I usually refer to the U.S. as an Imperialist Economic Autocracy as opposed to a Republic.

[Tyler Durden]

Imperialist, as we pursue and acquire the resources and wealth of others through predatory and murderous foreign policy.

Economic, as we use extortion and coercion of our patronage or purchases to rob other nations, and our own people in need.

Autocracy, as the rich own and operate the country with impunity and completely outside of the law, placing puppets on the "throne" by putting forth choices of fake leadership between the merely incompetent/passively cooperative with the ruling classes, and the ghastly outright fellow travelers who make no bones about their support for the rich and powerful over the rest of us.

Long live the American Revolution. I can't wait for Round Three (the second being the Civil War).

[mmonk]

1. You're getting there.

They basically just became more overt and thus obvious to people following the exploitation of 9/11.

[Tyler Durden]

2. The question I usually ask people lately is this:

"Did you really expect the United States to exist FOREVER?"

It's never worked for anybody else in the past, and we are WAY overdue for the big shakeup.

[mmonk]

3. Long overdue. I agree.

[Tyler Durden]

4. If you look through history, there are two indicators: the presage of revolution.

First, the Rich/Poor gap. When this exceeds a certain percentage (80% if memory serves) the clock starts running. The usual time limit is about 20 years. We've exceeded that since 1971.

Second, the customary lifespan of a given system, which almost never exceeds 200 years. The Roman Republic, The Golden Age of Greece under Athens, the City-States of Italy, the Hanseatic League...none of these exceeded 200 years. The French Republics, the Weimar, the USSR, all of these fell far short. There are three glaring exceptions: the British system, which since King John and the Magna Carta continues to re-invent itself; Imperial Russia, with a religious/military supported autocracy; and certain Egyptian dynasties, as they had what is called a "water Monopoly" due to the ruling class exclusive interaction with the "gods."