Elections: the state is not strong enough to get rid of them. 

Deficits and inflation: even with the power of the printing press the US govt is still writing IOU's to China. The printing press may represent infinite money, but it is tempered by the the risk of revolution. 

Debt: with unfunded liabilities, the debt is something like 7x gdp. 

Gov't payroll: Half of the people in the US is getting a check from the government as the majority of their income. 

Fear: constant appeals to fear to keep the people's attention.

The US govt is destroying its credit and risking an inflationary revolution just to maintain popular support. And approval is still in the toilet. None of this suggests that the state has long term viability.