to cover the gap, and the worst part is who might fill the vacuum:
What would a world with the United States in the second financial tier of nations mean? We would have significantly less foreign investment, to start, and that has other implications besides just the impact to our economy. We rely on economic engagement with other nations as a not-inconsequential portion of our national security and foreign policies. …
Without a strong military presence around the world, which would almost certainly disappear just as Great Britain’s did after World War I, the world would be a much different – and more dangerous – place. No nation could guarantee trade security to the extent the American Navy does. Piracy has already become a problem, and without either a massive British or American Navy to suppress it, it would expand enormously. That will aggravate the problems an American return to second-tier status would create in the global economy.
Perhaps another nation could fill the vacuum left by an American collapse, but which nation? What kind of world would global dominance by China, India, or Russia bring, assuming any of these could take that role? How about a coalition of oil producers like OPEC, who have the means to fund it?
Once in a while, I like to engage in a little speculative thinking. Believe me, this is a scenario I’d love to see remain hypothetical, but right now, we’re squandering the very basis of our power, and in ten years, it may be far too late to correct our course.
Blowback
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The world really is a scary place.
MarkTheGreat on May 28, 2009 at 8:50 AM
The US will not just quietly slip into second-tier status. That’s a pipe dream. Either we will stay in the lead or we will violently implode, with unpredictable consequences. There are many different reasons for this, but just understand that this is how the situation really is.
progressoverpeace on May 28, 2009 at 8:50 AM
It just amazes me how liberals continue to tell us that all we need to do is love each other more, and all the worlds problems will disappear.
MarkTheGreat on May 28, 2009 at 8:50 AM
but right now, we’re squandering the very basis of our power, and in ten years, it may be far too late to correct our course.
So what, America has been raping the world of its freedoms and resources for far too long. It’s time to let a more beneficent nation, say China or Russia, to take over while the U.S. rightly has its own power reduced.
I see no problems in having the likes of China dictating policy to the world; any nation which has a gulag system obviously knows how to control things.
Bishop on May 28, 2009 at 8:52 AM
Please expand a little on your comment. It’s worth discussion.
zeebeach on May 28, 2009 at 8:53 AM
Stunted development. They just can’t grow up past High school/college idealist Bullshiit.
Itchee Dryback on May 28, 2009 at 8:54 AM
Not to worry Ed, in 10 years 2/3rd’s of the worlds population will be dead and America will only be a distant glowing smoking crater of a memory…
doriangrey on May 28, 2009 at 8:54 AM
I know how we can stop the slide… Gay Marriage and carbon off-sets!
Seriously, I fear for this nation. I am surrounded by Obamabots who can’t conceivably oppose their great god and savior. These are not analytical people. It will take an incredible amount of work and money to shift 3% away from the messiah.
mankai on May 28, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Ohh, they will. That’s always been liberal fascism’s way. You don’t hear complaints from inside of Cuba… or inside of North Korea. Oh sure, we knew it was fear but the people who grew up there knew it as social consciousness and love.
All they have to do is get that model in place worldwide and, voila, “total peace”.
Because the basic truth is that individual thought/ideology without the ability to act upon it is useless.. and acting on individual thought IS conflict. Conflict leads to hate and suffering!
Skywise on May 28, 2009 at 8:55 AM
Buy Chinese!
Rode Werk on May 28, 2009 at 8:57 AM
I’m nervous about the future.
Norks with nukes
Islamists making moves
Their stealth jihad and jihad civilization process
Russian agression
Chinese agression
Idk it’s all very bleak…
blatantblue on May 28, 2009 at 8:57 AM
I guess all I can do is work on my aim
Headshots headshots headshots
That way when the totalitarians come after me I’ll be able to take a few out
blatantblue on May 28, 2009 at 8:58 AM
Russia has far worse issues to struggle with than the US does. I’m more concerned about a world with no hegemons. It would essentially be global anarchy.
Techie on May 28, 2009 at 8:59 AM
No young padawan… Fear it is that leads to hate and suffering….
doriangrey on May 28, 2009 at 8:59 AM
I’m also afeared of rising supranationalism and the end of realism in global relations
blatantblue on May 28, 2009 at 9:01 AM
Is everybody connected to AIP named Ed? :-)
fivefeetoffury on May 28, 2009 at 9:02 AM
Stop worrying folks. Economys always bounce back after a world war, “speculative thinking”, or course.
Rovin on May 28, 2009 at 9:02 AM
we’re squandering the very basis of our power, and in ten years, it may be far too late to correct our course.
…….
10 years?
It’s probably too late now.
artist on May 28, 2009 at 9:03 AM
China has problems similar to Russia’s, they just aren’t as developed.
MarkTheGreat on May 28, 2009 at 9:03 AM
Hmmm… but in a liberal mind, conflict is fear…
Skywise on May 28, 2009 at 9:03 AM
I will rather not.
Gaurav on May 28, 2009 at 9:04 AM
absolutely correct…we will become a third world country and the entire country will look like detroit.
our dollar will become worthless paper. china will become, really it already is, the superpower
the world will be a very ugly place…we will live in a fascist state….freedom just a memory
and it’ll happen overnight….much faster and probably much sooner than most of us think…
right4life on May 28, 2009 at 9:06 AM
Maybe the Mayans were right and all this worry will be for nothing.
If they were wrong, Americans will just have to get used to the idea of the Iraqi army coming here to depose our dictator.
Bishop on May 28, 2009 at 9:06 AM
The party who thinks America is the problem doesn’t worry.
the_nile on May 28, 2009 at 9:07 AM
Just a tip on marksmanship; Think small. Eyebrow shots. Big targets=big groups. Small targets=small groups.
MikeA on May 28, 2009 at 9:08 AM
With what Obama is doing to the economy and to the military, it may not be optional much longer.
MarkTheGreat on May 28, 2009 at 9:08 AM
Never thought it would happen in my life time, but here it comes.
Learn Chinese.
petefrt on May 28, 2009 at 9:09 AM
Heh… and just to prove my point, here’s a post from Digg:
Digg.com
Skywise on May 28, 2009 at 9:10 AM
We operate so far on the edge, as all leaders must, that there is no slow climbdown from our status. If we stop growing (as all of the policies of the current junta are oriented towards) then our debt burden and future obligations will force bankruptcy on us, but we will not accept this bankruptcy and will try to put it off as long as possible, as we are doing right now.
When faced with such a problem of insolvency, we have two basic ways to handle it, either by defaulting on our debt or monetizing it. Defaulting saves our monetary system, which is the most important thing to save, but we won’t do it because it brings on immediate pain. We will monetize our debt, instead, printing money until it is worthless. The reason we will do this is because it keeps putting off the real pain, though it becomes less and less effective over time. This path, however, leads to the total destruction of our monetary system which makes the running of this nation impossible. No one knows what would happen after that.
Now, other countries have been faced with these problems before, but the US stands in a unique position because there are no other currencies that we would be able to adopt with the destruction of our dollar. We are just far too big. Other countries that have survived the implosions of their currencies have only done so because there were stronger currencies around and richer countries to bail them out (as we have done for many). But no one can bail the US out. We are beyond such help.
Added to these problems is the fact that the US economy drives the entire world. Without the US, no one has anywhere to sell their products. All of their economies will collapse, too (as we have sort of been seeing with this credit crisis). Into this maelstrom, there would not be any calm areas, I don’t think. And then we start dealing with nuke arsenals and the big rush for hard assets. The gulf states couldn’t defend themselves against a colony of fire ants, let alone a real military. If the US didn’t grab the oil fields (which would be the one solution possible to reflate our currency, and which I have been promoting since 9/11) then other countries would and it would all end up as one big, ugly mess.
That’s sort of the basic outline in my mind. We are locked in to a need for growth – which is okay, as Western civilization is based on the idea of growth. But, without that growth, it all falls in and explodes.
progressoverpeace on May 28, 2009 at 9:10 AM
Europe blows itself to crap every 50 to 75 years and it’s doubtful that humans have ever had a time when they were not killing each. Considering human history I really don’t get why liberals have this “all we need is love” and “no guns” mentally unless it’s just a sham for total control but I really don’t think they are that smart. We are due for the next blow up and considering our technology level it just may be a major human race and quite possibly planet altering one this time.
jmarcure on May 28, 2009 at 9:12 AM
Well what can I say. Keep the faith dude.
Gaurav on May 28, 2009 at 9:13 AM
Strikes me as exactly what Obama and the Democrats are working so hard to accomplish, the diminution of America.
johnsteele on May 28, 2009 at 9:13 AM
If they were wrong, Americans will just have to get used to the idea of the Iraqi army coming here to depose our dictator.
Bishop on May 28, 2009 at 9:06 AM
and I for one will welcome them with open arms and thorwn flowers.
unseen on May 28, 2009 at 9:13 AM
looks like the 4 horsemen are getting ready to ride….
right4life on May 28, 2009 at 9:15 AM
“We have in this country one of the most corrupt institutions the world has ever known. I refer to the Federal Reserve Board…This evil institution has impoverished…the people of the United States…and has practically bankrupted our government. It has done this through…the corrupt practices of the moneyed vultures who control it.”
…. Republican Representative Louis T. McFadden of Pennsylvania, the Former Chairman of the House Banking & Currency Commission–1932
Rovin on May 28, 2009 at 9:15 AM
In America’s moment of need there seems to be no conservative with the presence and panache to step to the front and lead. I think America is still in shock. We never dreamed this could happen so fast.
Ernest on May 28, 2009 at 9:16 AM
zeebeach on May 28, 2009 at 9:16 AM
lol
Free the USA
faraway on May 28, 2009 at 9:17 AM
And, as usual, I messed up my close quote thing. Arghh.
zeebeach on May 28, 2009 at 9:17 AM
So true.
petefrt on May 28, 2009 at 9:19 AM
Leftists have taken over the media. Nothing will stop them now from taking over the country. Our dictator is busy taking over our largest banks and auto companies as we sit idly by watching American Idol.
faraway on May 28, 2009 at 9:20 AM
If they were wrong, Americans will just have to get used to the idea of the Iraqi army coming here to depose our dictator.
Bishop on May 28, 2009 at 9:06 AM
My shoe is ready for the bronze Obama statue.
artist on May 28, 2009 at 9:21 AM
Interesting……except for your premise” namely: “What would a world with the United States in the second financial tier of nations mean?”
Right now, we have the U.S. gov’t (i.e. the Fed) “buying” hundreds of $billions of U.S. debt. The only ones complaining are the Chinese (God forbid our own Congress would raise its collective eyebrows at such a scam) since they realize this actually means the U.S. (i.e. the Fed) will HAVE to print the $$$$
Given that, aren’t we already in the 2d financial tier of nations????
alwyr on May 28, 2009 at 9:21 AM
faraway on May 28, 2009 at 9:20 AM
Only one good thing will come of this.
I will get to see the NYT and Newsweek close their doors.
artist on May 28, 2009 at 9:22 AM
When the USA slips and the world goes into chaos, the left will cry that they did it all with the best of intentions.
jukin on May 28, 2009 at 9:25 AM
PALOMINO!!!
csdeven on May 28, 2009 at 9:30 AM
Thanks for the tip! I’m always eager to learn new things
I was lucky enough to spend some time at a range with a Marine last spring. Taught me a lot of valuable things
blatantblue on May 28, 2009 at 9:30 AM
This notion crossed my wandering mind while I was treadmilling at the gym. It took me here.
apostic on May 28, 2009 at 9:31 AM
This is the surfacing material of the road to hell.
thomasaur on May 28, 2009 at 9:32 AM
not going to happen anytime soon for sure.
that said, this topic needs to be addressed more often to engage the paultards with. Don’t forget that imbecile thinks we need to withdrawal all our military forces abroad, abolish the CIA, etc…to “reduce the size of Government”. and he thinks this is the way to go because its more politically feasible, than reducing the Nanny State. He actually tells liberals that we could ‘afford healthcare’ if only for our military spending.
jp on May 28, 2009 at 9:34 AM
I think America is still in shock. We never dreamed this could happen so fast.
Ernest on May 28, 2009 at 9:16 AM
Spot on. America has been used to the idea of a relative amount of political checks being in place, now we have a radical ‘rat in the White House and very few people willing to stand against his rabid policies. Americans don’t seem to know exactly what to do.
Bishop on May 28, 2009 at 9:34 AM
That is a developing scenario where this country will slowly atrophy until it devolves into a large, weak Marxist/socialist enclave. These forces are now in play and because of the lack of opposing political leadership they will proceed to their ultimate destructive ends. Unlike traumatic change, a slow, gradual change can desensitize the masses and be upon them before they comprehend what has happened. Unfortunately, the great Republic we once knew is being slowly diminished as each day passes.
rplat on May 28, 2009 at 9:36 AM
The real basis of American strength is it’s institutions and it’s people. The Left has been somewhat successful at tearing down the first, but so far Americans have responded well in a crisis, economic or in foreign policy.
There is a crisis coming, and it will be up to the average citizen to realize, understand and respond. Things don’t look good at the moment, but the storm isn’t here just yet.
Asher on May 28, 2009 at 9:37 AM
That’s a lot to chew on. I’d like to add into your discussion the following points:
* Much of the free world (Europe, Asia, Australasia, and to lesser degrees, Africa and the Middle East) depends on the protection afforded them under the blanket of US hegemony.
* Over 80% of China’s industrial output is purchased by the United States, IIRC.
* The world has enjoyed over six decades of relative peace and prosperity because the US protected it from conquest by communism and destruction by various terror groups.
And finally,
* Several adversaries of the US have been studying “asymetric warfare” tactics against it for at least the past 20 years, with the main three types of responses being a) EMP (either nuke or small device to cripple key cities or economic sectors, such as server farms or electronics manufacturing sites); b) terror strikes against crowded public facilities; and c) financial dominance, as in the case of China’s national industrial dominance model.
Don’t forget that the world enjoys prosperity also because of the fact that US hegemony allows for the golden goal of “enforced cooperation” that is the best result of playing the Prisoner’s Dilemma game to its most efficient conclusion.
When the age of Empires ruled (17th through early 20th centuries), there were several empires that controlled various parts of the world at their height: Spanish, Dutch, Belgian, French, British, and German. The last empire to fall was Britain, beginning its slide downward after WWI and falling completely by the full onset of the Cold War. Into that vacuum stepped the US.
When the US falls, the only players with cash, resources, arms, armies, and blue water navies are the CIS and China.
Can you honestly see either of those two nations providing the kind of benevolent protection afforded to the world today by the US?
And hardest hit will not be the US, but rather, Europe, which has retarded its collective economies and allowed its armies to waste away into nothing. The EU is a lamb ready for slaughter if US protection is withdrawn from it.
To recover its losses in the event of a US currency default, China will be forced into seizing resources and markets very much like Japan was back in the 1930′s. The Chinese internal economy cannot sustain its output, and as more and more of its citizens abandon farming and move to live in cities, its agricultural base will not be able to sustain the logistics of a massive population density imbalance.
A *lot* of food for thought.
Wanderlust on May 28, 2009 at 9:38 AM
More dangerous? We are already seeing that come to pass. North Korea and Iran are sure afraid of the current US Commander in Chief!! I’m not condoning rushing in with military might right this second, but the threat of military action might be a deterrent. We have a CIC that is a child….. let’s talk, hold hands and sing Kumbaya. Let’s throw more worthless sanctions at them, that’ll show em! The apologist says “now boys, you shouldn’t be doing this stuff” The VP idiot said he wouldn’t ride a subway or bus because of the flu, what’s he going to do when a nuclear missile is headed our way? Hide in the “secret bunker” he told the world the location of?
You can say what you will about Bush and Cheny and all that they did or didn’t do to your satisfaction, but I firmly believe the arrogant display of “see what we can do?” by NK and Iran would not be going on with them or an administration that has enough testosterone to make despot dictators think twice.
The economic abyss and the run to make us socialists, fascists, communists or whatever word you want to use by this leftist administration becomes a moot point when we and the rest of the world smolders in ruin.
ladyhawke53 on May 28, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Monetizing our dept would remove us from first-tier status, simply because with the attendant stagflation it would cause, particularly on scale more massive than Reagan inherited, leads to a soggy, European-style decline. It would be more along the lines of a disengaged first-tier (for our economy would still be huge), which would make our world presence inconsequential. Without an engaged US leadership, you have leadership-by-committee on the one hand, and adventuresome rogue-statism on the other. Absent an worldly active USA, the power vacuum is filled by…what?
During the Carter stagflation most contracts of any duration were indexed against inflation. With an almost non-existent inflation over the past decade, a lot of that language has disappeared from contracts (except, of course, government entitlement program COLAs and federal salaries). As the US finds itself unable to sell its bonds, and has to resort to just printing money, I expect to see inflation-protections language start coming back into contracts. That will have a serious multiplier effect through the entire economy.
The late 197′s and the 1980′s were painful enough in facing this problem. Our current situation is considerably more dire and more exposed than it was back then. God help us all.
ss396 on May 28, 2009 at 9:39 AM
Would the ancient Romans recognize the signs? More and more our nation is being sold to the political class, people who are doing their best to distance themselves from the masses while they pillage an increasingly empty treasury and tell us not to worry.
Bishop on May 28, 2009 at 9:40 AM
It’s not speculation to show the history of the disastrous results of what happens when countries print money.
As for losing our dominance in the world, that is what the Left wants! Even so-called ‘mainstream’ Democrats like Madeline Albright don’t think it’s “fair” that we have so much power.
Of course they have no problem with the Left and its proxies in the Democrat Party amassing power – indeed, that has been the goal at least since the Cold War and they are closer then they have ever been in establishing a one party rule. Barack Obama is the embodiment of a lifelong dream to destroy our foundations – so they can build new ones – just like The One promises.
Buy Danish on May 28, 2009 at 9:41 AM
Ed will not like the Cromwell part, however I highly suggest reading some Walter Russel Mead on this topic, especially if you need some long term optimism.
“God and Gold: Britain, America and the making of the modern world”
“Special Providence” on US foreign Policy history
Its criminal the shared heritage with Britian is not really taught at all in schools.
jp on May 28, 2009 at 9:43 AM
same for the Rothbardian ‘libertarians’. i.e. Lew Rockwell, Ron Paul, etc.
That or they are truly Utopian minded fools and really beleive trade means no force on either side is needed. Trade trumps all, including power, nationalistic pride and the inate Human Nature of Evil that does exist.
jp on May 28, 2009 at 9:46 AM
It’s already too late – unless somehow the Republicans took over Congress next year with veto-proof majorities. That ain’t gonna happen.
The only thing that will save us is a concerted effort to real back in all that TARP and PORKULOUS money – what hasn’t been spent of it yet. It’s not going to happen.
The only thing we can do now is manage the crash – because this plane is going down.
HondaV65 on May 28, 2009 at 9:48 AM
That statement resonated with me. It begs the question: How is Obama’s massive borrowing any different than an individual who bought a home they couldn’t afford?
Of course, it wasn’t the borrowers that were blamed for poor decision making. Instead Obama blamed the lenders. So I guess it’s really China’s predatory lending that is to blame for the deficit?
Onus on May 28, 2009 at 9:49 AM
The foreign and domestic leftists who keep hacking away at the legs of the American table do not realize that they are sitting on top of it. A collapse of American power will lead to horrifying poverty, war, disease and famine in much of the world.
Only civil unions can save us now!
mankai on May 28, 2009 at 9:50 AM
Those Anglo-Saxons and their Magna Carta is not inclusive since it doesn’t feature Latina women like Sotomayer, so we can’t teach that.
Anyhoo, instead of “imagining a strong America”, this is exaclty what the Left “imagines” – the reality of which is a life of horror, wrapped up with a pretty red bow:
Imagine there’s no heaven
It’s easy if you try
No hell below us
Above us only sky
Imagine all the people
Living for today…
Imagine there’s no countries
It isn’t hard to do
Nothing to kill or die for
And no religion too
Imagine all the people
Living life in peace…
You may say I’m a dreamer
But I’m not the only one
I hope someday you’ll join us
And the world will be as one
Imagine no possessions
I wonder if you can
No need for greed or hunger
A brotherhood of man
Imagine all the people
Sharing all the world…
Buy Danish on May 28, 2009 at 9:51 AM
“In the event of an economic crash, citizens are advised to assume the correct brace position. Put your head between your legs, and if you are able to reach, kiss your a$$ goodbye…”
Wanderlust on May 28, 2009 at 9:53 AM
Headshots, headshots, headshots.
Pejsa ballistics software and handbook for headshots beyond 1,000 meters.
Right_of_Attila on May 28, 2009 at 9:54 AM
But I often hear so much about how “hated” we are around the world. Surely a world without a dominant U.S. presence will be a Utopia…. right?
Yakko77 on May 28, 2009 at 9:54 AM
I think I need to go to the range this weekend and do some shooting…with more than just my snubby.
ladyingray on May 28, 2009 at 9:59 AM
I had always thought that “Imagine” was a pretty song until it finally dawned on me that the thing was pure communist BS.
A world without the US would be a world without peace, or worse. There are, of course, worse things than war: the socialists of the last century proved that to us with their own hands.
Count to 10 on May 28, 2009 at 10:10 AM
I had always thought Thomas Jefferson and company just came up with the Declaration of Indpendence on their own, with some influence from Blackstone’s famous writings.
silly me, they were copying the Glorious Revolution and the “Declaration of Rights” that brought William and Mary to power a 100 years earlier and citing 1000 year old Saxon law code.
jp on May 28, 2009 at 10:19 AM
The rest of the world’s countries with any power all have their own problems and hang-ups. China’s leaders are scared because without the US buying all their crap they cannot keep all the people dumb & happy. And we are talking about 20% of the world’s population. There will be bloody, violent revolutions all over the world. The difference being the US won’t do (can’t do) anything about it.
America will do good if it can just feed it’s own population. Since the “Global Warming Mafia” has shut down domestic energy production the US population won’t be as mobile. In future rural communities will become the hot places to live as cities die slow deaths. The US economy will slow to a trickle as all the normal modes of distribution & transportation cease to exist. All of Obama’s plans will be derailed as they depend on the economy growing at 3% per year.
The economy will actually be down 50% of what it is now in just a few short years. The solution? The US needs radical surgery to survive. The cancer that is liberalism must be killed or it will kill America.
izoneguy on May 28, 2009 at 10:19 AM
btw, Glenn Beck: Are you reading????
Think but you jump over the Ledge
jp on May 28, 2009 at 10:20 AM
Another pretty Communist song: This Land is Your Land which was written in response to “God Bless America”.
Naturally, it was sung at Obama’s inauguration by Communist Propagandist, Pete Seeger, which delighted the CPUSA’s People’s Weekly World who noted:
[Seeger] happily led the crowd on some of Guthrie’s lesser-known, revolutionary verses including the one about that damned symbol of the high wall tagged “Private Property”.
Buy Danish on May 28, 2009 at 10:22 AM
We need a “Sully” Sullenberger flying the plane – Not Capt. Zero
izoneguy on May 28, 2009 at 10:22 AM
The world never was a safe place and its not going to be either.
Americans have enjoyed in the general sense the luxury of life in a bubble albeit with multiple wake up calls or perhaps some of us just want to live in a bubble all provided by our security structure which is provided by our economy of course.
What we don’t need is to tempt fate or history two things our administration or liberals are completely clueless of.
Speakup on May 28, 2009 at 10:22 AM
why imagine it? Just look at reality.
LFRGary on May 28, 2009 at 10:27 AM
Yep. The financial meltdown was the tip of the iceburg. Transfer of world hegemony from England to America resulted in the Great Depression and two world wars. And frankly, that transition was ridiculously smooth. A transition from America to someplace like Russia, India or China would be a drastic change.
But even one of those horror stories would really be the best-case scenario. If there is no obvious world leader then – guess what? There obviously IS no world leader.
And that’s anarchy. Compared to that, totalitarianism is a walk in the park. Eventually, even if it has to be through territorial conquest, somebody is going to claw himself to the top of the heap. But that might take decades, or more than a century.
logis on May 28, 2009 at 10:36 AM
The only thing laughable is the fact that when we complete the socialist transition the “intellectuals” that caused it will be the first to be killed or imprisioned.
faol on May 28, 2009 at 10:37 AM
10 years? I am thinking more like five.
-Dave
Dave R. on May 28, 2009 at 10:39 AM
That has been the case historically, but this time it will be the r.w. bloggers and talk radio hosts they go after, because they are the only ones holding their feet to the fire. The Useful Idiot “intellectuals” are still useful to them.
Buy Danish on May 28, 2009 at 10:45 AM
The fact that Jefferson received his formal education at the College of William & Mary didn’t provide a hint?
AZCoyote on May 28, 2009 at 10:53 AM
At what point will those of us that have taken oaths to defend the Constitution say that Obama has become a threat? After all, deliberately diminishing our power in the face of existential outside threats seems…treasonous.
elduende on May 28, 2009 at 10:56 AM
What we are watching is the decline of the “Anglosphere” – the decline of the hegemony of English speaking peoples.
The British Empire followed by the dominance of the United States.
This has lasted for not quite a quarter of a millenium.
Crux Australis on May 28, 2009 at 10:57 AM
I’m not sold the US is folding anytime soon.
We aren’t hurting as bad as the other powers right now, it will take alot to topple the US, and when that happens who will be in position to dominate the globe?
jp on May 28, 2009 at 11:16 AM
Lucius Cornelius Sulla/2012!
(assuming we’re still having elections)
CK MacLeod on May 28, 2009 at 11:16 AM
A lot of people seem to be committing the same sin that they accuse liberals of: “staticism.”
That America would fall to nothing while the American people do nothing but scratch their heads like they are now.
I have more faith in Americans, especially considering how we came to be.
Americans will try and solve everything by elections and voting for as long as possible, but if that fails, I have no doubt we will do the right thing.
amkun on May 28, 2009 at 11:27 AM
It’s not too late to turn things around -now-, but it will be in 6 years. 4 years from now will be a critical turning point at the rate we’re going thanks to our liberal traitors.
What happens after 8 years….externally a very quiet America, internally America will be consuming itself.
Eventually, when we’re half a step above third world status the UN will come in with troops to quell the internal violence. Then we will cease to be a country for all intents and purposes.
Spiritk9 on May 28, 2009 at 11:42 AM
Itchee Dryback Are your familiar with Ivy League schools like Harvard?
Aside from characters from enviroments that made them true haters of the western world abovo, and obvious mental cases, you have frustrated high school class presidents. These American products feel that they have to do something to justify all the time and money they spent on revisionist history and political science. And real world experience or commonsense are in short supply. They carry a vein of adolescent rebellion that fits well with a deep knowledge of utopian leftist politics. Their career options are nil since nobody (aside from universities) wants a power mad prophet, even if they have a Harvard Law degree, although a lot of them pretend to be able to join a Wall Street firm at any time. Most of them know that they would be screened out of consideration before hiring or be unable to handle the work if they were.
Lord help us if one of these characters got a postion of power, even worse if they came from one of the affirmative action programs.
What a President we would have!
Wait…..
IlikedAUH2O on May 28, 2009 at 12:01 PM
This guy is standing with one foot on each side of the line that separates moron and traitor. Yeah, lets not actually question EVERYTHING possible about Dr Mysterio. Let’s not talk about his likely citizenship problems or the obscene amounts of money he has spent to hide these problems. What if its a ruse, what if its a trick? Its not polite, its low brow talk of the uneducated masses. You might look like fool if this is some elaborate red herring. If the trillions of dollars in spending, and blatant increase in federal govt intrusion in private lives doesn’t scare you into action then you sir are a moron or a coward. There should be a full court press on this guy. The lefty media isn’t going to do it. Foxnews for some reason is avoiding the subject. Everyone is passing the buck, hoping someone else will reveal the problem if it truly exists. Only then will the intellectual and moral cowards jump on the band wagon and yell “How could this have happened?” Maybe I don’t see the BIG picture. Maybe this story is being held in the wings to spring before the midterm elections for political benefit. If thats the case, that is a HUGE risk to take given the rate at which this fool is spending on his bullshit liberal domestic agenda and showing his complete ignorance and lack of spine to the rest of the world. This story if true, and there are enough questions surrounding his citizenship to pursue this to get to the ground truth, would be Watergate, Pearl Harbor, 911 and OJ all rolled into one. This would completely fracture the Democratic Party and serve as a wake up call to the apathetic masses who busy themselves with gas prices, swine flu or whatever contrived media distraction of the day. How can you not question this man on this issue when he has essentially thrown a legal blanket over the majority of his life. Why should he get the benefit of the doubt? Has he done ANYTHING to earn it? Deal with this problem now before he sinks the dollar any further. We can have idiot Joe sit in until we do an emergency special election in 6 months. The blinders worn by the powers that be at this site astound me.
allahallahoxenfree on May 28, 2009 at 12:09 PM
I see the storm coming, but I believe that the rational minded people of this great country will rise and fight for what is right. Unfortunately, for now, no one in the Republican party has the backbone to stand up to the tree hugging, racists, moonbat Obamabots. I suggest we attach a set of titanium cajones on Palin or find the John Connor in the conservative movement to lead us in the fight to save this country from Socialistic suicide.
Zorg on May 28, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Interesting…
Where would the Chinese capital go if not into US debt?
Sinner on May 28, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Democracy never lasts long. It soon wastes, exhausts and murders itself. There was never a democracy that did not commit suicide.
- John Adams
MB4 on May 28, 2009 at 12:41 PM
In times of challenge, the patriot is a scarce man; brave, hated and scorned. If his cause succeeds, however, the timid join him, for then it costs nothing to be a Patriot.
- Mark Twain
MB4 on May 28, 2009 at 12:49 PM
They are paralyzed into not pressing for answers for fear of being ridiculed. Sad.
MB4 on May 28, 2009 at 12:53 PM
Sinner — What would China do with all the money? I have been hearing this from libs and the media for years. I don’t mean to insult you but it is always easy to invest money. Ask The One. Money is power.
“Indeed, even as China’s exports have plummeted and it is struggling with unemployment, it has seized opportunities to build allies and raise its position in a new economic world order.
It has lent hundreds of millions of dollars to ailing countries such as Jamaica, Tanzania and Pakistan. In addition, in late December, China took the first steps to making the yuan, which is not freely convertible into other currencies, an international standard like the dollar or Euro. It signed agreements with eight neighboring countries to allow settlement of trade payments in yuan and is encouraging other countries to include the yuan in their mix of foreign exchange reserves. Washington Post; US China Trade Ties Erode Amid Accusations; Jua 2/20/2009″
The better question is where would they sell their wares if the US was economically kaput. Very quietly, they are hedging (excuse the pun) their bets in that area. Indeed, the Chinese economy is hurting now with the US meltdown. So you just do what any good MBA would tell you. You take the slowdown as an opportunity to find new markets and opportunities to exploit and cover your bets for the decline of the US or potential protectionism.
The US has the real problems and I wish everybody would knock off the BS that we have them trapped. I remember a French fortified line in WWII.
IlikedAUH2O on May 28, 2009 at 12:59 PM
The fear of that has them so paralyzed that they would rather be Obamaboarded.
MB4 on May 28, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Sorry jukin, but no they won’t. When have you every heard the left admit to being wrong? Have they every apologized for the millions murdered after they forced our defeat in Vietnam? If not for the Bush’s tenacity, we would have seen the same defeat in Iraq. The left NEVER learns from their mistakes. They just keep reapeating them hoping for a different outcome. That’s called insanity.
SoldiersMom on May 28, 2009 at 1:03 PM
One of the things that they are doing is securing natural resources throughout the world while we talk of global warming and building windmills.
MB4 on May 28, 2009 at 1:06 PM
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