I think the more pertinent question is how resilient is the United States economy to deliberate abuse? i.e. How much can it take from idiot's in government the likes of Hussein, Brenneke, and the Fed who think they can control a run away train with more paper and ink? Also, we have some comfort in the fact that if we go down, the whole world will go down with us. Who will be left to buy the Jap cars, Sony radios, L.G. Korean TV's and refrigerators, along with all of the cheap Chinese crap that is floated over here by the ship load each and every day? Look at how well the Chinese are making out by deliberately devaluing their own currency in relationship to ours. If the dollar went to $h!t the tables would be turned. We could pay back our "debt" to them with all but worthless dollars. Also, Merkel would have to come up with a "Cash For Clunkers" program of her own for Germany. Who the hell else is going to buy all of those Mercedes? Bill T.