Looking at the current predicament in the United States, on the surface it’s a matter of not having enough money to spend, but at a deeper level, it’s a systemic crisis.

The national debt has surpassed $34 trillion, and interest payments have become the largest single expenditure in the government’s budget, even exceeding defense spending. What does this number imply? The U.S. government is paying the price for past decisions, and this bill is becoming increasingly heavy.

**Who controls the economic lifeline of the United States?**

Wall Street’s financial oligarchs hold the power over the country’s economic pricing. Institutions like BlackRock and JPMorgan Chase not only hold cash but also wield the global asset pricing authority. The wealth of these capital giants is comparable to that of nations; their decisions can affect the livelihoods of millions.

The entanglement between the political system and financial capital determines the current deadlock in the U.S. Elections require money—where does that money come from? Wall Street. Since politicians take money from financial capital, they naturally serve their interests. As a result, whenever proposals are made to tax the rich or strengthen financial regulation, lobbying groups will kill them in Congress.

**The poor bear the cost, while the rich remain unharmed**

This has led to a lamentable phenomenon. The government prefers to cut social welfare programs, allowing the impoverished to end up on the streets; it prefers to let the public healthcare system collapse; it prefers students to carry lifelong educational debt—yet it is unwilling to touch the wealth of the rich. Capital has deeply hijacked the country’s decision-making system, and the government has become an agent of capital.

When the government tries to solve fiscal problems, there are usually three options: raise taxes, cut spending, or print money. But the first two are blocked by capital groups—raising taxes angers the wealthy; cutting spending sparks social discontent. So, the government can only choose the third option—desperately printing money. Inflation results, and ordinary people’s money becomes less and less valuable.

**The lessons of history have been forgotten**

Looking back at American history, why were reforms during the Roosevelt era successful? Because there was a strong political leader willing to directly confront capital groups. Roosevelt faced the same monopolistic situation but did not compromise; instead, he implemented the New Deal, established social security, and used high tax rates to reduce income inequality. At that time, the U.S. government had authority and the ability to restrain unchecked capital expansion.

But now? There’s no second Roosevelt in politics. Modern politicians mainly focus on re-election and pleasing their benefactors. No one dares to break the existing利益格局. Tax reform has become empty talk; discussions on capital gains tax have dragged on for years without implementation.

**How will the debt crisis evolve?**

If this situation remains unchanged, the U.S. debt problem will only grow worse. To keep the government running, it is forced to continually borrow from the Federal Reserve, effectively overdrawing the country’s long-term credit. The dollar’s status as the global reserve currency is precisely based on the U.S. government’s creditworthiness.

Once markets realize that the U.S. government cannot repay its debt and cannot tax the wealthy to solve the problem, confidence in the dollar will collapse. This is not only an economic issue but will also trigger turmoil in the global financial system.

**Escalating social conflicts**

Even more dangerous is the widening gap between the rich and the poor, which fuels social division. On one side are Wall Street elites celebrating record highs on private islands; on the other are ordinary families forced to take reckless risks because they cannot afford basic living costs. When poverty and despair reach a certain level, no police force or military can suppress the ensuing unrest.

History shows us that when a nation’s wealth is highly concentrated in a few hands and most people’s living conditions continue to deteriorate, social conflict becomes inevitable.

**The false facade of two-party politics**

The opposition between the Democratic and Republican parties appears to be a contest of policy directions, but in reality, it’s a struggle of different capital groups’ interests. Whoever is in power must serve their benefactors; the interests of the lower classes are never a priority on the political agenda. As a result, changing parties does not fundamentally improve the lives of the poor, and the national debt continues to grow.

**Systemic deadlock with no solution**

The current American system has lost its ability to self-repair. To truly resolve the mess, wealth must flow more freely, and those with enormous assets should bear their social responsibilities. But under the current political and economic structure, this is nearly impossible.

As long as there are no leaders like Roosevelt willing to declare war on capital, the U.S. government will remain a “lame duck,” watching the debt ceiling rise higher and the social cracks deepen.

This is the reality of America today: the wealthy’s money is locked in mansions and overseas accounts, grassroots anger is simmering in streets and alleys, and the government is caught in the middle, teetering on the edge of a debt cliff. This is the most authentic portrait of today’s America.