China and other nations announce they will no longer use the dollar as default currency....or perhaps the US defaults on its debt.
The value of the dollar falls badly...it is becoming an hourly watch to see what the dollar is worth.
Meanwhile, truck drivers that need to buy diesel fuel to run cannot afford it because the price is over $100 per gallon and rising. The same fuel that trains use to transport coal to power plants is near unaffordable. Large portions of the country go dark for extended periods. People flood to their food and grocery stores to stock up. It won't take long for the shelves to be empty. After a few weeks of this, it is only getting worse as gangs of inner city animals start moving outward to the suburbs looking for food and fun as they rape and pillage anyone who can't defend themselves. The spiral downward will continue unabated as the rule of law at the local level breaks down because the local constabulary has no officers...they're home defending their turf against the horde. (I know a great many LEOs...this will happen.)
No EMP necessary at all.
Good post, Sam.
I envision things kinda along the same lines. Anarchists, OWS types, (fill in your thug here) take a few pot shots at fuel truck drivers. Their union, somewhat sympathetic to the nuts anyway, goes on strike. The miners, railroaders and tug boat operators soon do the same. Maybe a “tragic” refinery fire for good measure. Gas stations and grocery stores run out, the lights go out and the cops and National Guard are home guarding their turf. Commerce grinds to a halt.
Hungry desperate people lash out for sustenance. Dollars are useless, except for lighting cigars, if one had a cigar. Gunfire is heard, mostly at night. The thin veneer of civilization is stripped away in a fortnight. How does it end? Who knows?
Sorry for the melodramatic post, but that’s why I prep. If nothing happens, the local church food bank makes out and my son has a nice firearms collection.