Immortality Road

Bob Chapman gives us a brief financial history and outlook:  “If you look back into the mid-1960s you will see the beginnings of today’s financial and economic problems. Inflation was beginning to raise its ugly head as clad coins came into being. We were collecting all the pre-1964 90% dimes, quarters and halves we could find. As we moved into 1968 few were to be found in circulation. War in Vietnam was draining the country and the buffoon Lyndon Johnson, another socialist, was leading America into the Great Society. What he was really doing was taking the US into socialism and debt.

“It got so bad that countries were demanding gold for dollars; particularly aggressive was President Charles DeGaulle of France. Then the beginning of the end came. On August 15, 1971 the dollar was moved off the gold standard and the dollar became just another fiat currency.

“Here we are almost 40 years later, and the dollar has lost 95% of its purchasing power and two breadwinners are needed in every family, as opposed to one in 1971. That is when social engineering began, as we know it today. We’ve seen many losers walk across the stage over the years – all with either their hands in the till or exuding incompetence. Most of the bright still excelled but 55% of Americans slipped into stupidity. What is sadder is they think they know it all, but they do not. From 1976 to 1981 gold and silver warned us of what was coming. We have had cycles of inflation, buildup of debt and a general degeneration of society.

“We had a purging of the system in the early 1980s but it certainly did not last long. Real estate collapsed starting in 1988 and the effects carried over into the early 1990s. During that period those in control had a great opportunity to again purge the system, but they refused to use that option and went right back to doing what they had done in the past. Gold and silver fell out of favor and we were subjected to the dotcom boom, which ended in tears for so many. Inflation was about, but worse, a great deal of wealth had been lost. We were fortunate enough to call the top of the market in the first week of April 2000, just two weeks after the actual top. Only 2% of economists, analysts and newsletter writers called the top. Being mostly outnumbered by the losers has its benefits. Presently 95% believe gold and silver are headed lower. Considering their track records we’ll stay long as we have been since the second quarter of 2000 when gold was $262.00 and silver was $3.50.

“Many professionals are looking for answers as to why the US economy and finances are in the state they are in. We have been pointing out for ten years that the Fed is the problem, but those who realize this are afraid to speak the truth. They won’t have their jobs long if they do speak out. Low or zero interest rates may have helped government and big business, but it has not helped small business and the unemployed. Are we to believe that the Fed had nothing to do with the real estate collapse? Of course they did – they planned and executed it. The zero interest rate policy still in place has created more grievous damage than any other aspect of economic causes.

“Framing failed policy in the context of the system and calling it mistakes and incompetence doesn’t cut it. The problems we have seen since 2000 were planned that way. Investors and professionals do not want to hear that. They do not want to look behind the facts because it’s not popular, and they may have to tell the truth, and that is very inconvenient for an employee’s financial health. Why do you suppose the Fed didn’t want anyone to know to whom the $13.8 trillion was lent to and why, and what collateral was presented?  A great part of the loan packages went to banks and others, which had been buyers of MBS from US syndicators. We would say the next logical step in this charade would be to clean up the rest of the toxic waste in the US and Europe and then come up with the $8 trillion to bail out Fannie, Freddie, Ginnie and FHA. We believe that either legislation or fiat order has to be set in motion at 5-1/4% to bring home the $1.9 trillion America’s transnational corporations have stashed in the Cayman Islands and in other tax havens. You notice you cannot do that, but these anointed corporations can. They can use the funds to again prop up the stock market, perhaps make the market go higher, make their company’s stocks go higher, so they can again cash out their options making billions and to help fund the Treasury, Agency and perhaps buy MBS-CDOs at $0.15 on the dollar. Don’t forget elitists control all these corporations or those who manage these firms are under elitist thumbs. We see this move as inevitable with the Fed already offside some $1.2 trillion. Eventual assistance to the housing agencies would fit perfectly with our prediction seven years ago that these agencies were broke, they would be nationalized, which they were, and funding by the Fed would lead to eventual 55% control of the US housing market. Over the next two generations almost all real estate half will belong to the Fed and government. This way they will be able to tell people where they will live and work and a myriad of other controls will be in place.

“Transnational conglomerates contend they need the ability to avoid taxation of the US, which runs from 35% to 40%. In Europe the range is 24% to 30%. Individual US taxes, after state and local taxes, run about 35%, but in Europe if you add in VAT the average is 70%. Therein lies the difference. The only way to deal with the problem is to set up tariffs to protect US jobs and industry from predators such as transnational conglomerates. The tariffs would fund government and debt and there would no longer be any reason to move jobs and industries offshore. That means the majority of jobs and industry would return to the US. Under current law there is no reason for US corporations to invest in the US because it is uncompetitive. We wrote about this in 1967, but no one was listening.

“If all this wasn’t damaging enough, most American municipalities are facing bankruptcy. Police, fire and social workers are already being eliminated, some with 15 to 25 years on the job. This dislocation is going to be devastating in communities. This is the result of pure incompetence and we predicted this result three years ago and recommended the sale of municipals. We must say that salaries and benefits at these government levels got totally out of hand. After 30 years on the job some retirements are $150,000 to $200,000 a year, which is totally absurd. This new wave of ongoing layoffs will add to core unemployment. Those lucky enough to find jobs will do so at a rate of 1/3 to 1/2 of previous salaries. This is why America desperately needs tariffs on goods and services. Unfortunately tariffs are a long shot as the elitists behind the scenes have purchased 95% of the members of our House and Senate and no such legislation could be passed. Then there still is the revolving door between Wall Street and the Fed and the Treasury. The latest in your face appointment to fill the shoes of Rahm Emanuel, as White House Chief of Staff, is Mr. Daley from JPMorgan Chase’s Midwest branch. Doesn’t the public see what is going on? Or do they care at all? We see 55% of know it all Americans not caring or being too dumb to understand.

 “In the world of CNBC, CNN and Bloomberg up is down and down is up. It is also evident that governmental deficits will never be liquidated, unless, of course, Washington steals Americans’ $6 trillion in 401Ks and IRAs, which they have every intention of doing. The bill has been prepared and our politicians and Wall Street are waiting for the right moment to jam it through. Just think of it, a lifetime of work wiped out in the blink of an eye. If you have these plans you had better think about liquidating them before it is too late.

“Gold has become again the world reserve currency. It is just that few realize the transition has already taken place. For the past 11 years every major currency has fallen in value versus gold from 13 to 20 percent annually. Versus silver, the figures range from 17 to 25 percent. This is a clear-cut ominous trend of a flight away from all currencies to gold and silver and quite a flight to safety. This movement by worldwide investors cannot be ignored. There obviously are many people that see what we see and in that process are dumping currencies for gold and silver related assets. Unfortunately, Americans are far behind in these changes with only 2% of the population participating. Ladies and gentlemen the second stage of the gold and silver bull market has just begun. Prices have fallen from their highs, what a great time to buy” [from The International Forecaster, http://theinternationalforecaster.com/International_Forecaster_Weekly/The_Fed_Synonymous_With_Stimulus_Policy ].