“The latter would more likely than not, just give more power to those with totalitarian tendencies- it certainly wouldn’t return us to a Constitutional Republic.”
I never see a post-financial collapse USA turning into a more free country. Instead, the financial collapse will mean the loss of a large amount of wealth for the super-majority, an accumulation of power among a few, and the USA becoming more like Argentina.
In other words: financial collapse is a very bad thing; and I would never wish for it to occur sooner or at all. However, I do fear that we are accelerating into bankruptcy.
Not just the US. Look at the history of Totalitarian regimes, almost all were ushered in through an economic collapse or other crisis.
Argentina is one model. But Lithuania is another.
The collapse is coming. This Healthcare bill makes it a sure deal. We just have to work hard to make sure there is a good replacement system. A hot back up. A federal or confederated system ready to replace the death of the Bankrupt National system.