Posted on 06/08/2014 6:42:22 PM PDT by Perseverando
Your confusion is not funny.
No question that there are a number of non-economic factors that shape nations' prosperity. The overall stupidity of the American public, the dumbing-down of the average voter and his willingness to accept total nonsense ("global warming," "1 percenters") suggest exactly the kinds of conditions that allow a dictator to come in and just take over.
That said, there is no doubt that on some levels we are on the cusp of massive technological upheavals---especially in energy---that can offer promise beyond anything we've ever known.
A student today asked when Social Security would get so bad that they fix it, and my answer was, it will collapse first. No one will dare do the difficult thing (whatever solutions you propose) because it would hurt them too bad politically.
Still, because of your gender, I cannot say that I would hit it. :)
I'd suspect that the true cause of the fall of Rome was multifaceted, and that each factor amplified another. This would certainly be one of those factors!
No question that there are a number of non-economic factors that shape nations' prosperity. The overall stupidity of the American public, the dumbing-down of the average voter and his willingness to accept total nonsense ("global warming," "1 percenters") suggest exactly the kinds of conditions that allow a dictator to come in and just take over.
I'd argue also that the destruction of good personal morals is one of our primary weaknesses. A few of the Founders warned us, and the Soviets were smart enough to know to target those morals in the long-term.
Speaking of dumbing down: Have you SEEN the Common Core math methodology? They took very simple concepts and made them so absurdly difficult, that simple subtraction becomes a challenge. I don't think this is an accident. I think it is intended, to further hamstring America in a generation or two, technically and competitively.
That said, there is no doubt that on some levels we are on the cusp of massive technological upheavals---especially in energy---that can offer promise beyond anything we've ever known.
Free(ish) energy can definitely prop us up, no matter the other downfall reasons, for a little longer.
A student today asked when Social Security would get so bad that they fix it, and my answer was, it will collapse first. No one will dare do the difficult thing (whatever solutions you propose) because it would hurt them too bad politically.
Absolutely agree. That is why it is crucial to never allow such a program -- like Obamacare -- to be started. Too late, of course.... but a good warning for the few percent of our progeny that study the collapse of America in future generations.
How about something a little more mundane -- even if not totally germane. This helped clear some things for me. What are those employment numbers. Virtual full employment now (say the Obama bods) or labor participation rate down to record levels?
MSM: ♩♪♫♫♩♪♫
All is well PRESIDENT OBAMA! Umm, umm, ummm! Has fixed the Bush Depression. All the jobs Bush lost Obama obtained! OBAMA! OBAMA! OBAMA! ♩♪♫♫♩♪♫
(D'oh! Someone forgot to delete those damn old files . . . .)
THE EMPLOYMENT SITUATION -- HOUSEHOLD DATA PUBLISHED FOR MARCH 2005
| Civilian noninstitutional population ........................................... | 222,550 | 225,041 | 225,236 | 222,550 | 224,422 | 224,640 | 224,837 | 225,041 | 225,236 |
| Civilian labor force .................................................................. | 146,525 | 147,649 | 147,745 | 146,737 | 148,313 | 148,203 | 147,979 | 148,132 | 148,157 |
| Participation rate ............................................................... | 65.8 | 65.6 | 65.6 | 65.9 | 66.1 | 66.0 | 65.8 | 65.8 | 65.8 |
| Employed .............................................................................. | 137,691 | 139,100 | 139,759 | 138,408 | 140,293 | 140,156 | 140,241 | 140,144 | 140,501 |
| Employment-population ratio ............................................ | 61.9 | 61.8 | 62.0 | 62.2 | 62.5 | 62.4 | 62.4 | 62.3 | 62.4 |
| Unemployed ......................................................................... | 8,834 | 8,549 | 7,986 | 8,330 | 8,020 | 8,047 | 7,737 | 7,988 | 7,656 |
| Unemployment rate .......................................................... | 6.0 | 5.8 | 5.4 | 5.7 | 5.4 | 5.4 | 5.2 | 5.4 | 5.2 |
| Not in labor force .................................................................... | 76,025 | 77,392 | 77,492 | 75,812 | 76,109 | 76,437 | 76,858 | 76,909 | 77,079 |
| Persons who currently want a job ......................................... | 4,667 | 4,844 | 4,858 | 4,817 | 5,087 | 5,021 | 4,982 | 4,995 | 5,001 |
| Civilian noninstitutional population ........................................... | 245,363 | 247,439 | 247,622 | 245,363 | 246,915 | 247,085 | 247,258 | 247,439 | 247,622 |
| Civilian labor force .................................................................. | 155,734 | 154,845 | 155,841 | 155,609 | 155,460 | 155,724 | 156,227 | 155,421 | 155,613 |
| Participation rate ............................................................... | 63.5 | 62.6 | 62.9 | 63.4 | 63.0 | 63.0 | 63.2 | 62.8 | 62.8 |
| Employed .............................................................................. | 144,432 | 145,767 | 146,398 | 143,919 | 145,224 | 145,266 | 145,742 | 145,669 | 145,814 |
| Employment-population ratio ............................................ | 58.9 | 58.9 | 59.1 | 58.7 | 58.8 | 58.8 | 58.9 | 58.9 | 58.9 |
| Unemployed ......................................................................... | 11,302 | 9,079 | 9,443 | 11,690 | 10,236 | 10,459 | 10,486 | 9,753 | 9,799 |
| Unemployment rate .......................................................... | 7.3 | 5.9 | 6.1 | 7.5 | 6.6 | 6.7 | 6.7 | 6.3 | 6.3 |
| Not in labor force .................................................................... | 89,629 | 92,594 | 91,782 | 89,754 | 91,455 | 91,361 | 91,030 | 92,018 | 92,009 |
| Persons who currently want a job ......................................... | 7,193 | 6,088 | 7,031 | 6,648 | 6,348 | 6,060 | 6,146 | 6,146 | 6,438 |
Nicely said.
It boggles the mind to watch and hear those who worship Obama and the federal government's Welfare/Nanny/Police State make arguments against faith based religions.
you are nit picking, creating straw man arguments, and dragging this dialectic further and further away from the original argument, that federal reserve notes represent debt. I stand by my assertion that any and all federal reserve notes in circulation be they physical paper or characters on a computer screen, represent a debt owed by the US government/taxpayers to the federal reserve bank. Even the money created via fractional reserve banking by your bank for your hypothetical car loan was made possible only by incuring an initial debt to the federal reserve.
How is the money created by my auto loan a debt owed by the government to the Fed?
your hypothetical car loan was made possible only by incuring an initial debt to the federal reserve.
Initial money created by the Fed is only a small part of total money supply.
I can not get over how prescient De Tocqueville was.
because your loan is backed up by a reserve of federal reserve notes and federal reserve notes only come into being via the sale of government debt instruments. Your loan is largely an illusion; however, the money they keep in reserves to keep their illusion from collapsing is real and it came into being as a result of the sale of US debt instruments by the US govt, debt instruments that will be paid for by the hard work of the US tax payers.
neither you nor anyone else could obtain a loan from a bank in any amount if federal reserve notes were not created, via the sale of debt instruments, at some point.
What does that even mean?
federal reserve notes only come into being via the sale of government debt instruments.
So what?
Your loan is largely an illusion
Your claim is an illusion.
debt instruments that will be paid for by the hard work of the US tax payers.
Treasury debt, absolutely. Every dollar in existence, ridiculous.
neither you nor anyone else could obtain a loan from a bank in any amount if federal reserve notes were not created,
Which doesn't make my car loan a liability of the Treasury.
fractional reserve banking. look it up.
Real Estate, Precious Metals (I like American Eagles), Food Ammo, Pay off the Mortgage, any other hard assets or emergency supplies that will appreciate as inflation goes up. Stuff like flour, salt, baking soda, honey etc will last forever, and the prices will go up.
Heck I even bought a bunch of powdered canned milk. It’s good for 20 years. Figured out to be $3 per gallon. Milk is now over $4 in our local stores. So I use the powdered for baking and cooking - it’s not bad for drinking either especially when it’s really cold.
I liquidated over half of my stocks. The rest I let ride - Que Sera Sera.
I do have some cash stashed in case the ATM goes down. I keep a few month’s of payments in the same bank that I owe money. So if they don’t allow access, I plan to tell them to get their payment due from that. Might work. Might not. C’est la vie.
All good ideas. I have to wait to move to buy real estate - but it’s getting closer! 10 months and counting now. We will buy a primary home when we find one, though. Soon hopefully. Found what appeared to be a good one until the inspection reports came back - it would’ve been a money pit and probably not lasted the 30 more years I am planning on living!
I have so much food stored. We were storing a bunch at the cabin (lower temperatures). Since we sold it, all the food storage is in one bedroom so I can see physically just how much I have. And have to move it all! But....the wheatberries were under $30 when I bought them and now they are closer to $50. egads!
Have silver. Have ammo. Have to wait to move to buy more (heavy to move).
But I’ll have all that on my list to get more of when I see what storage facilities I have. (A basement! I can’t wait!)
Have some cash as well. And have a little at each local bank here, in case each limits how much I can get out. GREAT idea to have a loan at a bank where you have deposits. VERY clever idea ;)
When we move, I’ll have no loans so can’t use that idea. Not yet anyway.
And what I really want is like what you have - gardening room and pastures for animals so I can be self-sufficient. That would give me more peace of mind that anything I can buy or store :)
A car loan does not increase the money supply. Perhaps your personal money supply but not the amount of money in the economy.
Disinformation is an essential element behind the Fed. So is blind faith.
If people lost faith the house-o-cards would fall.
Look it up.
Loans don't increase the money supply?
Perhaps you could explain how the money supply increases?
You seem awful smart and since you made the original statement why don’t you explain it.
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