I'm thinking more like the intro to Road Warrior in certain places.
You know, I just don't see that. America is _that_ prosperous, that I just don't see that immediate scenario. The dollars, which are falling in value, will be proliferated in ways which resemble a shell game. People will only very gradually and incrementally begin to observe their "comfort" levels reducing. And, by the time they've noticed it; Dems will put forward another "win by losing" campaign at the house and Presidential levels, so Republicans can not only take the heat but work triple-time to work and figure out how to get us all out of this mess.
By then, the masses will have figured the whole thing out; or remain clueless and do another 4 years of "Bush is Bad".
Meanwhile, the elected crooks who brought this on us will have semi-retired to spend "more time with their families" while carefully managing all that money they've absconded with in various pockets and countries of the Earth.
Sheez, a "Road Warrior" event would be easy, certainly upfront. That's not how liberals and their socialism works. They are much more like the aliens in "Independence Day" - parasites. They'll cause hell; but never wish to thoroughly deplete their "mother host".
Instead, we'll have people running around, dazed and confused, and reaching for more prozac. While the winners, the non-grasshoppers will emerge again. But this time, will they be accused of being the "hateful" and "corrupt" Wealthy? Time will tell.
BUT!! This is where, I think, you are precisely ON TARGET:
Already in various locations throughout California, business owners are locking and loading. Why? No budget money for cops to defend them. It was a year or so before I moved that even gated communities were being told they were "on their own" with regard to getting police to come and help if a burglary or gang invasion take place.
In Oakland, CA -- there've been numerous reports of solid citizens, business owners, private citizen arming and defending themselves against predators.
And so, Centurion2000, what you posit, has already begun in certain locations. Usually it is an area of some affluence being connected by mass transit, high car theft rates, near a "poverty" area. I hate to say follow the transit systems and what laws do not exist to protect the innocent.. but, the tracks are there.
Solid Citizens in Oakland and parts of the San Francisco Bay Area are already Galting.