The problem is especially pronounced in the current economic climate with so many countries having dramatically increased their spending as part of their respective stimulus efforts. However, when the recession got underway, many of these countries were already carrying potentially heavy and expensive debt burdens.
(more…)

Under a gold standard, if people think the paper money printed by government is losing value, they have the right to switch to gold. Fiat money — i.e., currency with no intrinsic worth that government has decreed legal tender — loses its value when government creates more than can be absorbed by the productive real economy.

Too much fiat money results in inflation — which pools in certain sectors at first, such as housing or financial assets, but ultimately raises prices in general.Inflation is the enemy of capitalism, chiseling away at the foundation of free markets and the laws of supply and demand. It distorts price signals, making retailers look like profiteers and deceiving workers into thinking their wages have gone up. It pushes families into higher income tax brackets without increasing their real consumption opportunities.In short, inflation undermines capitalism by destroying the rationale for dedicating a portion of today’s earnings to savings. Accumulated savings provide the capital that finances projects that generate higher future returns; it’s how an economy grows, how a society reaches higher levels of prosperity. But inflation makes suckers out of savers.

If capitalism is to be preserved, it can’t be through the con game of diluting the value of money. People see through such tactics; they recognize the signs of impending inflation. When we see Congress getting ready to pay for 40% of 2009 federal budget expenditures with money created from thin air, there’s no getting around it. Our money will lose its capacity to serve as an honest measure, a meaningful unit of account.

Our paper currency cannot provide a reliable store of value.

So we must first establish a sound foundation for capitalism by permitting people to use a form of money they trust. Gold and silver have traditionally served as currencies — and for good reason. A study by two economists at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis, Arthur Rolnick and Warren Weber, concluded that gold and silver standards consistently outperform fiat standards. Analyzing data over many decades for a large sample of countries, they found that “every country in our sample experienced a higher rate of inflation in the period during which it was operating under a fiat standard than in the period during which it was operating under a commodity standard.

“Given that the driving force of free-market capitalism is competition, it stands to reason that the best way to improve money is through currency competition. Individuals should be able to choose whether they wish to carry out their personal economic transactions using the paper currency offered by the government, or to conduct their affairs using voluntary private contracts linked to payment in gold or silver.

Legal tender laws currently favor government-issued money, putting private contracts in gold or silver at a distinct disadvantage. Contracts denominated in Federal Reserve notes are enforced by the courts, whereas contracts denominated in gold are not. Gold purchases are subject to taxes, both sales and capital gains. And while the Constitution specifies that only commodity standards are lawful — “No state shall coin money, emit bills of credit, or make anything but gold and silver coin a tender in payment of debts” (Art. I, Sec. 10) — it is fiat money that enjoys legal tender status and its protections.

Now is the time to challenge the exclusive monopoly of Federal Reserve notes as currency. Buyers and sellers, by mutual consent, should have access to an alternate means for settling accounts; they should be able to do business using a monetary unit of account defined in terms of gold. The existence of parallel currencies operating side-by-side on an equal legal footing would make it clear whether people had more confidence in fiat money or money redeemable in gold. If the gold-based system is preferred, it means that people fully understand that the purpose of money is to facilitate commerce, not to camouflage fiscal mismanagement.

Private gold currencies have served as the medium of exchange throughout history — long before kings and governments took over the franchise. The initial justification for government involvement in money was to certify the weight and fineness of private gold coins. That rulers found it all too tempting to debase the money and defraud its users testifies more to the corruptive aspects of sovereign authority than to the viability of gold-based money.

Which is why government officials should not now have the last word in determining the monetary measure, especially when they have abused the privilege.The same values that will help America regain its economic footing and get back on the path to productive growth — honesty, reliability, accountability — should be reflected in our money. Economists who promote the government-knows-best approach of Keynesian economics fail to comprehend the damaging consequences of spurring economic activity through a money illusion. Fiscal “stimulus” at the expense of monetary stability may accommodate the principles of the childless British economist who famously quipped, “In the long run, we’re all dead.” But it shortchanges future generations by saddling them with undeserved debt obligations.

There is also the argument that gold-linked money deprives the government of needed “flexibility” and could lead to falling prices. But contrary to fears of harmful deflation, the big problem is not that nominal prices might go down as production declines, but rather that dollar prices artificially pumped up by government deficit spending merely paper over the real economic situation. When the output of goods grows faster than the stock of money, benign deflation can occur — it happened from 1880 to 1900 while the U.S. was on a gold standard. But the total price-level decline was 10% stretched over 20 years. Meanwhile, the gross domestic product more than doubled.

At a moment when the world is questioning the virtues of democratic capitalism, our nation should provide global leadership by focusing on the need for monetary integrity. One of the most serious threats to global economic recovery — aside from inadequate savings — is protectionism. An important benefit of developing a parallel currency linked to gold is that other countries could likewise permit their own citizens to utilize it. To the extent they did so, a common currency area would be created not subject to the insidious protectionism of sliding exchange rates.

The fiasco of the G-20 meeting in Washington last November — it was supposed to usher in “the next Bretton Woods” — suggests that any move toward a new international monetary system based on gold will more likely take place through the grass-roots efforts of Americans. It may already be happening at the state level. Last month, Indiana state Sen. Greg Walker introduced a bill — “The Indiana Honest Money Act” — which would, if enacted, allow citizens the option of paying in or receiving back gold, silver or the equivalent electronic receipt as an alternative to Federal Reserve notes for all transactions conducted with the state of Indiana.

It may turn out to be a bellwether. Certainly, it’s a sign of a growing feeling in the heartland that we need to go back to sound money. We need money that works for the legitimate producers and consumers of the world — the savers and borrowers, the entrepreneurs. Not money that works for the chiselers.

Ms. Shelton, an economist, is author of “Money Meltdown: Restoring Order to the Global Currency System” (Free Press, 1994).

In this fast-moving age, it is so easy to take your eye of the prize. Short-term trends can easily throw one ‘off track’. For every analyst who will tell you a stock or commodity is going up, there is another one who will tell you it is going down in price.

Who to believe?

When in doubt, consult the longer term charts! On my website (www.pdegraaf.com) I provide a collection of about 20 long-term charts that help me (and will help you), to keep your eye on the prize!

These charts are updated at regular intervals and there is no charge for looking.

One powerful force that is currently causing many people to take their eye off the prize is the outcry of deflation. While there can be no doubt that there is ‘asset deflation’ going on, (houses, used cars, stocks and many commodities) are tumbling downhill as people panic. There is however no ‘monetary deflation’ going on. On the contrary, there is currently unprecedented ‘monetary INFLATION’ taking place, and never before in history have so many countries inflated the various money supplies with this much additional money in such a short period of time.

The Federal Reserve has just updated its latest Adjusted Monetary Base chart (courtesy St. Louis Fed). Since early September the increase is 650 billion. On an annualized basis this is an increase of 450%. The reason this monetary inflation has (not yet) shown up in consumer price is for two reasons. First, too many people are mesmerized by the assets deflation that is going on around them and second, it takes time for money to work its way through the system. Call The Superior Gold Group and start building your wealth in PRECIOUS METALS. Their number is 888-969-6465, please ask for the Gold Guide to build your nestegg in precious metals, GOLD! (more…)

Dear friends,

Below are one-paragraph excerpts of important news articles you may have missed. These news articles include revealing information on the huge tax break windfall provided to the biggest bailed-out banks, a secret order enabling Special Operations worldwide, the swarm of lobbyists at the Treasury seeking bailout monies for a wide range of corporations, and more. Each excerpt is taken verbatim from the major media website listed at the link provided. If any link fails to function, click here. Key sentences are highlighted for those with limited time. By choosing to educate ourselves and to spread the word, we can and will build a brighter future.

With best wishes,
Tod Fletcher and Fred Burks for PEERS and the WantToKnow.info Team

Treasury gives banks multi-billion tax break windfall
November 11, 2008, San Francisco Chronicle/Associated Press
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/11/11/BUTP141OVI.DTL

Some of the nation’s biggest banks are in for a windfall – on top of the $700 billion government bailout – thanks to a new tax policy quietly issued by the Treasury Department. The notice gives big tax breaks to companies that acquire struggling banks hit hard by the mortgage crisis. In some cases, the tax breaks could exceed the cost of acquiring the banks, according to analyses by private tax experts. The change could cost the Treasury as much as $140 billion by enabling firms that acquire struggling banks to use more losses incurred by those banks to offset their own taxable profits. San Francisco’s Wells Fargo & Co., which made a bid to acquire Wachovia Corp. just days after the notice was issued, stands to reap about $20 billion in additional tax savings because of the change, according to the analyses. Wells Fargo paid $14.8 billion in a stock deal to buy Wachovia. Call The Superior Gold Group and start building your wealth with precious metals and take physical possesion of your future at 888-969-6465. The notice was issued Sept. 30 as Congress debated the $700 billion bailout plan. Some members of Congress are upset that such a sweeping tax change was issued with no public hearings or congressional input. “I am concerned that the notice, which was never debated by Congress, (more…)

Oct. 17 (Bloomberg) — Vladimir Putin came to power in 2000 vowing to destroy Russia’s oligarchs “as a class.” Within two years, he’d driven two into exile and imprisoned another.

Now, he may use the global markets meltdown to finish the job.

The $50 billion that the prime minister and President Dmitry Medvedev have pledged to lend cash-strapped companies will extend state control over business leaders. Billionaires seeking bailouts — including Oleg Deripaska, Russia’s richest man, and Mikhail Fridman — will have to give authorities veto power over their companies’ financing decisions.

“This will give the state more leverage over the country’s biggest companies and main industries,” said Chris Weafer, chief strategist at UralSib Financial Corp in Moscow. “In 2008, there is only one real oligarch: the state.”

All this marks a reversal from a decade ago, when oligarchs bankrolled Boris Yeltsin’s almost-insolvent government. As recently as April, Russia’s 100 wealthiest citizens (more…)

$2,500.00 Gold and $250.00 Silver

	By Peter Degraaf Sep 18 2008 2:36PM
	www.pdegraaf.com

‘That’s ridiculous’ I can hear someone saying.

But is it really all that far-fetched?

Let’s begin by adjusting the previous high gold price of $850 set in 1980, into today’s dollar value. By using the US government’s own inflation calculator (bls.gov/data/inflation-calculator.htm or simply Google ‘BLS inflation calculator’), we find out that gold should be trading at $2,260 to match the 1980 high of $850.

For silver the price today should be $129 to match the 1980 high of $48.

If one were to use the statistics maintained by John Williams at Shadowstats.com the numbers would be twice as high: close to $5,000 for gold and well over $250 for silver.

We need to keep in mind that there are today several billion people who were not part of the global population back then. According to Goldman-Sachs an estimated 70 million people worldwide are entering the middle class each year. Once people attain middle class status, they will work hard to stay there or advance higher still.

It is a coincidence that in two rapidly rising economies (China and India), the population has a centuries old attraction to precious metals.

The action in gold and silver during the past few days is an indication of how rapid the price rise can be. In a previous article I used the metaphor of a beach ball held under water. The deeper you push the (more…)

Let’s make a bet.  If you can promise us that your bank is not the next to go under, then we can get you a great price on a share of the Brooklyn bridge.   If you are worried about gold prices, then you probably are on suicide watch concerning your bank or investment firm.  The US dollar is on life support.

Lehman Brothers, fourth largest investment firm, filed for bankruptcy, after Barclays pulled out of an 11th-hour rescue, becoming the largest financial firm to fail in the global credit crisis, after federal officials refused to help other companies buy the venerable investment bank.

Bank of America meanwhile has purchased Merill Lynch for around $ 50 billion, creating a new financial giant.

As if things were not bad enough, AIG has now reportedly asked for a $ 40 billion loan from the government.

Washington Mutual remains up in the air at this point. The company has lost a whooping 92 per cent of its market value in the last year but does currently have a fairly large base of assets and deposits and there is currently hope that it will be able to make it through the current crisis.

Traders fear that the collapse of Lehman would send shockwaves around the world and spark a global sell-off of shares.

Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc, founded in 1850, was a diversified, global financial-services firm. It is active in investment banking, equity and fixed-income sales, research and trading, investment management, private equity, and private banking.

It was a primary dealer in the US Treasury securities market.

Its primary subsidiaries included: Lehman Brothers Inc., Neuberger Berman Inc., Aurora Loan Services, Inc., SIB Mortgage Corporation, Lehman Brothers Bank, FSB, and the Crossroads Group.

The firm’s worldwide headquarters were in New York City, with regional headquarters in London and Tokyo, as well as offices located throughout the world.Tokyo, and operates in a network of offices around the world.

AGENCIES

Many investors are applauding Bank of America’s recent purchases, but does anyone really believe that BofA is immune to the subprime massacre?  Is BofA well enough to stand the fate of their US based colleagues?

Sept. 15 (Bloomberg) — Bank of America Corp., the biggest U.S. consumer bank, agreed to acquire Merrill Lynch & Co. for about $50 billion as the credit crisis claimed another of America’s oldest financial companies.

Bank of America will pay $29 a share for New York-based Merrill in stock, 70 percent more than the Sept. 12 closing price, the company said in a statement today. Merrill, battered by $52.2 billion in losses and writedowns from subprime- mortgage-contaminated securities, has plunged more than 80 percent from its peak of $97.53 at the start of last (more…)

Last update: 10:13 a.m. EDT May 20, 2008

This update of a story originally published May 19 fixes the title of Kevin Phillips book “Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics & the Crisis of American Capitalism.”

ARROYO GRANDE, Calif. (MarketWatch) — Remember that big ah-ha moment in the 1939 classic “The Wizard of Oz?” Dorothy wants to see the Wizard. His voice booms: “Do not arouse the wrath of the Great and Powerful Oz! Come back tomorrow!” Afraid, Lion, Tin Man, Scarecrow shake. Dorothy’s dog runs up, tugs on a curtain. She chases Toto, pulls curtain open:

“Who are you?” Dr. Marvel stutters: “Well, I - I - I am the Great and Powerful, Wizard of Oz.” Dorothy: “You are? I don’t believe you!” He replies: “No, it’s true. There’s no other Wizard except me.” Dorothy’s miffed: “Oh, you’re a very bad man!” Wizard: “Oh, no, my dear. I’m a very good man. I’m just a very bad Wizard.”

2009 Sequel: Script exposes diabolical cover-up conspiracy

Flash forward: Real life, Washington, new leaders, a new Congress, old wizardry. Be forewarned: No matter who’s elected president, America will soon see a massive statistical curtain pulled back, exposing a con game of historic proportions. And when that happens, you and I will suffer another ear-splitting global meltdown, bigger than today’s housing-credit crisis, dragging us deep into a recession and bear market for years.

Cast: New ‘leading man’ from old Nixon political machine

Yes, the lead character pulling back the curtain is none other than Kevin Phillips, a former Republican strategist for Nixon, and today America’s leading political historian. Phillips just published “Bad Money: Reckless Finance, Failed Politics & the Crisis of American Capitalism,” everything you need to know about today’s credit meltdown.

Scene 1: Numbers racket hiding behind Washington curtain

Opening shot: Phillips pulling back the curtain, exposing charlatan Wizards in a brilliant Harper’s Magazine article: “Numbers Racket: Why the economy is worse than we know.” Far worse. Buy it, read it — this is essential reading if you really want to understand the depth of today’s political as well as economic impending meltdown, and the harsh realities facing Washington, Wall Street, Corporate America, and Main Street in 2009 and beyond … harsh because we cannot cover up the truth much longer.

Scene 2: Statistics, Washington’s new WMDs, a time bomb

“If Washington’s harping on weapons of mass destruction was essential to buoy public support for the invasion of Iraq, the use of deceptive statistics has played its own vital role in convincing many Americans that the U.S. economy is stronger, fairer, more productive, more dominant, and richer with opportunity than it really is. The corruption has tainted the very measures that most shape public perception of the economy,” especially three key numbers, CPI, GDP and monthly unemployment statistics.

Scene 3: Backflash, ‘It’s always the cover-up, stupid!’

As I read further I couldn’t help but think about similar traps politicians get themselves (and us) into. Remember nice guys like Scooter Libby and Bill Clinton: The crime wasn’t their original stupidity, but their lying during the cover-up. Here, Phillips reviews endless statistical cover-ups since the 1960s and concludes there was no “grand conspiracy, just accumulating opportunisms.” I call it plain old greed. And every step of the way the media went along with the con game played by politicians and economists.

Scene 4: Real numbers torture us … like water-boarding!

How bad is it? “The real numbers … would be a face full of cold water,” says Phillips. “Based on the criteria in place a quarter century ago, today’s U.S. unemployment rate is somewhere between 9% and 12%; the inflation rate is as high as 7% or even 10%; economics growth since the (more…)