21st Century America is a nation in turmoil. The historical trend of the last several decades has been unmistakable: with each passing year, the country grows more divided. The fractures run deep, spreading across politics, economics, culture, race, religion, and geography. At times, the United States feels less like one nation and more like several competing ones sharing the same territory. Historians and political scientists often point to warning signs of civil conflict, and in the years since the 2020 pandemic, many of those alarms are sounding loudly.

The state of the union is fragile. For millions of Americans, life is no longer about achieving the dream, but simply surviving. Inflation has eroded purchasing power for decades, while wages have lagged behind productivity and growth. After the pandemic, as costs skyrocketed, many families were forced to rely on credit cards just to cover essentials like food, rent, and fuel. As a result, consumer debt is at record levels, with millions living paycheck to paycheck under the crushing weight of loans they cannot repay.

Economic despair has contributed to a surge in crime and social unrest. Violent crime spiked after the pandemic. Mass shootings dominate headlines, and cities like Chicago and St. Louis are infamous for levels of gun violence that rival war zones overseas. Entire tent cities of homeless Americans line the streets of major metropolitan areas, with hundreds of thousands living without shelter.

About the Author

Scott Malensek has been writing fiction and non-fiction since 2001. He lives in Northeast Ohio with his family.

Books by Scott Malensek

• Black Rain for Christmas, 2001, First Publishing (out of print)
• The Secret War in South Asia, 2002, Infinity Publishing (out of print)
• The Sugar-Sweet Smell of Fear, 2002, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• Sixth Fleet Under, 2002, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• Black Rain for Christmas - Illustrated Edition, 2002, Ilumina Press (out of print)
• The X-Mas War, 2002, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• The Ignored War, 2004, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• How Did It Come To This?, 2004, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• America's War with Saddam 1990-2003, 2004, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• Saddam's Ties to Al Qaeda, 2005, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• Iraq's Smoking Gun, 2003, Virtualbookworm.com (out of print)
• The Weekend Warriors, 2002, Infinity Publishing (out of print)
• 50+ Ways to Play with Your Paintballs, 2003, Infinity Publishing (out of print)
• Money For Mayhem, 2018, Virtualbookworm.com