Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
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?
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?
In as much as most people are afraid to think that things could go to hell in a hand basket, it very well could.
You look at how much damage was caused when the power went out for a few days in New York City some years back. There was rioting in the streets, looting and so forth.
If a terrorist group blew down the high tension lines and transfer stations over the US grid, the major cities would lose power instantly. From there the first day or two would be touchy, but as the power loss spread, things wouldn't get to market and people would start to loot, shoot and in general, and over tax the systems ability to cope.
It is one thing to have one area affected, the other areas can send in help, but if all the areas are having to deal with their own disaster, it would start to go down hill in a hurry.
The ones that would be affected first is the City dwellers, they don't have any backup as a rule, nor know what to do when things started down hill. Sure they would do OK for the first few days, but not for much longer after that.
The folks that live farther out away from the bigger cities would fair out a lot better, many have generators and stores of food, not to mention are better armed when the city hoards would come out of the cities trying to find food by stealing it/looting after about the second week or so.
We aren't that far from falling off a point in time, no country is. All throughout history, they all have done it more than a couple of times, just in the US we have been very lucky to have avoided it to date.
Peace is very fragile thing all over the world. And we now are more dependant on others now, than any other time in history and too many small things go wrong at the same time and it is a quick fall down a long hill..
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.
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.
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.
The dollar is incredibly weak and it would take little to send it into collapse and with it, the government. O better not get China too riled up over their currency or we may find ourselves collapsing...
A handful of EMP attacks by a terrorist group would wipe out the power grid and nearly all electronics. Doesn't take much guessing to see where that would lead...
it does not help that we are deliberately antagonizing the chinese by spending when they want us to curtail spending. if they ever decided to unload their treasuries our dollar would collapse, as well as our economy. hopefully, they have more common sense than our own government has.....
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?
Your list is the meaning of "fallen apart." There's nowhere for us physically to move to and we'd have to try to individually survive somehow. Do you mean could we maintain or rebuild to the point of richest country, only superpower, etc? I dont know. The days of heedlessly spending beyond our means (on every level) are over. We have competition now, and a lot of weaponized, sophisticated enemies who'd like to be #1 themselves (or at least dont want us to be), plus how can we trade with, let alone prop up, other countries if we're all of us clawing to survive? We became #1 because we were the last country left with an economy after WWII. Now, I dont know. There are probably plans in line in case the dollar collapses but what are they? Take over Mexico ("just trying to help ya out") and generate product from the materials and manpower there?
In as much as most people are afraid to think that things could go to hell in a hand basket, it very well could.
You look at how much damage was caused when the power went out for a few days in New York City some years back. There was rioting in the streets, looting and so forth.
If a terrorist group blew down the high tension lines and transfer stations over the US grid, the major cities would lose power instantly. From there the first day or two would be touchy, but as the power loss spread, things wouldn't get to market and people would start to loot, shoot and in general, and over tax the systems ability to cope.
***
We aren't that far from falling off a point in time, no country is. All throughout history, they all have done it more than a couple of times, just in the US we have been very lucky to have avoided it to date.
Peace is very fragile thing all over the world. And we now are more dependant on others now, than any other time in history and too many small things go wrong at the same time and it is a quick fall down a long hill..
Agree. "Security" is so fragile - an illusion. It wouldnt take much - take down the power grids or computer systems - blow the bridges and tunnels to NYC and hold it hostage awhile, then destroy it - or just a nuke here or there. Invade Europe. Oceans used to protect us but no more.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
