Interest rates skyrocket. Initially they increase by .05%, then as Summer approaches, rates are near 6%. This happens when the FED stops their incessant printing of worthless, debt based paper.
The official government estimate of unemployment is seen and proven to be completely false, with real unemployment numbers near 28%, accounting for the underemployed, those that have just given up and those that no longer collect unemployment benefits.
The service industry explodes. Over 75% of Americans are now in the service industries of restaurants, cleaning services and other domestic service related jobs.
Home ownership drops to an all time low, owning a home is no longer seen as worth it.
The new full time officially becomes 30 hrs per week. Company health benefits are non existent and seen as a thing of the past.
The Affordable Health Care Act continues to drive insurance costs up with no relief in sight. Record numbers of people are now uninsured, hospitals begin to turn away emergency room patients. Triage care tents are set up outside hospitals to help with the most basic needs of the injured and sick.
Being able to support oneself without the help of government is seen as the New American Dream. Nearly 60% of all Americans are now dependent on some form of governmental subsidy.
Bankruptcies and foreclosures reach record levels. Thousands of people begin to "live off the land" shunning modern society.
High schools across America are found to be "pushing kids through" to graduate illiterate, semi retarded morons to assure continued federal government funding so teachers can keep their jobs.
Most private corporations begin doing away with over half their employees and begin using automated processes for everything from checkout counters to routine factory work. Shopping in a store is greatly reduced, on line transactions triple, eliminating 35% of all retail employees.
Google introduces the 'Driverless Car', less people drive, auto insurance rates increase to make up the for difference of less insured motorists.
Growing industries are surveillance, security and prisons. All other businesses other than government are in free fall.
The TSA begins to interface with local police departments, essentially federalizing all police. Airport-like pat downs and searches are now the norm at all sporting events, large retail centers and all public transportation sites.
Prison incarceration rates go up by 14%. Private prison labor for large corporations begin to replace a lot of the jobs that are left.
Prescription drug use for depression and anxiety increases 18%. Most people are now medicated.
Random violence such as the "knockout game" increase to epidemic proportions in the inner cities. People now wear helmets and neck braces when in urban environments. Major fashion lines capitalize on this and designer helmets are sold to the upper classes.
Congress and the Senate begin calling themselves 'Overlords' and start referring to people as 'Serf's' as the chasm between rich and poor explodes. The words 'middle class' are seen as ancient and something from the past. No one knows what 'middle class' means anymore.
The younger generation of 18-24 year olds begin communicating with grunts, groans and hand signals. They no longer see a need for language and actively rebel against the spoken and written word. App's are created with pictures, sounds and bright colors, words are used less and less. This is hailed as 'creativity' in youth.
Ethnic groups revert to tribalism, separating themselves from mainstream society.
The official Economic Collapse happens in late Spring of 2014. The dollar loses 40% of its value overnight as Russia and China stop using the petro-dollar for petroleum transactions. Saudi Arabia begins accepting other currencies for petroleum, igniting a regional war in the Middle East. The US uses Israel to attack Iran to begin an American invasion of Iran to capture the last remaining cheap oil on the planet.
The derivative crash in the US stock market exacerbates the failing petro-dollar sending the planet into a global depression and economic meltdown.
Mesh networks of street level cameras and wireless capture devices begin to surveil all citizens within range of these devices. People willingly give up their privacy to feel safe. Amazon and Dominoes Pizza begin their first drone delivery services.
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
