essay topic: if the U.S. government collapsed in 2018

[DontRaisePlz]

For my government class, I have to write an essay around this prompt:

"If you were told the U.S. government completely collapsed in 2018 based on *A REASON THAT CURRENTLY EXISTS TODAY*, which reason would you venture to guess that would be?"

I can pick anything as long the essay is informed and coherent. Budget deficit, war, oil, North Korea, whatever - as long as its not aliens, apocalypse, rampant epidemic, sun explodes, etc.

Any suggestions? I just want an outline, maybe a good source where I research the issue.

[iron81]

Boy, you really came to the right place. Plotting to bring down the government is one of the favorite topics in here.

[hmkpoker]

I would consider New Jersey's government shutdown in 2006 and do it on a massive budget crisis that results from a combination of hyperinflation, high taxes and overspending.

[NT!]

i would say no way the government collapses by 2018.

[govman6767]

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i would say no way the government collapses by 2018.

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NT is right that's way to optimistic. 2011 would be more like it.

[BigBuffet]

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NT is right that's way to optimistic. 2011 would be more like it.

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According to the Mayans the world will be destroyed on Dec 21, 2012.

[AzDesertRat]

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NT is right that's way to optimistic. 2011 would be more like it.

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According to the Mayans the world will be destroyed on Dec 21, 2012.

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Beat me to it--or December 22nd, depending where you are. In any case, 2018 isn't going to be around to worry about.

[NT!]

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NT is right that's way to optimistic. 2011 would be more like it.

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According to the Mayans the world will be destroyed on Dec 21, 2012.

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the mayan calendar simply recycles every 400 years or so. the winter solstice of 2012 represents one such transition in the mayan religion / cosmology. it is no different from similar ones that took place in the 17th, 13th, 9th centuries, etc. so if the world didn't end in 1612, it probably won't end this time either.

[AlexM]

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NT is right that's way to optimistic. 2011 would be more like it.

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According to the Mayans the world will be destroyed on Dec 21, 2012.

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Urban legend. From Wikipedia:

"According to the Maya, there will be a baktun ending in 2012, a significant event being the end of the 13th 400 year period, but not the end of the world."

[AJW]

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I would consider New Jersey's government shutdown in 2006 and do it on a massive budget crisis that results from a combination of hyperinflation, high taxes and overspending.

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Yes some kind of massive financial collapse.
US dept called in by China, dollar collapse public servants walking off the job after not being paid, hyper inflation making buying food and basic good impossible for large numbers, capital flight leading to massive layoffs of people now totally with out government assistance.
What could lead to such disaster perhaps eleven years of wars one after another with no decisive victories and ever greater expenditure and borrowing to finance them coupled with a down turn in the economy. Your probably need an unelected one party system to result in this though.
Which could be started by say a nuclear terrorist strike on New York leading to marshal law and retaliatory strikes on suspected supporter regimes.
The whole process would probably be sped up by continuing attacks on the American main land.
The end result anarchy and probably persecution for any group popularly believed to be responsible, Muslims for sure but also probably the Jews who were a dominant minority in the original administration.