I'd just like to remind Americans that France is currently on its Fifth Republic since 1789 (with three Empires—with monarchs—interleaved until 1870).

The USA appears to be in the dying days of its Second Republic (time out in 1860-65) but something better will emerge eventually, if we avoid planetary ecosystem collapse in the meantime.

This, too, shall pass.

@cstross the USA, just like the British empire before it, is in decline, and it is powerless to resist. A few decades ago, the USA was responsible for 40% of global GDP. That's around 25% now.