This may be slightly unpatriotic of me, but I’d welcome the change. Wouldn’t it be great to live in a country that can kick back and relax on the world stage, like say Canada or Norway? Instead of spending all of that money, time, taxes, and labor on our industrial war machine we could actually dedicate those resources towards education, health care and ending hunger and poverty in our own country. Let China and India be the international peace keepers, problem solvers and troublemakers for a change, and see how much they like what it does to their economy and image abroad.

Yes, pretty soon we will all be speaking either Spanish or Chinese. With the outsourcing of our defense contracts, manufacturing jobs, and a war with no end in sight, our economic and military status will be so weakened we will be soon be classified as a third world country.

Jack,

We may still be the most powerful nation in the world & most prosperous, but since the Bush/Cheny administration, we have lost the valued respect of other nations.

June/Florida

One of the mainstays of our society was manufacturing and we have slowly been bled of these type of jobs so, yes we are losing our base which will continue to drain our power. Money is power. Now add the lack of people graduating from high school and project that into the next generation and you move to a second world country if we don’t have a depression first.

As far as America, the country, goes — yea, we’re losing our “edge.” Our recent “leadership” (Bush, Rumsfield, to name a few of the idiots) have given the USA a terrible image throughout the world. (By the way, I have always been a die-hard Republican that once supported Bush). Bush has consistently pursued a policy of “America First, and the hell with everyone else.” Is there any wonder we’ve alienated nearly everyone else outside our own borders? We (Americans) are severely divided on many issues, and no longer appear to be a cohesive nation. We CAN change this. We need a leader that will unite Americans, once again. We need the media to stop classifying us (white collar/blue collar, Black/White/Hispanic; old/young; educated/non-educated). We need a leader who can instill a sense of pride in America, once again. I believe Barrack Obama can do this — he has shown that he has the fortitude to tell us the ugly truth, (no matter how unpallatable it may be) what we need to fix-it. Hillary cannot: too selfish, too short-sighted, too interested in quick-fix/vote-getting gimmicks. Don’t know if McCain has the strength to do it. Barrack can unite us as Americans, once again.

We are financed by China, our jobs are in India, the dollar is sinking, the military is weakened, our homes are being sold on the courthouse steps, food is becoming a luxury item, college is out of reach for average people and our healthcare system allows 18,000 uninsured people to die every year. It’s not much to brag about.

Not really. We are however no longer a very respected nation. Eight years of King George the Dim and Darth Chaney have made even our allies wonder if there is something wrong with a place that would elect those two, not once, but twice. But, fear not, the reign is nearly over, and our next president will be able to restore our reputation. Sen McCain is very well respected and has a whole lot of integrity. Don’t worry, Mac will fix it.

Jack I agree with you ! The wealthy republican corporate executives are to blame. They have literally picked up our factories and tech jobs and handed them to China and India. The republicans have gone too far. For 6 years Bush and republican led congress put corporate profits ahead of people. Its time to give tem the boot and get the dems back in there. Bring our jobs and our troops back home.

who ever said globalization is a good thing?? I don’t think it is.

We have long since faded. If the situation was not a tragic as it is, we would be the laughingstock of the world. Starting in 2000, we lost our moral position, our leadership position, our economic position our position of military strength, and our ability to control our own security.

It is fading in military resources placing even the National Guard in Iraq, in financial resources as we owe China so much, and also in unity as we cannot decide on our next president or take any significant action on our major, crisis issues. There does not appear to be an up side here.

Politicians couldn’t learn from Vietnam, couldn’t learn from Japan’s own housing woes years ago, couldn’t learn from the Great Depression, couldn’t learn from Russia’s attempt at controlling Afghanistan, couldn’t learn from other nations’ problems with uncontrolled immigration, couldn’t learn a thing about the Fed, couldn’t learn the dangers in uncontrolled spending. Couldn’t learn, PERIOD. Fading, fading, gone…

We already have. Since “Bring it on,” George W. ,got in it has been on a down hill slide. We need a President that has world wise knowlege. Hillary Clinton would do fine, thank you!

It depends on how one would define power? If you are talking about military power, then you can make the case that the US is the most powerful nation in the world. Isn’t it funny how the health of our economy is so closely related to our export of arms and munitions. However, if you are are referring to economic power, then it is true that the US has fallen from the top spot as the most powerful nation in the world. Our economic power is derived from consumption, not from production. We have outsourced our power base.

Yes Jack,

As soon as we lose the economic edge, It wont be long before we lose the military edge also!
We just can’t keep printing money to fund this war, and not expect China and Japan to consider cashing in their Tbills for the Euro!

Are you comparing the U.S. to the great Roman Empire Jack?? Well, because of George Bush & Dr. Rice & “Dead-eye” Dick Cheney & Donald Rumsfeld we don’t have the standing or prestige we could have had, had we handled the aftermath of 9/11/01 better. When that happened we had more friends willing to help us than we ever knew about. But, this Administration squandered it with the Iraq War & whatever we have left will wasted on a war with Iran. We are at the brink of the cliff Jack & if we don’t pull back & stop this Administration from doing something else that gets our young people killed there will be nothing great about America to talk about.

We’ve taken a “hit” because of Iraq, but as a country, we are respected for many reasons the depth of which runs deep. The presidential election will give us a boost up or down, depending on who is elected. We don’t need the nuke-speak and fear-mongering of Clinton or McCain to gain power.

Patricia in Idaho

Oh YES we ARE !! doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure THAT one out. George Bush’s policies and administration have about drawn America into a deep pit. Hopefully the American people are going to elect a Democrat who can take charge of our government with a strong leadership capacity and solve our problems both here and abroad. and we know it will take awhile ….. Mary of Sarasota, FL

America’s position of being the only most powerful nation in the world is fading. Other countries are competing but America will not relinquish it’s position of being one of those powerful nations.

The dictionary defines panache as: a grand or flamboyant manner; verve; style; flair.

I think this country has lost a hell of a lot more than that. We’ve lost moral ground and are considered an aggressive nation that goes to war without getting all the facts straight. Bush and Cheney will go down in history as unpunished monsters - war criminals that suffered no official trials. What a shame.

what is your definition of “most powerful”, Jack?

if you mean the ability of our military destroy the any country in the world in an all out war, then we will always be the “most powerful”

BUT if you mean the ability to provide affordable healthcare for all our citizens, a college or technical education leading to a good paying job for our young people and a respectable retirement for our seniors free from the fear of inflation, then the last eight years of Bush Republican economic policies has probably already destroyed that.

Jackzilla, because of the greed, behind door deals, special interest intervention, and big business pressure on our elected officials, our nation has been under internal attack, for the past 3 decades. While the average American has been working hard, obeying all the rules, these corrupt forces have been under mining the very fabric of our nation.and continue to do so today.If we only knew how much money has been stolen in one way or another from the Tax payer, we would probably be rioting in the streets. Yes, this country is in decline, and unfortunately, our children will suffer from all the wrong doing. But it’s o.k.,some are getting rich as the ship sinks, thats all that matters.

Yes. Thank you George W. (Who me?) Bush. Maybe if most products said: Made in America, or if we did not lose two wars in a row (Vietnam and Iraq/Afganistan, or if countries were afraid to build nuclear facilities, then maybe our position in the world would look a lot better. No Democracy or Republic ever lasted more than 300 years. 68 years and counting to our tricentential…

In every way. We are owned financially by China. After the past 7 years of an illegal war and torture, we no longer have any moral authority. Our military has been shredded due to the oil war in Iraq. Where do we stop with the litany of disasters?

Also, we are turning into a Third World country when it comes to health care with one of the highest infant mortality rates int he world The line between the rich and poor widens.

I am originally from Australia and here because of marriage. At one time this was possibly the “greatest country in the world”. No longer! If it were not for splintering my American family, I would head back to Australia in a heart beat.

Fading faster than Michael J. Fox in Back to the Future.

Boise, Idaho

Unfortunately yes. We have endured almost 8 years of the worse presidency with the worst foreign policy in history and it shows. It is going to take a skillful and masterful new President (Obama) to fix this mess. Having said that, I can not wait until Ms. Less Obliterate Iran is sent home from the primary because her dangerous talk will not help the situation.

If our government doesn’t pay attention and start focusing on the real issues that govern our country to it’s best interests, we’ll be saying HELLO CHINA! WELCOME TO AMERICA, MEXICO, and America will see a nation, it doesn’t recognize. We’re already half way down that road, what with good paying jobs disappearing, health care, food and gasoline to expensive for the poor and beginning to crush the middle class, war with Iraq for fifty to a hundred years, and as McCain put it in Florida, many many more wars to follow, who knows what this nation will really look like ten years from now. I just know it’s not the America I always thought of, dreamed of and hoped for.

Of course we are fading. We have lost respect with other nations of the world, thanks to the unnecesary Bush war in Iraq. And we are being crushed by massive debt thanks to the Republican uncontrolled spending and Bush refusal to pay for the war. What a mess!!!

I agree with the Roman Empire prediction. Greed and Corruption will continue to bring us DOWN. One thought, Darth Cheney was in Oklahoma Fri. and said Idiot Bush would be remembered as being Right all along. He would be remembered as a great visionary for everything he has done. Is anyone out there that can stop laughing?

Yes and thanks to NAFTA China is taking our place.

What do you expect from a country where everything is for sale!

Economically, the U. S. is on the decline and China is on the rise. There is no doubt that America is still a superpower; however, we have learned there are limits to our use of conventional military power. To have secured it Iraq, it is estimated that we needed 450,000 troops and this effort only could have been sustained with a draft. Although many people supported the invasion, they did not think it important enough to risk their children.

Ed Reed
Port Aransas, TX

Fading? Not much left of that light at the end of the tunnel Jack. With an unjustified war in Iraq, war against terrorist in Afganistan and comments like “bomb bomb bomb Iran”, and “we will obliterate Iran if they attack Isreal”; who in this world will ever look upon the US as a powerful nation. I would not be surprised if the world did not eventually consider the U.S. to be a liability to the free world. We have got to stop threatening people and start talking. We as a nation may not always agree with another country; but we need to go back to the basic and learn how to approach each other with an open mind, using an open dialogue, and come to an agreement that takes both countries rights to exist and self govern. All war and talks of war does is drive a greater wedge of division between people and nations.

Yes we are fading, the neocons have hastened this, as a Brit by birth, I can tell you that we would start to gain a little respect in the world under a Barak Obama presidency, I follow the European news and know they already respect him, as for jobs etc, that will not be easy, but hopefully he will try. JS North Carolina

America’s great status faded quickly in 2000. We have a tarnished reputation and it will take a very long time to get us back to near normal if that is possible. Have you heard what we want to do to the green zone? Build it up and put in a casino and new buildings. Jack, we can’t get casinos in the state of Texas where the game Texas hold em was started but yet we are going to put one in Iraq? Come on now. And we wonder why they hate us?

America has fadED. We’re still right up near (or at) the top, but we’re definitely nowhere near as powerful as we used to be. America at its prime had four key features that made it the most powerful nation in the world: military, innovation, production, and culture (movies, music, TV, etc.). Our military is still strong, but now seen as vulnerable. Our innovation is still there for the most part, but growing weaker by the day along with our educational system. Our production is now mostly done abroad. Our American culture is still very seductive to most the world, but I would argue that it’s not as influential as it was in the past.

Yes I believe it is. The Bush presidency has demoralized and cheated the American people and military and has caused allies and non-allies alike to distrust us. All of our politicians have a responsibility in our decline as well as do our citizens. If our role as both a financially stable nation and a moral leader is not turned around, I fear we will become a third rate nation vulnerable to take over within 100 years. Joe Biden and Barack Obama have both exhorted voters to look at where we stand in history and to address how crucial it is that positive change must begin immediately. I think we’ve reached a crucial tipping point.

yes we have faded alot in the last 8 yrs just think of what we have to look forward to if hillary should became president. scary isnt it .

Jack
We sure are. This war has drained our resources, at this point unless we get out of their soon we will become a third world nation, I would imagine there are countries that already consider us a third world country. We just keep printing money with nothing behind it.

I don’t know if we’re fading, or slip sliding away. It’s time for a change in the White House so we can turn this ship around. Our course has been altered by the Bush-Cheney agenda and the Congress and the next President need to think about what is good for country and start acting on it. I can’t wait!

If you consider being dead in the water to be fading, then yes we are circling the drain. With a rough glance here at my desk, my stapler, inbox, pen, speaker phone, even the shirt on my back are all made in China. Oh wait, my bad. It appears my paperclips are made in the USA. I suppose the slick economist would say that one out of ten ain’t bad. Made in America has become a thing of the past, and unless we become strict protectionists, we are doomed to a third-world existence. Free trade is killing us, and contrary to popular opinion, free trade hasn’t existed since the days of Adam Smith.

From a military standpoint, we’re the most powerful. Although, we have serious issues with people using 1940’s tactics to defeat a 2000’s enemy. We’re like the British standing in straight lines out in the open waiting for the order to shoot, while Francis Marion and his men take positions in the forest and fire at will.
From pretty much every other standpoint, we’re fading fast. This has been going on since long before Bush (although he’s been a strong contributor). Our outdated policies (we seem to have a lot of these) of policing the world, and arrogantly picking fights with anyone stopped being effective midway through the Cold War. There is no more Communist threat, the Nazis are out of power, Austria-Hungary has split, and the British no longer control the world. We seem to only be able to thrive as a superpower when we go up against another superpower with brute force. We can’t survive a battle of math.

No Jack. America is not fading. Infact it is still the most revered and admired country in the world today. The problem we have is who our current president is and who the next one will be. That’s why the world is watching to see who will become the next president of this great nation come Januray of next year. We have been strigent on people for violating other people’s human rights. The world is watching to see us apply same standard in this election process. Many in the world know Obama has won the Democratic primary but are afraid it might be taken away from him because of the color of his skin. And if it happens we wouldn’t have a leg to stand on in the world.

Jack,

We are fading ask the Chinese, in another year or two they will probably be the most powerful and prosperous nation on Earth, why because we are allowing them to be.

Once again, whatever Hillary is saying might be reversed or dismissed down the road because “we” misunderstood her. Anytime she speaks there should be a disclaimer at the bottom of the screen.

As a 60 year old I have seen the United States image fade and see it further fade: the Iraq war, an inability to lead in diplomacy,the shocking revelations from Katrina, the ever widening gap between the policies of other westernized countries, the lack of oversight in the mortgage scandals, the emphasis on increased military might, and the words coming out of McCain and Clinton’s mouths.

I’m 25, I havn’t paid much attention to world views much up until recently, and I feel I can say with certianty that I think our standing has dropped. Just look at China and India and even Japan for that matter. We really don’t even hold the cards anymore, we need something big to happen in this country to kick start ourselves back to the forefront of the world.

OBAMA ‘08

First off, do we have to be the most powerful?
Sweden is not powerful at all and a pretty nice place to live I hear.
China’s pretty powerful and not such a nice place to live in.
What price power?
Militarily I think we have the domination for the foreseeable future. We waste so much of our resources on this “might” that I think we are set.
Economically, however, we well are on our way to falling behind countries that embrace globalization and do not waste so much wealth on guns and soldiers. Especially when those countries invest in quality education, in science and technology, and are not hamstrung by political and religious ideals that could hold them back.
In the end - militarily, no. Economically, oh yes.
Ethically? We lost that “power” long ago.

We are at the mercy of a communist power (China) and an oil based Muslim theocracy (Saudi Arabia). Mexico has been invading us for decades without anyone willing to stop them from usurping our national idendity. Our elected officials are more interested in their own personal gain than those they represent and Corporate American could not care less about the American people. We stopped being a true superpower a long time ago and we have only ourselves to blame because we have embraced a belief in entitlements which we refuse to earn.

America is not fading but we are at a crossroads where our decisions right now will greatly dictate whether we fade or triumph. This election is not helping anyone. I think America is having to look at herself and she is not liking everything they see. I have seen a man with great conviction and strenghth be torn apart for someone elses beliefs and yet he has never faltered in his message. He never tore anyone down but tries to tell the truth and build bridges. I believe that as much as the media and a lot of white people that are not ready for that much change, would like to see him fall, he has stood. If the roles were reversed the media would have made it impossible for Barack to continue the way the forced out Huckabee. But because the media has a vested interest in this continuing they perpetuate this myth that Hillary can get 75 percent of the rest of the delegates, which is not happening.
I was listening to another station this morning and I saw Barack. asked why he loves this country. I have not heard a candidate ever asked this question, and my heart broke. Maybe America has reached their own glass ceiling, can Barack believe this country is capable of changing and hoping and we are not. I believe that will prevail and I hope we don’t have to be torn apart even more before we start healing

Not only have we faded, bu we were the last to figure it out.

I think so. Our lack of educating our children, our companies are moving oversees, outsourcing our defense, lack of trade laws. We aren’t the nation our fathers and grandfathers gave to us. If we don’t change the way we do business and start educating our children now….We as a nation are in trouble and it may be as soon as a decade away! We are slowing slipping away in this global economy.

Although I hate to admit it, I think that we are. Largely in part to our “Cowboy” administration with it’s renegade style policies. Just think about it, it took “W” eight years to destroy what took over 200 years to build up. People in America need to wake up! It is a new day and the world is evolving yet our country is being pigeon holed by the old style of politics. It is going to take someone like Senator Obama who is going to engage the people and other countries not try to “obliterate” and keep them at war for a 100 years.

yea, and only obama can seriously bring america back to power. mcshame and ‘hillary the obliterater’ are nothing but war mongers

No! We are just seeing what 7 years of arogant and inept leadership can do to a country. Now it’s up to the voters to decide whether we stay on this course to destruction or reverse direction lead this world.

Yes we are fading and fading fast. I’m afraid of what it will be like for our children and grandchildren. As complacent people we have let our leaders lead us down a road to destruction. I’m hoping that people will wake up and take our country back. Obama 08

American has always been very generous to the rest of the world in “their” times of crisis with disaster aid, medical aid, trade deals and military assistance.

The problem is, that for the past 5 years, everyone wanted to fight the war on terrorism but no one wanted to pay for it so the president and congress decided to put it on Uncle Sam’s credit card and “go it alone” while most of the rest of the world got a free ride.

After 9/11, Bush told us to continue with our daily lives and spend money to make the economy strong while outsourcing our jobs, cutting taxes for the wealthy and importing cheaper goods so the average family could maintain their current lifestyle.

Our military is stretched to the limit and can’t keep enough volunteers in the ranks but no one is willing to bring back the draft. We rely on civilian contractors for everything the military can’t do and even go to foreign companies for cheaper military hardware …..we’re screwed if this current trend continues.

If being powerful means you have the most ‘big shiney weapons’ with which to ‘obliterate’ the folks you disagree with, we are likely still the biggest kid on the block, albeit we still don’t have an answer for the guy who just wants to shoot up a campus.

If being powerful means you hold a position of diplomatic and economic leadership that is bolstered by its global alliances, then I’d have to question our nation’s standing.

But then the latter requires that we actually elect political leaders who possess the desire and character to unite the world, and well, we seem to struggle with that as of late now don’t we, Jack.

Fading? Fading? That started 30 years ago! Cheney-bush (on their promise to whom ever and/or what ever they are beholding to) put the last nails in our coffin! It is “over”, and the USA has become the laughing stock of the world for many, many obvious reasons.

Only in the eyes of those who want to see it that way!

With China rising as a powerhouse and our immense amount of debt to China, we are slowly seeing China replace us as the powerhouse. All it takes is for China to stop exporting goods to us and we will go broke.

Fading would indicate present tense. The proper term is faded, as in over the past seven and a half years. Our moral and ethical fibers have been shredded, along with our Constitution, by the current ruling class. We now have the widest gap between the “haves” and “have-nots” then any other time in our history, including slavery. The world now looks at us and sees a struggling third world country in the making. If we don’t change things quickly, that is how we are going to end up.

If Obama don’t get the democratic nomination (as he won it fair and square) so the he can win the general election, American will start fading.

If by “power” you mean “influence”, then absolutely, yes…It’s gotta be tough to “look up to ” the USA after we elected Bush as our leader for 2 terms…

Jack ,

I don’t know if were are fading in power but we shure are fading in respect among other nations.

Jenny ROme GA

Yes. Let’s see. We are in a recession. We can’t make our own steel, we can’t make our own clothes or toys, state governments are trying to figure out how to outsource the building of roads and bridges to places like China, we owe money to China, we have illegal immigrants that don’t want to learn English or fly our flag, we can’t say the Pledge of Allegiance anymore in most schools for fear of offending someone, our dollar is worth crap, etc. I could go on all day. We are fading as a superpower. I can’t deny that one.

No Jack ! not fading…..
just vulnerable

We are a great nation ! and if we make sure to elect the right Democratic Nominee , we will be respected again internationally !

Senator Obama will gets us to that position

I am confident of that
because in GOD I TRUST

Yes, this country is fading like the Roman Empire did. The rich and greedy are prospering at the expense of everyone else. George W Bush and Dick Cheney have made the life of the average American miserable with greedy executives taking jobs overseas. In 2008, a democrat will fix this country and undo the mistakes of this evil, greedy, executive pandering, right-wing extremist regime.

I think that we are no longer the most powerful nation in the world. Our military forces have been cut way back since the end of the cold war while Russia, North Korea, and China have continued to build. We have never been more vulnerable. Sadly, I really wonder if God is on our side anymore???

Bob
Rome NY

When Bill Clinton left office, we were the envy of the world, and eight years later, we look like the once mighy nation, has lost it’s way! Our world image is fading like my favorite pair of bluejeans, and I really think the party is over for us to shine brightly again, if we make a huge mistake, of putting someone in the Whitehouse, who is not ready for such a huge responsibility, our next President is going to have on their shoulders. The only shoulders I want packing this big load, is the smartest little lady, in the world, Hillary Clinton !! Come on NC.! we will do this for the one who will do what it takes to put the shine back on America the beautiful! I sure miss that, don’t you?!

I don’t see how we can be considered the most powerful nation in the world when we have to constantly borrow money from China to meet our payroll. Watching our President take out payday loans is the opposite of powerful or impressive.

Respect for the U. S. has faded a great deal since we started behaving disrespectfully in 2000.

That is a wish of the rest of the world. America is a great and prosperous nation. We are a measuring stick used by other nations. When it can be said that America is trying to be like another nation, then maybe America is losing its status. Until then it is just wishful thinking. Some people are just not happy having been born in the greatest nation having ever existed! I think Freud would scratch his head on our nation’s impulse to look poorly on its own accomplishments.

We’ve faded from the global arena in a variety of manners. However, it is to the misfortune of the American people that our leaders mistakenly seek to regain the nation’s place through illegal politics, war and petty name-calling.

Yes, thanks to 7 years of the worst Administration in history. We are in debt to China, Saudi Arabia and many countries that are not our best friends. They could bring us down economically any time they wish. Keep your fingers crossed.
Hillary in 08.

It’s probably inevitable , but why we’re running to jump over that cliff is difficult to explain.

Yes we are thanks to the Great Idiot (George Bush) and his second in command Shotgun Chaney, these two have done more to destroy the image of the United States then all the previous Presidents combined. If anyone is dumb enough to vote Republican then they deserve to be sent to Crawford Texas and live with the Great Decider because they would damn sure deserve each other.

Eventhough Obama is ahead in the vote, he is not ahead of Hillary Clinton in experience, judgement and common sense. I think Hillary will win IN and perhaps NC. He needs to get more experience, and maybe in 12 years or so, he could try again.

Fading into the sunset? I don’t think it’s that drastic but I do feel we should take a deep breath, get more involved with taking care of business at home and try not to run the whole world.

I wish that all super power ambitions would be a thing of the past, however, that may not be possible with human nature still un-perfected. Oh well sigh, it was a nice thought though.

America fade? NO WAY!! If that were the case why would you be annoying to so many people around the world. Hey your a freind and neighbour even with Bush or Hillary, dis my pals you dis me.

Fading?…. hmmm….. Despite the racial attacks on Obama, I thought I would never live to see a Black man seriously considered for president. For 40 years I thought america was just too embedded in racism to EVER have a Black President.

Perhaps now little African American boys wont grow up like me, thinking the American Dream and principles are a lie.

No not at all,but the Bush’s administration has wasted eight years with no energy policy, wasted money, wasted away our military power,and has lost the moral high ground. We will have to fight not militarily to retain our position in the world.

Yes, because we let war criminals like bush and cheney, ruin us and are too weak to stop them. The only way to get it back is to elect a president that will not follow them into ruination like mcbush and hillary will. We need real chnge not hillary’s lies and two faced tell them what she thinks they want to hear.

It’s pretty simple…No America isn’t fading, but we aren’t the country we were 10 years ago and that has a lot of things that happened in those 10 years. But fading is not what we are doing…

Remember the Vietnam War…We were not only less favored around the world, but far less pleasing in the eyes of our own countrymen & women. We will bounce back…we always have.

hmmmmmmmmmmm; yes!

America? You mean the once land of the free, or are you talking about the United Empire of America. The UEA cannot compete against the size of China’s markets, cannot compete with the technology of Europe, cannot handle emerging powers of India, China and Europe. How about our diminished values, laws, constitution, and morals.

Look Jack even our military is having problems, when we struggle with a few thousand of insurgents how do expect to take on the world.

We laughed at the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, look at us now.

Yes Jack it is. It seems the Bush administration has almost gone out of its way to alienate the United States from the favor of other nations. I have had the priveledge of traveling abroad and people definately do not have the reverence they once had for our country. Countries like India and China are growing faster, are getting more organized, getting more jobs, and have booming economies. Money is power, and they are making a lot more then we are.

Jack, we’ve been fading in power ever since we entered this war in Iraq. I was only thirteen at the time we invaded (because let’s face it, liberate we did not), and even at that young age I knew this would end badly. Going against everything I was told by my family, my teachers, even some of my friends, I KNEW this war and this President would be bad for not only the image of our country, but for the entire world.
Isn’t it amazing what you can learn from young people, Jack?

Sad, but Yes Jack. I don’t think in 40 years from now we will be. I think China will be even with us, with India not to far behind. I dont know if our Govt can keep up, we want to control everything but definately don’t follow the rules. As long as we keep Dems in office I have faith, starting with Obama!

The “end of an error” is comming. Thanks alot Bush for ruining our country.

Dear Jack,

Yes, it feels like it is. It’s almost as if, within each of these three remaining candidates, we have snippets of what one should be. McCains coached, but determined talk of standing up as Americans, Clintons “experience?” during better times, and Obama’s genuine willingness to bring much needed, and oft exploited, change.

Unfortunately, they all have two glaring obstacles…. George Bush, and their inability to admit he needs to be impeached.

It took me six years to get tired of Bill Clinton and I am already super tired of Hillary. The manipulative, say anything to get elected, act tough if you need to, cry if you need to, lie if you need to, Hillary is an obvious contrast to the more intelligent and controlled Obama.

Jack

Look at the state of our educational system for the answer to that. I live next to a high school and kids they churn out there are downright scary. When the culture of the school has a kid being demeaned by his peers for being “gay” because he was accepted to college or does well in school is horrible. They can’t even form a complete sentence or annunciate their words. The end of every empire starts from within. This one is no different.

John from Carlsbad, CA

We could get it all back simply putting all the cable news networks off the air. CNN, FOX, MSNBC and others like them represent the worst of the former Soviet Union. Pure propaganda with no shame. I think it’s time for change!

When Russia was a contender they kept the US on our toes. We were afraid to get into another unwinable war after Congress cut the funds for Viet Nam, the USSR was too strong for us to be bleeding our strength in another unwinable war. Then the unthinkable happened; they woke Pres. Reagan up and reported that the USSR had folded. His memory was too far gone to take on anybody after the Grenada crazyness. But then Geo. W comes along and we have Iran. We don’t need another brainless president throwing around threats. No wonder the world hates us, we tell others they can not have atomic weapons while we have thousands. Words like Clinton’s make other countrys desire a little atomic protection, they don’t have the USSR to take up for them now.

We faded eight years ago when the right wing supreme court appointed and anointed Bush as the commander of the coup. What else could you expect from an illegitimate regime. To borrow a trillion dollars to support it’s Iraq war while giving huge tax cuts to the rich, would suggest we’re doing more than fade, we’re collapsing.

James in Norman Oklahoma

With the emergence of nations like China, and with the current administration’s policies regarding the global economy, the environment and domestic issues, the United States is now not respected by many developed nations and won’t be without drastic change in the White House.

John McCain will bring them all together once he is in office. The country will be strong again, he feels our pain now !!

Is America fading? Yes, with the help of corporate america, our knuck-headed foriegn policy, and our incompetent and crooked politicians. Don’t get me wrong, some change can be good, but it’s all happening way too fast. American society needs time to adjust to changes as radical as these. This is evidenced by the loss of decent jobs in this country today, and that’s only the beginning. Frankly, I’m scared.

Clinton’s comments on Iran are inappropriate. She is begining to sound just like Bush. Can you imagine if Obama had made those comments? Hillary would have jumped on him, the media would have aired it non stop, Hillary would have an AD depicting how unelectable he is, how he is adopting the same policies as Bush, how he will be going to war with Iran etc.

Not yet. The next president could determine this. This is why experience does matter!

This question dovetails nicely with the previous one. The United States is indeed fading relative to the rest of the world in every way except one; bombs. Think about McCain’s “bomb, bomb, bomb Iran” and Clinton’s “obliterate” comments. Most American politicians can’t even find words to express a way to engage Iran except in terms of bombing them. So yes, America will continue to fade. It won’t happen right away, it will take decades, and we won’t all be speaking Chinese until you and I are either very old or dead, but eventually the hysterical devotion to bombs, bombs, bombs will render this nation second-rate. Think about the poor president in 2048, he or she will have the ability to “obliterate” anybody in the world at the touch of a button, but no ability to build a peaceful and prosperous future for the American people. A very grim prospect indeed.

Dear Mr. Cafferty, I think it’s time to start CPR. We should continue to resuscitate until Mr. Blitzer says, “It’s time to go to Ramesh in Mumbai with the Singh File.”

Our image as the most powerful country isn’t fading, but it is certainly on that path. If McCain is elected president, then our tough guy image should stay strong, since he is a battle hardened, tell-it-like-it-is kind of guy. Hillary seems pretty tough. She never gives up and actually speaks the truth about “obliterating Iran” if necessary. But then there’s Obama. He’s always talking, talking, talking, even talking about solving our problems with talk, no force needed. His message is hope and change and peace, which aren’t the “toughest” use of words, and certainly don’t sound very powerful. Just call him “Switzerland”.

Yes Jack, America is fading. We have faded in domestic responsibility, we have faded in foriegn policy, we have faded in self respect. As long as morons keep voting morons into office it will only get worse. Speaking of which, is Laura Bush as stupid and disconnected as her husband? Doesn’t she realize Burma handled the typhoon the exact same way the Bush administration handled Katrina?

It does not matter whether it is appropriate or not. Hillary will say anything to get elected. If she says that she will obliterate Iran, or carpet bomb France, or Nuke Jamaica it is simply because she believes it will swing the uneducated part of the electorate to her in the next primary. There is almost no substance in anything she says.

Please. Be real. America is a very strong country. Compared to other countries across the world, we are very fortunate and have a great competitive spirit. The fruits of our years of labor have come to fruition. We have been helping and partnering with other countries across the world for a very long time. Some of those countries are now pulling themselves up by the boot straps. If America were a completely selfish country, then we would not have spent any money on other nations in need of our support. Some of those countries should be in a place not to need our help in becoming a civilized nation anymore. They should be expected to go their own way. In this way, we can open our trading with these countries and get as much as we give. This also allows us the expectation with these countries that are emerging to look upon as partners as powerful nations to assist those that are still troubled.

Are we fading in our position as the most powerful nation in the world? I doubt that. It is kind of like how nobody appreciates what a mother does until she is out of town for a few days…. I wonder how long it would take for the world to say “uncle” if we adopted a neutralist policy. I agree with the first responder who lamented how nice it would be to just be able to sit back and let someone else worry about keeping a balance of power. If we had to, our country could be totally self-sufficient for a number of years. Of course, it would take planning and investment of money and self-sacrifice by citizens but is doable. Of course, self-sacrifice is a foreign concept to most people in this great country. I am fortunate enough to have been born into a family that passed down knowledge of what it was to live in American during truly hard times. America is not fading, it is evolving exactly as the writer’s of our Constitution prescribed.

YES - Oh, did you want details?

The fact that we’re trillions of dollars in debt to China and our president is the biggest joke on the planet with the lowest approval rating in US history should be the first clue!

No Jack, America isn’t fading from its position as the most powerful nation in the world. However, YOU and the rest of the drive by media are invested in making this a reality just as you are invested in our defeat in Iraq because you hate President Bush. You ought to be ashamed of yourselves.

Michigan

We are already what Great Britain was to the 20th Century and what France was to the 19th Century - Has beens!

Our standing in the world has been diminished by a President who would rather shoot first and ask questions after everybody’s dead! Now, enter a candidate who is promising to talk, to negotiate, to see all sides of the question before jumping all of us into the fire! Obama is the only hope we have–not the obliterating Clintons.

In a World with countries that date back 5000 plus years the United States is but an infant. We are not fading, we just lack true leadership

In one word: Yes.

Wow! Jack this article reminds me of something right out of Biblical prophecies and a little book turned movie called “Left Behind”. The only question now is, where or who is the power shifting to?

It’s a situation that Americans don’t like to face but may very well be possible. The Cold War allowed the United States to emerge as a leader for democratic forces against communism and Eastern Europe. Without a central enemy to fight against, nations no longer desire or need our help to take care of themselves and emerged in their own right as economic and military contenders. This century has just begun so it is too early to tell what America’s new role will be on the world stage and how each political candidate would respond to these changes.

Jack,
Before we know it the world’s most powerful nation will be “Made in China”. Funny how those communists are now outperforming us capitalists at being capitalists.

Of course it is….and it’s been fading for some time now…….

down, but not out of course

no were are doing ok.
its just the iraq war that has us so tied up in the economy and rising costs on everything.
once we get a president who has a passion and vision that looks at the world as a total instead of dividing we will do just fine.
lord help us if we allow hilary to get that offfice– it will be a disaster.

Yes, the US will continue to fade if we let saber-rattling leaders like Bush, Hillary, Cheney et al continue to dominate our body politic. Those who will pay the price for their jingoism is the poor who will pay with their lives as cannon fodder and the middle class who will pay for the foolishness of our war-mongers with their taxes. We will become impoverished if we continue the way we are going. What we need is to prevent a Bush-Clinton dynasty to rule us again!

Glen Burnie, MD

Jack,

I am a 18 year old first time voter. I was raised to think that America is the greatest country in the world, and I believe it is. But, we need to start acting like it. Clinton, Obama, and McCain need to realize that their actions effect the world. It is the media’s job to let them know that because they don’t listen to us, they listen to you!

How much of our national character is based on being the world’s bully? For some, it’s all too true. Our national anthem talks about bombs, our defense budget shows our priorities.

Can we change? Let’s watch this election. One candidate wants 100 years of war, one annihillation. The one who suggests we simply talk to other nations is ridiculed as a eunuch by a former CNN “pundit” and high level campaign advisor.

I pray we can change.

We are rapidly fading as a world superpower. With inflation at an all time high, our addiction to foreign oil, and the rise of other superpowers such as the European Union and the Chinse, it should be no surprise that our power is fading. The people we pay to go to Washington are doing nothing to stop it, our government has never been so broken. I can only hope the next president will take things a lot more seriously.

The US is not fading, it is already transparent!!

Lets see… worst health coverage in the world, hightest taxes, largest debt in American history, Everything from crime rate, to food prices are up. But, I guess when Americans start crossing the border for Mexico, then we can get worried.
Tyler in Missouri

Hi Jack,

America power is fading and that it is probably a good thing. With no one nation having a strangle hold on world power we will see a more peaceful world and a richer global society. As long as we stick to our values we will still to have moral influence in the world. Hopefully our government will realize it before its too late.

Yes, America is fading in world leadership & world opinion….Mostly due to 7-1/2 yrs of George & Dick behind the bush, and another incapable congress.

Well, America has certainly faded since the day George W. Bush was elected. We went from the respected leaders of the free world, to the bull in the world china shop. We can be respected again though, if we start behaving like responsibley and stop looking down our noses at the rest of the world.

Yes, America has lost its glimmer, we don’t always have to be number one.

Is America fading? Are you kiddng? We’ve done FADED. We’ve alienated most of the entire civilized world and all of the rest of it; thanks to Herr Bush and his mis-guided, nay, corrupt circus, the damage the US has inflicted on the rest of the world, and its own citizens, will take generations to recover, it indeed it’s possible at all. At this moment, I’m ashamed to be an American.

America is falling from the super powers of asia and europe and the american people are paying for it our goverment needs to do what it takes to improve are position in an ever changing world that we live in

If you have traveled the world like I have, you would know beyond a doubt we have been fading since 1996. I wonder why after 10 years this has finally come up. Jack, at least you are the first one I that has brought this up !!!!!!!!

Yes, Jack, it’s true. If it were not true, I would not be studying in Warsaw, Poland, but, rather, I would be studying at home in Cincinnati, OH. I wonder if our government will be able to cope with the changing position, but, I too worry our government will increasingly sound ridiculous as it goes about trying to mediate the world’s issues.

Warsaw, Poland

Jack,
Absolutely not. It is precisely this kind of thinking that many U.S. citizens have been trapped in these past 8 years. I suppose that our relative status is “fading,” but our absolute and objective status continues to grow. America need not “fade” for others to rise. There’s plenty of room for everyone on top. The question that really needs to be asked and answered, is why is there a continuing widening gulf between the “haves” and the “have nots.” Income inequality within the U.S. is a far more pressing concern.

Barack Obama could unite us with the world. He understands and is willing to converse with other leaders. Hillary is too self-centered, phony, and quick to judge. She voted for this war and 2 years ago turned down a gas tax reduction. She still lies and it will never stop.
We forget what the Clintons did during there tenure in our White House . Billary is a loaded cannon. Don’t fall for her sweetness this past few weeks. She has a new manager . But underneath she definitely is not a nice person.

America allways butters the toast on both sides, no matter which way it falls it allways sticks..

So now, overseas companies will look to outsource to America, our exports are rising, forign invesments are coming in. The weaker dollar will make us stronger..

Never Jack. The United States of America were, are and will ever be the most powerful nation. The whole world is looking at America and tries to be like America and that will never change.

Jack, of course it’s true that America is fading. We send our good paying jobs to Communist China, cut taxes for those who don’t need their taxes cut here, and then wonder why we don’t have the revenues to sustain, well, anything, let alone unwinable wars that we started… This is not the America I grew up in, why don’t we as a country worry about America first, rather than building the “global economy” namely that of China?

You know Jack the only constant thing in life is change, the Romans once had it , the British had it too and the United State have had it for a while but from all indication it is slipping away. The continent towatch out for in this century will be Asia from china to India and a whole lot of others

The 1700’s belonged to Spain and Portugal.
The 1800’s belonged to England.
The 1900’s belonged to America.
The next century belongs to Asia.
It’s called evolution.
No one goes away but everybody changes.

IS IT FADING, that should be an understatement because I think we have already done so. It’s as if we’re riding a out of control tractor going down hill with no brakes and the only thing that can save us are the Democrats. I just don’t see what some are seeing when they even relish the thought of another Republican era in the white house. I guess they want to end up being the ONLY party standing.

I wouldn’t mind that change. It is about time other countries get the opportunity to be super powers as well. However, I would be more comfortable if we were at least equal in the world.

Fading, how about already faded, we have sold our heart and soul out to the Chinese in our jobs, fear to live freely as in the past to Muslim extremist, and pouring our young heroes lives out in a endless needless war in Iraq. Does that look like a nation that’s still on top.

Jack, the great reset is on. Our policies of exporting our ideas, jobs, and services has made us no better than the whiny consumer nation that big business wanted us to become in the first place. The great reset happens when the equation of power gets out of balance. History dictates that great Empires, be it Rome or England, have a beginning, middle, and end. When these nations become too powerful, the reset occurs. Wealth becomes redistributed, war saps the economy, and the people of the nation no longer feel it important to defend and improve a nation that they deem as “perfect”. Does any of this sound familiar?

Yes, we are fading. I attribute this to the fact that we are a very young nation with childish leaders. We do not play well in the sandbox with others. We haven’t learned loyalty to our own, we prise popularity and the in-crowd, and we don’t play by rules nor do we enforce them.
In short, we still need to develop the discipline of grown-ups.

Most powerful nation status? NO. Most influential? Yes.

While we tit for tat between the parties and play older brother through out the world, all the emerging economies are playing nice together and making new friends.

Soon we won’t be invited to the their coming out parties!

America is fading faster every day. America is so broke that it’s literally selling out, offering itself as a potentially lucrative ‘investment’ which many countries around the world are taking part in. So far the Chinese are leading the pack. To be fair, America may have to change our cities names. Picture it - Hong Kong, California. Shangri-La, New York. Beijing, Texas. But don’t worry, chopsticks are easy to learn.

Yes Jack, we are fading. China will own this country soon. Most Americans are going to be hard pressed to fund our government. America will have a weak voice in the future. We need to bring more money into this country to pay of our debts. Lets nationalize the oil companies.

We are so caught up in making a buck, the middle class will soon be the lower class.
The technology and rules of the world prevents the US from just going into any country and imposing its military strenght. Case in point Vietnam and now Iraq.
We need to join others in combating the economic disaster that is forthcoming and global warming.
Right now, oil rules. look at how prices have effected everything else.

PS: If the media never mentions Rev Wright again, then it will go away. Your choice……

If fading means a distribution of power and money among the world’s nations, then: yes, America’s role in the world is fading. It will mean more emphasis on negotiation and understanding of other set of values and morals, attitudes and believes. There; America has an advantage with its multicultural and multiethnic population raised in an unique environment of freedom and democracy. America will remain in the forefront, but it will also mean an internal distribution of power.

Jack, we are not fading but rebirthing whle a new world paradigm starts taking hold. Government will have to change dramatically because it is not just about us anyomore.
It’s about how to fit into a changing dynamic world and still support the
good ole USA. It’s become a chess game where you look at your
options at the moment and after one or two moves you have to relook.
Things are changing that fast. Our next president will have to be adaptable, decisive and visionary in this respect and the government
will not have time to dally for long periods on decisions. It will become
an interactive world and our president must have resiliency and foresight. Hillary Clinton has the toughness and acumen to direct us
in the right direction while keeping her heart close to the American people.

Websters defines power as an “ability to act or produce an effect “. Our actions regarding the WTO, lassie fair financial regulations, Kyoto, Katrina, 9/11, Afghanistan, Darfur & Iraq have changed the world’s perception of the United States. If the Untied States wants to lead, there are only two options that work. Fear, and those who lead by example. What kind of country do you want to be?

Let some other country step up and lead. Then we can look to them to handle any regional crisis, disaster, epidemic, etc. We can sit back and criticize.

May 5th, 2008 6:31 pm ET
Your comment is awaiting moderation.
Jack

If America is fading remains to be seen. It’s important to note that despite China’s growth rate, they are colossal wasters of energy and are colssal polluters. As far as Fareed Zakaria’s opinion that the world is experiencing unprecedented growth, this can’t compare with the golden age of world economic growth, averaging 4.9% from 1948-1973
Tom

Dayton, Ohio

The men and women from the “greatest generation” have been let down by those of us from the “baby boomer generation.” We have taken the great nation they have given us and have bled the life out of it. We deserve to be tarred and feathered.

Sure it’s fading, but is that anything to be ashamed or scared of? A nation evolves and changes just like anything else in nature and it is perfectly normal for a their relative position in the world`s pecking order to change. I was born in Canada, lived in Europe, then the United States and now Brazil and as a result can perhaps look at this a little more objectively than most. Ask yourself, has the decline of the British Empire made London anything less than the dynamic multi-cultural hub that it is today? The United States will always be a great power, just not in the same way it has been in the 20th Century. China, India and Brazil are the adolescents of the globe while the US and Europe move into middle age and senior citizenship - but certainly not retirement. The question is can they age gracefully and adapt to the new world order.

Nelson Davis – São Paulo, Brazil.

Yes America is slowly fading. One of many areas of blame is job outsourcing. When you take jobs away from working Americans and give them to other countries it takes money out of citizen’s hands and the economy. And right now, the country needs that money to help rebuild our exhausted economy.

Erica
Tehachapi, CA

I remember in the late 1970s when I was in high school being told it was inevitable that we were going to fight a third world war against the then Soviet Union. I mention this because at that time our economy was weak, interest rates high, unemployment high, our leadership in question and the country was in recession.

This isn’t the greatest country simply because we who are privileged to live here say so. It’s the greatest country because we have proven that no matter what t