Much has been said in the foreign press about the current economic turmoil in the US, and implications for its standing in the world.
See for example: http://www.tdg.ch/actu/monde/empire-sursis-democratie-voie-dislocation-hyperpuissance-demeure-chine-russie-2008-10-31
or worse: http://blogs.usatoday.com/ondeadline/2008/12/the-united-stat.html
There is no need for the US to be the 1st, 2nd or 3rd economic power in the world. It is more important that it could provide better than average sustenance for its people, remains a center of excellence in innovation and compassion, and maintains a military force second to none. Many will disagree with the last item, but considering the situation in Tibet, and many other trouble parts of the world, it's always good to have the power of the mightiest cannons on our side.
In terms of economic sustenance, even in the current dire economic abyss, most still have plenty to eat and stay warm. Hardship for a poor family with a major bread earner without a job means eating less, loosing the fat in your body that you shouldn't have in the first place. Another hardship is to drop the temperature in your house to 62 degree F instead of a comfortable 68, it's a matter of putting on an extra layer of clothing that you may have to buy at a local thrift store instead of Walmart or Sears. The list can go on and on about details of a healthy lifestyle versus a decadent one. A bonus of the economic melt down is more time for people to relate to each other, more time for leisure and exercise that costs nothing, e.g. walk and jog instead of paying dues for the local power gym, and more time to ponder about job re-training or entrepreneurship. Taking into consideration all of the above the US is still in pretty good shape compared to the rest of the world, and is poised for a new direction. In a way, the economic melt down is a good thing for the nation.
The US is still indisputedly a powerhouse in innovation, just count the number of patents and research publications, the Nobel prizes and immigrants that flocked to its shore for education. Likewise militarily, the US still have the power to obliterate the major centers of civilization within an hour.
Compassion could be debatable because of all the unjust small wars we have been conducting lately or during the last century. It may appear that the US has the compassion of a rich banker, but come to think of it, it did save the world from fascists from Germany, Japan & Italy, and mitigated the spread of the Red tide. It took in millions of political and economic immigrants over the years, more so than any industrialized nations on earth in recent history. So, if that is not compassion, what is?
To all the naysayers, suck your thumb! Despite some obvious deficiencies the US is still on top of the world and a center of excellence for many years to come. To all Europeans, come back to the table for discussion about excellence once you elect a black president. Likewise for the Chinese, but I couldn't say that to the Africans, they had white presidents for far too long (:-) and it is high time to keep one of their own on top.
In short, the world in my mind eyes.
