IF the SHTF in America, how will it happen?

[jbombelli]

Nothing will "erupt" unless and until a large number of people start losing their homes to the IRS. It has to be a large enough number that the media can't ignore it, and our government can't just spin it away.

 

[2ADMNLOVER]

And when that does finally happen, I think it will be like Argentina peppered with numerous episodes similar to the LA riots in '92.

It will be:
Prepared gun owners 1
Sheep 0

Game over.

I see both of these with a touch of "The Book of Eli" .

 

[PeaShooter]

The government won't collapse. It will do anything and everything it can to keep its power and control. They will not hessitate to decalare martial law to "keep us safe" and protect us (really them). If you would like a very probable description of what will happen WHEN the dollar collapses, then read "The Day the Dollar Collapsed" at The Day the Dollar Died-a Blovel (Entire Series, Single Thread Not Edited for Content Yet) | Shenandoah . This is how the government will react, not withering away, but grasping and clawing to keep its power. And trampling on the liberty of its citizens in the process. It will nationalize the media, communications networks, internet, radio, etc. All of our rights will be taken away "for our own good", because "they know better". Don't expect a "Patriots" scenerio. Expect an iron fist.

 

[edsinger]

At any rate, I blame 30% of my fellow Americans (and I use that term loosely) who have no moral character to speak of, no clue what’s going on, and voted a bunch of socialists into office.

I would say 40%. I saw some protesting Bush in Ft. Wayne. I stopped rolled down the window and said I miss him! Idiots.

 

[jblomenberg16]

S will HTF when the government is no longer able to pay off the welfare class.

This with a slight change...I think when the government can no longer provide any form of the many entitlement programs, not just welfare, will be when people suddenly realize that they have to figure out another way to survive.

Now, their options would be to either find suitable ways to support themselves like the rest of us, or they would have to find an alternative. This is where I think the violence and extrotion begin grow, much like the violence that often comes with drug addition.

I don't have databased numbers to base this on, but lets just assume that 1/10th of the population was on some form of entitlement program. (loosely based on the 31 million that will now get coverage through Obamacare).

And lets assume that not all of that 10% are part of the ~ 10% unemployment rate we currently have, but maybe half are. Throw in another 15 million illegal immigrants not factored into the original 10% on entitlement programs, but who indirectly are getting the goods from Uncle Sam.

Just doing rough math, it is concievable that upwards of 20% of the population could be without an entitlement program to keep them going. What if the all chose violence as a means to feeding themselves and/or their family.


Could we as a country survive a violent uproar from 1 in 5 people? The reality is that violence would breed violence, and it could get very messy.

 

[Mike_Indy]

As others have said, I think it has started and will continue to be slow. But violence seems to be increasing. We are seeing gangs/thugs move into more areas and do more in broad daylight. And that is in the outer Indy areas.

The sad fact is, Americans have short memories. I think that is why the DEMs are willing to proceed on this debt building useless bill.

 

[Eddie]

It will continue to be a slow progression, but one day soon our country won't be able to pay the interest on all of the debt we have with foreign countries.
Then it will happen very rapidly(maybe 6months to a year)........
-Our government will start printing money on an unprecedented scale.
-The dollar tanks
-Hyper inflation hits. A loaf of bread will cost a hundred dollars, a thousand dollars.........
-Peoples savings and retirements wiped out
-Riots
-Poverty
-Martial Law
-End of game

It will happen here if our government doesn't change course.

Just keep in mind; inflation can't touch food that you have already bought and stored. The same goes for medicine, ammo, water, cloth and anything else that you care to prep. If bread goes up to $100 a loaf, be the smart guy that planted wheat.

 

[longbow]

SHTF when they get the renewal premium on health insurance and loss of beni's compared to the previous year......

Expect an early release of figures by the health insurance companies to tie in with the Nov Election.....Nothing beats mad voters......

Did people really think these changes were free

 

[caneman]

Progressives have already proven at Ruby Ridge, Waco and wherever they can get away with murder by sniper or assault. Those types of incidents will continue till they are such common knowledge they can't be ignored. That IMO is when the martial law "for our own good" will occur with the big push toward totalitarian govt.

 

[E5RANGER375]

yep, if martial law is ever declared then the war will be on for sure. there will be many pockets of resistance at first, including portions of the military, then i think it will organize into 2 seperate sides. no matter which side wins they will have to offer amnesty to the other side after its over to try and reunite whoever is left alive. america will never be the same. probly canada and mexico will try to step in and take a piece of the pie too. and many people will be ready to give it to them becase they will be so desperate. it will be ugly. but id rather be free and hurting than a slave under martial law.

 

[patton487]

Just keep in mind; inflation can't touch food that you have already bought and stored. The same goes for medicine, ammo, water, cloth and anything else that you care to prep. If bread goes up to $100 a loaf, be the smart guy that planted wheat.

Well said!!

 

[ocsdor]

If the SHTF in America, how will it happen? It will happen with a Thunderous Applause.

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uo8BnGfEP7o]YouTube - This is how liberty dies[/ame]

 

[ChalupaCabras]

The government will create an endless list of entitlement programs that suck up nearly all of our resources, and put us into massive debt to do so.

Then the economy will stagnate.. not collapse, but stagnate hopelessly... Unemployment will stabilize somewhere in the low double digits, and become an enduring fact of life... half of us will become nameless paper-pushers in some mothball encrusted government office... with the lack of opportunity, the immigrants will slow to a trickle, and people will stop having so many kids, causing a slow but steady drop in the total population over time.

In short, we will become another has-been country... a once great society, just like the UK, France, or Italy. We will cease to be the American Dream, and become the American memory.

There will be no cataclysm... there will be no glorious last stand. Instead, we will slowly slide into, and become mired in mediocrity just as so many great nations have done before us.

This is not new. The forces that have brought you national health care have been at work for nearly a century, and they have been wining small battles ever since. I think it speaks to our former glory, how truly GREAT we once were, that it took nearly 100 years of hard labor for them to finally ruin us.

 

[Dawall]

The path that we have been on seems to be a bumpy one.

 

[steinway]

The SHTF scenario will happen when the government is no longer able to take care of the majority of our country who is used to the government taking care of them. They are the ones who will hit the streets and riot, the pet is going to turn around and bite the master. As long as this country is limping along those of us paying taxes are not going to hit the street, the most we might do is drop out of the economy; but if because of massive inflation, a terrorist attack, etc. the government does not function then the cascading effect will begin. If Europe goes down first then the US will limp along for a long time as international money will buy our T-Bills.

Even those of us who consider ourselves die hard capitalists and constitution lovers have family members or friends collecting Social Security checks, or unemployment insurance checks, welfare, etc. We are NOW a socialist country and we put up with it.

To answer the original question - I think the scenario at the beginning of the novel "The Patriots" is the most likely, a rumor will start that the US will default and hyper inflation will start.

 

[84VETTE]

This video is a possibility.
[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wU-T80HBltA[/ame]

 

[PatriotPride]

yep, if martial law is ever declared then the war will be on for sure. there will be many pockets of resistance at first, including portions of the military, then i think it will organize into 2 seperate sides. no matter which side wins they will have to offer amnesty to the other side after its over to try and reunite whoever is left alive. america will never be the same. probly canada and mexico will try to step in and take a piece of the pie too. and many people will be ready to give it to them becase they will be so desperate. it will be ugly. but id rather be free and hurting than a slave under martial law.

I am with you on this. 100%. Better to die a free man than to live as a slave. Anything else dishonors those who came before us and sacrificed everything to give us our freedom

 

[oldfb]

tag

 

[Sasquatchhunter]

S will HTF when the government is no longer able to pay off the welfare class.

This.

When these people stop getting their checks, cards, and free money, things will get real. For those of us that dont like having to rely on the gov't in the first place, but have to, things will get hairy when the money stops coming. You see the real side of people when they start to get desperate.

 

[rush176]

I wonder if the upcoming (and currently happening) SS crisis won't cause TEOTWAWKI. As more and more baby boomers retire there won't be enough workers to pay for them and as SS is forced to redeem the IOU's from the Treasury (which has actually started). Then the "on-the books" deficits will balloon and foreign countries will stop lending to the US. So finally the government will have to make the tough decisions of how will they fulfill their obligations by either cutting benefits to seniors or raising taxes on the workers. Either way it creates class or generational warfare. Just think of resenting your parents and grandparents getting their SS checks cut so you can eat and pay for your homes.