I believe you are correct regarding politicians' weaknesses. However, what does make this time different (than say Weimar, Zimbabwe, Argentina, and thousands of others through history) is that USD supply is not actually paper. Debt can evaporate, but paper can not. Despite tripling M0 over the past three years, paper is still scarce while M3 contracts rapidly. But you could be right. If the flow of money stops, banks stop lending, unemployment doubles, M0=M3, yes, I am afraid the printing press will crank out paper.