The Demise of America: The Coming Breakup of the United States, And What Will Replace It.

By Don Durrett

Is the American era about to end?

The Demise of America is an excoriating review of this country’s failed economic, political and social policies – and a summary of how these failures will lead to a spiritual revolution, a new definition of community and a vision for peace on Earth.

Author Don Durrett offers a detailed explanation of monetary, social and consumer factors on his way to concluding America cannot fix its broken systems. The industrial might of America is an emasculated shell of its formal self. The country’s economic system is drowning in debt and the political system is polarized and ineffective.

In this exploration of the materialistic, debt-laden American way of life, Durrett describes the transformation ahead for society including a vision of a world that few are expecting.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Don Durrett
• Release date: Dec 25, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463372432

Don Durrett

I was born in 1960, on March 18th. That makes me a Pisces and a 5 of diamonds. I'm also a Cancer rising with a Sagittarius moon. In the Michael Teachings, I'm a priest-scholar, 5th level old soul. As for numerology, I'm a 28/10, with a 1 lifepath.I began writing in 1990 and have written nine metaphysical books and one workbook. I turned 50 in 2010 and decided it was time to publish. I now have self published six books and a workbook, which are available in both print and digital format, and have plans to publish more in the future.My books are for both those new to metaphysics and those who are challenged to find books that feed their soul. Five of my books are stories that make spirituality accessible and fun to explore. I recommend that you read Finding Your Soul first. It is a story that is enjoyable to read and also provides my spiritual philosophy.I am more of a philosopher than a writer. In fact, I don't consider myself a great writer. I do, however, consider my books of substantial value. I'm an ancient philosopher. For this reason, I have the ability to write about metaphysics in a way that is very accessible and understandable. Moreover, because writing about the unknowable is not easy, I offer a unique quality that is not easily found.One wonderful thing about my books is that if you like one, you have five more to read. Also, my books are short and fast to read. None of my books will take more than a week, and some fast readers can read them in one day. Read the first chapter of Finding Your Soul on my website, and you will know exactly what you have found.

Book preview

The Demise of America

The Coming Breakup of the United States,

And What Will Replace It.

By

Don Durrett

(Fourth Edition, August 2019)

Copyright 2010 by Donald David Durrett

All rights reserved.

www.dondurrett.com

It didn’t have to be like this. We could have made better choices.

– Author’s Observation

No one could have predicted this (2008) economic crisis. – Various Pundits

I see the underlying economy as being very healthy. – Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, August 2007.

The troubles in the subprime sector seem unlikely to seriously spill over to the broader economy or the financial system. – Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, June 2007.

I don't believe we'll see another financial crisis in our lifetime. – Fed Chairman Janet Yellen, April 2017.

Contents

Introduction

Chapter One: Recent Presidents

Chapter Two: The Economy

Chapter Three: Politics

Chapter Four: Culture

Chapter Five: Religion and Spirituality

Chapter Six: The Future

End Notes

Introduction

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. – Declaration of Independence

That last part, about the pursuit of happiness, led us astray. As a nation, we have become avaricious, materialistic, selfish, and hedonistic junkies.

he⋅don⋅ism – noun

1. the doctrine that pleasure or happiness is the highest good.

2. devotion to pleasure as a way of life.

Contrary to popular opinion, we are not here to be hedonistic. We are here to develop our soul and learn about love, which is the core of our being. Life is about spiritual growth and the evolvement of the soul. You can do that through hedonistic fun, but hedonism should not be the focal point. That reality is starting to dawn on people, and will be a basic tenet of future generations.

It’s 2019, and I am surprised that the truth has not yet been released to the masses. The truth can be revealed by releasing two facts. First, the meaning of life for humans is the evolvement of the soul. Second, reincarnation is how we evolve.

Note: You can also say that the meaning of life for humans is the expansion of the soul. That expansion can be through the acquisition of experience, knowledge, wisdom, or a combination of all three.

While those two facts are all that you need to know to find your way in this lifetime, I’ll give you one more useful piece of information. Our souls are connected energetically to each other. In fact, nothing can exist in isolation. Instead of isolation, everything is connected and interrelated. This all-encompassing connection can be called God or all-that-is, or the Creator. The truth is that we are all one on an energetic level.

Now, some of you I am sure are doubting those last two paragraphs, but I assure you that by the year 2050, it will have been proven scientifically that everything is connected energetically. That revelation by scientists will have a minor impact on society, because by the time science proves it, most people will already know that it is true.

What our founding fathers should have written in place of the pursuit of happiness, was the evolvement of the soul. It should have said, Life, Liberty and the Evolvement of the Soul. Or, perhaps, Life, Liberty, and the Sovereignty of the Soul. Instead of pursuing happiness, we would have been pursuing the lessons we came to learn. Then, perhaps, materialism, competition, greed, and avariciousness wouldn’t have gotten out of hand.

Every soul is here for a reason, and that reason is not a frivolous one. Evolving the soul is serious business. In fact, it is not easy getting on this planet, and if you are here, then you came for a reason. No one on this planet came without a plan. Perhaps that’s why they are called planets because if you want to visit one, you need to have a plan – also called a soul contract. Plus, you have to get permission from the Creator. No one is here without permission, and there are billions of souls who wanted to be here at this time. So, if you are here, you came for a reason. Capisce? Or, as my friend Sam used to say, Do you savvy?

Two hundred years ago, when the U.S. Constitution was written, individuals weren’t ready for pursuing why we are here. But the times have changed, and now we are, or we are getting closer to that outcome. We are going to take human values to the next level. We are going to take care of the planet, and we are going to take care of one another. That is our new pursuit. The focal point of hedonism, greed, and avaricious behavior is economic growth, which is now fading and will soon be a thing of the past. The evolvement of each soul is about to become much more important.

Jack Ma, the founder and CEO of Alibaba, one of the largest companies in the world, said that Alibaba's business model is customer, employee, and then shareholder. He rightfully puts the customer first because unless you make your customers happy, you are out of business. However, he puts his employees second, which is different from how most large corporations operate. I have worked for several corporations and I never felt like I came before shareholders. I felt like I worked for the shareholders or management, who were higher up in the pecking order. Jack Ma is part of the new wave of humanity, who are making people and human values matter.

America has neglected its workers since corporations became powerful in the 20th century. Europe is a little bit better with 35-hour workweeks, and 4 to 6-week vacations for all employees, but it's not that much better. That neglect is about to change. I heard a millennial say that we are currently living in a period of anarchy. I don't think that statement is completely accurate, but it is close. We are living during a period of transition that will usher in a radical new way of living and working. This book is mostly a look back at why this is going to happen, but I inject my vision of where I think we are headed as a civilization.

The demise of the United States is upon us and rushing in quickly. I’ve known it was coming since 1989, although I had an inclination in the mid-1980s, when President Reagan promoted globalism and military spending, along with massive budget and trade deficits. He also popularized Keynesian economics during an era of economic growth, which has been in vogue since he left office in the 1980s.

When I read a book by Dolores Cannon in 1989,¹ I was convinced that America was near the end of its glory. In the book, Nostradamus predicted that America would soon lose its status as a global superpower. He said that America in its current form was coming to an end very soon.

Since then, I have read several sources predicting this same outcome. Most of these sources are otherworldly, such as Kryon² (channeled by Lee Carol), or Gaia³ (channeled by Pepper Lewis), or Kirael⁴ (channeled by Fred Sterling). They all say the same thing: America is about to change in dramatic ways. Soon there will no longer be the United States of America with 50 states. This breakup will likely begin in our lifetime, and perhaps within a decade.

The demise is coming, and few people understand why. So I decided to put it down in words beforehand. In some respects, this is a book of history, written as that history transpires. That is my motivation. This is not a treatise to change our ways and prevent the demise. That time has passed. I think the demise is a foregone conclusion.

We could perhaps save the country, but anyone who tried would likely be stopped. There are too many vested interests that want to maintain the status quo. If we tried, it would require something like this:

1. Require the federal budget to be balanced.

2. Make unions illegal and unneeded, replaced with a narrow range salary structure.

3. Make healthcare non-profit and single-payer.

4. Provide housing and food for the homeless.

5. Make Social Security and Medicare means-tested, and remove caps for contributions.

6. Provide free online education from kindergarten through college.

7. Eliminate personal and corporate income taxes for income under $1 million, and use consumption taxes instead.

8. Redistribute wealth. Transfer money from the top 1% to the bottom 25%.

9. Shrink military and defense spending, and close all foreign military bases.

10. Require a percentage of all goods sold in America to be made in America.

I don’t think we will try any of these radical ideas until the United States Government is bankrupt and forced to default on its debt (a likely outcome).

* * * * *

I have a unique view of America. I’m an old soul who understands things a bit more clearly than the average person. Most of my books are spiritually themed. I have self-published several New Age metaphysical books. However, I have always been interested in politics and economics. I have self-published two constitutions that can be used as ideas on how to reorganize society after the breakup begins.

When I originally wrote this book in 2008, I thought it was an odd choice for me. However, since that time I have found myself keenly interested in the direction that America takes. Back in 2008, I was mainly writing a reference to the past. It was to be my own personal time capsule and a glimpse into what made America fail.

I originally started writing this book a couple of weeks after Lehman Brothers declared bankruptcy in 2008. Now it is 2019, and I feel it is time for an update. I was patiently waiting for the next financial crisis to hit, but I think I can see now what is upon us. Perhaps I will hold off publishing this updated edition until the next crash occurs.

Back in 2008, I thought the demise was near. At that time, I did not think we would get another decade to prepare. I feel like we have been blessed to get this extra time. However, the time period of what I call easy street is just about over.

The clock has been ticking, and we are steadily heading toward America's demise. I don't know how much longer it will be, but the day is quickly approaching when it begins to break down. The coming financial crisis will be more severe than 2008. This time there will not be a recovery – at least that’s my expectation. Instead, it will mark the end of an era, the end of America as we know it, and the end of America as a global superpower.

Most of this book was written in 2008, although this 2019 edition has many updates and additions. Before you begin, there is one caveat I should mention. This book requires an open mind. If you have strong political beliefs or strong religious beliefs, then you may have difficulty reading it. Actually, I would expect most people reading it today to have trouble. It is really written for future generations who won’t have as much political and religious bias against the ideas presented. Also, I need to emphasize that unless a statement has a footnote, consider it my opinion and not a fact.

Don Durrett

8/30/2019

Chapter One: Recent Presidents

I was born in 1960. I didn’t begin following politics until around 1980, when President Reagan was elected. At that time, there was still a lot of political talk in the media regarding the 1960s and 1970s, so I did get a bit of understanding of what JFK, Johnson, Nixon, Ford, and Carter attempted to do.

I was always in awe of JFK when I was young. I was proud to be an American because of him. He seemed to exude the grace and integrity of America. There was something genuine about him that no other global leader of our modern era has personified. I don’t think there has been a leader since who surpassed his leadership.

When JFK gave a speech, the entire world watched in awe. What is sad is that when he was killed, America lost its innocence. We killed our greatest leader and the man who had the potential to bring us together. Once he was killed, along with his brother Robert F. Kennedy in 1968, America was doomed. Then we also killed Martin Luther King, a beautiful man, and a powerful leader. Finally, to show that we were serious about destroying our country, we killed Malcolm X. All four of these men had voices that needed to be heard to create an equal and just America.

To understand why these four men were killed, you have to look no further than the 1950s. That was the era when America was on the rise, and the middle class was emerging. However, two things were not on the rise in the 1950s. The first was equality, where black America was still discriminated against. The second was women, who were also discriminated against. These two groups demanded their freedom as the 1960s unfolded, and they weren’t going to take no for an answer.

What needs to be understood is that the conservative movement was largely against these two groups having total equality with white males, and still are today to a certain extent. JFK introduced the Civil Rights Act in June 1963, but it was not voted on until after he was assassinated. Thus, until 1964, many blacks could not vote and were legally discriminated against. The conservatives of that era condoned and propagated this behavior.

That is the dark side of the conservative movement, and it still lingers today. Indeed, all forms of discrimination are still in existence today. For example, a white woman might legally have equal rights with a white man, but that does not mean that a glass ceiling does not exist (especially in corporate America). Plus, if you are a minority woman, the odds are good that you have experienced some form of discrimination. These types of discrimination still exist today because of the conservative movement. I don’t think it was a coincidence that Barry Goldwater ran for President the year after JFK was killed. In hindsight, Goldwater’s candidacy was a sign of the coming conservative wave. It’s not a secret that Goldwater – and those who agreed with his conservative politics – were not supporters of JFK or Martin Luther King. Let’s be blunt: Goldwater and the conservatives of his era were supporters of affluent white males to the detriment of just about everyone else.

The End of the Moderate Era

In the 1960s, it was an era of liberal attitudes. Also, from 1960 until 1968, the Democrats were in power. Even when Nixon was elected in 1968, most of the legislation that he enacted had Democrat Party overtones. But the conservatives were steadily gaining strength in the background as white males steadily lost their foothold on society. In 1980, the conservative wave – mostly white males – erupted and is still being felt today.

From 1960, until Reagan came on the scene in 1980, politics in America was moderate. There were very few national politicians on the far right or far left. There was Barry Goldwater, who ran against Johnson in 1964, but Goldwater was an anomaly. The conservative movement had not yet begun. And there really weren’t any on the far left in national politics. Hubert Humphrey and George McGovern, who ran for President in 1968 and 1972, were liberals, but not far-left progressive liberals like we have today. They would both be considered moderates today.

The five presidents who served before Reagan could all be characterized as moderates. All of them embraced bipartisan legislation. Nixon is often regarded as a conservative, but if you look at his record, he supported a lot of moderate, bipartisan legislation. For instance, he implemented desegregation of schools, started the EPA and affirmative action, endorsed the ERA, helped create the Clean Air Act, supported OSHA, and started Medicaid for the poor. Those are all Democratic Party issues today that most modern conservatives would vote against. In fact, the ERA (Equal Rights Amendment) has never been passed because of conservative intransigence.

The one thing that all five presidents prior to Reagan had in common was the expectation that bipartisan legislation was viable and possible. You could make an argument that they had much more in common than not in common. That started to end in 1980, with the emergence of the modern conservative movement.

The one common theme in politics on the national level that existed until the modern conservative movement was born, was bipartisan interaction. Sure there were issues that divided the parties, but on most issues, they worked together. In the 1980s, Tip O’Neil, the liberal Speaker of the House from Massachusetts, worked closely with President Reagan. The Democrats controlled the House of Representatives and still passed Reagan’s tax cut. In hindsight, it’s incredible how far political bipartisanship has fallen in the U.S. since that period.

Bipartisanship lasted into the 1990s, but was on the wane after Newt Gingrich became Speaker of the House and released his Contract with America in 1994. He was Time’s Man of the Year in 1995, which shows you how big of an impact the conservative movement had on America. It is said that during the 1990s, the Democrats and Republicans continued to have dinner together. But that camaraderie was slowly coming to an end. Gingrich took the conservative movement – and the Republican Party – further to the right, and created a chasm with the Democrats.

In many respects, you could say that Gingrich declared war on the Democratic Party. Since that time, the chasm has steadily grown in size to the point where today all that exists is a contentious divide of two enemies who no longer speak to each other. In some respects, you could say that American has entered a civil war of politics that will eventually lead to the breakup of the country.

Something changed with the Republican Party when the conservative movement arrived in the 1980s. President Reagan moved the party to the right, and Rush Limbaugh –who started the conservative talk radio boom in 1988 – made sure that everyone got the message. Slowly and steadily, from 1980 until Trump was elected in 2016, nearly all of the moderate Republican Senators were voted out of office.

It wasn’t uncommon after the Gingrich era for moderate Republican incumbents to be attacked by fellow Republicans for being a RINO (Republican in Name Only). Arlen Spector, a Republican Senator, took so much criticism for being moderate that he switched parties and became a Democrat. Someone could write a book documenting all of the nationally elected Republican moderates who were attacked as RINOs within their own party.

Conversely, many conservative Democrats in the South changed parties and ran as Republicans. If they didn’t, then someone more conservative would run against them. Today, it is becoming rare for there to be moderate Republicans or conservative Democrats. That change was the result of the conservative movement.

By the time Trump came into office, it was easy for him to hijack the party. The reason why is because it was so concentrated with adherents to the conservative movement that Reagan, Limbaugh, and Gingrich had created. If Trump could get the base of the party to support him, then he effectively had support from at least ninety percent of Republican politicians. Trump succeeded not because he necessarily had support from those ninety percent, but that those ninety percent were afraid of Trump’s voter support. For this reason, there were very few nationally elected Republicans who criticized Trump publicly. (Note: I’m writing this in August 2019, and the stock market is booming at 26,000 and official unemployment is at 4%).

The New Left Emerges

As the Republican Party steadily moved to the right from 1980 onward, the Democratic Party moved to the left at a much slower pace. It wasn’t until Bernie Sanders ran for President in 2016 that the Democratic Party swung hard to the left. Yes, there was a subtle swing around 2000 in response to George W. Bush taking office after eight years of Bill Clinton, but it was mostly contained in the Black Caucus, which had very little influence.

From 2000 to 2008, during the George W. Bush administration, the country was healing from the 9/11 attack in 2001. There was a sense of trauma that we could get attacked again. For this reason, the left remained fragmented and marginalized. No politician on the national level was able to articulate what the left represented, other than the status quo. There were no calls from national politicians that something dramatic needed to change, and nothing even similar to what Bernie articulated in 2016. Hillary Clinton was elected in 2000 to the Senate and became a national political voice, but her platform was moderate, much like her Husband.

When Barack Obama ran for President in 2008, his platform was not radical. It was nothing like what Bernie Sanders was going to propose in 2016. Obama did not veer very far from the standard Democratic platform. He ran on a slogan of Hope and Change, but did not give any specifics of what that change represented. He did promise reform for healthcare, but not a controversial single-payer mandate that Bernie supported. In many respects, Obama ran as a moderate. He was a bland candidate who represented the status quo, with perhaps a few minor changes.

When Obama was