Mnuchin is Wrong About Both COVID-19 & the Recession

He recently claimed---
1.  The economy should rebound once the new virus is "contained".  [There are two assumptions in that view:  the bug will be contained; and our economy will or should rebound.]
2.  The designation, Recession, is not "terribly relevant" because it's the gov't that is effectively shutting down large parts of the economy.  The downturn is not due to underlying economic conditions.  Instead, it's due to measures necessary to slow down the spread of the virus.
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All the above sounds reasonable, but is it?  Consider the following.

1.  Containment does not mean eradication.  It means limiting the virus to a smaller number of areas.  The way things are looking, it's too late for that.  [Nevertheless, "flattening the curve" is important.]  This virus, officially designated by WHO as SARS CoV-2 or SARS 2, spreads easily and rapidly.  [SARS = Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome.]  Too many younger people (in particular) appear to be spreading it all over...because, since most cases of infection are mild to moderate, the younger crowd seems to think it's no big deal.  The fact is, covid-19 (SARS CoV-2) is spreading like wildfire both here and globally.  Containment is not likely.  The best we can hope for is slowing the spread and rate of infection (flattening the curve), thus giving the medical establishment time to get caught up, so to speak.  That means rapid testing, isolation, and more PPE (Personal Protective Equipment...for health care staff).

2.  The slow initial response re testing, and the continued slowness of testing, means that this virus is now in all 50 States here...and in people who currently are showing no symptoms whatsoever.  Add to that the instances where people simply are not practicing social distancing at all.  Except for the three cities with large numbers of known infections, I'm mostly convinced that too many people (everywhere else) are not taking proper precautions.  I know for sure they're not in this little valley where I live.

3.  An unknown number of people infected with this bug are going to work.  They're showing no symptoms yet.  Some people with symptoms are going to work anyway; they have little financial choice.

4.  Bottom line re covid-19 in the USA:  it already has become widely spread, and continues to do so.

5.  The Administration is reluctant to use the word, Recession (which we're already in); arguably, we're rapidly approaching a full-blown, economic Depression.  [The 1930's Great Depression, which lasted about ten years, was not so named until halfway through it.]  There are at least two economies in the USA:  one for the top 20% (or so) of income earners; and one for the bottom 80%.  When Trump & Crew refer to "our great economy, the greatest in our history", they're referencing the economy of the top tier, not that of the overwhelming majority of Americans.  Even then, they're inaccurate.  Our greatest economy was during the Golden Age of American Capitalism, from about 1946 to the "Nixon Shock" in 1971.  The Trump years aren't even in the same universe, never mind ballpark, as that economic boom.  By the way, mega biz was taxed at up to 90% then... and they still prospered.

6.  In several fairly recent past posts, I've detailed the reasons for the contention immediately above.  No time or energy to repeat all that, but here's a partial, truncated list of those reasons.

a.  Record national/public, corporate, and personal DEBT...and it's all coming home to roost.  U.S. TOTAL Debt is now over $76.8 trillion.

b.  50% of workers in the USA make less than $33,882 per year.  The Middle Class continues to shrink.  (See:  usdebtclock.org)

c.  The Gov't Jobs Report fails to identify how many jobs are part-time, temporary, or both.  Too many people are struggling with two or more jobs.

d.  The unemployment stats put out by the Feds are always way too low.  See this post:  http://individualsovereignty.blogspot.com/2018/02/the-real-state-of-union-rather-than.html

e.  Many countries are dumping Dollars, forming their own currency exchange agreements, and their own Trade agreements.  Trump has so alienated them that they are by-passing the USA.  Even prior to The Don, the same thing was going on in order to oppose American hegemony.  We are becoming isolated in the world economy.  Other countries are tired of our Govt's bullying.

In addition---

7.  Mega Banks and other Mega Corporations do little to nothing to help increase the number of good-paying jobs and manufacturing in this country.  Despite the current Admin's rhetoric, factories & jobs continue to flow South or overseas.

8.  Bizarre financial Derivatives continue to threaten our Financial Sector and/or our economy and the world's, as well.  Essentially nothing is being done to correct that situation.

9.  Mega monopolization in the Business world is stifling small businesses in the USA.

10.  Rampant Financialization (since the 1970's) continues to destroy jobs and manufacturing, suck up Middle and Lower Class income, and cause an exponential rise in income inequality.

11.  Bottom line re Recession:  even without the covid-19 trigger, we were right on the cusp of the overdue Recession.  The virus wasn't the cause of the Recession we're in now; it was merely the trigger.  The causes I just listed above.  Our economy is not resilient.  Even the workers are always in a precarious situation--- insecure jobs, poor benefits, essentially flat wages, low wages, obscene health care costs, etc.  The economist, Guy Standing, refers to them being in the Precariat Class.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnYhZCUYOxs
Even people who are doing okay, living paycheck to paycheck, have little to no way of saving for a rainy day.  The Establishment doesn't want them to save.  It wants them to spend, spend, spend... and to increase their debt... so that the consumer society can expand, expand, expand.  Debt will be our downfall.

12.  Finally, on both the disease and economic fronts, this is not about only the USA.  It's worldwide.  On the economic front, most of the "Developed" countries (not only here in the U.S.) are on the cusp of--- or already in ---a Recession.  We in the USA cannot be unaffected by that.  The next Depression, like the last, will be worldwide.
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p.s.  The reason the Dems in Congress haven't yet (as of about 7 AM) agreed to pass the COVID-19 Relief Bill--- or whatever it's called ---is because the money going to corporations has too few to zero conditions on it.  Remember the last Bailout Congress passed re the Mega Banks?  No restrictions as to use of that money.  Did they loan it out to stimulate the economy?  Answer:  very little of it.
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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The REAL National Emergencies in the USA

There are many; below are several of them.

1.  Expanding our Nuke arsenal when we should be reducing it.  Along with that, withdrawing from international nuke treaties.  Finally, some of the Powers-That-Be believing nukes can be used without any serious long-term consequences.  All the above is simply unmitigated ignorance, and it borders on insanity.

2.  Our Gov't doing little to nothing in terms of combatting Climate Change, or as one researcher refers to it, Climate Disruption.  In fact, the current Administration's actions will make the Climate problem worse.  I'm no expert in this area, but do have a Master's Degree in the fifth study tradition in Geography, Environmental Studies, or human impact on the environment.  In those studies, it became clear to me that---no matter to what extent greenhouse gas emissions do contribute to the Climate problem (and they do)---it makes no sense whatsoever to fail to reduce those emissions.  Despite Corporatist Propaganda to the contrary, greenhouse gas emissions contribute to Climate Disruption to one degree or another.

3.  The Financialization of our economy.  At one time, the Financial Sector made up about 3% of the economy; now it's about 33%.  At the expense of the rest of us, that primarily benefits the Upper Crust.  Small Business and wage earners both suffer.  NeoFeudalism is approaching rapidly.

4.  The continual expansion of the National Surveillance State.  That's in concert with the virtual destruction of the Fourth Amendment.

5.  The adoption of the Machiavellian concept of Perpetual War, which is being used to manipulate everyday people and further enrich the Super-Rich.

6.  The Trump Presidency.  His Administration is:

a.  violating both Statutes and the Constitution;

b.  harming the economy;

c.  instituting NeoFascism into our Gov't;

d.  promoting Crony Capitalism and the Oligarchy;

e.  normalizing deceit, falsehoods, and propaganda;

f.  alienating Allies;

g.  promoting Authoritarianism;

h.  accelerating NeoFeudalism;

i.  making our country the laughingstock of the world;

j.  encouraging lawlessness; and,

k.  endangering all civilized countries and their peoples.

Trump's supporters had good reasons to be fed-up and angry prior to his election; however, I'm astounded that they still believe he's good for the country and the common people.  It's plain that he's not, and never mind what a danger he is to the entire world.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

p.s.  Again, a reminder:  I'm not a Democrat or a Republican; and I've been keenly observing American politics ever since 1956.

The Oligarchy Handbook

To my knowledge, no such Handbook exists; if it did, however, this would be a good outline or condensed version.  NOTE---  Certainly not all of it, but much of the information below comes from Noam Chomsky's superb book and documentary titled, Requiem for the American Dream.  The editors of the documentary came up with this subtitle:  "The Ten Principles of Concentration of Wealth and Power".  I would call it "The Ten Steps for Instituting Corporatism in a Society".  These concepts are evident not only in the USA today, but also in all industrialized countries of the world...some more than others.

1.  Reduce democracy---
Reduce or eliminate the input and influence of commoners in the formation of public policy.  The "little people" should be treated as "spectators" when it comes to government because they are incapable of comprehending complex matters.  They should be distracted with consumer consumption and kept apathetic.

2.  Shape ideology---
This begins with indoctrination in education.  Critical thinking and any challenging of Authority should be suppressed.  Except for basic skills such as reading and math, the minds of students should be molded to always accept Authority, wage slavery, war, the hierarchy of society, and a belief in the wisdom of opulence and luxury.

3.  Redesign the economy---
Complete the move (started in the 1970's) to Neoliberalism, Financialization, and Globalization.  In part, that means privatization of gov't infrastructure & services and the promotion of worker insecurity.  Separate worker productivity from wage increases.  Keep wages stagnant.  One way to do that is to promote the moving of manufacturing to emerging economies with low wages and sweatshop conditions.  Reduce or eliminate regulations applying to the Financial Sector so that income can be made without producing any goods or services...as with the use of bizarre financial derivatives and other financial instruments.

4.  Shift the burden carried by Oligarchs---
Make the Rich and Powerful less responsible for funding gov't, and for their own mistakes.  Reduce their taxes, and promote "Too Big to Fail", "Too Big to Jail", "Bail-Outs", and "Bail-Ins".  Increase gov't subsidies to mega corporations.  Let the "little people" foot the bill.

5.  Attack solidarity---
Reduce (through Edward Bernays style "molding of the public mind" Propaganda) the caring by individuals for the fate of others.  Destroy unions.  Clamp down on freedom of assembly, nonviolent protest, and any group that challenges the status quo.

6.  Run the regulators---
Promote and encourage a revolving door between BIG Business and high-level Gov't service...especially in the Financial Sector.  Poo-poo the concept of "conflict of interest".  Promise and provide high-paying, cushy, corporate jobs to regulators when they "retire" from gov't service.  Strive for "Government-Sachs".

7.  Engineer elections---
Continue the practice of having high-level political candidates selected, groomed, and financed by the Rich and Powerful.  Continue to encourage gerrymandering and voter suppression/manipulation.  In Primaries, continue to encourage the Corporate Media to slight or ignore any candidate not approved by the Oligarchy.  Promote and encourage the discussion of personalities rather than issues.  Continue to have debates run by a private corporation, thus making certain that no Populist candidates are allowed to participate.  Make sure that corporations continue to be "persons", and thus are able to contribute to our political candidates (via "free speech" money) in a virtually unlimited fashion.

8.  Keep the rabble in line---
Inundate the public with Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid all year, every year.  Attack Organized Labor.  Attack any Populist group.  Promote nationalism rather than patriotism.  Talk jobs, not profits.  Never reveal that while the wages of the "little people" have remained relatively flat (after adjustment for price inflation) for 30+ years, our incomes have increased 700%.

9.  Manufacture consent---
Mold the public mind to our benefit.  Keep the Propaganda flowing--- Trickle-Down Economics really works, there's no conflict of interest in having a Mega Bank CEO run a Gov't financial department, Big Biz should have a Stay-Out-of-Jail card, the Boogie-Man is coming so we have to go to war, the type of Globalization we're promoting really is good for the public, the commoners can have either privacy or safety (but not both), etc.  They've bought it all so far, and they will continue to buy it.

10.  Marginalize the population---
Make society an amorphous mass.  Attack and destroy groups critical of Power and Oligarchy.  Discourage the linking of individuals into effective political action organizations.  Denigrate them whenever possible.  Encourage the belief that commoners cannot understand the complexity of the issues facing the world today.  This all creates an unfocused anger which makes people more susceptible to our control.  Gain control of the internet, which is the greatest democratizing force in existence today.  Oppose net neutrality whenever possible.
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And so it goes.
Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Let's All Take Our Heads Out of the Sand and Stop Drinking the...

Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid.  In addition to the National Debt numbers, the online "U.S. National Debt Clock" (in real time) has a wealth of other information.  [A small portion of it is listed below.]  As opposed to what Janet Yellen and many politicians are saying, that info gives us a genuine dose of reality...instead of propaganda.

Since the end (sometime in the early 1960's) of the Golden Age of American Capitalism, here's what Republican & Democratic politicians, the Fed Reserve, Financialization, Globalization (of a certain type), Crony Capitalism, and Corporatism have all brought us to---

1.  Our public National Debt is almost $20 trillion.  [We are now among the world's top debtor nations.]
2.  U.S. Total Debt (public & private) is now a bit over $67 trillion.
3.  42.6 million Americans are living in poverty.
4.  31.4 million Americans are without insurance (the Debt Clock doesn't specify whether that's health insurance or all types of insurance).
5.  The U.S. Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is about one trillion dollars less than the public National Debt.
6.  The Median Income in the U.S. is now $30,123.
7.  The Median New Home Price in the U.S. is now $311,015.
8.  The "Official Unemployed" number is 7.616 million.
9.  The "Actual Unemployed" number is 14.949 million.
All the above is only a tiny fraction of the valuable info found on the Debt Clock.
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Glenn Greenwald, who was on a Team that shared a Pulitzer Prize, has pointed out that the Financial Sector in the USA essentially has captured our government.  Financialization and the revolving door between Mega Banks and high Gov't positions have contributed greatly to the hollowing out of the Middle Class in this Land.  We now have a President & Executive Branch Administration who want to roll back the paltry regulatory protections of Dodd-Frank, thus giving the Financial Sector even more freedom to practice Casino Capitalism... which will further put our financial and economic systems at risk.

The rationalization for such action is that jobs will be created.  History says otherwise.  Starting with the elimination of the Glass-Steagall Act during the Bill Clinton Era and right through to the lack of prosecution of crooked bankers during the Obama Era, it's clear that:  banking needs strict regulation (enforcement and prosecution); and the Mega Banks need to be broken up.  Casino Capitalism does not create jobs for the Lower & Middle Classes; it simply enriches the Super-Rich.  That's what Trump is pushing/peddling.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

What Our Tweety-Bird President & His Administration Don't Seem to Grasp

During his Address to Congress at least, King Donald did almost zero whining.  Thank Heaven for that.  I'm guessing the primary reason for that blessing was the fact that the speech was 100% scripted, and Trump pretty much read it word for word.  The content (and other statements), however, revealed some genuine flaws in the thinking of this Corporatist Administration.  Here's what they don't appear to grasp...or they do and they're simply presenting a fraud.  It's hard to know which one.

1.  Trump and some of his staff claim that the budget increases for the Defense Dept. (which should go back to its original name, War Dept.) and for Homeland Security will be offset by cuts in other Depts./Agencies.  Since they claim that, they must already have the numbers.  Let's see those numbers.  I very seriously doubt their claim to be true.  My guess is that all the cuts won't amount to even 10% of the billions in increases.  Furthermore, the proposed cuts undoubtedly will be in social programs and environmental/health/safety (EHS) programs... you know, those programs that improve the lives of common people.  The combined budgets of all those programs already are dwarfed by the Defense Dept. budget before the increase (never mind Homeland Security's budget).  In addition, our "Defense" Budget already is larger than the next seven largest in the world COMBINED.

2.  Along those same lines, Trump & staff are proposing a TRILLION Dollar infrastructure re-building program.  At the same time, they're proposing a massive tax cut.  Supposedly, the economy will boom so greatly that the trillion dollar expenditure will be covered by tax revenue generated by all the unemployed we have now, those who soon will have full-time permanent jobs.  The Don appears to believe that tax cuts and regulation reduction will result in Mega & Mid-Size Corporations making capital investments and thus creating many new jobs.  Fairly recent history suggests otherwise.  In this sorry Age of Financialization, mega & mid-size companies no longer need to hire more people in order to increase company profits.  Instead, they downsize, or ship facilities overseas (cheaper labor there), or invest in Hedge Funds, or become a bank (General Motors makes just as much money on car loans as it does on car production), or invest in foreign factories or real estate, or invest in foreign currencies or bonds, or become corporate raiders buying up companies and then downsizing or dismantling them, or simply bank the extra cash...usually offshore.

3.  As David Stockman (formerly of the Reagan Administration) wisely points out, a crucial date is looming--- March 15, 2017.  That's the day when the Debt Ceiling "Holiday" (developed by Obama & Boehner) ends.  After that, the National Debt by law cannot exceed $20 trillion unless a Republican Congress raises that Ceiling and thus kicks the can down the road again.  By summer, the Fed Gov't will be out of cash for everything but absolutely essential services.  According to Stockman, tax cuts will not yet be in place, ObamaCare will not yet be replaced, and any job-producing Infrastructure activities will have to be postponed.  As of tonight, the National Debt is $19.981 trillion dollars and increasing at a phenomenal rate.  It won't be long at all before it hits $20 trillion.

4.  To avoid the Mother of all Fiscal Crises, it seems to me the Congress will be forced to raise the Debt Ceiling yet again.  [They always do.]  Most likely, that will result in foreign governments and banks dumping the Dollar even faster than they are now.  That will bring the demise of the Dollar ever closer.  The Petro-Dollar already is on its last legs.  These events will hasten the culmination of the worldwide economic crisis already in progress... and will render Trump's vague economic plan useless.

5.  Trump's proposed slashing of the EPA will freeze the SuperFund Toxic Waste Cleanup Program (that's already happened), the Radon Program, the Brownfields Redevelopment Program, and several other programs that greatly contribute to clean air, clean water, and unpolluted land.  The result will be a poorer quality of life for everyone.  Trump mistakenly believes that any money saved by companies being able to avoid EHS regulatory compliance will be used to create jobs.  That's the great myth.  See the second half of number 2. above for the reality.

6.  Except for bashing immigrants & refugees and beating the Perpetual War drums, Trump & Crew seem to have no focus.  Rarely resolving anything, they jump from one item to the next.  That's especially true of the Don.  Yes, it's early yet in his Kingship; however, if the first forty or so days are any indication, the man won't accomplish much at all that's positive and good for We the People.  On top of that, the Executive staff slots still aren't all filled.  Plus, with seemingly sincere & consistent---but incompetent & narrow-minded---people like Jefferson Beauregard Sessions in place, the whole Reality Show of an Administration becomes a circus.
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Finally, a few closing observations (and reminders)---
1.  During the Golden Age of American Capitalism (from the end of WW II through the 1950's & into the early 1960's), the greatest economic expansion in our history as a nation, with few exceptions corporations were taxed at a 90% rate.  They now pay (if at all) 35%.
2.  Politically speaking, I'm not Red or Blue; I prefer Purple.  So do 41% of American adults.  25% are Red and 31% are Blue.  3% don't give a damn, and given our recent history (30-40 years), can't say that I blame them much for that view.  :)
3.  Trump & Company are either incompetent, ignorant, or devious fraudsters... or some combination of those.  In any case, they are wrong for this country and the world.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Wars Against Americans Conducted by the Elites/the Corporatists/the Ruling Oligarchy

Following is a list of only some of the wars being waged by the Ruling Oligarchy in the USA against We the People.

1.  The War on the First Amendment
2.  The War on Journalists
3.  The War on Whistleblowers
4.  The War on Peaceful Protests and Dissent of Any Type

5.  The War on Privacy
6.  The War on Cash
7.  The War on Drugs
8.  The War on Prescription Painkillers
9.  The War on the Fourth Amendment

10.  The War on Health Food Supplements
11.  The War on Alternative Medicine

12.  The War on Alternative Energy

13.  The War on Minorities
14.  The War on Youth and Education
15.  The War on the Mentally Ill
16.  The War on Nonconformists
17.  The War on Small Farmers
18.  The War on Small Business of Any Type
19.  The War on Industry

20.  The War on Democracy
21.  The War on Critical Thinking
22.  The War on Military Vets
23.  The War on Poor People
24.  The War on the Middle Class
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Following is a list of only some of the things that the Ruling Oligarchy promotes/promulgates/supports.

1.  Crony Capitalism (aka, Fascism)
2.  Edward Bernays Style Propaganda
3.  Phony Elections
4.  Elitism
5.  Monopolies
6.  Financialization
7.  Neoliberalism
8.  NeoFeudalism
9.  Class War
10.  Military Aggression and War Profiteering
11.  USA Hegemony and American Empire
12.  Intervention in Foreign Civil Wars for Economic Reasons
13.  Spying on Our Allies
14.  Economic and Financial Bubbles
15.  A Revolving Door Between Mega Banking and High-Level Gov't "Service"
16.  Bailing Out Mega Financial Institutions Guilty of Fraud
17.  Authoritarian Government
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Notwithstanding popular opinion to the contrary, History has shown that Oligarchs and their puppets (e.g., Obama, McConnell, Clinton, McCain, Schumer, Pelosi, Cornyn, Cruz, etc.) don't care one scintilla about the old labels--- Right, Left, Conservative, Liberal, and on & on.  At the highest levels, probably 99% of today's politicians are concerned only with this label--- Financier.  Those are the people who run the world, not the puppet politicians.  The International Financial Coterie (Professor Carroll Quigley's term) cares not at all about the old political paradigm.  They care primarily about power, money, and the private governance of the planet.  Ask David Rockefeller.  In 1991, he stated publicly,  "Surely it is better to have the world run by unelected elites than by the corrupt politicians of today.".

I suspect that Rockefeller was/is well-meaning, but like the famous Progressive journalist/author of the past, Walter Lippmann, he apparently believes that the commoners make up "the bewildered herd" and must be ruled by an "elite class of intellectuals".  Toward the end of his life, Lippmann wound up believing that commoners should not be allowed to fully participate in democracy because they simply were not competent enough in such matters.  That has become a dominant belief in Crony Capitalism.  That is what the Corporatists-Oligarchs-Elites think... and that thinking is implemented by today's puppet politicians.

At the national level, the best way to oppose such people and their thinking is to boycott whenever possible... individually, or in organized groups, or both.  We have been voluntarily complying with their nonsense for far too long.  Stuck in Propaganda, Consumerism, and outright fraud, we have enabled the Fascist State.  As I've pointed out several times before this, both Mussolini and FDR defined Fascism as:  the perfect marriage of the State to Big Business.  That's exactly what we have in this country...and much of the world.  That's especially true in the Financial Sector.

We can take a small step toward restoring sanity by boycotting the current farce of an election with which we are faced.  At the very least, don't vote for either of the major candidates... pick someone else.  Almost anyone would be better than Trump or Clinton; 58% of us don't want either one of them.  That's strong evidence of a phony election.  The election IS rigged...but not in the way that Trump thinks.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The First Presidential Debate, September, 2016

SSDD.

A big yawn.  As in past Presidential debates, the candidates stated they would (if elected) do this, that, & the other.  There's little to no reason to believe anything other than this:  when elected, one of them will do a couple of the things promised, but for the overwhelming majority of promises either nothing will be done, or the exact opposite will be done.

The primary difference between this debate & others was the constant interrupting of each other by the candidates.

American politics at the national level is a complete farce.  Here's what's really going on---

"The powers of financial capitalism had another far reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole. This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements, arrived at in frequent private meetings and conferences. The apex of the system was the Bank for International Settlements in Basle, Switzerland, a private bank owned and controlled by the worlds' central banks which were themselves private corporations. The growth of financial capitalism made possible a centralization of world economic control and use of this power for the direct benefit of financiers and the indirect injury of all other economic groups."

Tragedy and Hope: A History of The World in Our Time (Macmillan Company, 1966,) Professor Carroll Quigley of Georgetown University, highly esteemed by his former student, William Jefferson Blythe Clinton.

Whoever wins in November, that person will serve the International Financial Coterie (Quigley's term).  That means the rush to NeoFeudalism will continue.

Finally, unless a poll is conducted by Gallup, Harris, or Pew, it's doubtful that the results are representative.  That's especially true if the poll is one of these "online" polls, where all the "true believers" (& few others) click on the candidate they worship.  That's not even close to a scientific poll.  The point is this:  when the Corporate Media cite their online polls as proof that the current election is "neck & neck", it's really doubtful that is true.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Why So Many People Are Pissed Off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYoaV6f78wM

This is why many people all over are pissed off--- they've been forced into the Precariat by Globalization (at least, the CRONY Capitalists' view of that), Financialization, and the Plutocracy. Now, almost 5 years after this talk (which is condensed at the link), things are much worse. We all need to stop drinking the Edward Bernays style Propaganda Kool Aid coming from the Politicians, Plutocrats and Oligarchs.  

Not only my opinion. Be Well

p.s. This brief, condensed talk really does explain a lot...& not just in the case of Europe.

Ten Steps for Instituting Corporatism in a Society

This is from the superb documentary, "Requiem for the American Dream", with Noam Chomsky.  Chomsky often is regarded as a socialist, or even (especially by some on the political Right) as a communist; in reality, probably the closest thing to his political beliefs is a specific type of anarchism---anarcho-syndicalism, a type of direct democracy.  In any case, in the film mentioned above he shows in great detail how Corporatism essentially has taken over America, and how both the Right and the Left have been duped.  He refers to the ten points in my title as the "10 Principles of Concentration of Wealth and Power"---

1.  Reduce democracy.
2.  Shape ideology.
3.  Redesign the economy.
4.  Shift the burden.
5.  Attack solidarity.
6.  Run the regulators.
7.  Engineer elections.
8.  Keep the rabble in line.
9.  Manufacture consent.
10.  Marginalize the population.

Rich in detail and historical news clips, the documentary shows how Mega Business has manipulated American society through means such as Propaganda, Financialization, Lobbying, Consumerism, Crony Capitalism, political ideologies, undue influence, etc. to the point where genuine participatory democracy is pretty much long gone.

Apologies for the brevity of this piece, but I don't have the time or energy to adequately detail each of the ten points.  See the film; currently it's on Netflix, and probably found elsewhere online as well.  It shows exactly how a bloodless coup has taken place in the USA.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Financial Coup in the USA is Almost Complete

First, again I must state that this Coup is not any kind of massive, dark "conspiracy".  It's more like a bunch of greedy control freaks, a few of whom probably are well-meaning, working mostly independently toward a mutual goal---Global BIG Business as the governing force in the world.  Their tools are Edward Bernays style Propaganda, so-called "Free Trade" Agreements, and institutions such as the WTO, the IMF, the Bank of International Settlements (owned by national Central Banks), Central Banks, the G-20, the G-20's Financial Stability Board, numerous mega multi-national corporations, and the like.  Some of their members have referred to the rest of us as "the little people".  Such is their mindset.

Since the 1970's at the very least, this Juggernaut of Crony Capitalists has been shifting our economy from one of manufacturing to one of Financialization.  In that ongoing process, Middle Class jobs have evaporated, their replacements have been lower-paying & less secure, the incomes of the Super-Rich have increased exponentially, the dollar has been debased to an obscene degree, the Poor have become poorer, and our great Land has rushed at great speed toward NeoFeudalism.  The minions of the Crony Elites, the DC politicians (of both major Parties), have become millionaire "public servants".  A few exceptions to that do exist...but not enough.

These Crony Capitalist Elites make up what Bill Moyers and others refer to as the Shadow Government.  Their footprints are everywhere...all you have to do is look.  For example, CitiGroup (CitiBank) lobbyists wrote the draft of an Amendment to the last big DC spending bill that essentially rolled back some of the Dodd-Frank protections against the illegal & unethical practices of the Financial Sector.  The legislative banking "reforms" wound up being window-dressing...a joke.  Another example--- not long after the 2008 Financial Crisis, the Fed Reserve made available (in virtually zero-percent loans) to several mega banks the same total amount of money as was spent by the Fed Gov't from the Revolutionary War up to the 2008 Crisis.  Think about that for a moment...trillions of dollars.  One estimate is twelve trillion; another is $13.1 trillion.  Did those banks then use that money to make loans to small businesses, or help the economy in other ways?  Essentially, no.  Some of the windfall was loaned back to the Fed Gov't...the banks bought U.S. Treasuries (bonds) & are receiving at least quadruple the amount of interest that they are paying for the loans.  Some of the windfall was used to buy physical precious metals which now are stockpiled in mega bank vaults.  Some of the windfall was used to continue placing gambling bets on bizarre financial derivatives.  Some of the windfall was simply "banked".  None of the foregoing produced any jobs for the economy.

So now in 2016, we're basically in the same boat as we were in 2007.  The difference is that the Asset Bubbles and the Debt Bubble all are much larger than in 2007.  Plus, crude oil is tanking.  Plus, China is deflating.  Plus, the Fed Reserve essentially is out of ammo.  Plus, the Derivatives Bubble is estimated to be $1.5 quadrillion.  Plus, wages basically still are stagnant.  [51% of American working families make $30K per year or less.]  Plus, mega companies are buying back their own stock, thus posting phantom earnings in order to prop up their stock prices.  Plus, the real unemployment rate is estimated to be somewhere between 20% and 43%.  And on & on.

The goal seems to be to destroy our Financial System and our Economy...to be replaced by who knows what.  In the meantime, the Super-Rich are getting richer...and richer...and richer.  Almost nothing is "trickling down".  Also in the meantime, there's a War on Cash...a move to only digital "money".  If implemented, that will be the end of any semblance of privacy.  As to the U.S. Constitution, forget it... for the most part, it's long gone.  DC politicians violate it on an almost daily basis.

For ways to peacefully combat this entire obscenity, see a few of my previous posts.  More ways to come in the near future.  Forget voting at the national level...presently at least, that won't solve a damned thing.  The last forty years or so prove that; Democrats & Republicans have led us to where we are today.  They've both individually held the majority Power at different times.  SSDD.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Two Ways to Fight the Crony Capitalist Corporatocracy

I believe it was the NYT best-selling author, John Perkins, who coined the term "Corporatocracy" some years ago.  [See the book, Confessions of an Economic Hit Man.]  There's no question that we live in and under the Rule of Corporatism...in government, in international matters, in the Financialization Movement, and even in social matters.  Some people are fighting back...peacefully.

Here are two admittedly small ways---specific methods---to fight the Corporatocracy.  I'm of the philosophy that every little bit eventually helps.

1.  Boycott Apple Computer.  No, not because of the FBI thing...Apple happens to be correct in that case.  Boycott them because that company doesn't make one single product in the USA.  All those manufacturing jobs have been shipped overseas by Apple.  That won't change until we Americans show the company that there's a painful price to pay for such action.

In Apple's defense and in fairness, I must point out that corporations are required by law (thanks a lot Dems & Repubs) to maximize profits for their shareholders.  But here's the thing--- forcing them via boycott to bring manufacturing back here (thus paying higher wages & reducing profits) is far better for them than reducing sales by a significant percentage...or going bankrupt.  Is Apple the only company manufacturing out-of-country?  Of course not.  Let's identify the others and do the same to them.  Politicians aren't doing anything about it; it's up to We the People.

2.  Start raising a significant portion of your own food.  See the "Urban Homestead" documentaries & interviews on YouTube...6,000 pounds of food per year on 1/10th of an acre...the guy is a genius.  So, too, are his family members.  For specific instructions on Container Gardening (Indoor/Deck/Porch/Patio/Balcony Gardening), see my clips on same at youtube.com/user/scotthaley12 .

This is a way to tell Monsanto and other gross companies to go to hell.  Same thing for Mega Corporate Factory Farm Agriculture and Mega Corporate Food Manufacturers.  In conjunction with raising a good portion of your own food, patronize local farms and farmers' markets in your area.  Even in big cities, you should be able to find some sort of Farmers' Market Co-op or the like.  Years ago, there was a Movement whose theme was "Small is Beautiful".  It is.
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This is how you fight Corporatism---through boycotts and one yard/deck/balcony/porch/patio at a time.  It's not flashy, it takes time, and perhaps small sacrifices...but it can be effective if enough people do it.  If we don't restore the dominance of Manufacturing over Financialization in this great Land, the Middle Class will completely disappear and those on the lower rungs of the economic ladder will be forever condemned to poverty.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Biggest Bubble of Them All

Please read this piece completely before doing this--- open up a new window on your machine and find:
usdebtclock.org  ...I know, it sounds boring; trust me, it's not.  This is not the old Debt Clock.  This one has many, many categories of both public and private debt...and other important factors.

Take note of the following---

1.  Scroll down to the second to the last line of numbers.  Notice what "Corporation Assets" are doing as compared to "Household Assets".  You have to look carefully and take your time.  Don't focus only on the last digits in the trillions of dollars number; also watch the middle three digits until they change.  Supposedly, this is all in real time.

2.  Go up one line and find "US Debt Held by Foreign Countries"...decreasing relatively rapidly.  They are dumping US dollars.  According to Ron Kirby of Kirby Analytics, the total number of dollars dumped in the last 8-9 months is just a bit shy of one trillion.  Who is "buying" the debt?...probably the Fed Reserve.  That's more monetizing of our debt, which is unsustainable.

3.  Go up two more lines of numbers to "Money Creation" and all the way to the right find "Currency and Credit Derivatives 2016".  Last I looked, the total was well over $478 TRILLION.  That's many, many times more than the entire world's Gross Domestic Product (GDP).  Derivatives are a type of gambling bet.  Given the numbers, all losses could not possibly be covered...which is what happened in 2008.  That's why things like the Bespoke Tranche Opportunity not only are ridiculous, but harmful/dangerous as well.  Furthermore, they drain money from what could have been investments in means of production...the expansion of factories, or new businesses.

For info on the Debt Clock, scroll all the way down and click on "About" over toward the right side.
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On a different note, there's a MUST-SEE documentary on Netflix (and probably elsewhere online):  "Money for Nothing".  It's a partial history of the Fed Reserve, showing how that institution---along with the Administrations of LBJ, Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Clinton, both the Bush men, and Obama---have contributed mightily to the economic ruination of the USA.  Yes, they all did some bit of good for extremely brief times, but overall their policies and actions have brought us economic disaster... unless you're Super-Rich.  If you don't agree, watch the film.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Economic Crash Already Has Started

Carefully consider the following:

1.  Wall Street just had its worst opening week in history.

2.  China's Bubble is rapidly deflating.  China is the world's second largest economy.

3.  The U.S. (and most of Europe) currently is experiencing deflation, which will be followed (most likely) by inflation.  The real estate market, the housing rental market, and grocery prices still are inflated...but as the Collapse intensifies, they too will deflate.  Stocks and bonds are on the cusp of bursting completely.

4.  The Corporate Media, which usually have no more than half a sentence if the news about the Stock Market is negative, couldn't ignore number 1. above.  They attempted to smooth it over by stating, in essence, "Nothing to worry about...it's only volatility in the Market.".  Several analysts don't think so.

5.  Let's not forget the Stock plunge on August 24, 2015.  Only half of the historic 1,000-point drop was recovered by day's end.

6.  Our Stock Market is rigged to favor the high-frequency traders who use computer algorithms that make trades in milliseconds.

7.  Financialization has converted our economy largely into one of nonproduction.

8.  The Corporate Media are touting the December jobs report as evidence our economy is strengthening...December, the month of temporary Christmas employment. 

9.  Wages basically still are stagnated.

10.  Crude oil prices continue to deflate.

11.  European Stocks had their worst week since August, 2011.

12.  Our Fed Gov't has been waging a Currency War against China for awhile now; China is retaliating (most likely) with Cyber attack reconnaissance.  It's the belief of some analysts that they are gearing up for a major Cyber attack on our financial system, perhaps even our utilities (such as power & water systems).  I think the probability of that is very high.  Nothing is secure regarding computers, the internet, etc.  Even the Pentagon has been hacked.

13.  The Fed Reserve finally realizes that it can't artificially control any of this.  Its recent rate hike and any future ones are nothing more than an attempt at face-saving.  They are out of ammo.  This whole thing is a worldwide event.  To believe that the Fed Reserve somehow can manage this is to be deluded.  All they are doing now is bursting the U.S. Asset Bubble.  A few people will make a ton of money.

All the above does not mean things will go bust tomorrow, or the day after, or next week.  The Crash will continue to build until, at some point, the economy will be pushed over the precipice by an event or a relatively quick series of events.  I'm afraid that the analysts who predict 2016 as the year of the Collapse are correct...at least, the probability of that is extremely high...extremely high.

Don't despair--- the Powers-That-Be will prop up the System once again.  IF the Collapse ultimately is not as large as the Great Depression, the time to get things up & running again may be relatively short--- a week, or two weeks, or a month, or two months, or???  Nobody knows for certain.  Nobody. 

Be prepared.  Stock up on household commodities now.  There still will be goods around in warehouses when the Crash reaches its peak, but 
distribution essentially will cease because credit will dry up.  At the wholesale level, businesses run on credit, not cash.  Banks will restrict access to cash anyway for both business people and consumers...in order to prevent bank runs.  Some banks already have changed their Bank-Customer Agreement to reflect the BAIL-IN, which means in a Crisis they are allowed to confiscate your deposits.  Obama and the rest of the G-20 leaders signed that into existence.  Get out of Mega Banks NOW.  The FDIC Fund is a pittance compared to the amount of $$$ on deposit...you'll be lucky to get a penny on $100.

Once again, the Rigged System is designed to protect banks and the Oligarchy, not consumers and the economy.  And so it goes.

p.s.  The ten-year Great Depression (of the 1930's) was not recognized and/or named as such until halfway through it.

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Not only my opinion.  Be Well

"Bespoke Tranche Opportunity"

Crazy title, eh?  That's because devious, "legal" criminals came up with it...meaning, Wall Street Bankers.  As the beloved Yogi Berra once said, "It's deja vu all over again.".  Bespoke Tranche Opportunity is another bizarre financial derivative.  Financial derivatives... you know, those invented instruments that played a huge role in the 2008 Crisis.  If you've seen the popular, dynamite movie, The Big Short (based on the true story of Wall Street's role in that Crisis), then you may recall the Bespoke name at the very end of the film.  Derivatives produce nothing...except money for Wall Street insiders; they contribute to our economy not one bit.

So, after all the braying rhetoric from politicians (both Democrats & Republicans) about how they would rein in the Mega Banks & Mega Hedge Funds, the same thing is happening again.  The same Crisis Path began shortly after 2008.  This is why many economists and monetary theorists (all across the political spectrum) are predicting another Crash anytime within a year or two.  Only this time, they say, it will be much worse.

The Captains of Financialization are waging a war on workers, industry, and the Middle Class.  The Money Men & Women are winning that war.  The objective is to siphon wealth from industry, jobs, & workers straight into the nonproductive pool of mega, out-of-control Finance.  The overall goal is to convert Free Market Capitalism into Crony Capitalism.  Voila---they've succeeded!  Essentially, there is no Free Market Capitalism in the USA anymore...and that has been true for quite awhile.  The same is true for the rest of the world.  The result eventually will be NeoFeudalism across the globe.

Years & years ago when the Super-Rich made millions and millions of dollars, they would pump a significant portion of it back into American industry...thus creating jobs, good-paying jobs.  Now that money is sunk into derivative deals, foreign currency deals, foreign bond deals, and other ventures that do nothing for the American economy.  Surely even the most uninformed citizen is aware of that.  Surely that citizen is aware that millions of jobs have been shipped offshore or South.  [The TPP, supported by both Obama & McConnell, will make that worse...much worse.]  Surely that citizen is aware that most all politicians have promoted & supported this Oligarchical System.  Surely that citizen is aware that those politicians, the Fed Reserve, and the Captains of Financialization are in collusion.  For the most part, it's all in plain sight.  One has to do very, very little digging to see it.  People such as David Stockman, Paul Craig Roberts, Michael Hudson, Thom Hartmann, William K. Black, James Rickards, Ellen Brown, etc. have pointed it out (with supporting documentation) over & over & over.

Meanwhile, USA voters & campaigning politicians debate about social Hot Button issues.  Common sense and Logic tell me that the Financialization of our economy DWARFS all those Hot Button issues combined in terms of importance to our well-being.  We the People are being distracted & misdirected by Propaganda from the Neoliberal politicians (Democrats & Republicans) so that we will ignore (or be unaware of) the greatest HEIST in all of History... all over again.

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Notice How the Corporate Media Take a Terrorism Story...

and beat it to death...over and over...day after day.  I'm not saying these fanatical, philosophically ignorant, "true believers" are not dangerous (whether it's "jihadists" or some nut attacking Planned Parenthood), but the fact remains, you have more chance of being killed by lightning than by a terrorist.  Plus, while the stories of terror attacks are "in-depth", there's hardly a peep from the Corporate Media about how the U.S. Govt's military misadventures (especially drone attacks) are generating terrorism, not preventing it.

Here's what we all really should be afraid of---
1.  Neoliberal politicians---such as McConnell, McCain, Obama, Schumer, etc. ad nauseam---who are backing policies and laws that are destroying this great Land economically.
2.  The fact that we are in a deep Recession with an imploding economy.
3.  The fact that the world economy is in deep trouble...mostly because the Powers-That-Be still are shifting wealth from the Lower & Middle Classes to the Upper Crust...at an astounding pace.
4.  The Fed Reserve engenders Boom-Bust economic cycles; it doesn't prevent them.
5.  The true unemployment rate in America is somewhere between 20% and 40%.
6.  The fact that Edward Bernays style Propaganda continues to mold minds to the benefit of the Rich and Powerful, and to the detriment of the rest of us.

I vote for some in-depth reporting on those fearsome items.  I realize that the true economic situation may not be "flashy" news, but it's much more valuable than the fact that the latest nutcake criminal pledged her allegiance to ISIS...which I've heard on the Corporate Media now for about four straight days.  Who gives a damn about to whom she pledged anything?  Yes, Terrorism poses a danger of sorts; but Neoliberalism is a much greater danger.  Bizarre financial derivatives and Financialization are much greater dangers.  Wall Street still running amok is a much greater danger.  Economic/Financial Bubbles bursting are a much greater danger...especially now.  A Police State is a much greater danger.  Outright lies by politicians and bureaucrats such as Clapper and Brennan and Obama and Trump are a much greater danger.  Blatant Propaganda is a much greater danger.  Criminal Mega Banks (whose CEOs think they are Masters of the Universe) are a much greater danger.

The Corporate Media are complicit with other Powers-That-Be (both public & private) in distracting, dividing, and in general, conquering Lower & Middle Class Americans, thus completely destroying the "American Dream".  They all do it not just for money, but for power and control as well.  Finally, once again, it's not any kind of grand "conspiracy".

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

The Political-Financial Complex

Ike was right when he warned us about the danger of acquisition of power by the Military-Industrial Complex.  Steve Keen, an Australian Economics Professor, is right when he warns us about the Political-Financial Complex...a term coined by him.

A perfect example of the Political-Financial Complex is as follows.  Not too long ago, a lobbyist for CitiBank essentially authored a Rider to a Legislative Bill in the U.S. Congress.  This was not just any old Bill the Rider was attached to---it was the Omnibus Spending Bill for the U.S. Gov't...if I recall correctly, it was a $1.1 trillion Bill.  The CitiBank Rider basically rolled back some protections that were in the Dodd-Frank law.  Dodd-Frank was nothing to write home about, but it did give some protection from out-of-control elements in the Financial Sector.

Mega Banks are major contributors to both Dems & Repubs in the U.S...at the same time; in other words, the Banks contribute to both Party candidates in the same election.  The reason for that could be innocent, but somehow I doubt it.  Then, too, we have estimates from a few different sources stating that in the 2016 national election cycle here, about $10 billion dollars will be spent by all major candidates.  That's not only a reflection of how debased the dollar has become; it's also an abomination.  It would be interesting to know how much of that total is/will be coming from Mega Banks.  At the end of 2014, five of the largest banks here had total assets of about seven trillion dollars.  Those banks are:  J.P. Morgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Citigroup (CitiBank), & U.S. Bancorp (U.S. Bank).  They could easily fund a very significant percentage of 2016 election expenditures.  [There are probably a dozen ways around rules limiting political contributions...if any of those rules still exist.]  I think it's very naive to believe that politicians are not influenced by major campaign contributions.  As someone (can't recall who) once stated,  "The Big Banks don't influence elections... they own them.".  Perhaps that's an exaggeration, but not by much.

According to CNBC, the banks listed above account for 45% of the banking industry.  Think: Sherman AntiTrust Act, Clayton AntiTrust Act, and Federal Trade Commission Acts.  Think: monopoly.  Think: common sense.  Since 2008, the "Too-Big-to-Fail" Mega Banks have grown by 37%.  So much for the politicians "protecting" us.  Those banks need to be broken up...ASAP.  Either that, or make banks public utilities. North Dakota has just such a public bank; it outperforms Wall Street while being heavily regulated.

All of this is not only a U.S. problem...it's a worldwide problem.  Those at the seats of public and private Power collude to convert publicly owned infrastructure into privately owned assets controlled by Mega Corporations.  "Austerity" is imposed on countries in order to save not their economies, but instead, to save the out-of-control Financial Sectors in those countries.  Banks weren't meant to be financial parasites engaged in speculating on bizarre, highly risky derivatives and other no-job-creating ventures.  They once served a legitimate, almost modest function:  servicing home, auto, and business loans.  The Mega Banks have become giant casinos... to the detriment of the Lower and Middle Classes around the world. Unfortunately, politicians everywhere aid and abet them.

Boycott Mega Banks.  They create almost zero new jobs.
Lobby to have them broken up.
Following the successful example in N. Dakota, lobby to have banks converted to public utilities. 

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

Has the Crash Already Started?

Let me state up front, I'm not an economist or monetary theorist, or anything of that sort.  I rely upon a wide variety of those people (their writings & interviews) for information; that variety stretches all across the political spectrum.  This is not a "Right-Left" issue.  Also, any conclusion from anyone regarding an economic crash really is nothing more than an educated guess; no one knows for certain (despite what they might say) until after the fact.  Nevertheless, things are not looking good, as follows.

1.  China already has started dumping the dollar.
2.  Japan (one of our staunchest allies) is setting up a currency swap agreement with Russia...totally by-passing the dollar.  Trade between those countries will be in rubles and yen.
3.  Several other Asian countries are setting up currency swap agreements amongst themselves...totally by-passing the dollar.
4.  The BRICS countries have launched their own development bank.
5.  China and Australia have set up a currency swap agreement...by-passing the dollar.
6.  India and Japan have done the same.
7.  China has set up currency swap agreements with several countries.
It seems clear that many countries are sick & tired of the U.S. Govt's Financial & NeoImperalist Hegemony.  This could very well mean the end of world reserve currency status for the dollar.

In addition---

1.  All the analysts I've read or heard agree that stocks & bonds here are highly overvalued; to a slightly lesser degree, so is real estate.  These same analysts say that the Fed Reserve has been propping up the financial & real estate assets for years with QE and essentially ZERO % interest rates, but now the Fed basically is out of tricks.  If they raise rates to where they should be, the Recession will slide into a full-blown Depression; if they don't, the Asset Bubble will burst...as all bubbles eventually do.
2.  The Fed Reserve is monetizing our debt.  Since the Crash of 2008, it's the Fed who has been buying the majority of U.S. Treasury Bonds.  Foreign gov'ts no longer are as interested in financing our debt as they once were.  Monetizing our debt is not sustainable.
3.  As stated in a previous post, the prices of gold and silver (to a lesser degree) are being manipulated by Mega Banks and Mega Hedge Funds in order to give the dollar the appearance of being strong.  Some evidence suggests that Gov'ts also are involved in this price manipulation.  Keeping the prices low via manipulation of the Futures Market is a priority for the Oligarchs.
4.  The real unemployment rate in the USA is estimated to be somewhere around 20%, not the 5.X% reported by the Gov't & the Corporate Media.
5.  Most of the money pumped to banks via QE is either still sitting in the banks OR it was invested in no-job-producing ventures, such as foreign currencies, bizarre financial derivatives, physical gold, and physical silver...as well as the Futures Market.  Put simply, the Fed saved the Mega Banks rather than the economy.
6.  The Global Debt Bubble now is about $200 trillion...and ready to burst.
7.  It's estimated that the Financial Derivatives Bubble is about $1.25 quadrillion... a bomb that may or may not eventually explode.

None of the above is good news.  The global economy appears to be imploding.

Even if the dollar's world reserve currency status ends, though it would collapse our economy, it wouldn't be the end of the world (so to speak); however, the road to recovery would be long and extremely difficult.  A few analysts are predicting that we will be bartering in commerce for a time; I think that could happen, but it's not for certain.  Nevertheless, just to be safe, I see a few things that people would be wise to do.
1.  Get out of any MEGA Bank, ASAP.  As pointed out in a previous post, in the event of a crisis they will be BAILED-IN.  Your money will be confiscated..."legally".  That's according to the latest G-20 Agreement signed by President Obama...late last year.
2.  Keep some amount of ready cash stored at home...or somewhere nearby & always accessible.
3.  As much as you can, accumulate some amount of commodities*** (including food) that might be used for trade.  That's not to say you need to go to the extremes of some of the "Preppers" out there, but it seems prudent to position yourself so that you could survive for at least a few months.  IF there is a huge Crash, it might take that long (or longer) to get some sort of monetary system up & running...some consumer liquidity in place.
***Commodities for barter would include:  OTC medicines, water filters, food seeds, long shelf-life foods, firewood, toiletries, gasoline & oil, silver, common calibers of ammunition, various tools (hoe, shovel, etc.), warm clothing, solar energy components (if possible), fresh produce (if possible), blankets, alcoholic beverages, & yes, even tobacco, food animals if possible (chickens, goats, etc.), & others.  Pick & choose.  Some, such as seeds, toiletries & water filters, take up little space.  [I suspect that I've missed some of the best items for bartering...do some research on your own.]

I realize all this sounds rather pessimistic.  I see it as being realistic.  Many economists, monetary theorists, money/portfolio managers, financial analysts, etc. agree that we are facing the distinct possibility of a major financial/economic Crash much worse than 2008 sometime relatively soon.  Some of them predict no later than the end of 2016.  These people span the entire political spectrum, so I don't believe this is political, partisan propaganda.  Most of the works I've studied are not by people selling gold or silver...or anything else, not even a book.  That suggests we should pay attention to what they're saying.  Again, though, remember that it's all an educated, best guess.  No matter what they say, none of this is guaranteed to happen.  Nevertheless, it very well could happen.  As the Boy Scouts say, "Be Prepared".

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

What the Right and the Left Don't Seem to Understand

The Right Wing in American politics doesn't appear to understand that probably the majority of Americans are fed up to the gills with Corporatism, Financialization, and the de-industrialization of our country.  In addition, we're tired of all the squabbling over divisive, hot-button, social issues.  Finally, we're really tired of  people who say they stand for Freedom, but actually, it's only for the freedoms of which they approve.

The Left Wing doesn't appear to understand that, at the highest levels, almost all their major political players are Corporatist Neoliberals...pretty much the same as in the Right Wing.  This is why, at the highest levels in American politics, the old labels of the past essentially are meaningless.  [By "old labels", I mean all of the following:  Republican, Democrat, Right, Left, Conservative, NeoConservative, Liberal, and Progressive.]

All of the above is true because of Neoliberalism.  The Neoliberals here have staged a coup in our government at the national level.  It wasn't a grand conspiracy of any kind, and it took many years to be successful.  They did it mostly by sheer, dumb luck...and perseverance.  I suspect that many people are totally unaware of it.  Don't think for a moment I'm saying that I discovered it.  I became aware of it over decades by listening to or reading the works of people such as Noam Chomsky, Carroll Quigley, Ron Paul, Ralph Nader, Paul Craig Roberts, David Stockman, Jeremy Scahill, Naomi Klein, Lori Wallach, Glenn Greenwald, David Rockefeller, and several others.

I'm aware that all of the above most likely is not accepted as true by many (perhaps most) Americans.  That's unfortunate because, believe it or not, the new political paradigm is the Oligarchy versus the rest of us.  The Oligarchy consists of Corporatist Neoliberals both in and out of government...with a revolving door between the two.  They believe in, support, and work for Globalization, "Free Trade" Agreements, Financialization, the de-industrialization of America, and Mega Corporations.  They have us on a steady and fast path to some form of NeoFeudalism--- with two economic classes:  the relatively poor and the super-rich.

At the street level, Right-Wingers seem to reject this thesis more than do the Left-Wingers.  At the highest level, I'm guessing all of them simply accept it, but don't talk about it much.  At that level, they all are aware that they belong to a special club, one to which street level people will never gain entrance.  I've heard (on news clips) a few CEOs refer to the rest of us as the "little people" or the "small people".  I've also heard prominent politicians (not knowing the microphone was still open) say that the "American people are just stupid".  Those anecdotes don't prove anything, but they do give a person pause to think.

This whole issue is not Right-Left, or Republican-Democrat, or Conservative-Progressive in nature.  It's devastatingly unfortunate that many or most Americans still are thinking in those terms.  That's how the Corporatists beat us:  Distract, Divide, & Conquer.  By the way, Corporatism is Fascism; every historian I've ever read on the subject agrees with that.

It is long past time that we heed the words of the billionaire, Warren Buffett:  "We are in a Class War in this country, and unfortunately, my Class is winning.".

Not only my opinion.  Be Well

National Politics in the USA is Utterly Disgusting...and Harmful

Again, I emphasize that I'm not a Republican or a Democrat... thank "God".  With the world's greatest library (the internet) at our fingertips and a fairly good grasp of both History and Logic, it's beyond my comprehension how anyone could belong to a limited, specific political group.  To do so almost certainly would require one to be an idealogue, a blindly partisan advocate & adherent... not a good thing.

Here's why national politics in the USA is both disgusting and harmful---

1.  Wall Street runs the show.  Anyone who still doubts that either is not paying attention, or is propagandized beyond the point of no return, or both.  Not only does the Financial Sector run the show, it is waging war on both workers and industry.  The USA rapidly is being reduced to a NeoFeudal State.

2.  With the help of politicians at the highest levels, Mega Banks continue to run amok.  Wealth continues to be transferred from the poor and middle classes to the upper crust at an unprecedented rate.  This is being accomplished largely by Financialization, which extracts income from the 99% and then does not use that money for the creation of jobs.  Instead, funds are invested in bizarre financial derivatives, or foreign currency speculation, or foreign capital investments in manufacturing overseas, or socked away offshore to avoid taxes, or in raiding existing domestic companies & then downsizing or dismantling them.

3.  There's a revolving door between private corporation, CEO (& lesser) positions and appointed, high-level U.S. Government positions.  Men such as Hank Paulson, Tim Geithner, Robert Gates, and others should have been disqualified from government service due to conflict of interest.  Especially Paulson, who previously was Goldman Sachs' CEO, and then essentially gave mega banks billions of taxpayer $$$.  [Ben Bernanke, a non-corporate appointee, topped Paulson:  he made $13.1 TRILLION available in loans to mega banks at POINT 25% (.25%) interest just before TARP.  That makes one wonder why the banks needed the "paltry" TARP funds.]

4.  Politicians at the highest levels (in general) are notorious liars.  They say anything to get elected.  Obama is a prime example.  The 2008 Obama-worshippers have to be the most disappointed people in American political history.  Obama, the corporatist and warmonger... posing as some sort of Leftist.  Obama, who (contrary to the Constitution) chooses which people (including Americans) are to be killed by drone attacks.  Obama, who is waging war on US workers and industry.  Obama, persecutor of Fed Whistleblowers.  Obama, who joins with McConnell to push for the TPP abomination.  Obama, who fines crooked mega banks billions & billions of dollars for FRAUD, but jails not one of their top execs.  And on & on.  The guy is the greatest flim-flam artist in the history of our politics.  Bar none.  He even beats out Bush-Cheney for that title... which I didn't think was possible.

5.  Politicians at the highest levels (in general) mostly ignore about half the U.S. Constitution, especially Article I Section 8, Article II Section 2, and the First, Fourth, Fifth, Sixth, and Ninth Amendments.  Each therefore is violating his/her Oath of Office.  Put bluntly, essentially they are Outlaws.  Where the hell is Law Enforcement?  Where is Justice?
.........................................................................................

So, what can we do?  Here's a start...just a start---

1.  Ignore the Edward Bernays style Propaganda.  Don't automatically believe anything a high-level politician says until you check it out using multiple, diverse sources.  Additionally, stop relying on one or two sources for your national news.  For one thing, the Corporate Media outlets (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, MSNBC, etc.) omit so much that you can't possibly have an accurate picture of what's going on if you rely only on them.

2.  This one seems counterintuitive, but don't vote in national elections.  A national election is a Rigged Game; don't play.  That's the best way to make the Oligarchy pay attention to We the People.  Everyone who is a "true believer" in some political ideology (& thus a "voter") is perpetuating the Rigged Game.  The Neoliberal Coup that has taken place here and throughout most of the world cannot be overturned by voting.  National candidates for office are selected from the top down, not the bottom up.  Even if, by some miracle, a "genuine Populist" or a "good person" gets elected, that person will be marginalized completely by the Rotten System.  That won't be true forever, but it certainly is now and for the near future.

3.  Educate yourself and others.  With the world's greatest library in front of you, you have no excuse not to.

4.  Be an Activist... organize around just causes.  Do something, something peaceful, even if it's anonymously and by yourself.  If group protests are not your bag, there's nothing wrong with that.  There are plenty of other things that can be done:  boycotting, writing, all types of Art, discussions, commercial ads, speeches, stickers (Street Art), flyers, business-type cards (of a political nature), videos, or ???  Be imaginative.

5.  The Neoliberals have won because basically they have distracted and divided us.  That has to end.  I'm guessing that most of us don't want pointless war, or jobs shipped overseas, or an ever-intrusive Surveillance State, or unsafe food, or a completely debased dollar, or stagnant wages, or economic bubbles, or de-industrialization, or never-ending debt, or ever-increasing price inflation, or the ridiculously high cost of higher education, or a war against workers, or inferior, meaningless jobs, or the rip-off, add-on fees imposed upon us by Big Business, or major rivers & rainwater owned by corporations.  If that's all true...that we don't want those things, then we have to stop being so fragmented when it comes to politics.  Democrats AND Republicans have brought us to the point where we are now.  They need a message sent to them...and quickly.

Not just my opinion.
Happy Trails

So, How Do We Fix Our Government?

In my opinion, there is no magic bullet to fix things, but...

if we don't vote, much more can be done than just waiting for the collapse.  Even if people do vote, much more can be done.  There's a huge obstacle, though...

PROPAGANDA from Neoliberals (in general, the highest levels of Repubs & Dems).

Unfortunately, Americans seem to have forgotten that this country was founded due to 

the efforts of Activism.  Violent activism is not an option nowadays, but peaceful activism is 

always possible... one issue at a time.  It's a long haul.  The trouble is, due to Propaganda, 

the ~ 25% of adults who are on the "Right" think that demonstrations, protests, boycotts, etc. 

are "Leftist", or "Socialist", or "UnAmerican".  Nothing could be more American.

So, what could be done?  Well, about a gazillion things could be done... IF Americans had the 

will and weren't so distracted & propagandized.  Here's one tiny thing that could be done:  as 

much as possible, boycott all Mega Banks.  Destroy their credit card biz with boycotts.  Is it 

inconvenient for people?... of course.  You can't change who finances your mortgage, but you 

can have an impact in other areas such as credit cards.

By the way, most politicians voted in by most Americans (Repubs & Dems) just recently gave 

the Corporatist Obama so-called Fast-Track Authority on the TPP.  That means one man 

(Big Biz Obama, not Congress) will do the negotiations for that abomination.  When it comes 

up for a vote in Congress, there will be no debate, no amendments, just a yea or nea.  If it's 

approved, we lose.  Big Biz likes the TPP 1000%; so does Obama, so does McConnell.  If 

Congress votes it in, there will be a downward pressure on wages (because of greed, not 

a lack of choice for biz owners), a decrease in food, toy (& other goods), & pet safety, the 

elimination of Buy American in Gov't procurement contracts, more offshoring of jobs,

& the ability of any corporation to sue our Gov't (or any gov't) for infringement on their profits 

caused by EHS regulatory compliance***.  Way to go, you Gravy Train, Fat-Cat Congress 

people!  [EHS: Environmental/Health/Safety]
***The "court" will be a private, corporate tribunal.  It will have the capability of allowing corporations to "legally" raid the U.S. Treasury.

Everyone in Congress who voted for Fast-Track should be inundated with phone calls, 

emails, or letters berating them for such stupidity.  But that won't happen... because of 

Propaganda, distraction, apathy, or ignorance.  The Neoliberals win again. 

So, what am I getting at here?  Simply, I think the very first step in "fixing" our Gov't and 

overcoming the coup of Neoliberalism is this:  somehow we have to destroy and/or expose 

Edward Bernays style Propaganda.  That propaganda has deceived and immobilized the 

American people.  It has misinformed and distracted them.  They are, for the most part, lost 

in the charade of Right v. Left.  The whole thing is a Rigged Game.  The Main Street "true 

believers" in politics have been duped... completely.  [None of this is a "conspiracy".]  Can this 

"first step" be accomplished?  I doubt it, but maybe.  In any case, it's worth the effort to try.  

NeoFeudalism in America is fast approaching.  Doing nothing is not a good choice.  The 

solution to the problem is not to be found in the current major political parties... they 

are a major part of the problem.

Not just my opinion.  Happy Trails