Re: [FH] americas [Thread Warning]

Karl Heinz suggested
> Some other ideas:
> - tax-lowering policies leave the educational system starved of
funds.

This part I don't think is likely--every politico here beats the drum
for "more money for better education".	  Not to say the US won't
become non-competitive for other reasons, nor that our education
system is worth a fraction of the money we pour into it.

> - Increased international economic tensions lead to a trade war
between the
> US and the rest of the world.

The *entire* rest of the world?

> - Continued Latino immigration leads to strong tension in the
Southwestern
> US - basically the Free Cal-Tex area

Probably

> - Terrorists or a rogue state detonate a nuke carried in a cargo
plane high
> above the states. The resulting electro-magnetic pulse fries
electronics
> over a wide area and disrupts electric power supplies. Repairs take
longer
> than anticipated

Even if repairs don't take longer than anticipated, this would be a
real, genuine mess.

> - A massive earthquake in California

No.  Everyone knows it's going to happen sooner or later, nothing
surprising about and no reason it should disrupt the political
integrity of the country.

> - A serious chemical, nuclear or bio-engineering accident in a
crucial area
Chemical--no way.  The US has too much land area.  We've *had*
chemical accidents here and while inconvenient--they're still working
on the one in Baltimore from a few months ago--they're not *that*
disruptive.  Bio, maybe.

> - Alaska decides to exploit its oil riches for itself and votes to
secede
> from the Union.

I find that quite unlikely too.