1) Corporate Democracy with the pre-text of the old constitution to hide behind, lack of choice in an election. Puppet on the left, puppet on the right. Right wing or more right wing. Freedom of speach and expression providing you have the monatary value to back it up. Problems which come about from unrestricted capitalist markets were monopolies form. Governments used to recognise that a monopoly was bad for democracy but now this issue seems to be ignored despite reoccuring examples of corporate fraud (Enron scandel)
2) Unresolved historical issues a) The divisions of the civil war (the south and north) b) Racial issues related to A, and social inequalities amongst non-white anglo saxon communities
3) Cultural identity. The power religion still holds in society compared to european countries of origin. Attitudes towards work, the family, morals and ethics.
4) Social stratification. The exclusion of lower classes from accessing higher education (college/university) the creation of poverty packets within areas which are left unresolved and assumed to be a consequence of a "free" market. This all contributes to the problems of 3) and 2)
5) On the world stage. Over time it will loose its economic supremacy but will still have its military power. The military commitments its has through treaties such as the defence of South Korea and Taiwan (a stake in the tiger economies) combined with the occupation of Iraq, which is basically a long term investment in a military staging area in the middle east for securing new markets in that region of the world. Rising power of China will come to make the states no longer the "hyper" power of the world economically speaking, also the long term re-emergence of Russia and the decline of its old allies in the European Union, the current anti-US reactionary politics of south and central america will continue to increasingly isolate the united states
