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I say no. The country has been through tougher times and it's still here.
Also, witness what happened after 9-11. People came together. It didn't matter whether they were conservatives or liberals or total polar opposites, they were united. Americans have their differences, but mostly they pretty much identify themselves as Americans first and other groups second.
No, 9/11 was a couple city blocks and look what it did. I am talking about a "Network" attack of dozens of sites at one time that would cripple the infrastructure of the main population base. You don't have to kill tens of thousands of people in a single stroke to bring anarchy that will kill ten fold more.
When you look at a map of the Liberal and Conservative populations are at, most of the Liberals live in the high population areas, verses the Conservatives live in more rural areas (red/blue stuff). IF/when there was a collapse of the system, those that live out of the cities are going to be very protective of their areas and are better suited for surviving. Cities have no resources on the whole other than too many people, they rely on having everything trucked in daily, where rural areas have gardens, livestock, hunt and other more related activities that would lean to long term survival.
What it would come down to is the "Have" verses the "Have nots" and the "Have nots" don't have a clue to what to expect when their lifestyle goes down the toilet and they can't go to Starbucks for a caffeine fix....
If the U.S. went into an anarchy state, the rest of the world would start crumbling too, not so much the third world countries in as they don't have too far to fall and would be better adapted in the long term. China has a better structure for Government because of zero tolerance, but they import a lot of food that would slow down or stop and then mass starvation would change that picture too.
Cities would be the last place you would want to be when things start to go bad, and they will someday, history is always right just not on time.
Last edited by starlite9; 02-13-2009 at 12:58 PM..
If America experiences currency collapse, breakdown of government services, unending civil disruptions, and shortages of necessary goods and services, do you believe the whole thing could fall apart?
It won't fall apart..the makings of a global government is shaping up..just read the minutes of Davos, or UN speeches or go read excerpts from the CFR.
The global economy needs a global government. Something to think about.
This country is walking on thin ice in Spring right now. Printing and pouring out money with nothing to back it up. We can't spend our way out of this mess. A lot of folks are piling up commodities such as food, medical supplies, booze and ammunition right now. Rural communities are forming "protective associations" and forming emergency plans of action. The current government is talking the issue to death and doing the typical throw money at it solution in hopes that that will somehow "stimulate" something. Oh it could happen most certainly. A complete breakdown of our society as we know it is totally plausible. Rioting and looting would be more pronounced in the major urban areas with some scattered roving thugs and desperate folks out in the countryside (who would be shot on sight most likely) pockets of urban areas would come together to fend off some of the wolves but the inner cities would be toast. I would rather be ready as possible for such a scenerio than be caught flat footed. Our little community has a plan. And all the ranches and farms herebouts are allied together and have been for a while. I pity the fools who think we are a target out here. We have been banded together as a matter of course since I can remember and if things got real bad there is no place I would rather have my family than right here. We have food, water , medical care, reserve power, weapons and ammo out the wangdoodle. I certainly hope we don't have to implement the emergency plans, but if we do at least we HAVE a plan.
I'm happy in my own life. That's what matters. As far as externals are concerned, I know that decisions regarding investment and physical security are difficult at this time. The government is in control of men and women who wish to control us to a degree never seen before. In bad times, people are willing to accept more control if only the strong ruler will reassure them. We saw this in the Great Depression; we're beginning to see it again. But there's a crucial difference between the Roosevelt era and to day. The difference is the amount of money involved. If the US government can't sell its debt to foreign investors, it's all over. If the Federal Reserve Bank, is the only buyer, it's the end. Look at Zimbabwe. This is an infinitely richer here. US hyperinflation would make that of Zimbabwe look like an insignificant ripple.
The government is not the nation; the citizenry, the whole citizenry, is. If things become bad enough, the citizenry will be ready to begin anew. If a person's house blows down, he can either sleep in the cold, or he can rebuild. Those who choose to sleep in the cold, waiting for the government to come and save them, will perish. Those who choose to rebuild will survive and prosper.
It could be an exciting time. It could mean a return to a smaller and more free country. As Ronald Reagan said, "Government is the problem, not the solution."
I tend to disagree here. The country is more divided now, than ever. Even our recent election cycle showed that we are divided on religious, racial, gender, economic, political, pro/anti immigration, pro/anti everything else you can think of......The population is several times larger, and far more diverse than the last time the nation faced a crisis of this magnitude, and the magnitude of this crisis is growing beyond the proportions of any we have faced before, at an alarming rate. Now lets throw in the (almost inevitable) terrorist attack, or major natural disaster, and things can, and likely will unravel quickly.
That being said, I think the govt. is well aware of their precarious situation already, and has plans in place to re assert it's control when the stuff hits the fan. Just a matter of time now, and I think four years is a rather generous time frame. I think collapse can be calculated in terms of weeks or months at best at this point. That's just MHO, and I do pray that I'm wrong.
I still don't agree. There have been large areas that have lost power in the past. I doubt there's going to be a natural disaster or terrorist attack that's going to effect the entire country. It's just too much geographic area. The nation didn't fall apart over Katrina or 9-11, and it won't fall apart now.
To say that we're more divided now than ever is to gloss over the history of the country. People have always been divided over those issues, and even more. There have always been political scandals, racial tensions, economic hardships, and whatnot. It's just that you hear about it more often now because the internet gives everyone a voice.
Am I worried that the country is in for some tough times? Yes. Am I worried that it's going to collapse and fall apart? No.
I wouldn't dismiss the collapse of our government at all. The way the economy is a house of cards with nothing but more cards added to prop it up makes that all the more likely. Add the grid going down, which wouldn't even take deliberate action, just a few storms in the wrong place and the populace won't sit and wait for help.
Another possibility, way too likely, is the declaration of a "national emergency" and the deployment of the military to restore control. And military takeovers rarely let go and establish the government after they start. And if things would go back to the same circumstances because they had not been restored there would be no need to.
I am gladly out of overcrowded suburbia. Wouldn't give the city to city suburbs of socal much of a chance.
In case those who are supposed to work for us haven't noticed, people are pessimistic about this. Most want to believe it will get better but deep down have serious doubts. Some simply don't think it will. Even the sheeple have noticed the empty buildings and the empty stores and empty neighborhoods.
Not that it would be easy to 'control'. Tell the gangs that they have to obey the military. Talk rural areas which have already got plans out of them. I fear this would lead to far worse then a bunch of complacent sheep grateful to the government for saving themselves
If America experiences currency collapse, breakdown of government services, unending civil disruptions, and shortages of necessary goods and services, do you believe the whole thing could fall apart?
That sounds like a Republican wet dream. And if they have their way, it will turn out like you described. Thankfully they are a minority in both houses of U.S. government
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. Oh it could happen most certainly. A complete breakdown of our society as we know it is totally plausible. Rioting and looting would be more pronounced in the major urban areas with some scattered roving thugs and desperate folks out in the countryside (who would be shot on sight most likely) pockets of urban areas would come together to fend off some of the wolves but the inner cities would be toast. I would rather be ready as possible for such a scenerio than be caught flat footed. Our little community has a plan. And all the ranches and farms herebouts are allied together and have been for a while. I pity the fools who think we are a target out here. We have been banded together as a matter of course since I can remember and if things got real bad there is no place I would rather have my family than right here. We have food, water , medical care, reserve power, weapons and ammo out the wangdoodle
. I certainly hope we don't have to implement the emergency plans, but if we do at least we HAVE a plan.
