The Second Great Depression devastated America’s political powers. They had claimed for generations that there would always be more money to pay everything they promised to pay. Both the old Democrat and Republican parties were on an express train to bankruptcy as they robbed Peter to pay Paul. Or whoever happened to be the oppressed racial, economic, or religious minority of the day. Partisan politics divided America far more than anything could fully bring back together. And when the economic system came crashing down, the prepared bunkered up and started shooting looters like cordwood. The unprepared died when the looters came calling, and the remains of the old networks broadcast the fires for everybody to see. Some people called it a Second Civil War, others a Second Rebellion. The political extremists on both sides failed to realize how divorced they had become from the rest of America, and when it came time to fish or cut bait, the great majority of Americans cut both major parties up into kindling. Yes. I’m mixing metaphors here. It was a confusing and complex time, you know. 😉