“It’s Not Coming; It’s Already Here”

Dail6 R3ckoning ^ | 25 Sep 23 | James Rickards

[delta7]

When I talk about the war on cash and a cashless society, some people think I’m exaggerating the threat or they don’t take it seriously.

But I’m not exaggerating the threat. It’s here, it’s growing and it’ll only get worse. Today I’ll show you the latest example.

The proponents of the cashless society cite convenience as a major benefit. Why bother having to tote a bunch of cumbersome cash and coins around when you can just swipe a card or pay with your smartphone?

Besides, they say, cash enables criminal activity on the black market. Cash is the money of crime. And in some respects, they’re right.

Swiping a card or scanning your smartphone is certainly easier than having to get cash from a bank or ATM and lugging it around in your wallet, dealing with change, etc.

If you eliminated cash and replaced it with digital money, it would impact the black market (though they’d figure out a workaround).

Meanwhile, cash is costlier to produce than digital money and unlike with cash, you don’t need to hire a Brinks truck to move digital money around. No more bank robberies! And all those truck drivers and security guards can now learn to code!

You get the point. And that’s why the war on cash has been so successful. Digital money is simply more convenient to use than cash.

And the surest way to lull someone into complacency is to offer a “convenience” that quickly becomes habit and impossible to do without.

The Digital Cattle Pen

But here’s what they won’t tell you, as I’ve warned time after time: You’re being herded into what I call a “digital cattle pen” from which there’s no escape.

The fact is, governments always use money laundering, drug dealing and terrorism as excuses to keep tabs on honest citizens and deprive them of the ability to use money alternatives such as physical cash, gold and, these days, cryptocurrencies.

The real burden of the war on cash falls on honest citizens who are made vulnerable to wealth confiscation through negative interest rates, loss of privacy, account freezes and limits on cash withdrawals or transfers.

In reality, the so-called “cashless society” is just a Trojan horse for a system in which all financial wealth is electronic and represented digitally in the records of a small number of megabanks and asset managers.

Once that is achieved, it will be easy for state power to seize and freeze the wealth, or subject it to constant surveillance, taxation and other forms of digital confiscation like negative interest rates.

They can’t do that as long as you can go to your bank and withdraw your cash. That’s the key. Cash prevents central banks from imposing negative interest rates because if they did, people would withdraw their cash from the banking system.

If they stuff their cash in a mattress, they don’t earn anything on it; that’s true. But at least they’re not losing anything on it. Once all money is digital, you won’t have the option of withdrawing your cash and avoiding negative rates. You will be trapped in a digital pen with no way out.

In other words, it’s much easier for them to control your money if they first herd you into a digital cattle pen. That’s their true objective and all the other reasons are just a smoke screen.

Again, that’s the part they won’t tell you.

The good news is that cash is still a dominant form of payment in many countries including the U.S. The bad news is that as digital payments grow and the use of cash diminishes, a “tipping point” is reached where suddenly it makes no sense to continue using cash because of the expense and logistics involved.

Once cash usage shrinks to a certain point, economies of scale are lost and usage can go to zero almost overnight. Remember how music CDs disappeared suddenly once MP3 and streaming formats became popular?

That’s how fast cash can disappear.

Once the war on cash gains that kind of momentum, and we’re really not that far from it, it will be practically impossible to stop.

Biden Bucks: the Trojan Horse

My regular readers are well-versed in the technical features and dangers of central bank digital currencies (CBDCs), which I call Biden Bucks.

CBDCs are a form of money issued by central banks or the Treasury in digital-only form. It’s true that most payments today — credit cards, direct deposit, ATMs, online shopping, etc. — are already digital.

But there’s a difference.

All the digital payments we have today are private. They’re between you and your bank or the online store. The government does not see that information at the individual level unless they get a warrant. That’s not true for CBDCs.

With CBDCs, the government controls the ledger. They see everything you buy, your charitable contributions, your political donations, your entertainment choices, your travel and more.

When that information is combined with geospatial location (from the GPS data on your iPhone, E-ZPass toll transmitters and license plate scanners) and analyzed by artificial intelligence applications, it’s easy to develop a political profile of you.

Based on that profile, the government can decide you’re an “enemy of the people” or a “MAGA extremist” as Biden threatened in his infamous Philadelphia speech in September 2022 (the one with the military guards and blood-red lighting that visually resembled the Nuremberg rallies of the Nazi Party in the 1930s).

Once you’re on the enemies list, CBDCs can be used to freeze your bank accounts. This happened to the Freedom Convoy drivers in Canada in January 2022. It can easily happen here.

Some Americans have been relieved that CBDCs have not been fully implemented yet and members of Congress and some governors such as Ron DeSantis have stood up against them. That’s true.

“It’s Not Coming; It’s Already Here”

But the authoritarians never take no for an answer. When you close one channel, they find another. Here’s an example…

Citibank (which is entirely under the government’s thumb because of the many bailouts it has received) has announced what they call Citi Token Services (CTS).

With CTS, you convert your regular dollars into digital tokens. These tokens can be used to move money or make payments around the world. Citi calls this a “tokenized deposit.”

Notice the term “CBDC” is not used anywhere. But that’s what it is. Once you convert your dollars to digital tokens, you don’t have dollars anymore. Citi controls the ledger under the government’s thumb. They have complete information on all transactions.

This is a CBDC by another name. It’s not coming; it’s already here.

The time to protect yourself is yesterday — and if not yesterday, then today. The best way is to keep a portion of your wealth outside of the banking system.

That’s why I urge you to keep some of your liquidity in physical gold and silver.

[Cobra64]

So you think gas stations will be the limiting factor?

[Cobra64]

Retailers will be “incentivized” (by the government” to accept plastic only. Banks will be happy since they get a per centage of the transaction price. Then uncle will develop links to the banks. Then the govt can confiscate your assets to feed the illegals and pay off the teachers unions. You get the idea.

[Jonty30]

I totally get how it can be used to control people. If you’ve been a Jonty30, they might slash in half for a month to get you to comply with government dictums or remove your lifelong savings. I get all that.

However, specifically how is it unconstitutional for the government to decide the money they print will take a digital form. I have read the US Constitution, but I don’t see where the government is limited in deciding that the money must be in paper form.

[thesligoduffyflynns]

dont go overboard now, once that is instituted ...BE
HOLD!

There are many places that will accept thr ollar and this is known as the black market- its dimply a sevondary way to purchase items... and im not talking about Bloomingdales or Saks either🌸

it would be a natural consequence

[kiryandil]

Nigel Farage.

[The Duke]

In our brave new world the new currency will be IOUs.

[Tess1]

Went to large amusement park last week in Florida…..cashless.
Condo……cashless

[SaveFerris]

(it's already here) (and really getting a good start with conditioning - even if by accident)

[When I talk about the war on cash and a cashless society, some people think I’m exaggerating the threat or they don’t take it seriously.

But I’m not exaggerating the threat. It’s here, it’s growing and it’ll only get worse.]

Here comes my post(s) again - I'm trying to alert the world, lurkers in fact, to where we are (lurkers please click on my screenname to see my FR homepage for more information)

WORLD-WIDE GAME CHANGER
COMPLIMENTS OF COVID-19⁽⁸⁴⁾

Amazon One - Palm-print scanner

Pay with your hand - Forerunner to the coming Mark of the Beast (Revelation 13)

Using one's hands to pay for food. A boxed "convenience store" (Hudson Nonstop, LAX airport, Dallas Love Field airport), to Arbor Trails Whole Foods (Austin, Texas), to paying for food at Panera Bread, to other Whole Foods stores (owned by Amazon).

Yes, I use Amazon for shopping from time-to-time but this "scan-your-hand-to-pay" is already alive and in operation - no doubt it will continue to expand / grow in acceptance. The conditioning (intentional or unintentional, it will make no difference) has started.

I'm sure the people in the pics think they're showing the latest "cool thing" - possibly mocking and laughing at any reference to the "Mark of the Beast" - this is just a sampling of the pictures I found.

By the time the actual Mark of the Beast, these kinds of payment systems will be fully-embedded in society I think.

Amazon One

The world is not there - YET. But the conditioning, intentional or unintentional - it will make no difference. Fast, easy, secure, convenient. IMHO, cash will be outlawed. Digital Currency 100% will be the future. /Captain Obvious































And so shall the world be prepared for 7 years of 'Peace and Security'

[SaveFerris]

If anyone is thinking about accepting Jesus Christ as Savior and getting baptized and getting new direction in life, now is a good time - before all "the fun" really begins - or "gets worse")

And a second round of pictures (after the Bible verses):

Acts 2:38
New King James Version

38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit."

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Acts+2%3A38&version=NKJV

John 3:17-18
New King James Version

17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be Saved.

18 He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+3%3A17-18&version=NKJV

Romans 10:9-10
New King James Version

9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be Saved.

10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto Salvation.

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Romans+10%3A9-10&version=NKJV

An Amazon Go (Just Walk Out) store in the United Kingdom:





Amazon Unveiled A New Program To Pay Using Only Your Palm And I’m Both Impressed And Concerned



NASCAR taps Amazon’s Just Walk Out to improve Phoenix Raceway fan experience









Amazon Go’s first Southern California convenience store opens in Whittier - It’s the company’s first Southern California location, and another is coming to Torrance (Notice Logging-In with a Cellphone)



Cardless Bank ATM - Cellphone Money Recharge / Amazon One



TECH: There's no good reason for Starbucks to use Amazon's palm-scanning tech



Amazon sued for not telling New York store customers about tracking biometrics



Amazon and Starbucks team up for cashier-less cafe in New York City - (Notice Logging-In with Cellphone)



Glover Park (D.C. area) Whole Foods finally reopens; just walk out



Amazon Is Opening A 30,000 Square Foot Retail Clothing Store In Los Angeles That Will Feature Paying By Palm Scan And QR Codes In Dystopian Harbinger





GREATER LA - Cameras, not cashiers, let you ‘Just Walk Out’ of Sherman Oaks (California) Whole Foods



Amazon Whole Foods: Easy Ways To Shop and Pay In-Store



Amazon Fresh to unveil ‘Just Walk Out’ technology in Cerritos – a first for California



Hudson Nonstop, Powered By Amazon’s Just Walk Out Technology, Takes Flight At Dallas Love Field Airport

[SaveFerris]

[Ever heard of 666?]

Exactly. The godless world is well on its way. Won't happen tomorrow - but in the middle of the 7 years of 'Peace and Security'



(2014 Global Citizen Festival Advertisement)

[SaveFerris]

Sounds about right (for the times; the signs of the times).

Thanks for the update.

[SaveFerris]

Exactly.

At least the Wokeness helped destroy Bed, Bath and BeGone. (a small thing but it was their choice to go all Bud Light) - before Bud Light. (ROTFLOL)

Brilliant move, BBB!!!!

[Taxman]

Ping

[Vendome]

No

Lots of businesses are moving to “cash payments” system where customers can pay cash at the advertised/posted price or pay the posted price plus a transaction fee

I went to Pollo Loco the other night to get a Super Burrito “

I was charged for the Burrito plus a transaction fee of about 4%.

Anyone who processes payments via credit card hates paying the credit card fees which is 3-4% or $3,000 to $4,000 bucks per $100k transacted

Most of the time I pay cash to avoid but, didn’t have any that day

[entropy12]

I have not used cash in 15 years at least, may be 20 years.
Ever since fast food & grocery stores started accepting credit cards, I stopped carrying cash in my wallet.

[entropy12]

Thats funny, I shop all over the place, and never been charged fee to use credit card.

[Vendome]

Start looking at your receipts

Many people don’t scrutinize the receipts and many don’t even want the receipt

[Reno89519]

Same here, 99.9% of my transactions are on plastic. Few issues over the years, all quickly resolved. I’m not hiding transactions, not laundering money, I have no secrets that matter. Plastic is convenient.

[Dan Zachary]

...exactly what kind of workaround...

All you need is a cellphone to transfer money.

https://www.investopedia.com/best-money-transfer-apps-5180183

[entropy12]

Only time I check receipts versus credit card statement is for restaurant bills, coz they can fudge tip amount. Never had a single error with Walmart, Publix, Aldi or medical charges or on-line purchases. I use on-line a lot coz they give me 3% cash back for on-line purchases.