Chris Hedges Ideas of a Declining American Empire

There are few things more bizarre than watching people advocate that another country be bombed even while acknowledging that it will achieve no good outcomes other than safeguarding the 'credibility' of those doing the bombing. Relatedly, it's hard to imagine a more potent sign of a weak, declining empire than having one's national 'credibility' depend upon periodically bombing other countries. ~ Glenn Greenwald

[I]t's impossible to evade the fact that Endless War will inevitably degrade the citizenry of the country that engages in it. A country which venerates its military above all other institutions, which demands that its soldiers be spoken of only with religious-like worship, and which continuously indoctrinates its population to believe that endless violence against numerous countries is necessary and just - all by instilling intense fear of the minorities who are the target of that endless violence - will be a country filled with citizens convinced of the virtues and nobility of aggression. ~ Glenn Greenwald

Chris Hedges, an outstanding journalist and author, he argues that the United States is an empire in decline.

One of the major indicators of decline is the decay of urban areas with subpar failing physical infrastructure, and ongoing overextended military commitments and massive GDP spending cost to the military industrial complex.

United States' cities are in a massive decline of deterioration. Massive economic inequality and lack of taxation to slow this decline leads to increased poverty, crime, no jobs in huge areas of cities, and a lack of essential services. Ineffective urban planning and infrastructure investment due to lack of taxation through funding strapped local governments has contributed to the decline of cities.

Local city governments have neglected infrastructure investment for decades, due to lack of state and federal funding because of the importance of military spending and tax cuts for corporations.

Such lack of government investment has resulted in deteriorating roads, bridges, and public facilities.

For the past 100 years, United States' ongoing military engagements have also contributed to its decline. Massive military spending diverts funds from domestic priorities, such as education, healthcare, and local and state infrastructure.

The political system in the United States is causing a decline too. Powerful lobby and special interests groups influencing policies that benefit the wealthy and powerful at the expense of ordinary citizens.

The militarization of local/city and state police forces and mass incarceration (25% of the world's prison population) are signposts of decline in United States. Huge police forces creating a feeling of an occupying military force and massive incarceration disproportionately impacts communities of colour, creating systemic racism and biases/discrimination.

A nation's domestic infrastructure and it's criminal justice system, either promotes social justice or continues down a negative decline that other past empires experienced.