No, it's not Baghdad. It's this American city

It’s midnight in the neighborhood and arson fire is the only source of light.

The city has gone bust, emergency services have disappeared… even the basics of water, power and public education aren’t guaranteed. The people must fend for themselves.

Where is this place? Haiti, Afghanistan or a bombed-out section of Baghdad?

No, it’s Detroit. Where the American dream was born… and where it went to die…

At its height, Motown held about 1.8 million people. It had the strongest middle class in the world. Hardworking people who earned the highest average household income and managed to buy their homes at a faster pace than anywhere else in the country. Detroit was the beating heart of our nation’s industrial might.

Today, it’s the heart of the rust belt.

Barely 700,000 people remain. Thousands of homes abandoned, entire communities gone feral. People left without any options but to try to survive.

Could this be the sign of what’s in store for this once great nation?

Because while Detroit is the most explicit example, it’s not the only one. Cities across the land have declared bankruptcy. Many more should have by now… and likely will soon enough. Puerto Rico has lost its war with debt.

What will happen when the massive debt owed at the city, state and federal levels finally crushes?

If history is any guide, they’re going to come after you to pay the bills. They’ve spent years training for it. They know where you keep your money and have the ability to freeze it at any moment unless you take action to protect yourself.

This is not sensationalism. These are the facts, backed by thousands of years of precedent. It’s just what governments do when times get tough.

Thankfully, there is a solution. The only way to protect yourself is to get out of the way.