Thom Hartmann Audio & Video

The United States is more vulnerable today than ever before-including during the Great Depression and the Civil War-because the pillars of democracy that once supported a booming middle class have been corrupted, and without them, America teeters on the verge of the next Great Crash.

Our founding fathers worked hard to ensure that a small group of wealthy people would never dominate this country. But today, our democracy is in danger of becoming a corporatocracy, giving privileges to the few over the many.

Looking at American history, Hartmann, host of The Big Picture, sees that roughly every four generations, catastrophe strikes.

The United States is more vulnerable today than ever before - including during the Great Depression and the Civil War - because the pillars of democracy that once supported a booming middle class have been corrupted, and without them, America teeters on the verge of the next Great Crash.

Today, 81 nations can be described as fully democratic. Yet in numerous countries around the world democracy has failed or is tottering....