Rufus, I think that Steve Forbes is too optimistic. We may win, but it's going to be a long, hard slog.
If I could sum up in one word the similarity between the USA today and the Rome of old, it would be "corruption".
Our Founders attempted to set us up with a system of checks and balances - which in theory takes into account fallen human nature and actually uses it to advantage. If it worked as they intended - to keep one branch of government from becoming too powerful - we wouldn't see Zero basically crapping on the Constitution daily. Congress (or the courts) would stop him.
But - as John Adams rightly said - our Constitution was designed for a moral and just people. Our leaders (and to an extent, we) ceased being that a long time ago.
So I agree with you - it doesn't look too good. But we DO have one thing that Rome did not have: the ability to look at the example of Rome and see what happened there. And at least the possibility to learn from it.
I watched this Stossel show when it was on and am as big a pessimist about our future as is Stossel, maybe more.
Amen to this: But - as John Adams rightly said - our Constitution was designed for a moral and just people, which we by and large no longer are. The only thing which can save us now is mass revival, something along the lines of The Great Awakening, but that doesn't appear to be in the cards. But who knows? With God all things are possible.