The empire is only influential when it spends its shekels influencing other countries. Stop that, and inflation will skyrocket due to the "sudden realization" that increasing the money supply by 400% (or so) over 12 years is inflationary and is only propping up the GDP by artificial means (GDP=Velocity of money x number of dollars) As money is spent 1/4 as fast, more is printed to provide the illusion of real growth.