This is an essay in progress. In the end, it will be much longer, contain references, and cover the nitty gritty to demonstrate my contentions. I also hope to have suggestions of what each of us might do to protect ourselves and to even correct the situation.
The political and bureaucratic leadership of the United States is responsible for this by screwing with the economy without end and spending monies they did not have. They didn't do it on purpose, but accomplished it with thousands of things, because they did not know they could kill it.
Basically, what they have done is allow whoever would donate to them to suck the country dry, and finally, in the case of banks, act flagrantly against the interests of the citizens without limit or fear of punitive redress. Fortunately a few state Attorneys General did not get the word, so are pursuing the "banksters" in spite of federal discouragement. One might notice that after the banksters trashed the world economy, none were even charged. Instead, trillions were made available so they would not self-destruct.
Now the government leaders have no clue what to do to correct it, and even would deny they did it.
