Foundations and Fundemental SHTF Beliefs of Fact

There are several points of fact that I believe it is important to establish before we proceed down this path of discussing dark and gloomy matters. Some may argue these are just my beliefs, I will freely debate any point below in detail if anyone wishes. I stand that these are facts.

1. Throughout history governments have fallen and societies have collapsed for reasons not dissimilar to what we face. These are seldom bloodless events, the governments seldom go quietly into the night without a few last kicks. People survive, they come through on the other side, but many die and most suffer.
2. Conspiracies are not to blame for what is likely to occur. Sure various groups, probably many groups have objectives they keep secret but there is no overarching secret conspiracy. If you want something to blame try the seven deadly sins.
3. Your local police are not your friend in an emergency (great or small SHTF). Look at the gun grabbing and door kicking after Katrina - it was not an anomaly. Police in a medium sized town such as Cedar Rapids pursued the same sort of tyrannical behavior after this year's floods. This is now standard practice - your rights, your property, ultimately your individual safety mean nothing. The goal is control.
4. The American populace is, on a whole, completely unprepared to provide any degree of self-sufficiency to itself during a short or long term difficulty.
5. The myth of the self-capable Southerner or Westerner is in large part just that now, a myth replaced by a reality of overweight "good ole boys" that still fancy themselves capable of man's work but are instead suburbanites with a few toys and hobbies.
6. Our reliance on "super-stores" has all but eliminated the local economies in most locales, just-in-time inventory will be a bit too late I think in the times ahead.
7. FEMA camps, shelters and holding areas are crime-ridden, disease-filled cesspools.
8. Extraordinary times will call for extraordinary measures - did you get upset about the Patriot Act? At least you were able to complain about it at the time.
9. The US gang population consists of 31,000 gangs in all 50 states comprising 850,000 members. These folks may not be prepared to survive but they would easily present a large group of two-legged predators in a serious crisis situation for anyone living in their path.
10. Americans demand and expect their government to fix things (at least the majority and they will be the ones causing all the trouble). Government fixes will last as long as the government can print money and float loans - when that no longer works effectively? You know what, rigid control, martial law, riots and disorder - essentially two possibilities a breakdown of our society or a rapid march toward an Orwellian society.

I think 10 will do as an initial foundation - just so you know where I am coming from in my belief of the facts.