Free Republic

The signs are already present and obvious, but the overall economic picture probably won’t be acknowledged in the mainstream until the situation becomes much worse (as if it’s not bad enough). It’s a problem that arises at the onset of every historic financial crisis – Mainstream economists and commentators lie to the public about the chances of recovery, constantly giving false reassurances and lulling people back to sleep. Even now with price inflation pummeling the average consumer they tell us that there is nothing to worry about. The Federal Reserve’s “soft landing” is on the way.I remember in 2007 right...

A representative of the United Nations World Food Program warned on Sunday that Russia is blocking close to 4.5 million tons in grain exports from Ukraine, The Guardian reported. Martin Frick told German news outlet dpa that the abrupt stoppage could initiate a global food crisis and that he is working to allow the supply to go forward. “Foodstuffs have to reach those in Ukraine who are trapped and in need. But at the same time, there is the need to provide other parts of the world with foodstuffs they are expecting from Ukraine in order to alleviate a global...

Washington (CNN)Senate leaders struck an agreement Monday to roll out additional sanctions on Russia and make it difficult for the President to lift them. The Senate Foreign Relations and Banking Committee announced a deal that had the support of the committee's top Democrats and Republicans that's expected to attract wide bipartisan support. The proposal would provide for a congressional review process if the executive branch eases current sanctions on Russia. And it imposes new sanctions in a number of categories, including those "conducting malicious cyber activity on behalf of the Russian government" and "supplying weapons to the Assad regime. {snip}...

On the heels of new sanctions enforced by the Obama administration, Russian President Vladimir Putin has released his annual New Year's statement to the international community. CNN repeatedly noted that Putin "sidestepped" President Obama in the statement, instead offering his congratulations to President-elect Donald Trump. In his annual greetings statement, Putin expressed hope that after Trump is sworn in as US President on January 20, the two countries, "acting in a constructive and pragmatic manner, will be able to take real steps to restore the mechanisms of bilateral cooperation in various areas and take their interaction in the international arena to...