One big advantage of a nuke exploding in Manhattan. It would destroy the NY banking syndicate that has maintained a stranglehold over the US economy throughout its history. We’d have a chance to rebuild the banking system with strong regional banking system, diffusing wealth and access to capital, instead of concentrating it in one location in the hands of “too big to fail” banks colluding with the central government.
If Bush and Paulson had allowed the corrupt New York banks to fail in 2008, we’d have been able to rebuild the banking system without the concentrations of money and power that lead to rule by the Wall Street banking syndicate.
I think if the NY banks were wiped out, Charlotte, NC could take over. While driving through on my way to Florida in 1999, I talked to one ham radio operator there and he told me that it was the banking center of The South.