DD,
I concur; but, a Chinese floating currency isn't going to happen. Think about it:
1. Who would it benefit? Us, not them.
2. The Chinese (and everybody else) is bleeding what's left of the capital from our shores, then they'll cut us off. Can anybody say The United States of Greece?
3. Production of fossil fuels in the US just took the fatal shot to the skull yesterday with the Executive Order granting the EPA power to implement Cap and Tax outside of legislative oversight. I know, unconstitutional, right? Wrong, the SCOTUS granted the EPA this very power earlier, setting the precedence, and the path.
No boys (and Heather, I miss seeing her posts), we are knee deep in it. We have a society of whiners addicted to the milk of other people's money. Our system of government is failing, we are headed toward economic, then political collapse.
The good news is that God is in control, and He has a glorious plan for us, here, or hereafter.
Austerity? how about this: if you don't work, or didn't if you are truly beyond wagon pulling, then you don't eat. You also don't get to play the law suit lottery because you got a splinter in your finger 30 years ago while holding a shovel while watching others work.
I digress, but my point remains. If we don't RADICALLY change the size and scope of the US government, it is all from here forward, academic.