I recently made a comment to a post, entitled "The course of empire...five paintings..." https://patriots.win/p/12hkvp54Tw/the-course-of-empirefive-paintin/ in which I reflected on the OP's topic from the perspective of a professional Historian:

"History is littered with the bleached bones of empires whose avarice overcame their civic virtue. Once that happens, nothing can stop the accelerating decline. Once the common man sees his leaders corrupting the common good for their own enrichment and advancement, he mourns briefly for what is passing before him, immediately ceases all investment in law, order and culture and then looks to tear off his share of the plunder before the carcass hits the ground."

A short while later, in the comments section of an article in the CTH, I found this comment:

Letjusticeprevail2014 March 16, 2021 9:56 am Reply to  Dave: So, why don’t we all just surrender and join them? At least THAT WAY “WE” can get a FEW “Free” giveaways before the inevitable economic collapse, right? Why should our nation’s ENTIRE carcass be consumed by vultures, weasels, and snakes https://theconservativetreehouse.com/2021/03/15/whats-going-on-with-u-s-military-and-democrat-politicization-of-the-institution/

My ruminations about the loss of civic virtue is not an idle one. When it happens, it happens fast, and states collapse before you even realize there's a problem. It happens before you can even organize a strategy against it. And, it starts when people see their officials behaving with the kind of primitive, hungry self-aggrandizement that the Dems are displaying today.