Our economic decline is a foregone conclusion.

[KlatooBNikto]

There are two very strong forces that are at work.One, of course, is the war and the drain it represents for even as powerful a country as ours. But even more important, IMO, is the total disconnect between ordinary Americans and our ruling classes.That our political system can now ignore the well being of many of our citizens and not have to worry about any consequences may well hasten our demise as an economic power.

[StClone]

1. Opportunely "Collapse" on Book TV follows historical declines

On Saturday, February 12 at 8:00 pm
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed
Jared Diamond

Description: Jared Diamond talks about his book, "Collapse," at the San Diego Natural History Museum in California. He analyzes the demise of both ancient and modern societies citing environmental damage, climate change, and rapid population growth as some of the biggest factors. After his presentation, Mr. Diamond answers questions from the audience.

Author Bio: Jared Diamond is a professor of geography at the University of California, Los Angeles. He has published more than 200 articles in Discover, Natural History, Nature, and Geo magazines. He was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for his book "Guns, Germs, and Steel."

[KlatooBNikto]

2. I also recommend Paul Kennedy's "Rise and Fall of Great Powers".