As much fun as it is to go hiking and shoot squirrels, thats not exactly what I mean in the general sense. Specifically, though yes. I went hunting this year for the first time in awhile and my wife and I had a long conversation about what I was going to do with the dead deer. We went into this conversation on completely different levels. I thought she was taking about storage and how to prepare venison. She was wondering why I would kill a deer. After a finding a common ground about eating venison, she asked how much it would cost to have it butchered. I stated that I would do it in the garage. She about puked. Its the cultual and mental shift that milk is made in a factory and meat comes neatly wrapped in cellophane that is going to be the worst part of a economic collapse. When butchers and food processors lose their job, people will panic and generally lose their $#@!.

Not a good time for anyone first food riots then martial law then bread lines several blocks long.

If you live in a large city you might wanna learn the best way to cook a rat

What will happen?

Most likely, USSR, redux.

That's the old Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, the superpower that was supposed to be the eternal enemy of the West, for those of you who are unfamiliar with history, if a mere 18 years or so can be considered history.

The US of A seems to be in a pretty similar place as the USSR was in just before it imploded. If you don't think it can happen you don't understand historical societal processes. Nations rise and fall and show specific symptoms before they fall. Look around you with clear and honest eyes. Look at the roads, bridges, public buildings....there's plenty of work, but an unwillingness to hire Americans and spend money here, as that only increases the tax liabilities. Besides, think of the profits to be made selling off the arsenals of the US, like they did those of the USSR.

At what point does the average citizen decide that the current setup isn't helping him or her now, and is most unlikely to help for several years? I think about the time when the money runs out, when they're faced with being put out en masse, when they're told they no longer count as unemployed. That's the point when things will fall apart. With no work to occupy them, more people will be gathering and discussing ways and means. It won't necessarily be violent, it wasn't that violent in the USSR when it collapsed.

But if the government can't help them and won't protect them, then they will turn towards each other and form entities that can and will do both, most likely on the state and regional level.

Great thread because its what i worry about,

Here is Mass. i got a letter saying i qualified for the next "tier" in collecting unemployment. When i call, the recording doesnt even know who i am.
When i get a live person, they tell me THERE IS NO MONEY.

Today i called Deval Patricks office, our governor who happens to be hobnobbing tonight with Obama, anyway, his constituent told me there was a slight delay, but hang in there, they will be sending the money out soon.

Its one of two things: THERE IS NO FREAKING MONEY and they are lying,
OR
as the person i spoke to put it, theres so much "Red Tape", i have a feeling the Red tape could be that they will send the money a week before Christmas, so they can have their FOX TV, CNN and local news saying, "Oh look at the mobs!!!!!!!" See, we told you the economy is on the upswing!!!!!!

Yeahhhh! Brake out the champagne.

I would rather know the truth, and deal with it, but they are heartless and after all, suffering and fear is the name of the game, isnt it.

When crime becomes more rampant and out of hand, the victims will scream for cameras on everyone and big brother technology.

See how easily it all falls into place?

As far as housing being assigned...this will happen in the future. New subs are going downhill because no one is there to keep up the properties.

But who is deserving to be assigned a house? And who will pass judgement to decide who gets what type of housing?

This is where the dominionist movement comes in.

Already certain organizations are prepared for scanning your bio-information. You will have to jump through hoops and be approved for anything you get.

Some people cannot even get a job now due to bad credit.

I think its sad and funny that ATS discussions seem to veer between two extremes:

1) "Everything is just fine, only lazy smelly hippies are having problems. We will resume mass prosperity in a month or two."

2) "We are headed for Mad-Max-style thunderdome shootouts where people will be killing game, roasting meat on coathangers with bic lighters in mass parkinglot tent cities, and bartering shavings of gold for moldy bread."

People, please....there are MILLIONS of possible middle grounds between these two cartoonish extremes. Please exercise a bit more imagination and grasp of reality and try to imagine a world that is significantly grimmer than the current one, but in which the basic infrastructure of society and finance creaks and groans along. Because that's where I think we're headed.

Not sure if this has been brought up or not, but this'll be obama's sign of recovery. When your unemployment runs out, your taken off the unemployment list. And obama'll spin those numbers as creating jobs when they're not.

I recall a few Depression stories; hungry masses on trains headed for California where the trains stop in the middle of no where and they are let off to die. And my brother told me over dinner last year that when people arrived in California they were asked if they had 50$ on them and if they did not they were shot on site. And he half laughed and half grimaced and said 'you can't eat gold' and bit into his dinner roll.

Now I live near a rather largish but not urban city, where there are still basically jobs; it's just pretty poor here and the pay is low and always has been kept down due to the military priorities.

I recall growing up and an old guy saying 'when California crashes and they all come here we will be waiting for them with guns.'

I don't see California crashing at all. It would be better if CA was a little easier on new businesses. Too many rules, taxes, etc. The average business has 7 types of tax: income, capital, sales, local, state, federal, property, employee wage taxes, etc. With all that, the government can't make it. Go figure.

I filed for unemployment in Sep and still haven't received $1.

At least I think I have a decent job again, as of last week. Sure would be nice if the unemployment came it, tho. Got behind on some credit cards.

Been through 4 jobs in the past year. Employers are liars sometimes. Thanks to you if you are an employer and not a liar.

[edit on 25-11-2009 by Jim Scott]

It their fault for being lazy

they should get a job

not my problem

fight the socialism

God Bless America!

Well, it wouldn't be the first time it happens in history.

Ever wondered how Hitler came to power in Germany?

Organized crime will overtake most of the society.
Racial hatered will become rampant in the chase for scapegoats.
Militias will arm themselves to the teeth, "Waco-like" situations will become more commonplace.

When the situation has become utterly instabile, bordering to a civil war, some "national hero" will run for office, and I can bet my sweet ass that he will be some old white dude on the faaar right wing.

The US will enter a new era of isolationism.

I doubt the country will or even can recover in a hundered years.

This is what I see likely, but I sure don't hope for it.
There is still a small little chance that the people will rise, hopefully due to spiritual and/or intellectual awakening.

No bloodshed please.

Trouble is as with any 'silly season', employment builds up a little, as do the store prices to cover these extra staff. not enough to really notice as we're all bombarded with adverts for this must have toy or this new gadget.
Unemployed people will be claiming off the state ( any including the UK) and the people that ARE employed pay their taxes as good citizens 'should'.
But the real trouble is , that money is a finite resource ( apart from being created out of thin air as a tool of control) and if there are more people claiming benefits than are paying taxes sooner or later the benefit pot will run out, even if they increase taxes to cover the deficit, those paying the increased taxes will not be able to afford to keep working and so they jump on the benefit taxes bandwagon.

What we really all should do when that situation happens is NOT join the army or military as those need to paid for out of taxes. But where are those taxes going to come from?

We should look into where the money comes from and start again, tax those who try to defraud or hide these funds from the taxman, the super rich who think of doing nothing to pay taxes, who hide it in off shore accounts to avoid paying taxes, they are more than happy to collect benefits, use loopholes to collect outrageous payouts and bonuses.
The poor need to instead of sitting at home moaning about their situation MADE to do work, even if its cleaning up the local streets for meagre wages, or food stamps, the super rich and middleclasses made to pay a fixed tax on their income, depending on how much they earn, obviously the super rich pay a higher tax band. The bills we all have to pay gas, electric and such should be looked intoand cutting back expenditure , magnetic generators and such INSTEAD of gas and electric. Electric cars instead of petrol powered, Solar powered and magnetic generator powering homes and offices. Windfarms, that people think look unsightly could be used in sparsly populated areas.
But no , alas we think of staying the way we are, using what we are used to, and flushing ourselves down the toilet instead of using better equipment to look at the longterm instead of worrying about this afternoon we should be looking towards tomorrow.

When the tax pot is gone, then what? They'll increase the tax banding for those still working, thatwill force them out of work and that will start the cycle again, with no hope , bite the bullet now, and the future will look brighter than looking through rose tinted glasses.

Rant over.

[edit on 25/11/09 by DataWraith]

Here's what I think will happen:

There will be a period of chaos, mostly in urban areas. Soon, people will start stealing food at supermarkets. Even some of those who call themselves "good christians" will resort to steal food for their family.

At the beginning, the police will be there and a few people will be arrested, but if the situation get serious, forget the cops. They won't come.

After a while, think Army, Fema Camps, etc...

But what I'm convinced is that after some months, a lot of "awakened" individuals will start working together to find solutions and alternatives, like building auto-sufficient communities, rethinking the economy, etc.

In my opinion, those ready to share and cooperate will get through it, but those waiting for the governement, or others, won't.

Originally posted by alttracks
I just know that my wife's place of business (healthcare) is having a hard time filling jobs at a starting pay of $10.00/hr with benefits after 90 days.
They can't keep employees either - these people want the money, but don't want to WORK for it.

I was watching one of the lively debates regarding the healthcare overhaul this past sunday on tv when one person was saying how many jobs this would create. I was kind of shocked at this really, really I was shocked that no one called her out on this. I open my newspaper and it seems that over 75% of the jobs listed are in the healthcare field...a field where I've seen people say that 50% to 80% of their revenue is coming from the medicaid/medicare/schips programs....
well, we don't need more of those types of jobs!!!
first, they require require specialized training, which is why your wife's company is having trouble finding people. what, are we going to send everyone back to school to be trained for them on the taxpayer dime? (heaven forbid the companies have to train people!!)
and second, 50% to 80% or the money that is flowing to these employees is taxpayer money. there is no way that this can be a revenue generator for the gov't tax base!!

but, well carry on....I guess.

Wow. I am amazed at all the overwhelmingly different reponses.

Good job ATS'ers. Exactly what I'm trying to do. Brainstorm.

People, the point here is to get a grasp on what is inevitably going to happen. The gov't can't keep printing money to keep up on its bills. It will catch up to US not THEM.

I know that people will be panicked, and scared. I think that will turn alot of people into a different culture. There's a few good posts here about "good christians" stealing, and hunter-gatherers? Although, I don't think we will become the latter.

It's not about surviving by a creek, its about pulling together and NOT panicking. But, you see, this site (ATS) is about 0.0012% of the population of the world. The other 99.9988% have no idea what's going to happen and in all probablility will panic.

Just remember we should be a voice of reason. We are preparing ourselves mentally (I believe) for these events and should do everything in our power to stop the madness.

Honestly I don't care. I have enough land to grow more then my family will eat. Trust me we canned over 80 jars of beans tomatos apples and whatever else the wife wanted to can. I have enough wild animals to keep us going a while. I have a pond with plenty of fish to catch. And more than enough guns and ammo to defend it all.

I think there are jobs to be found if someone wants to work. Most people don't want to work. Alot are getting lazy.