I feel the 'American Dream' (Work hard, put in some overtime, pay taxes, finance a house and two cars and run up some credit card debt, have a couple kids, put them through college, have them repeat your life) while TPTB get to take their cuts along the way was a perfect scam.

People had the perception that they 'owned' the possessions that they had and these things were generally obtainable and it felt as if the government generally left them alone.

TPTB have completely gone overboard in the last several years. It seems they are trying to push people into revolt. Makes no sense to rational people.