Axiom

Makes sense. Your points however make me wonder how the USA managed squeak into the top ten.

Standard of living
-Declining for the majority. (cost of living going up, quality of living going down)

Economic stability
-Nonexistent

General freedoms
-Slowly being subverted(though moving quicker in recent years)

Extended social services
-The Health care bill is already being picked apart in the senate. It has a lot of flaws, and required serious tweaking to be feasible. It is a good start though, and now I don't see it lasting much longer with a republican majority.

-Education in the states is also on the decline. I'm sure there is a list around of our rankings in various subjects. I cannot imagine they are favorable. There is also little assistance in the way of local or fed gov programs helping to pay for education.

ACt

Simple answer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pdj2zbMIOqU

I particularly like the use of Captain Falcon.

Mal

Exactly. Convince people they live in the greatest country in the world, and most of them will continue to believe it as it get progressively worse.

Miburo

It is the best country though, since it could kick all your countries' asses.


Fuck yeah.

Nerox

Only a matter of time until China and India will be the new Superpowers. Google the Economic Discussion Forum in Davos (it was yesterday I think). Europe and the USA are declining rapidly in economical matters, and Japan as well. And militaristic, well, with their budgets, which will increase from year to year, China and India will soon be more powerful than the US.

The USA were the superpower of he 20th centuary, and China or India (one is not sure who, probably China) will be the superpower of the 21th centuary. Simply look at the supply of metals like Silicium in the world. China has a overwhelming piece of these resources.

But, I also predict, that with the rising economical wealth, China will not be a socialistic dictatorship for very long. There will probably another revolution, which will be surpressed bloodily, or will win and form a new gouvernment.

Miburo

Yeah, but who is stronger now?

Fuck yeah!

Nerox

Economically? China.

Miburo

I think that depends on exactly what you mean when you say "economically."

Not that it matters, since I'm talking about the only thing that does matter. That being battling ability, of course.


Because if someone was like "I got more moneys than you." And you're like "Oh yeah, well I can kill you." Then you win.

Fuck yeah!

Jaxon

That worked out really well for Hitler.

In after Godwin's.

Mal

I don't know about that, Miburo. I think against anything short of nuclear war, China's current military would be able to hold their ground long enough to kick production up to war time speeds. There is no question that China can out-produce the USA, both physically and financially.

Miburo

@Jaxon-I dunno what you're talking about.

I'm American, world history isn't my strongest subject. = )

@Mal-Totally situational.

Nerox

The Wehrmacht in WWII had 17,7 million active soldiers Mibs. But still, the USA ruined them economically. And the Wehrmacht had a far too streched frontal line to defend to be really successful. We can discuss this further, I like this topic. Wrote a long-ass paper about that kind of stuff.

Think about a non-nuclear war. China has 2.285.000 active soldiers. They may not be as up-to-date as the US army (which is totally lacking in proper armory on the infantry level, like the M16, that rifle is just crap), but against the 1,1 million soldiers of the US, they would probably win in a conventional war. China has an overwhelming amount of artillery and armory, and with mass production, can easily outfit more and more militia in such a war.

And I really think, since China does not allow UN nuclear "watchers" to look into their nuclear programm, I believe China has a fuckin lot if Nukes. Probably not as many as the US, but at least enough to destroy the two countries.

ACt

Goddamn Godwin...

Except the US can safely continue saying what they want with the knowledge that China wouldn't start a war against a country that they already own 40% of their debts or something like that. Such a move would just bankrupt both parties, paving the way for Indian supremacy. And who wants that? China will fight with the subcontinent first.

Nerox

Excatly. The Tea Party is kind of right, when they say, that their kids taxes go to China. Did you listen to Obama's speech on the nation? He tries admirably to represent a middle ground, but I have a feeling, that the two parties will not be able to see reason.

And for the late 21th centuary I can see a war between India and China. And it will be pretty messed up. Those two countries accomodate 2/3+ of the worlds population.

Miburo

There are plenty of other factors other than troop number and number of armaments to consider. Who would have air and sea supremacy? I dunno what China has as far as navy and air force is concerned. But I do know that shit would be pretty important in a modern war. Probably much more so than how many little china men they have.

And you can say hypothetically they could mass produce whatever. Doesn't mean it would happen. While being no military genius (I mean, I probably am, but for argument's sake...), I at least know I'd be, you know, trying to drop bombs on the other guy's shit. Especially the shit that is making shit to kill my dudes.