I believe main cause is greed. Greed in government, in people who need to keep up with the "Jones" despite their income and a general 'I deserve this " attitude. I think things will get a lot worse before they begin to get better. Tighten your belts and pay off your debts, I think we are headed towards a Depression. The Recession in early '80s was tough, I think this will be much worse and the middle class will suffer the most. Good Luck & God Bless.