Is There “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome?

Question

The US government is on a ‘burning platform’ of unsustainable policies and practices with fiscal deficits, chronic healthcare underfunding, immigration and overseas military commitments threatening a crisis if action is not taken soon, the country’s top government inspector has warned.

David Walker, comptroller general of the US, issued the unusually downbeat assessment of his country’s future in a report that lays out what he called “chilling long-term simulations”.

These include “dramatic” tax rises, slashed government services and the large-scale dumping by foreign governments of holdings of US debt.

Drawing parallels with the end of the Roman empire, Mr Walker warned there were “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome, including “declining moral values and political civility at home, an over-confident and over-extended military in foreign lands and fiscal irresponsibility by the central government”.

“Sound familiar?” Mr Walker said. “In my view, it’s time to learn from history and take steps to ensure the American Republic is the first to stand the test of time.”

Mr Walker’s views carry weight because he is a non-partisan figure in charge of the Government Accountability Office, often described as the investigative arm of the US Congress.

While most of its studies are commissioned by legislators, about 10 per cent – such as the one containing his latest warnings – are initiated by the comptroller general himself.

In an interview with the Financial Times, Mr Walker said he had mentioned some of the issues before but now wanted to “turn up the volume”. Some of them were too sensitive for others in government to “have their name associated with”.

“I’m trying to sound an alarm and issue a wake-up call,” he said. “As comptroller general I’ve got an ability to look longer-range and take on issues that others may be hesitant, and in many cases may not be in a position, to take on.

“One of the concerns is obviously we are a great country but we face major sustainability challenges that we are not taking seriously enough,” said Mr Walker, who was appointed during the Clinton administration to the post, which carries a 15-year term.

The fiscal imbalance meant the US was “on a path toward an explosion of debt”. 

“With the looming retirement of baby boomers, spiralling healthcare costs, plummeting savings rates and increasing reliance on foreign lenders, we face unprecedented fiscal risks,” said Mr Walker, a former senior executive at PwC auditing firm.

Current US policy on education, energy, the environment, immigration and Iraq also was on an “unsustainable path”.

“Our very prosperity is placing greater demands on our physical infrastructure. Billions of dollars will be needed to modernise everything from highways and airports to water and sewage systems. The recent bridge collapse in Minneapolis was a sobering wake-up call.” 

Mr Walker said he would offer to brief the would-be presidential candidates next spring. 

“They need to make fiscal responsibility and inter-generational equity one of their top priorities. If they do, I think we have a chance to turn this around but if they don’t, I think the risk of a serious crisis rises considerably”.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/80fa0a2c-49ef-11dc-9ffe-0000779fd2ac.html

Canookian · Accepted Answer

Well, if you look at history again, youll also see that world powers only stay that way for a few hundred years. America is around 200 years old and many of its residents hate it. It as a nation is corrupt and hypocritical and I wouldnt really mind if China took over. And China will be the next superpower. They have huge birth rates, so if they decided to pull a draft, American forces would be powerless against the waves. And if America uses WMD's and wipes out the country of China? Well then. That will REALLY help our fragile ecosystem situation. Either way, America is causing some bad situations. Well...People are, in general. People just suck. We need some giant natural disaster to seriously thin out our numbers for the betterment of the world. I mean, flamingos or wolves or goldfish didnt invent McDonald's or decide to use fossil fuels, now did they? If there is a God, and if He truely created us in His image, then God is also Satan. Forget the free-will crap. The Antichrist has been here, spawning and growing since the dawn of man. And Im not talking about Marilyn Manson. Hes practically Jesus in this situation. The REAL Antichrist lives in us all, a massive eroding agent biding its time. 

Some of you may think that this is just drival from a depressed mind, when its actually coming from quite a happy person who, whilst writing this, is stroking the fur of her beloved dog (aww, shes so sweet!). And Im actually NOT a Communist. Though it IS working rather well for China, hence my belief that they shall rule soon

Anonymous · Answer

The pagans of northern Europe, in concert with incompetent Roman officials, and LOTS of other factors brought down the Roman empire. It would've happened with or without the Christians, who actually had no part in the fall of the Roman empire.

Matt · Answer

I agree with, "fiscal irresponsibility by the central government," will cause problems. I don't agree with most of the rest. We have plenty of monies for sewers and bridges. All we need is to kick a few of the Congressional "bums" out, and get someone to spend our money on infrastructure rather than giving it to a bunch of lobbyists. 

As long as we have Americans willing to fight for our freedoms we'll be O.K.

floatingbloatedcorpse · Answer

If this "non-partisan" Clinton the First appointee is such a great American, why is he running to the British Financial Times to air our dirty laundry?

Also pretty neat trick how he worked health-care into the report...

What a hack, shameful really.

Ms.L.A. · Answer

Yes, too many squatters with no money, no education, and no loyalty to anyone but themselves.  Riding on American coat tails for a free ride, get rid of them!

B.Kevorkian · Answer

One can certainly draw some analogies between the Decline of Rome and America of the past 30 years or so...

Raymond C · Answer

The only similarity I see is back then all roads led to Rome,and now it seems by your long winded essay, All roads lead away from America. Bravo for taking another whack at your own footing...

DAR · Answer

Yes, I think there are universal principles and parallels.  I am not sure the conclusion I reach is the same, but the problems do exist.

http://www.indiadaily.com/editorial/17831.asp

Sari · Answer

I'll state is simply as it was for Rome,Greece,persia, the asyrians, so on and so forth....absolutely.

Mathsorcerer · Answer

*yawn*

Another scientific article drawing parallels between the United States and Rome?  Isn't this the thousandth such claim in the last few years?

All nations rise and fall in prominence.  That isn't news.

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Is There “striking similarities” between America’s current situation and the factors that brought down Rome?

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