How long does the US have?
 

Is the US at the peak of it's power and importance on the world scene? Are we already past our peak? or are we still on the uphill climb gaining power and influence in perpetuity?

The poll question is this: How long will it be before the US is a has-been on the world scene in terms of power and influence?

Never, The US will resort to nukes before it let's go and loses it's power.

I think the US is comparable to the aging football star who peaked in his adolescence. Getting close to middle aged now and shocked at the back pains, yet still hearing the cheers of the crowds, if only in his own mind.

I don't know, are there any Bushes left?

We are head and shoulders above everyone else in the world, but we are on the decline. We are lower than our former selves, and others (EU and China) are rising. It's just a matter of time.

No, the use of nukes (or any other WMD) will only happen (IMO) under two scenarios.

1) A nation on the rise. They don't have much to lose and a lot to gain. The government is still relatively fluid and unchecked. They don't have a lot of national guilt weighing on their souls to cause decision makers to think "what will the voters think?" It is sort of like a teenager in that it has some amazing new power and strength but not the maturity to realize that real strength comes from not only relying on physical ability.

2) A religious/ethnic fanatic run government. The central theme/belief/identity is so overwhelmingly important that there is no sacrifice too great if it will further the cause. Popularity, acceptance, approval does not even weigh into the equation. If wiping 200 million people off the face of the earth will solidify or further the cause, then it is worth it.

The US is already past the first scenario. Our politicians are driven by polling numbers and dreams of legacy. They wouldn't want to smudge their good name :right: by ordering mass destruction. They know that the US citizenry doesn't have the stomach for it.

The US won't get to the second scenario because we'll never have an ethnic or religious identity that ties us all together again. Those days are gone and won't be back.

I sincerely hope you are right lookout, but some would say there are fanatics in office as we type!

Read Lookout's posts ... then think about Pakistan ...
Scared yet?

Nope [/head in sand]

I'm curious what you might mean by "power" in this. There has been, for years, a question if the US still has the power it once had to invent, to innovate, to produce, and to dominate when it came to technology. There's also industrial might. Other measures include military might (which I think we still hold and will for some time) and quality of life (we haven't held the top spot for this in decades).

If you think we are past our peak, what era did we peak? Shortly after WWII? During the 1960s space race?

I'm just waiting for Australia to be the next world power.

I think it'll be some time next week. :)

I just looked that the poll. I'm surprised the results. I'd love to know who clicked 0 - 15 and their reasons for doing so.

I clicked on 30 - 50 because I think that's about the period of time it'll be before 'another nation' will be acknowledged as the world power, as opposed to everyone knowing they're the one to watch, but not being brave enough to say it.

We are going to stay here alright....we are just going to mutate into mexico. I'm not saying that to be inflammatory...it's just true.

I haven't clicked
It will take longer than 50 years but of course it will happen.

i'm thinking the 16-30 range. gives us a couple more elections to completely screw up with successively lower turnout. a couple more recessions and on real big one tipping over when people realize that real estate is a comodity and the baby boom generation is fading out and we have way more supply than demand. a couple more military actions with dubious outcomes creating more passively minded skeptics until very few believe anything is worth fighting for.