The United States is basically run by Wall Street anymore, which plays to maximize short term profits at the expense of any other issue. They are completely blinded by greed.

That is why nothing is done about illegal immigration, terrible trade deals, we pay to be the world’s police (to expedite trade at all costs), and why they are now opening our trucking industry to third world carriers.

Washington DC cares about you only enough to get your vote.

Hmm…countervailing measures might work for now but how long till that ends as well?

Even worse;

It’s the same with terrorism and religious extremism or human rights and labour standards. For now (till now) the US (and the EU, since they are forced to finally get their act together) could always say hey Iran/North-Korea/dictator in Africa, quit doing that stuff or we’ll use our political clout to make life miserable for you. But in the future, that political power will belong to China and India and who are they going to back up (if anyone).

I mean, does China even have a development program for 3rd world countries (going by how they treat their own citizens I’m guessing no)? Are they going to nullify the debt of poor countries to them, like the Netherlands and other western countries always do?

With the US following the example of Detroit and going bankrupt and all things might look bleak.