"Am I filled with angst over the decline of Empire America? Not at all. I look forward to it. I look forward to the United States settling into that mellow maturity that I spoke of above, with all the potential benefits for its citizens."

This is why I don't bother to offer "solutions" to geezers like you. I target the 20-30 year olds. It's their future you're willing to spend to secure your retirement, you freak. And you're about to see your country's "mellow maturity" commence with a crash of the dollar, followed by riots, followed by foreign troops in the streets. You will lose everything you have except some little corner to hide in, and then even that will be taken away from you. Your Category of Denial is the most repulsive of all. The elite feed your sense of security bread crumbs and you would KILL for those crumbs. You DO kill for those crumbs. A million dead in Iraq and torturing to death as our new national policy?...well, that's not right but, did the check come in this week? So utterly unforgivable. Ninth-circle stuff. Here's a solution...save the kids the draft by going over to Iraq and fighting the war yourself.