The fundamental problem with America’s economy is an obsession with wasteful consumption. Until that is resolved, nothing will change in the long run. It has become normal and acceptable for people to exploit easy credit for housing, cars, appliances, electronics, or anything else you can charge to your plastic card.
They recognize that nobody is coming to save them and agree to divide some jobs amongst themselves in preparation for a long exile. One of the Asians does the fishing, another one does the hunting, another gathers the fruits, another gathers building materials for shelter, and so on. The American’s job is to eat.
Let me see if I understand, people are depressed about a coming economic recession so they panic sell everything in exchange for… cash? That may be a natural instinctive response but it makes no sense in an inflationary cycle, especially when a stimulus package is on the way from Congress and the Fed has promised deep rate cuts. Why the hell would you hold US dollars when inflation is higher than it’s been in decades?
It’s ironic how the nutcases pushing an actively hegemonic American foreign policy in the name of preserving American power will ultimately be responsible for destroying it. The ineffectiveness of central planners, whether they be in government or in central banks, to tame foreign nations or calm unnerved markets is evidence the elite are losing control. Insiders readily admit nobody has a clue how to handle this colossal shift of power.
I’m getting tired of reading doomsday posts by people who really don’t have a clue. Many corporations, including financial institutions, will find themselves in serious trouble but the entire world will not return to a barter society anytime soon.
In early July of 2007, before the August panic, I sold everything and went 100% cash in several currencies. I held on to my cash for many months while studiously trying to figure out how the sub-prime fiasco would pan out and how the Federal Reserve would respond. I finally figured it out.
The Wall Street Journal is reporting that Prince Alwaleed Bin Talal, the subject of Rudy’s scorn at last week’s New Hampshire debate, is about to invest billions more in struggling Citigroup, no thanks to Rudy of course. While it’s not a positive sign for America that foreigners are beginning to seize their assets, it does show a commitment by the Saudi Prince to saving America’s largest financial institution. Would you invest billions of dollars in a country you are trying to destroy? I didn’t think so.
This commentary is not about the Federal Reserve, it’s about central banks in other regions that are following the Federal Reserve down a path to self destruction. Foreign central banks are deliberately inflating their own currencies along with the Federal Reserve, against the best interest of their citizens, in a vain attempt to help Americans move beyond the consequences of their own irresponsibility.
