how long before the US collapses?

Question

At last count, the United States owes the rest of the world over two trillion dollars. That’s two thousand billion dollars, a lot of money even for the late Senator Everett Dirksen. As recently as the 1970’s, America was the major creditor nation, lending money overseas and investing its dollars abroad. We were exporting food, airplanes, technology and even consumer goods. In those days, the total of all imports to and exports from the US to the rest of the world amounted to slightly less than 12% of its GDP. And almost half of that was trade between the US and Canada and Mexico.But no more. Over the past 3 decades, the US has bought far more goods than it has sold. And those goods now are sold to America from factories in China, the far east and South America, as well as massive amounts of oil from Venezuela and the other OPEC countries. The current monthly balance of trade deficit is running at about $58 billion. China alone reports to have over $1 trillion in US money.

Answer 1

it started about 7 years ago.

Answer 2

January 2009 will be our collapse. That's when the oil corporations, China and the Saudi's stop propping up the country's economy. It could happen sooner if home and realestate foreclosures keep rising the rate they are going now. Or, if we get a September surprise like another 9/11. It will take a Democrat to resusitate the economy again after a vampire GOP government drains the life out of it again. Aren't the American people tired of this cycle? I'm looking forward to competent adults being in charge of the government again. The GOP has proven themselves useless to the average American middle class person. We know what side our bread is buttered and it obviously isn't buttered by the GOP.

Answer 3

I think there are several factors, at play that could cause the US to suffer an economic difficulty on par with the Great Depression, specifically. there are three areas of concern.

1. The national debt, it's an obscenity of international proportion that we have so much debt. Our grandchildren will still be paying for crap we bought during the 1980's.

By way of comparison, it would be to suggest that our great-grandparents were still paying off the Revolutionary War. More pressingly with China deciding that our debt is a tactical weapon to be used against us, it should make it clear to both liberals and conservatives that such high debt to GDP ratios are unacceptable, the whole deficit spending tax-cuts are cool should be read as tax cuts are for traitors at this point. Set a reasonable tax rate, set a realistic budget, set legal conditions such that there are harsh consequences for those in the legislature that fail to comply.

2. Economic policies regarding trade and industrial investment need to more appropriately service the average US citizen rather than corporate interests.

This basically means that the citizenry must become aware and animated about a whole series of issues we prefer not to even consider.
- Seizing control of our elected officials and demand an end to corporatism and the slow destruction of our middle class.
- The laizze-faire approach to trade policy which dis-serves long term US interests.
- The national fiasco of immigration
- I think most critically the non-existent discussion regarding wholesale technology transfer otherwise known IP transfer.
- Economic warfare engaged by those and other foreign interests against our intellectual property and commercial/knowledge assets.
- The necrosis of deindustrialization with respect to any manufacturing capability domestically.

3. Environmental concerns, We barely acknowledge that there are problems in certain quarters, there are still - among conservatives the ludicrously discussions about whether global warming is real or whether we are causing it or whatever.
- They'll still be debating issues from the 1960's of IF, long after we will be forced to having to deal with the Aftereffects.
- droughts
- deforestation
- decreased food production
- increases in the strength and possibly frequency of Hurricanes and other violent storms.
- warfare in other countries which endanger our overseas interests.

Taken in mild combination, all of these problems are addressable, and in many cases solvable.

Personally, the reactionary time is my biggest concern.

Take energy policy - we've had 8 years of do nothing, say nothing, hope it all works out somehow, Gasoline will be costing 4$/gallon next year on it's way to 5$ the year after because we do nothing to encourage markets to change and it is considered downright anti-American to compel or incentivize a company which refuses to act in the national interest to do so.

But my problem, isn't any of the problems mentioned above, it's having conservative happy thinkers/head in the sand types whom we -have- to drag along with us.

This is the real concern, they can do real damage by delaying programs and dismissing national reaction to real threats that are not perceived as important by their RNC leadership.

It would be nice if the RNC focused even slight attention on the threats other than terrorism which present themselves to our nation, but they don't.

Answer 4

20 years

Answer 5

With Bush at the helm it could happen by 2009.

Answer 6

I think they will fall into a police state. Not unlike that of England depicted in V for Vendetta.

In terms of finances..yikes! But think about how many nations owe the US money.

Answer 7

Shortly after Obama gets elected

Answer 8

You may think the sky is falling but you chicken littles are totally wrong.

Answer 9

Sorry to disappoint you, ideologue! It will not collapse any time soon!

Answer 10

I don't know??? Why don't you ask Nancy Piglousy!