Economic Lies that the System Promotes

Yeah. Yeah. You’ve heard it all and everybody is trying to sell you something. The snake oil salesmen are all around. Washington is no different. The lie continues to spread that investing your money in banks or the latest government bonds are safe and sound investing. Think again.

The problem is that we have a ‘dumbing down’ of the American economic system as foreign investors pile on to invest their otherwise worthless American greenbacks and you are the one that will suffer through devaluation and hyperinflation because you base your life on money and monetary acquisition that central bankers run. Your economic livelihood and future is at stake if you have piles of money or owe piles of money. That applies to most Americans. Your investment is an illusion, the same as the thin air that central bankers and banks have created.

The fact remains that there is little monetary defense or value in trying to tell the average American that they can somehow defend their monetary wealth when the central bankers continue to erode that wealth into nothing in a hopelessly compromised financial system. Central bankers are riding the dark horse as they plow the dollar into non-existence so that they can rebuild a new monetary system from the ashes they have created. Naturally, this is to their advantage. The sad thing is that Washington politicians are hopelessly compliant and cooperative in an effort to create a new system from the ashes of your financial lives and years of servitude to their system. We are the fools and most Americans will undoubtedly foolishly listen the advice of the financial sages. What is Washington D.C. up to? CONTROL.  What are central bankers up to? CONTROL. Never forget that what you are being told by mainstream politicians and financial media is designed to secure the system over your life or means of livelihood at your expense.

Gold? Unless you hold the nuggets of goodness in your meaty little hand, don’t buy the snake oil. Gold investment certificates aren’t worth a thunder mug full of waste. Remember the old proverb that possession is nine-tenths of the law. In this case, physical possession is your safest bet, but far from perfect. Your stuff is only as secure as you are. The little guy can easily be pulled from his stuff during a crisis.

I am linking to this electroblurb because it is the right thing to do overall. I do not advocate the sales of the product or the conclusion reached. I ask you to read the facts and forget about buying anything that involves a significant portion of your money, devalued or otherwise, because the money you earn represents your life.

Pork Helps the U.S. Bailout Medicine

The first bailout was largely unpalatable to Congress, largely because of the reaction of taxpayers. Their rejection of the first bailout also makes lawmakers appear responsible, careful and in control. Don’t kid yourself. A healthy chunk of pork-barrel spending makes almost any Washington legislation go down much easier.

Yesterday, the Senate tacked an additional 341 pages onto the original House bill in the form of various renewable fuel and energy tax incentives, a number of additional tax provisions, and the Wellstone-Domenici Mental Health Parity Act.

The 2008 Emergency Economic Stabilization Act contains stronger oversight protections than the three-page bill Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson offered a few days ago. That isn’t saying much though. Checks and balances are truly in question. Section 101of the bailout directs the U.S. Secretary to “prevent unjust enrichment of financial institutions…by preventing the sale of a troubled asset at a higher price than what the seller paid to purchase the asset.” Suspending accounting rules does nothing to change the value of the junk assets, allowing institutions to value their assets based on whatever scenario they like. Hmmm.

Section 104 allows for oversight by the same folks that allowed the regulatory debacle to begin with including the U.S. Treasury Secretary and the Federal Reserve. The oversight is window dressing with no direction to make the reports public or to report corruption or abuse.

The legislation in Section 107 allows the Treasury Secretary to waive “specific provisions” if he determines that “urgent and compelling circumstances make compliance with such provisions contrary to the public interest.” Nice.

What about foreclosure prevention? “…the Secretary may use loan guarantees and credit enhancements to facilitate loan modifications to prevent avoidable foreclosures.” There is very little material to govern this process. There is plenty of wiggle room for problems here and very little action for taxpayers here. Government can continue to rubber stamp the actions they are making now which is pretty much nothing at all. This is not a taxpayer or foreclosure bailout by any stretch.

The Secretary must “make available to the public, in electronic form,” a description of assets including cost. Hopefully, an average person will be able to understand the information. No such provision is made. Other oversight provisions made seem to be to good effect. At least they have been thinking. Legislators have also been thinking about copious amounts of pork. A few examples are below:

Sec. 201. Deduction for state and local sales taxes.
Sec. 201. Inclusion of cellulosic biofuel in bonus depreciation for biomass ethanol plant property.
Sec. 211. Transportation fringe benefit to bicycle commuters.
Sec. 301. Extension and modification of research credit.
Sec. 308. Increase in limit on cover over of rum excise tax to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.
Sec. 309. Extension of economic development credit for American Samoa.
Sec. 317. Seven-year cost recovery period for motorsports racing track facility.
Sec. 323. Enhanced charitable deductions for contributions of food inventory.
Sec. 324. Extension of enhanced charitable deduction for contributions of book inventory.
Sec. 325. Extension and modification of duty suspension on wool products; wool research fund; wool duty refunds.
Sec 502. Provisions related to film and television productions.
Sec. 503. Exemption from excise tax for certain wooden arrows designed for use by children.
Sec. 504. Income averaging for amounts received in connection with the Exxon Valdez litigation.
Sec. 601. Secure rural schools and community self-determination program.
Sec. 602. Transfer interest earned to abandoned mine reclamation fund.
~ E. Manning

What are the Feds Doing with Stimulus Money?

President Bush signed the Economic Stimulus Act of 2008 back on February 13, calling his stimulus idea a “booster shot” for the American economy. At the signing ceremony, Bush stated, “The bill I’m signing today is large enough to have an impact, amounting to more than $152 billion this year, or about 1 percent of the GDP (gross domestic product).”

At that time, the government mandated that checks be issued to qualified citizens through May. The process has dragged on through June. Some Americans have not received their promised stimulus payments through the Internal Revenue Service.

Barack Obama is circling the country in a two-week campaign. He is proposing that lawmakers should inject another $50 billion immediately into the sluggish U.S. economy. Mr. Obama noted the largest monthly increase in the unemployment rate in over 20 years. He intends to use his position in the Senate to generate a movement for “another round of fiscal stimulus, an immediate $50 billion to help those who’ve been hit hardest by this economic downturn.”

Mr. Obama supports the expansion and extension of unemployment benefits, as well as a second round of tax rebate checks. “Relief can’t wait until the next president takes office.”

Federal unemployment benefits for people out of work are usually limited to 26 weeks. A movement of Democrats wants to add another 13 weeks plus an additional 13 weeks in states with unemployment of 6% or more. President Bush has previously been against extending unemployment benefits, preferring to bail out imprudent banks and mortgagers.

On June 6, the Treasury Department reported that it has sent out nearly 67 million in stimulus payments worth approximately $57 billion. Now the important question comes to mind. The stimulus package was advertised as a $152 billion stimulus. Where is the remaining $95 billion stipulated by the first stimulus plan?

Now, we are talking about a new stimulus plan as if the first stimulus plan is complete. Where did the money go? What is Washington up to? Is the stimulus a straw dog of sorts? Has economic stimulus become mere hype?

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