Debt & Deficits

Think what is happening in Cyprus can’t happen in the U.S? More than $10.8 trillion in deposits are insured by the FDIC with a $33 billion insurance fund. That’s pretty scary,” and the best way to protect yourself is to get into real assets.

Supposedly "insured" depositors in Cyprus thought there was nothing to worry about until they woke up on Saturday with a haircut between 6.75% and 9.9% on their money in the bank. Today the American Banking Association reminded Americans that there is absolutely nothing to worry about when it comes to the sanctity of US deposits. [Really?] Words: 385; Table: 1

When asked who will fight for jobs, to end the nation’s dependance on foreign debt and toxic imports, the answer should be American citizens themselves. Rather than tell children how great America was, citizens should want them to see America’s greatness for themselves and preserve it for the next generation.

I read many hundreds of articles every week looking for writers who have an in-depth understanding of our economy and who are not reticent to tell it like it is. Monty Pelerin (a pseudonym) does just that week after week, year after year. This post includes introductory paragraphs and links to 25 of his most enlightening and current articles. Take a look. There are bound to be several that will grab your interest.

Busy? No problem. Don't bother taking the time to surf the internet in search of videos on the dire state of the U.S. economy. This post contains descriptions and links to 57 of the best.

The U.S. Dollar is being very aggressively devalued in a parabolic...[manner] as we enter the final stage in the paper currency cycle. The government needs Gold to go vastly higher so the budget can be balanced after all of the paper promise debts are added to the balance sheet. Interestingly, Michael Belkin, arguably one of the best analysts in the world, expects earnings for companies to plunge this year causing the DJIA to crater about 30%. This fits with the kind of correction in the now high flying DJIA that we have discussed per the late 70’s charts where Gold and the Dow would meet between 10,000 and 12.000. Words: 1022

16 point 7 trillion dollars. That is our current national debt. 12 point 8 trillion dollars. That is the amount households carry in mortgage and consumer debt. We are now addicted to debt to lubricate the wheels of our financial system. There is nothing wrong with debt per se, but it is safe to say that too much debt relative to how much revenue is being produced is a sign of economic problems. At the core of our current financial mess is how we use debt as a parachute for any problem. [Unfortunately,] addictions are never easily cured and we have yet to come to terms with our insatiable appetite for debt. Words: 850

[The U.S. governments attempt to prevent the rating agencies (and Standard & Poor's in particular) from following through on their threats to further downgrade the credit worthiness of U. S. government debt] smacks of absolute desperation. It seems that Washington insiders have come to the conclusion that the stability of the U.S. government and financial system is threatened by the ratings agencies. In this case, it is threatened by creditors and citizens knowing the truth about the financial condition of the government.

Anybody who thinks the U.S. is in a so-called recovery isn’t listening to economist John Williams. He expects a negative reaction to the U.S. dollar in the next 3 or 4 months leading up to the mid-May deadline for Congress to get the budget and debt ceiling under control. If they do not get their financial house in order by then he believes "it will be the end of the road....as they are not going to have another opportunity".

The price of gold, on a quarterly basis, is 86% correlated - yes, 86%! - to total government debt going back to 1975... and a shocking 98% over the past 15 years! [As such,] it would seem like a no-brainer investment thesis to buy gold... as a proxy for the not-otherwise-investable thesis that US total government debt will increase in the future. [But there is more - and it is disappointment for gold bugs - read on!]