Is time about up?

Next week the world learns how close civilization is to the end.

On Tuesday, January 27, the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists, located at the University of Chicago, will inform us just how dangerous our growing-more-dangerous-by-the-minute world is. (I considered substituting the word “mad” in place of “dangerous,” because most of what ails the world is caused by madmen.) By next Tuesday morning the Bulletin’s Science and Security Board (SASB), a group of global leaders who evaluate factors including nuclear risk, climate change and disruptive technologies, will have completed their annual task.

A live press conference will accompany this important event. The presser will include prominent speakers from the scientific community, with the highlight being the Bulletin of Atomic Scientists’ announcement regarding the position of the minute hand on the Doomsday Clock. We will learn which one of three choices SASB made: 1) Leave the Doomsday Clock at its current setting (unlikely). 2) Move the clock backward, further away from midnight (unlikely). 3) Move the clock forward, closer to midnight (likely).

America the microcosm

Parallel to understanding the world’s fate one must account for the spectacular decline of the United States. Once the world’s beacon of light on a hill, America abandons its self-proclaimed exceptionalism (cutting funding to USAID is an example). In a sickening display of hubris, the U.S. unwinds 20th Century progress. Among items on the chopping block are civil rights, women’s rights and immigrant rights. At the quarter pole of the 21st Century, America staggers like a punch-drunk boxer.

Mired in a downward spiral, the U.S. is plagued with failed leadership in the White House, Congress, and the Supreme Court. Combining the nation’s worst-ever president, worst-ever House Speaker, and most corrupt-ever Chief Justice leaves America unrecognizably vulnerable.

Achievements of social/cultural triumph – such as the election of Barack Obama, the nomination of Hillary Clinton and the election of Sarah McBride – momentarily camouflaged America’s never-satisfied appetite for White male supremacy. When the final chapter is written, and blame is assigned for America losing superpower status, do not fall for the blatant lie that Minneapolis’ Somali immigrants or Haitian immigrants from Dayton, Ohio, or poor people who rely on food stamps felled America.

If you or your ancestors design it for your benefit, don’t blame others when you fail at it. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

The truth is, in the 250 years since its founding, the rules in all aspects of the “game” of American life, – judicial, political, economic, business, education, real estate, healthcare, entertainment, sports, law enforcement, you name it – the rules were crafted by White men.

MAGAs who subscribe to Trump’s omnipresent list of grievances miss the reality; the game was designed for them to succeed. When MAGAs fail it’s nonsensical that immigrants, women, Americans of color or “woke-ness” are conveniently scapegoated. (That would be like Phil Mickelson designing a golf course and then, unable to make par on the course he designed, Mickelson blames his failure on Bad Bunny.)

10-20 years in the blink of an eye

Noted historian Alfred McCoy, who teaches history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, offers an eye-popping analysis of what portends for America.

As told to Democracy Now, McCoy says the United States is an “empire in decline” and backs it up with matter-of-fact evidence. In a startling assessment, McCoy gives the U.S. “another decade or two” before we lose our superpower status.

(In a moment that calls for superior leadership and intelligence, and requires sanity in the face of chaos, Americans are saddled with a bumper crop of insanity, irrationality and plain ignorance.)

McCoy describes “micro-militarism,” a feature that prior superpowers dabbled in preceding their demise. Two examples occurring in the past 100 years are the Soviet Union and British Empire. To project strength, superpowers in decline attempt to exert military strength abroad, spreading themselves thin. Trump has done this in Venezuela and Nigeria, with threats aimed at Cuba, Greenland and Iran.

Another common feature of failing superpowers, as described by McCoy, happens at home: a coup. America’s coup took place on January 6, 2021.

At first imperceptible, America’s decline has been underway for decades and is projected to continue. (Photos credit The Weekly Opine)

Meanwhile, in today’s Cold War, China is eating our lunch, expanding their influence in Europe, Asia and Africa, as the U.S. retreats from NATO. China produces 70% of the world’s electric vehicles while old-fashion Trump rows backward, starry-eyed over the prospect of increasing America’s dependence on fossil fuels. China dominates the green energy space. We observe in real time as China surpasses America as the world’s superpower.

China’s view is strategically global. America’s view (Trump’s view) is ham-fistedly regional. Trump bullies Canada over tariffs and with stupid musings of Canada becoming America’s 51st state. China just partnered with Canada to reduce tariffs bilaterally and to provide significantly more Chinese electric vehicles to Canada. Tellingly, Canada’s Prime Minister Mark Carney said its time to move on from America’s unreliability. Pulling no punches, Carney said Canada’s relationship with the U.S. is “in rupture not a transition.” Canada now readies its military for a possible invasion by the U.S.

Historian Heather Cox Richardson sums up what portends, saying, “The final scene of a narcissist is always a descent into madness.”

What time is it?

Last January, the Doomsday Clock was set closer to disaster than ever; just 89 seconds until midnight. When the Doomsday Clock announcement is made next week, what should we expect?

The globe is a mess. Putin’s war in Ukraine did not end on January 20, 2025, as promised. Nerves are frayed in Europe as NATO weakens with Russia encroaching nearby. Netanyahu’s ethnic cleansing in Gaza has the Middle East on edge. Trump’s unpredictability is fed by his ignorance and senility. NATO sending troops to Greenland to deter the U.S. is unprecedented. Less prominent skirmishes flare up regionally. Consequently, there are high-alert jitters worldwide.

Access to nuclear weapons, coupled with the maniacal tendencies of barbaric old men like Putin and Trump, frightens all of us. Both Putin and Trump face mortality, with life expectancy likely measured in years – not decades. Both seem capable of resorting to Hitler’s deviant madman instinct, i.e., “If I’m going down, everyone’s going down.”

There is also the artificial intelligence wild card (OpenAI’s CEO said AI could lead to human extinction). AI sucks up water and energy resources at an unsustainable rate. Data centers poison communities. AI excessively influences financial markets that appear ripe for bubble bursting. Globally, we keep missing key climate change metrics. Who knows what else lurks?

On Tuesday, I predict the Doomsday Clock will move forward, set between 65-55 seconds until midnight.

There is hope

A sliver of optimism is found in polling. Polls show most Americans do not support what is happening on the economy, tariffs, the Epstein files, ICE tactics, Venezuela, Greenland, NATO, and climate change. By decisive margins Americans reject Trump administration policies. Ongoing protests in big cities, small towns, blue states and red states provide proof the majority of Americans are fed up.

In 2026, if Americans use common sense, the 10-year Trump nightmare will end at the ballot box. Unfortunately, damage to the American-led world order may be irreversible.

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