All true, but pride comes before a fall like all the empires before this American one. As I understand Empires, they fall from within. The decline in social ethics and metaphysical morality, and democratic structures are forming a rotting fence will break at the slightest push. And I see quite the push coming afield... Again, all true about declinism - except for the fact that we cannot see what's coming when we cannot see what is the shift in the earth happening underneath our feet right now!