Why haven’t we seen riots in the USA similar to what happened in the UK? First, the police in the States are not to be messed with. They have serious guns, serious insecurities, and serious powers to put you in prison should you so much as roll your eyeballs.

Second, the USA hasn’t started austerity measures like the UK. Times are tough, but not close to as tough as they would be should the government actually balance the budget. Imagine the guys in Congress actually passed some laws that increased income (ie: taxes) and cut spending (ie: social welfare.)

There would be a few months of self-congratulory back-patting by politicians and the media “Well done on making the tough decisions. The real America is back. The land of hard work and opportunity.”

Whilst the media laud the frugality of Americans, there will be a sense of foreboding for the future. A gnawing fear in the pit of the stomach that Joe Public won’t like how it changes his day-to-day life.

Taxes going up, public services going down, stagnant employment, inflation continuing, house prices staying flat. A recipe for social unrest. For an uprising.

Beware the day the masses in America rise up. Americans have guns. Semi-automatics. Lots of them.

And, of course, there is that crowd of nutters that argue that the constitution bestows Americans with the God-given right to raise their own personal militia.

Can you see where this is going? Confrontation on a national scale between combatants armed to the teeth with hunting rifles, M16’s and Uzi’s, not to mention those armed with the free Colt’s received when opening a bank account.

All out war.

Of course, I don’t think the scenario painted above will actually happen, mostly because I’m an optimist, but also because America always seems to make a plan.

However, if you live in the States, it’s probably useful to consider stocking up on canned beans… and ammunition.