Most economists and investors still labor under the illusion that there’s a way out of debt that doesn’t involve a drastic reduction in the paper value of wealth but smart investors aren’t so sure and want at least a portion of their assets out of the financial system, i.e. in gold bullion. Words: 649

These days it is almost impossible to find anyone who is long-term bearish on [the U.S. dollar], the stock market or the economy but I think they are all going to be wrong - horribly wrong. I believe that in 2011 inflation will spike horribly, the dollar will collapse, the stock market will begin its third leg down in the secular bear market and the global economy will tip over into the next recession that will be much worse than the last one. Words: 555

In Europe, they were able to come up with a clever moniker, PIGS, to succinctly represent [and name the countries in dire financial straights - Portugal, Iceland, Ireland, Greece and Spain] the most boorish animals on the farm, and [I have taken it upon myself to call the U.S. state budget crises] the story of CAIN (California, Arizona, Alaska, Illinois, New York and New Jersey), the seven most rotten pillars of our union, and (Un)Abel, the country as a whole, which is (Un)Abel, i.e. unable, to do anything about the impending crises. Given the current political climate and implicit anti-bailout mandate of the new Congress, the Federal government might be powerless to do anything but accept painful state defaults. Before we know it, we could all be ancestors of evil... 2011 could be the year that CAIN starts to face some serious trouble, and may need some serious help to avoid killing his brother (Un)Abel! Words: 1529

At present, the governors of the Fed are creating massive distortions in the financial markets with little hope of improving real economic growth or employment... Quantitative easing promises to have little effect except to provoke commodity [gold and silver] hoarding, a decline in bond yields to levels that reflect nothing but risk premiums for maturity risk, and an expansion in stock valuations to levels that have rarely been sustained for long (the current Shiller P/E of 22 for the S&P 500 has typically been followed by 5- to 10-year total returns below 5% annually). [Let me explain.] Words: 3066

Fox News' Glenn Beck has repeatedly stoked fears that the U.S. would see "massive inflation," stating, as far back as 2008, that inflation would go "through the roof" in the "next year." In fact, inflation remained low in 2009 and 2010 and looks to remain the same in 2011. Let's review Beck's prognostications one by one and come to our own conclusion. Words: 1764

A major crisis is coming in the first half of 2011 and it could cause a worldwide financial disaster, global market crashes and the destruction of wealth that will make the popping of the dot-com and housing bubbles feel like a mild inconvenience! Why? Because, quite simply, America is playing a dangerous game of “chicken” with its national debt - and the ramifications are extraordinary. Words: 1475

The National Inflation Association (NIA) believes it is very unlikely that our representatives in Washington will have the political backbone and courage to implement any of the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform's proposed cuts in domestic and defense expenditures and increases in tax revenues. [Instead, as the NIA sees it,] the U.S. is on a path towards exploding budget deficits in the years ahead that could cause an outbreak of hyperinflation by the end of calendar year 2015. Words: 887

I would prefer a scenario in which rates rise slowly, and the dollar -- as well as the economy -- stabilize gently; while the alternative makes me wealthy, unfortunately, its actualization necessarily means I will be forced to watch everyone around me suffer - and that’s a troubling thought. Words: 1480

The National Inflation Association (NIA) believes that if the Federal Reserve doesn't reverse course immediately, we are on a direct path to all Americans becoming billionaires by the year 2020, if not much sooner. Being a billionaire in dollars won't mean anything. The wealth of Americans later this decade will be calculated based on how much gold and silver they own. We are at the beginning stages of a massive worldwide rush out of the U.S. dollar and into gold and silver. Words: 1021

The gold price has enjoyed an advance of [approx. $100 since the end of September so] we are probably facing some profit taking and correction, right? Not exactly. Words: 693