what's happening?

If we look at what is happening from a historical perspective it is easier to see. First, people through the years amass wealth. Then wealth gets concentrated in the hands of too few people. When this happens the people without the wealth have no interest in maintaining that system because they are left out of the equation. Then the system starts to collapse because the "Have nots" have no vested interest in supporting a system so out of balance.

The next step for a civilization to survive is finding a way to make the wealth spread more evenly over the masses. If this is not done that civilization completely or partially collapses. Revolutions or wars ensue and things really become a complete mess.

However, if the system of checks and balances within the United States government and state and local government are actually allowed to work as they were intended, balance will eventually be restored to a place where our civilization in the United States will keep going. However, if the checks and balances don't once again apply to everyone and if the laws don't apply to everyone no matter how rich or powerful then our system will collapse and be no more just like many other civilizations that collapsed before when the greedy didn't know what was good for them. (Or more appropriately they didn't realize that all humans are together in this). To eliminate any humans in the present worldwide economic system is to now watch the whole system collapse.