> > Reality may not comply with your moral judgment.
>
>Meanining?
Because the U.S. deserves to crash & burn doesn't mean it will happen. Jefferson famously said "I tremble for my country when I think God is just," and his country went on to run the world.
> > Do you think such a collapse in the U.S. would make this country pull
>> back from the world, or make it even meaner?
>
>Does it much matter? This is a real question.
Sure does. The U.S. has a fearsome military machine that could really fuck up the rest of the world if it wanted to. Back in 1987, the now largely forgotten Wall Street economist Albert Wojnilower - was he Dr Doom or Dr Death? I can never remember - said "Americans are and show every sign of remaining, in contrast with Japan, a short-term, mercurial, polyglot, multi-ethnic, mobile, and heavily armed people. Claims on such a people need to be accumulated and exercised with care." I don't know what the "polyglot, multi-ethnic" aspects have to do with it, but his general point is sound.
Doug