This is a well written article, covering a lot of the issues currently facing the country. It's something I think about occasionally, and the opinion I think I'

This is a well written article, covering a lot of the issues currently facing the country. It's something I think about occasionally, and the opinion I think I've eventually come to is that while it's nice to think of ourselves as the top in the world in many aspects, it's okay to contract a bit and let the empire shrink back. He often compares to Europe and China, who are in different stages of what might be the naturally progression of global powers. Europe had its world supreme phase, with several nations being eligible for best in the world at different points. Post-WWII, they (for one reason or another) scaled back and now have the high quality of living we see today. China is where the US was 50 years ago, with rapid, grandiose projects and economic success. But eventually those structures will crumble as they are in the US and they will be where we are now. I'm not sure what will happen. I think standards will continue to slip while politicians play more into more into the "America #1" card until it finally isn't feasible to do so. I don't think there will be a glorious revolution or anything, more like economic downturn changing the political layout slowly, causing even the giant corporate actors to go bust. Eventually America will scale back until it reaches the equilibrium that Europe is closer to reaching.