This is the key takeaway. There is (growing?) demand for a reserve currency. There is currently a single supplier. I don't know if the demand is actually inc

This is the key takeaway. There is (growing?) demand for a reserve currency. There is currently a single supplier. I don't know if the demand is actually increasing - these conversations have been going on for decades. The Euro was discussed as a potential rival reserve currency (e.g., see http://www.cer.org.uk/insights/euro-world%E2%80%99s-reserve-currency http://www.cer.org.uk/insights/euro-world%E2%80%99s-reserve-..., which says it was created with that idea), but that's faded recently. Although people inside and outside the U.S. decry the capriciousness of the US government and political process, as long as there is no better (or even comparable) alternative, the US dollar will retain its position of prominence.