So, according to this scenario, once the US imposes marshal law, the country voluntarily accepts a dictatorial government? I just do not see that happening. You're making the assumption people would welcome the meager safety and benefits they'd barely receive from a dysfunctional incompetent government as opposed to pulling together. ...
Read more carefully. I never even implied all of the US would go under Marshall Law:
... I strongly suspect there will be considerable social unrest in US and EU and Marshall Law will be used to contain it. What form of government follows that is hard to predict, but probably a government more like China´s will be welcomed by most as replacement for Marshall Law, especially as China is still prospering and providing rising material benefits for its people. (Government that can put food on the table is much more valued than freedom of the press by hungry people.) ...
It is possible that riots may spread, even to places like Kansas cities, but I agree low density areas that produce food will probably have guns and self organize to protect themselves. The typical well off suburb of large poor urban centers is where I think self-orgnization by citizens will not be adequate and Marshall Law will be required to prevent looting, or worse (home burning, rapes, etc.).
Yes most who remember mass starvation in China are now dead and only their children know how bad it was but knowledge is not personal experience. The modern generation, never having gone days without eating, want benefits other than food from the government, and is getting them. Just hours ago on CNN* there was more than 5 minute story of the crack down on bribes to high official. For at least 1000 years deeply ingrained in the Chinese culture was that a very generous gift should be given to the the official who could grant what you needed or wanted. CNN show a bottle of rice wine, sold in large volume as a standard gift, that cost more than $600 dollars and lots of other expensive fancy gifts, many much too costly to just be gift for your mother, or girl friend, etc.
Then several Chinese on the street, who could speak English, were interviewed by CNN. More than half knew of the new government´s crack down** on expensive gifts given to officials and thought it was a good effort, but expressed doubt it could over come the long standing tradition.
* My edition CNN often shows things that would not be popular with advertisers in the US who have an interest in keeping Americans thinking they live in the best of all possible worlds, go out and buy, buy, etc.
** It is now illegal in China to show high luxury items on TV etc. Government does not want either the corruptions or the waste of people´s money. Other promotional images, such as very pretty girl standing next to expensive cars are restricted. (BTW, Brazil killed TV ads for a local beer by too reveling Paris Hilton, about a year ago, which is strange as next week (carnival) totally nude except for some small feather fans, very well formed ladies, will be walking down the parade street. - Ahh, but that´s tradition and you don´t mess with tradition.)
... there is absolutely no way the actual US Constitution would be amended to follow anything near China's horrible corrupt structure of government.
It does not need to be amended - just ignored. Already US citizens* can be killed intentionly by drones without any judicial process, or even "clear evidence" they present any danger to the US. Also for years now an executive order, (used only after hurricane Katrina) allows government to cease property, control movement of people, throw disruptive ones in jail just by high official´s order etc.
* For example a 17 year old boy, a good student with nothing bad known about him and born in the USA, where he lived all but his life but the last month. He had gone to Yemen to look his US born / citizen father, who was pro Al kada. The father was killed by drone attack less than a month before his son was too. The still living grandfather, a US citizen too, is trying to sue the government for their wrongful deaths, especially that of his grandson who did absolutely nothing wrong and never even spoke against the US. Grand father says he does not want money - just the US to apologize and follow the constitution -not ignore it.
... tens of thousands of Americans were without electricity as late as the middle of December following Hurricane Sandy.
True and National Guard was widely deployed to help local police. Free movement was restricted. In many cases even those who could prove they owned property were not allowed to re-enter the area. AFAIK, not one neighborhood formed your "self protection group" but almost all did as the police and National Guard ordered them to. Get real, or at least know what actually happens in times of social stress, even in the "good old USA."
