The concept of a New World Order is one of those compelling political ideas designed to scare some people and inspire others, even if it has little or no basis in reality. There’s no New World Order, of course — but lately, plenty of people wish we did have one.

It looks like the U.S. has run off the rails and is deliberately provoking a dollar crisis. Usually we pooh–pooh anything that involves the word crisis — the word pops up dozens of times for every time there’s a real one. But this time, we are worried. Very worried.