Could this be the future?

[iamwhatiseem]

Taking down America: four scenarios for the end of the American Century by 2025 | Energy Bulletin

A soft landing for America 40 years from now? Don’t bet on it. The demise of the United States as the global superpower could come far more quickly than anyone imagines. If Washington is dreaming of 2040 or 2050 as the end of the American Century, a more realistic assessment of domestic and global trends suggests that in 2025, just 15 years from now, it could all be over except for the shouting.

Despite the aura of omnipotence most empires project, a look at their history should remind us that they are fragile organisms. So delicate is their ecology of power that, when things start to go truly bad, empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.

Future historians are likely to identify the Bush administration’s rash invasion of Iraq in that year as the start of America's downfall. However, instead of the bloodshed that marked the end of so many past empires, with cities burning and civilians slaughtered, this twenty-first century imperial collapse could come relatively quietly through the invisible tendrils of economic collapse or cyberwarfare

Athens lost the Peloponnesian war but still 'hung around' for a while, and Rome started going south after the winning the first punic war and they hung around for a
while too, like 600 years...Iraq is a pimple on histories buttocks.

I read the entire piece, since the authors degree is in "area' studies , which is basically a cultural discipline in a particular geographical region or cultural sect. ,and hes a member of the Asian society, I am wondering where he got his doctorate in history, I don't see a degree for that...and man, he needs one.

Heh heh...gotta admit friend...this post is one of your best.

 

[Oddball]

Actually, since Obama sold out the American people for tax cuts, they're HIS baby now.

Other than the paltry 2% FICA "holiday" there were no tax cuts.

he extended the ones that were supposed to expire.

Then he stopped a tax increase.

That's not the same as cutting rates from the current baseline.

 

[elvis]

Other than the paltry 2% FICA "holiday" there were no tax cuts.

he extended the ones that were supposed to expire.

the ones he campaigned against and he has said they were the cause of the deficits

and the economic collapse......

 

[Old Rocks]

There were already many areas that we were failing in before Bush. While he will likely be remembered as the most feckless President in our history, there are many architects to the decline of the US, if you bother to read the article.

Thus far, Trajan has made the only reply based on reading it.

Personally, I have no opinion as to whether we will see a rapid decline near the date stated. But the reasons stated are valid.

Taking down America: four scenarios for the end of the American Century by 2025 | Energy Bulletin

By 2008, the United States had already fallen to number three in global merchandise exports, with just 11% of them compared to 12% for China and 16% for the European Union. There is no reason to believe that this trend will reverse itself.

Similarly, American leadership in technological innovation is on the wane. In 2008, the U.S. was still number two behind Japan in worldwide patent applications with 232,000, but China was closing fast at 195,000, thanks to a blistering 400% increase since 2000. A harbinger of further decline: in 2009 the U.S. hit rock bottom in ranking among the 40 nations surveyed by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation when it came to “change” in “global innovation-based competitiveness” during the previous decade. Adding substance to these statistics, in October China's Defense Ministry unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer, the Tianhe-1A, so powerful, said one U.S. expert, that it “blows away the existing No. 1 machine” in America.

Add to this clear evidence that the U.S. education system, that source of future scientists and innovators, has been falling behind its competitors. After leading the world for decades in 25- to 34-year-olds with university degrees, the country sank to 12th place in 2010. The World Economic Forum ranked the United States at a mediocre 52nd among 139 nations in the quality of its university math and science instruction in 2010. Nearly half of all graduate students in the sciences in the U.S. are now foreigners, most of whom will be heading home, not staying here as once would have happened. By 2025, in other words, the United States is likely to face a critical shortage of talented scientists.

 

[Oddball]

Add to this clear evidence that the U.S. education system, that source of future scientists and innovators, has been falling behind its competitors. After leading the world for decades in 25- to 34-year-olds with university degrees, the country sank to 12th place in 2010. The World Economic Forum ranked the United States at a mediocre 52nd among 139 nations in the quality of its university math and science instruction in 2010. Nearly half of all graduate students in the sciences in the U.S. are now foreigners, most of whom will be heading home, not staying here as once would have happened. By 2025, in other words, the United States is likely to face a critical shortage of talented scientists.

That's OK...All we need to do is throw another $zillion or two at the federal Department of Edumacation!!

 

[Midnight Marauder]

empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.

If he believes the US is an "empire" then he's off to a bad start with the rest of his idiocy.

Oh wait. He is.

 

[daveman]

Taking down America: four scenarios for the end of the American Century by 2025 | Energy Bulletin

A soft landing for America 40 years from now? Don’t bet on it. The demise of the United States as the global superpower could come far more quickly than anyone imagines. If Washington is dreaming of 2040 or 2050 as the end of the American Century, a more realistic assessment of domestic and global trends suggests that in 2025, just 15 years from now, it could all be over except for the shouting.

Despite the aura of omnipotence most empires project, a look at their history should remind us that they are fragile organisms. So delicate is their ecology of power that, when things start to go truly bad, empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.

Future historians are likely to identify the Bush administration’s rash invasion of Iraq in that year as the start of America's downfall. However, instead of the bloodshed that marked the end of so many past empires, with cities burning and civilians slaughtered, this twenty-first century imperial collapse could come relatively quietly through the invisible tendrils of economic collapse or cyberwarfare

 

[daveman]

There were already many areas that we were failing in before Bush. While he will likely be remembered as the most feckless President in our history, there are many architects to the decline of the US, if you bother to read the article.

Thus far, Trajan has made the only reply based on reading it.

Personally, I have no opinion as to whether we will see a rapid decline near the date stated. But the reasons stated are valid.

Taking down America: four scenarios for the end of the American Century by 2025 | Energy Bulletin

By 2008, the United States had already fallen to number three in global merchandise exports, with just 11% of them compared to 12% for China and 16% for the European Union. There is no reason to believe that this trend will reverse itself.

Similarly, American leadership in technological innovation is on the wane. In 2008, the U.S. was still number two behind Japan in worldwide patent applications with 232,000, but China was closing fast at 195,000, thanks to a blistering 400% increase since 2000. A harbinger of further decline: in 2009 the U.S. hit rock bottom in ranking among the 40 nations surveyed by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation when it came to “change” in “global innovation-based competitiveness” during the previous decade. Adding substance to these statistics, in October China's Defense Ministry unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer, the Tianhe-1A, so powerful, said one U.S. expert, that it “blows away the existing No. 1 machine” in America.

Add to this clear evidence that the U.S. education system, that source of future scientists and innovators, has been falling behind its competitors. After leading the world for decades in 25- to 34-year-olds with university degrees, the country sank to 12th place in 2010. The World Economic Forum ranked the United States at a mediocre 52nd among 139 nations in the quality of its university math and science instruction in 2010. Nearly half of all graduate students in the sciences in the U.S. are now foreigners, most of whom will be heading home, not staying here as once would have happened. By 2025, in other words, the United States is likely to face a critical shortage of talented scientists.

 

[loosecannon]

Taking down America: four scenarios for the end of the American Century by 2025 | Energy Bulletin

A soft landing for America 40 years from now? Don’t bet on it. The demise of the United States as the global superpower could come far more quickly than anyone imagines. If Washington is dreaming of 2040 or 2050 as the end of the American Century, a more realistic assessment of domestic and global trends suggests that in 2025, just 15 years from now, it could all be over except for the shouting.

Despite the aura of omnipotence most empires project, a look at their history should remind us that they are fragile organisms. So delicate is their ecology of power that, when things start to go truly bad, empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.

Future historians are likely to identify the Bush administration’s rash invasion of Iraq in that year as the start of America's downfall. However, instead of the bloodshed that marked the end of so many past empires, with cities burning and civilians slaughtered, this twenty-first century imperial collapse could come relatively quietly through the invisible tendrils of economic collapse or cyberwarfare

this is all blatantly obvious. Self evident even.

But the timing is equally impossible to predict. The Chinese as just one example already seem to consider us a paper tiger.

Oddly enough our leadership is doing absolutely NOTHING about our declining fate except to lubricate the downhill slope.

 

[loosecannon]

Sure as shootin'.....All the fault of BOOOOOOOOOOSH!

Loser.

The article didn't say that shit for brains partisan. It marked a year in his presidency and an event in his presidency as the turning point.

Specifically the year that the US went to war in Iraq to fight a never ending war against an invisible enemy, completely fulfilling the ambitions of AQ and Bin Laden whose very stated intention was to defeat the US thru econ attrition just as they had defeated the USSR the very same way.

 

[loosecannon]

I do not believe that the demise of the US is on the horizon. I do forsee in economic terms, a second global superpower by 2020 and that is China. They are already the second largest economy, passing Japan earlier this year but far behind the US. Even when or if they do obtain equal economic clout the US will not disappear quickly.

Nothing personal, but this WHY empires die. They are so steeped in the illusion of their dominance and supremacy that they can't see the all too obvious indicators of their demise. So they don't take actions to correct while they still can.

 

[daveman]

Wait a minute...I thought it was the GOP that were fear-mongers...?

 

[shintao]

Other than the paltry 2% FICA "holiday" there were no tax cuts.

he extended the ones that were supposed to expire.

the ones he campaigned against and he has said they were the cause of the deficits

Yeah,...........what about it?

 

[loosecannon]

There were already many areas that we were failing in before Bush. While he will likely be remembered as the most feckless President in our history, there are many architects to the decline of the US, if you bother to read the article.

Thus far, Trajan has made the only reply based on reading it.

Personally, I have no opinion as to whether we will see a rapid decline near the date stated. But the reasons stated are valid.

Taking down America: four scenarios for the end of the American Century by 2025 | Energy Bulletin

By 2008, the United States had already fallen to number three in global merchandise exports, with just 11% of them compared to 12% for China and 16% for the European Union. There is no reason to believe that this trend will reverse itself.

Similarly, American leadership in technological innovation is on the wane. In 2008, the U.S. was still number two behind Japan in worldwide patent applications with 232,000, but China was closing fast at 195,000, thanks to a blistering 400% increase since 2000. A harbinger of further decline: in 2009 the U.S. hit rock bottom in ranking among the 40 nations surveyed by the Information Technology & Innovation Foundation when it came to “change” in “global innovation-based competitiveness” during the previous decade. Adding substance to these statistics, in October China's Defense Ministry unveiled the world's fastest supercomputer, the Tianhe-1A, so powerful, said one U.S. expert, that it “blows away the existing No. 1 machine” in America.

Add to this clear evidence that the U.S. education system, that source of future scientists and innovators, has been falling behind its competitors. After leading the world for decades in 25- to 34-year-olds with university degrees, the country sank to 12th place in 2010. The World Economic Forum ranked the United States at a mediocre 52nd among 139 nations in the quality of its university math and science instruction in 2010. Nearly half of all graduate students in the sciences in the U.S. are now foreigners, most of whom will be heading home, not staying here as once would have happened. By 2025, in other words, the United States is likely to face a critical shortage of talented scientists.

Our national econ strategy has been to shed industrial strength and amass strength in a new financial empire. The recent recession kind of blew that economic strategy out of the water faster than the dot com bubble collapsed. Our economy is a hollow shell and we lost our technological advantage when we outsourced our manufacturing base.

Technological advancement is a function of manufacturing. So now we are shifting into a global surveillance industry as our newest macro growth industry. Something tells me backlash is inevitable.

 

[loosecannon]

empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.

If he believes the US is an "empire" then he's off to a bad start with the rest of his idiocy.

Oh wait. He is.

The US is definitely an empire.

800 US military bases abroad do not lie, sucker!

 

[loosecannon]

Wait a minute...I thought it was the GOP that were fear-mongers...?

Both parties control their peons with fear tactics. Duh!

 

[DiveCon]

empires regularly unravel with unholy speed: just a year for Portugal, two years for the Soviet Union, eight years for France, 11 years for the Ottomans, 17 years for Great Britain, and, in all likelihood, 22 years for the United States, counting from the crucial year 2003.

If he believes the US is an "empire" then he's off to a bad start with the rest of his idiocy.

Oh wait. He is.

The US is definitely an empire.

800 US military bases abroad do not lie, sucker!

yeah, and all that tribute coming in from all those lands is SWEET


oh, wait

 

[daveman]

Wait a minute...I thought it was the GOP that were fear-mongers...?

Both parties control their peons with fear tactics. Duh!

So the Democrats who make that claim are lying.

Gasp.

 

[shintao]

I do not believe that the demise of the US is on the horizon. I do forsee in economic terms, a second global superpower by 2020 and that is China. They are already the second largest economy, passing Japan earlier this year but far behind the US. Even when or if they do obtain equal economic clout the US will not disappear quickly.

Nothing personal, but this WHY empires die. They are so steeped in the illusion of their dominance and supremacy that they can't see the all too obvious indicators of their demise. So they don't take actions to correct while they still can.

I spent some time looking for some Egyptian quotes, one in particular I read in college, where a witness talks about the decline of the Egyptian empire he is living in. He described many things we are seeing today in America. violence, disobedience, suffering, chaos, etc. Wish I could locate it again. I don't think it was Budge book of the dead. Maybe a mystic book, not sure.

 

[shintao]

Our national econ strategy has been to shed industrial strength and amass strength in a new financial empire. The recent recession kind of blew that economic strategy out of the water faster than the dot com bubble collapsed. Our economy is a hollow shell and we lost our technological advantage when we outsourced our manufacturing base.

Yes, and 911 exemplifies that hollow shell.