Chicken Little Bill (the sky is falling) , try TINA - There Is No Alternative, unless you want the freak show to return. I give DJT an A except for the Iran fiasco, but he has a long way to go to equal Auto Pen's Ukraine-Russia war. Busting on DOGE? You got to be kidding me! Unless you love sending your money into the federal government so that they can fund the Somalis and drag queen shows. Root out 25% fraud/waste gets you a balance budget. Notice how hard the MSM and the blue politicians pushed back on this.
To me the choice is simple unless you want a return to open borders, defund the police, no prisons, boys in girls locker rooms, LGBTQ+ rights, stolen lands, and green energy.
All of this doesn't matter. The majority of voters in this country are like drug addicts. They want that instant relief and no matter how harmful it is, are willing to do anything that defies logic, thinking it will be better.
That is the most important comment related to ALL the mess we are dealing with. I don't have to like everything DJT has done or is doing but there is no way I'll vote for the alternate side of the political spectrum.
Jim, I am on the other side. I am a long life conservative and have overwhelming vote for Republicans BUT, alas, this time I am going for anybody NOT a republican. Congress is a humiliating disgrace. Most of all of them have become slaves to the zionists lobby. America is the worse terrorist country in the World. And the Taco Clown is so corrupt and evil that it defies imagination. What he and all the presidents before him back to Clinton are just so pathetic and only cared about themselves. The Taco Clown needs to be shuttered and kept in a straight-jacket until he is either impeached (my vote) or term expires. America isn't respected by the rest of the World. Even here in the western hemisphere all countries are turning against him and America. This is going to be horrific for not only America but the whole world. The writing is on the wall from my viewpoint. But, at least today (who knows about tomorrow) it isn't illegal to enjoy my First Amendment Rights. There is a reason the Fathers of our Country put the freedom of speech in the 1st Amendment. Each to his own but I am voting against the Republicans and encouraging everyone I meet to do the same.
Bill isn't picking sides; he merely extrapolated real data to make some justifiable observations.
Take solace that should the GOP be displaced by the Democrats, the course our Ship of State is following won't change much if at all.
Spending will continue exceeding revenues; the dollar's purchasing power will continue collapsing and our current president will continue wanting to rename buildings and monuments to honor him.
This is the real issue, Alan. TINA all the way! The debt is outrageous, unquestionably and mostly due to the Democrats trying to destroy the country with debt and get the permanent vote of immigrants. But of course Cheney and Bush were just as bad from the Iraq war perspective but partially defended from an oil perspective. The US economy depended upon mideast oil back then. I'm not saying the war wasn't many lies it was.
Just look at how the left pervasively in the EU allowed all this immigration. How'd you like to live in Britain right now? My British friends say it is a disaster. But all these other EU countries too, disasters. And we all know there were a 100 other helpers pushing the immigration here to the US, the Catholic church, Soros money, the UN funding, they even had buses running in Mexico to move the immigrants up from the Darien Gap to the US border.
The Chinese, with more money and supported immigration used boats provided to transport them on safer easier routes across the Panama canal. Note: these were totally dominated by military aged Chinese men, and much more secretive than other camps by guys who went there to report on the immigration corridor.
Tom, Bill and Dan are constantly describing how the US is trapped between too much debt to fund because interest is only now automatically creating more debt since printing money to buy long term bonds increases the debt and interest cost. At the same time, they usually don't mention that US politicians all know that austerity is absolutely "not a solution." It would kill the economy and they all believe, like a bunch of Christians in the word of God, in Keynesianism. It's like the law of the land. I've written my Congressional reps 20-30 times over 30 years to BALANCE THE BUDGET and I haven't heard back even once. Any and every Congress person knows you get laughed off the podium for bringing up austerity. It makes me think that is the first mantra of indoctrination, on the first day, as you are introduced into Congress. Rule number One. In fact Sheryl Attkisson in "Just the News" goes through the indoctrination process as showing how you must pay first your $100,000 to join your party, your dues, and then big pharma will reimburse you late with a big money party. If that rep doesn't play the game (pay their party) they won't get any seats on the authoritative committees. In other words, good luck getting reelected without the lobby money and no participation in decision making. Thomas Massie is your latest example of Balance the Budget "foolishness." Primaried!
Bottom line is that there is no choice between austerity and "growing your way out of the debt." The choice is not austerity, even though "growing your way out of! debt" is one of the great American absurdities. Now as to why Americans can't see what is happening is beyond my naive mind. Apparently it is because enough of these people living off the government tit don't commit to enough understanding of economic reality to realize they are going downhill financially doing so. Or maybe they are just LAZY. Being raised in Detroit I've met many of these people. They are amazing! I mean, truly amazing! They think they are getting ahead living in free Welfare Housing, driving corvettes, doing essentially nothing with their lives, some owned and raced small sailboats every Wednesday evening. some were artists. Some bought the old mansions in "Indian Village" a neighborhood of old homes built out of the first Detroit Auto Boom growth era. Then when the government decided "everyone should have their own home" and decided to provide loans to everyone, AKA 2008 property bubble. All you needed was a heartbeat and to follow the pervasive knowledge as to how to "properly" apply for a home loan or should I say the guts to apply for a loan which you knew you would never pay back. Those times were just a little bit more stupid than the IMMIGRATION vote buying scheme. I must say that given Congress' ability manufacture huge departments to organze free loans to the laziest people, those with the least integrity of society, those not even willing to work at all, EVER. I'm not surprised the absurdity of bubble finance continues to surprise as to the length of time these bubbles can persist. Because even as I write this viewpoint it looks as though I'm the fool for not playing their game. I could have owned a huge mansion for a few years, been driving a corvette, been racing sailboats with the rich people, and avoided 3 years of graduate school, at 16 hours a day of study time, and 30 years of 9 to 5. I could've watched TV all day long on the couch eating potato chips and drinking coke, probably snorting coke and then participating in LGBTQ sex every afternoon with my neighbors.
I suspect Trump isn't worried at all about midterms because the choice for American voters is do you want corruption, graft, sexual deviance, Sodom and Gomorrah, no borders, murder and rape OR "civil society." If society doesn't choose "civil society" then Trump gave it his best shot and Fuck Stupidity. He'll be right there with Bill, trying to keep what he has worked for and to stop jealousy from taking "other people'e money" and fighting to return to Freedom. Thank goodness for him that he has a few choices as to the best location to achieve that.
If you don't want sexual deviancy which team would you vote for? Todd Blanche, Donnie's lawyer, now head of the DOJ is doing backflips to avoid releasing all of the Epstein blackmail operation files. As far as returning to freedom how will we do that when Palentir is deeply embedded in our government.
If Steve already received the check why did Trump promise $5000 more. But if you are worried about freak shows just watch Crash Patel deny that Epstein trafficked women to Antony but himself? How about Howard Lutnick lying about his association with Epstein or Hegseth having multiple affairs while he was married to wife #1 and #2. Looks like both teams have another freaks to go around.
I agree, and like to use a Thomas Sowell expression "Compared to what?". There are all kind of ways to badmouth Trump & company, but then...things won't be better if the donkeys are in charge.
Speaking of stolen lands did you know that eminent domain is being used to steal land for AI data centers? If rooting out fraud is the goal how much money has the fraudster Elon Musk and his Doge boys saved us? Ironic that Elon made a fortune sucking tax payer money through subsidies and government contracts.
Sad that these are our choices but maybe both teams suck?
Why the hard on for Elon? At least he WORKS and employs thousands. Maybe you're fond of the Learing Centers (money for nothing). DOGE is dead because of the lawsuits but others like Nick Shirley have continued the fraud work. Maybe you missed yesterday where JD Vance talked about the 750,000 fraudulent Obamacare enrollees. Auto Pen increased enrollment from 11M to 24M. I'm sure there's a lot more fraud in there.......
So know problem with the billions in subsidies he has received or the Carbon Tax Credits he has received? No problem that he has billions invested in China and close ties to the Chinese government yet he was granted access to all our federal records? As far as the shape shifter Vance, he is Peter Theil’s puppet and will say anything to get elected. Even fail to defend his wife's religious beliefs. But he did look good in that blonde wig and eye shadow.
Plus, did you notice that Doge never investigated the Defense. Department. The Pentagon has never passed a audit.
But, really, there is no other choice. The Left will flood us with foreigners. Millions of them both "legally" and illegally.
Somalis, for example, have done nothing but add to our national debt. The democrats would like a lot more of them for the kickbacks from fraud and the votes.
10-15 Million poor, illiterate, unhealthy people that is over running are hospitals and schools. The Dems want Medicare for all (illegals). PA has a measles out break. I wonder why. MSM will never say who is getting them but Shapiro is quick to blame RFK Jr.
Yes, and an imported third world, dependent class, will ultimately outpopulate the middle class and are much easier to control with much lower expectations; thus, keeping the unproductive "ruling class" in power and in clover!!!
(unless of course, as history shows, today's "useful idiots" will, too, lose the game)
DJT is capable of making some of the most outrageous utterances. He might try coming out with; "God spoke to me last night and told me to cease the war in Iran Bring the troups home and stop supporting Netanyahu's genocidal behaviour".
No offramp required God had spoken to him. The man is on a hiding to nothing. He is hated by his fellow Americans and largely by the rest of the world
He is hated by the left owned media, not the people who overwhelmingly elected him. He is also hated by stupidity and sheep following the left wing media.
Watch out. Joe Rogan and his followers abandoning the Trump Titanic. Several younger veterans on YouTube regularly hammer Trump or as they call him Diaper Don. Check out Valhalla VFT.
I laugh at the Trump True Believers cult, who turn a blind eye to his failure to prosecute the Epstein pedophiles while following Israel’s lead into a senseless war. And let’s ignore the skyrocketing national debt and soaring inflation directly as a result of our increasingly feeble leader’s policies. You ask, “compared to what?” How about leadership like that of Thomas Massie, who thinks that smaller government is better, and economic conservatism and balanced budgets are more important than foreign entanglements! Compare Trump to fiscal responsibility and limited government, try that on. Oh, that is right, the orangeman clan drove him out for taking on the Epstein Class and failing to bend the knee. Bring on the ad hominems….
Trump’s relationship to the truth is completely tenuous and his dementia doesn’t help because you don’t know what the guy is going to do from one minute to the next, including possibly using nukes.
He can’t seem to let go of the war in Ukraine, and this unnecessary, unprovoked war in Iran is a total fiasco for the world! His loyalty is clearly with “our greatest ally”, not with America.
The Democrats appear to be heavy on socialism/Marxism which historically have been failures! We have neocons that are pushing for war, so the likelihood of a peaceful solution is mostly nonexistent!
The US is in a real bind! You can call this any type of derangement syndrome you want.
Martin Armstrong generally doesn’t make a lot of apocalyptic pronouncements. He’s generally pretty circumspect.
This is where he says we are heading if Trump doesn’t change course: “God help us. It is going to get ugly into 2028. This is going to be the confrontation that leads to deep division in the USA and the eventual collapse of the Republican form of government as we reach 2032. I published this back in 2023 and it has a target of 2026 with a panic cycle in 2029. Grab your socks and hold on tight.”
I love Marty, but he's been predicting THE END for years. He's right on trend, but not on time. The "deep division" isn't going to brought on by an event; it's already there and has been for 20+ years, which is why we make ZERO progress in this country. What we have to do is take the medicine to get better. Crash the mess, already. Best always. PM
The future is worrisome and being made worse by our current president, a megalomaniac who yesterday announced to the world that he is ready to destroy a nation of 90 million people.
He's acting as a deranged dictator.
And on a smaller but no less telling scale, he now wants to place snipers atop a yet-to-be constructed monument to his glorification at the entrance to the Memorial Bridge.
Hopefully, the veterans movement dedicated to stop this waste of taxpayer money will succeed.
In the meantime, surely somebody will finally uncover why DJT is so accommodating to Putin.
I totally agree with your comment, but I do not think that DJT is particularly accommodating to Putin! I listen to a number of people on Judge Napolitano’s show and Russia felt like the United States made an agreement with them in Alaska, which we then turned around and did not honor! Just like the Minsk agreements that weren’t honored which helped usher in the conflict in Ukraine that is happening now, thanks to the neocons, that never met a war they don’t like. The government in Ukraine is utterly corrupt, with our help, and the continual anti Russian sentiment just keeps adding fuel to the fire!
I realize there are people that aren’t going to agree with this comment and that’s okay.
There is no better way to undermine one's word than consistently not keeping one's promises. Remember the promise to not allow all the old Soviet satellite countries into NATO? After every single soviet satellite is a member of NATO is Russia going to accept one more promise to not attempt to take over Russia? Get real. NATO cannot be trusted. It's pretty simple unless you believe in global warming and 15 minute cities.
My concern is based on the following of which #6 is an unsubstantiated supposition:
1. The age of sexual consent in Russia is 14
2. The Russian secret service like their Soviet predecessors bug and film the rooms of visiting dignitaries
3. DJT is a known philanderer
4. DJT visited Moscow before he became president (to explore opening a hotel)
5. Trump dismissed his US interpreter when leaving him alone with Putin and the Russian interpreter the first time they met after DJT became president
6. It doesn't take much more to conclude that Putin has evidence of compromising conduct by DJT with 14 year old girls which is OK in Russia but not OK here.
My understanding is that the age of sexual consent in Russia is 16. Other than that, I don’t have a reason to disagree with your assessment! It might be correct!
The war in Ukraine was caused by not keeping a promise to not allow any of the old soviet satellite countries into NATO. Ukraine was the last one and right next to Moscow and you see what that closeness is now bringing to Russia. But furthermore after breaking promises there was a US / British led coup against a elected president, installing a NATO affiliated president for Ukraine. Breaking all their promises and then killing Russian people within Ukraine is a valid case for war and it happened. Russia needed to protect its own interest. Now many EU / WEF leadership state they must defeat Russia. They are absolutely right. They desperately need Russia's resources. They economic stupidity of removing nuclear plants and relying on solar and wind has decimated German industry. Diesel costs $10 + per gallon there. Now they must defeat Russia while Russia wants to build relationships and trade with the EU. These are simply jealous aholes that want to provide their people with more welfare state so they can retain office. And their old and dying leadership wants to retain power, of course. Maybe they should start removing their welfare state, drop their climate change absurdities, start providing for their own military security, implement their lovely 15 minute cities, get their society to have nothing and be happy and put their society to work with less energy that they so believe in. Their leaders are idiots and the Europeans are finally getting rid of the coke snorting fools.
Good synopsis! I hope some people take it to heart.
The unfortunate thing is so many people do not know this because they’ve been hearing propaganda against Russia for ages and they never do any research!
I agree with you entirely Mac. I've been to Moscow and have a Russian wife so I know a bit about the Ukraine problem. The Brits and NATO will do anything to keep the war going to try to wear down the Russians but I would say be careful of continually poking the bear.
Martin Armstrong a college dropout and xcon with economic predictions that have demonstrated his sophomoric thinking, why would tout his contributions? Let me why I am wrong because that happens alot to me.
Well, Martin having spent limited time in higher education doesn’t seem to have hurt him since his net worth is considered to be somewhere between 300 and $500 million, if that is accurate. Attending college doesn’t necessarily make you smart!
I’m clearly not the only one touting his economic predictions, and allegedly he was the hedge fund manager of the year in 1998, the Forex person of the year in 2015, and the economist of the decade in 1990!
Well for sure a college education is not necessary in order to contribute. However, in a highly theoretical field such as economics and economic theory, a graduate degree assists you in not making a fool of yourself in terms of your peer group and damaging your professional reputation. Armstrong has done this at the cost of his credibility.
But look at all the damage the educated idiots at the Fed have caused to the US economy. Bernanke, Greenspan and Yellen all have PHDs in Economics. And they didn't even see the financial crisis of 2008 coming.
How did it get so bad? There is no one to vote for, no leadership. The wonderful mechanism of government formed by the Founding Fathers is dead. It has been cheapened by money, destroyed by sound bite lies and catastrophic decisions.
Democracy is dead, the market is dead; the people have no voice, no choice; corruption rules and all people are corrupted.
The future is dystopian, A Reign of Terror, France, Russia, looms in the future.
The people didn’t decide anything. A few decided. The military industrial complex was more profitable than consumer manufacturing,regulation limited competition, finance was where you could steal money.
The economy became government spending that went into the pockets of the deciders, the 1% that now earn 40% of the income.
The economy was slowly decimated, industrial America became the rust belt, peoples lives degraded, hopeless and the growing hopelessness was painted over by poverty programs because that is what the system produced for most people.
SS is collapsing because jobs collapsed. Everything is collapsing because we have been stagnant for 70 years. A society that does not provide for its people is a foundering society.
I mention The Reign of Terror in France and Russia because our leaders are just as corrupted as the nobles that ruled those countries. They were complete greedy failures and the people rose up thirsty for blood.
Repression is getting extreme, these people are ruthless and they turn technology against us; maybe revolution is impossible. The stupidity is at such a level that there will always be a bridge too far, a catastrophe, a black swan moment. They will destroy everything.
Not a single one of the issues you listed came into existence spontaneously. They exist because over the years, politicians made certain policy decisions and the people themselves either supported those policies or did nothing to stop them.
You have to pretend that people have no agency in order to argue otherwise.
We could theoretically turn things around even now. People in overwhelming numbers could rise up in every congressional district in this country and put forward candidates who would vote against every form of government largesse.
Every spending bill that doesn't cut the deficit.
Every program that allows one person to live at the expense of someone else. Military spending could be cut, the Fed could be abolished, interest rates could be set by the market, government welfare and other forms of socialism eliminated entirely, etc., etc.
But you and I know that none of that will ever happen.
And it isn't because of a deep state conspiracy that exercises some terrible form of mind control over the populace, rendering them incapable of deciding for themselves.
No, it's because a large percentage of our fellow homo sapiens want stuff, they want someone else to provide it, and they will vote for whoever promises to take it for them.
Your declaration that only a "few" decided all this is simply untrue.
We are where we are because for dozens of decades a majority or a plurality of voters have supported this crap.
What did you do? What did anyone do? Of course we are all complicit.
“Every program that allows one person to live at the expense of someone else.”
Adam Smith, paraphrased, the basis of the economy is labor and barter. That is the basis of survival, the effective use of labor provides more abundantly. We all live by the labors of our fellow man. We are all dependent.
Civilization always produces a ruling class propagandizing a false dogma that promulgates their interests. In their minds they become gods and everyone else a slave to build their pyramids of stupidity.
The world is a cesspool created by people that believe in shit and shit is all they hear and speak.
There is always, in a sophisticated society, a ruling class; they decide.
What you are advocating is regime change. Let’s bomb them into it. What will change?
Everything that exists in a system is a reflection of those that influence the system and acquiesce to it.
You’re right, it is a reflection of their hearts, beliefs.
"Republican lawmakers are in the doghouse. Still, they hope voters will take them back and try them one more time. But it looks like voters have had enough already."
I thought that with GW Bush, too but I was VERY wrong! What I learned is that voters have very short memories and lack the ability to think critically.
Take heart; that's just the mentality we need. It will bring on The Crash faster, and The Crash is our only way out at this point. We are merely prolonging our agony this way. Best always. PM
I was reading about the midterm elections. Apparently voters are unhappy. That’s never good for politicians. Politicians prefer voters happy, or frightened. Either one works. Indifferent is also acceptable. Really, the only emotion they dislike is curiosity.
The campaign message seems to be “Try me one more time.” That’s romantic. Usually you hear that from a man standing outside his ex-wife’s apartment at two in the morning.
“I’ve changed, Susan.”
“How?”
“Well…I’m outside.”
The president apparently suggested voters imagine he’s personally on the ballot. Interesting strategy. Usually politicians who aren’t on the ballot try to convince you the election isn’t about them. This fellow apparently said:
“No, no.
Let’s make this harder.”
People are worried about diesel prices. I understand, Diesel isn’t glamorous.
Nobody buys a sports car and says:
“What’s she got under the hood?”
“Diesel.”
“My God…does she deliver refrigerators?”
But diesel matters because trucks use it. And trucks carry nearly everything. So when diesel gets expensive, everything delivered by truck gets expensive. Economists have a technical term for this.
They call it:
“Bad”
I like economics.
Then there’s the $450,000 house with the 7% mortgage.
Apparently people also find this unaffordable. I ran the numbers, they’re right. That’s why I don’t run numbers very often, it’s depressing.
The realtor says:
“It’s a wonderful investment.”
I say:
“Can I afford it?”
She says:
“It’s a wonderful investment.”
I notice she didn’t answer, that’s how you know she’s a professional.
Then there’s the national debt. Forty trillion dollars. That’s a large number. I don’t know exactly how large. After about a billion dollars, numbers stop having emotional significance to me.
If somebody says:
“The government owes forty trillion dollars,”
I think:
“That sounds bad.”
But if somebody says:
“Your checking account is overdrawn by $83,”
I think:
“Jesus Christ.”
Perhaps that’s how government works. Nobody can comprehend the number, so everybody remains calm.
Maybe when the debt reaches $83, we’ll finally panic.
People apparently remember the Eisenhower years fondly. Houses, Buicks, vacuum cleaners, trips to the lake, rising incomes.
Lower debt relative to the economy. That’s pleasant, of course, nostalgia is interesting, I remember Dad washing the Buick on Sunday, I don’t remember Dad saying:
“Son, someday people will stare at this period selectively and use me in an argument about fiscal policy.”
Dad was busy, he had a Buick.
Rising living standards meant people could buy vacuum cleaners.
That’s progress, you know civilization is improving when ordinary people can afford a machine whose sole purpose is to collect things they already own…but don’t want.
Dust.
Hair.
Crumbs.
Occasionally a Lego.
The vacuum cleaner doesn’t create wealth, it removes evidence.
In that respect…it might have a future in Washington.
People also expected their children to live better than they did. That’s a nice expectation. Today parents have somewhat different expectations. They hope their children eventually move out.
Preferably before the parents die. Although given housing prices…that’s becoming an estate-planning strategy.
“Dad left me the house.”
“How sad.”
“Yes, but finally I can move out.”
The political parties are worried about the election. One side says the other side caused the problems. The other side says the first side caused the problems.
I’ve studied this carefully.
Apparently…somebody caused the problems. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.
I am so tired about hearing about the gold standard. I was 10 in 1971. Unless you can take an eraser and wipe out the past 55 years it is not going to happen until after total collapse. Time to move on, I think the readers understand that the worth of our paper dollars has been lost. 80% of the population is not old enough or doesn't even understand what it means. I don't have a problem about suggesting the purchase of gold, but the gold standard has been lost. Is there any other country in the world that's currency is still established on the gold standard? If there is, tell us about it and how they are doing. If not, let's try to figure out how we are going to improve and not just keep the status quo waiting for something that may or may not even happen in our lifetime.
Yes, there are no countries that have gold backed fiat. However, in the past three years countries and central banks, as well as international central banks, have been buying and repatriating gold at rates never seen before in human history. Moreover, the world is now it its sixth year of silver deficit production i.e., consuming more than can be produced. The silver market is inelastic, meaning it takes 7 to 15 years to bring new mines to production. To compound this problem 75% of all silver is a byproduct of mining for other substances such as copper and lead. So, if you want more silver, then you must produce more copper et. al. but copper has its own market and it is not tied to silver. So yes, to be sure, currencies worldwide will be backed by some combination of precious metals, as it is in the works as we speak. There is no other way to being stability to international settlement. How it will look has yet to be fully decided but be assured it is happening.
They are still trying to "save the country," i.e. grow out of the debt. This growing out of the debt story is giving Trump time to exhibit what has happened due to the excessive debt and what the political class has festered upon us. Obviously our political system isn't working that well and hasn't for 40 years of the Great Society. Most times politicians can't see the forest for the trees. The perfect example being global warming of Vietnam or, or, or.
They don't care about the distinction between the Forrest and the Tress as such a distinction is irrelevant to them. No, they look through the Forrest and around the Trees to find any substance to pad their pockets and support their abuse of the system.
Well not sure why the US in not imbibing in the precious metals markets. It could be that the purported amount of 8130 tonnes, the largest stock pile in the world (next closes Germany 3000 plus tonnes) has been determined to be sufficient. The question for me is do we have what we say we have? I doubt it. However, given the international movement toward precious metals as the backstop, well maybe.
Probably and all your rights and freedoms will be gone at least here in the West. Think voting will help..........LOL! US military power is gone. Aircraft carriers and naval seapower gone. And, once the US$ goes asunder we in the west are toast. Going to be ugly folks - really ugly!
It will probably be tried. But then it requires trust, which is something long gone. I probably won't see gold backing but I would bet it comes back as confidence is costly to obtain and easy to lose.
And so we are back to the lesser of two evils. There really is no good choice. And while I am no fan of DJT, most particularly the Iran war fiasco, the demoncrats are worse. And so I’m going with the Republicans as a lesser of two evils, not because I believe 100%.
Just wondering......how do you deal with the genocides going on by the U.S. and Israel in Gaza and Lebanon? How do you deal with killing children in Iran? Targeting hospitals and police? How about assassinations in the mist of negotiations? What gives Trump and America the right to tear-up any agreements they have made on a whim all over the World? How about the ability to murder in cold blood on a boat in the Caribbean? One of these days "payback is going to be a bitch" for America!
"And almost universally, by the early ‘60s, people expected their children to do even better. America was on an upwards course; few people doubted it."
The early '60s saw peak heritage America but then in a few short years along came the Civil Rights Act, The Great Society, Hart-Celler, feminism, and the closing of the gold window and now here we are - a dead man walking into a third world freak show.
Hmmm....is it a "freak show"? Are you sure? From this viewpoint, the only "freak show" is being put on by Trump and America. Think America is always right. Always follows international law. Always follow the Constitution. Really? Regardless, the 40T in debt is going to blow skyhigh. And when it does America is in for a deep, deep depression. Thinking the World is going to go along hangs on derangement. For us peons, we have no way out. Is this what people thought in 1929? But 1929 is going to be a walk in the park compared to what is coming.
Diesel is at an all time high but crude is not, whose fault is that? With the FED unable to control long term rates the market will set them. The FED will need to inject money to avoid a liquidity squeeze since so much has already gone to tech. Finally the AI bubble will need government protection as companies are held liable for rouge programs they have produced (already lobbying for with ‘we can’t control our own programs and don’t want to spend the money and time to correct so protect us before our IPO. AI said to ask for everybody to slow down until we get our protections).
Tom, you asked, "Diesel is at an all-time high, but crude is not". Just think it through. Who sets the price as "the buyer of crude" and sets the price asf the seller of diesel? The REFINERIES! How many times in your life have you bought a barrel of "Crude"? The refineries make their money by buying cheap crude and selling expensive diesel etc. They are in full control of both the buy and the sell function.
Republican lawmakers are in the doghouse. Still, they hope voters will take them back and try them one more time. But it looks like voters have had enough already.
Fill in the above with Bonner readers... it is clear Big Billy doesn't give a rats ass about the future of this country. Instead of pointing fingers look at the ones pointing back and take a f'ing stand... AC
But Bill has been preaching about both teams spending too much and running up this $40 trillion debt. It's actually the Dims and Repugs who haven't balanced the budget this century who do not care about the future. Trump surely doesn't give a rat's ass about it either. During his 5+ years in office the debt has increased by over $11 trillion.
Man was this ever so enlightening! OL’LSO really brought it home that his initials must stand for “Left Sanity Outside” cause his logic is definitely way out there. 47 to 50 years of a terroist regime telling you they want to kill you and all your kind(Westerners-Christians & Jews) and doing it regularly is enough reason for me to say not if my vote can help stop it. No Nukes for Islamist pysho Iran.
Sadly, both parties follow the same general pattern. They lie to get elected and then work to pad their own bank accounts. We just pick what we view is the lesser of two evil at election time......and hope we are right this time.
Chicken Little Bill (the sky is falling) , try TINA - There Is No Alternative, unless you want the freak show to return. I give DJT an A except for the Iran fiasco, but he has a long way to go to equal Auto Pen's Ukraine-Russia war. Busting on DOGE? You got to be kidding me! Unless you love sending your money into the federal government so that they can fund the Somalis and drag queen shows. Root out 25% fraud/waste gets you a balance budget. Notice how hard the MSM and the blue politicians pushed back on this.
To me the choice is simple unless you want a return to open borders, defund the police, no prisons, boys in girls locker rooms, LGBTQ+ rights, stolen lands, and green energy.
All of this doesn't matter. The majority of voters in this country are like drug addicts. They want that instant relief and no matter how harmful it is, are willing to do anything that defies logic, thinking it will be better.
That is the most important comment related to ALL the mess we are dealing with. I don't have to like everything DJT has done or is doing but there is no way I'll vote for the alternate side of the political spectrum.
Jim Marshall
Jim, I am on the other side. I am a long life conservative and have overwhelming vote for Republicans BUT, alas, this time I am going for anybody NOT a republican. Congress is a humiliating disgrace. Most of all of them have become slaves to the zionists lobby. America is the worse terrorist country in the World. And the Taco Clown is so corrupt and evil that it defies imagination. What he and all the presidents before him back to Clinton are just so pathetic and only cared about themselves. The Taco Clown needs to be shuttered and kept in a straight-jacket until he is either impeached (my vote) or term expires. America isn't respected by the rest of the World. Even here in the western hemisphere all countries are turning against him and America. This is going to be horrific for not only America but the whole world. The writing is on the wall from my viewpoint. But, at least today (who knows about tomorrow) it isn't illegal to enjoy my First Amendment Rights. There is a reason the Fathers of our Country put the freedom of speech in the 1st Amendment. Each to his own but I am voting against the Republicans and encouraging everyone I meet to do the same.
"The Taco Clown needs to be shuttered and kept in a straight-jacket."
Amen
So it is Harris or AOC for you?
Please explain how you think that is going to work out.
Why not join the Vote for Nobody movement? Maybe if enough people stop voting for either of these two mediocre teams they would be forced to change.
Alan,
Bill isn't picking sides; he merely extrapolated real data to make some justifiable observations.
Take solace that should the GOP be displaced by the Democrats, the course our Ship of State is following won't change much if at all.
Spending will continue exceeding revenues; the dollar's purchasing power will continue collapsing and our current president will continue wanting to rename buildings and monuments to honor him.
But if you like chaos a bonus of the Dims taking control of Congress will give us unending hearings and fireworks.
This is the real issue, Alan. TINA all the way! The debt is outrageous, unquestionably and mostly due to the Democrats trying to destroy the country with debt and get the permanent vote of immigrants. But of course Cheney and Bush were just as bad from the Iraq war perspective but partially defended from an oil perspective. The US economy depended upon mideast oil back then. I'm not saying the war wasn't many lies it was.
Just look at how the left pervasively in the EU allowed all this immigration. How'd you like to live in Britain right now? My British friends say it is a disaster. But all these other EU countries too, disasters. And we all know there were a 100 other helpers pushing the immigration here to the US, the Catholic church, Soros money, the UN funding, they even had buses running in Mexico to move the immigrants up from the Darien Gap to the US border.
The Chinese, with more money and supported immigration used boats provided to transport them on safer easier routes across the Panama canal. Note: these were totally dominated by military aged Chinese men, and much more secretive than other camps by guys who went there to report on the immigration corridor.
Tom, Bill and Dan are constantly describing how the US is trapped between too much debt to fund because interest is only now automatically creating more debt since printing money to buy long term bonds increases the debt and interest cost. At the same time, they usually don't mention that US politicians all know that austerity is absolutely "not a solution." It would kill the economy and they all believe, like a bunch of Christians in the word of God, in Keynesianism. It's like the law of the land. I've written my Congressional reps 20-30 times over 30 years to BALANCE THE BUDGET and I haven't heard back even once. Any and every Congress person knows you get laughed off the podium for bringing up austerity. It makes me think that is the first mantra of indoctrination, on the first day, as you are introduced into Congress. Rule number One. In fact Sheryl Attkisson in "Just the News" goes through the indoctrination process as showing how you must pay first your $100,000 to join your party, your dues, and then big pharma will reimburse you late with a big money party. If that rep doesn't play the game (pay their party) they won't get any seats on the authoritative committees. In other words, good luck getting reelected without the lobby money and no participation in decision making. Thomas Massie is your latest example of Balance the Budget "foolishness." Primaried!
Bottom line is that there is no choice between austerity and "growing your way out of the debt." The choice is not austerity, even though "growing your way out of! debt" is one of the great American absurdities. Now as to why Americans can't see what is happening is beyond my naive mind. Apparently it is because enough of these people living off the government tit don't commit to enough understanding of economic reality to realize they are going downhill financially doing so. Or maybe they are just LAZY. Being raised in Detroit I've met many of these people. They are amazing! I mean, truly amazing! They think they are getting ahead living in free Welfare Housing, driving corvettes, doing essentially nothing with their lives, some owned and raced small sailboats every Wednesday evening. some were artists. Some bought the old mansions in "Indian Village" a neighborhood of old homes built out of the first Detroit Auto Boom growth era. Then when the government decided "everyone should have their own home" and decided to provide loans to everyone, AKA 2008 property bubble. All you needed was a heartbeat and to follow the pervasive knowledge as to how to "properly" apply for a home loan or should I say the guts to apply for a loan which you knew you would never pay back. Those times were just a little bit more stupid than the IMMIGRATION vote buying scheme. I must say that given Congress' ability manufacture huge departments to organze free loans to the laziest people, those with the least integrity of society, those not even willing to work at all, EVER. I'm not surprised the absurdity of bubble finance continues to surprise as to the length of time these bubbles can persist. Because even as I write this viewpoint it looks as though I'm the fool for not playing their game. I could have owned a huge mansion for a few years, been driving a corvette, been racing sailboats with the rich people, and avoided 3 years of graduate school, at 16 hours a day of study time, and 30 years of 9 to 5. I could've watched TV all day long on the couch eating potato chips and drinking coke, probably snorting coke and then participating in LGBTQ sex every afternoon with my neighbors.
I suspect Trump isn't worried at all about midterms because the choice for American voters is do you want corruption, graft, sexual deviance, Sodom and Gomorrah, no borders, murder and rape OR "civil society." If society doesn't choose "civil society" then Trump gave it his best shot and Fuck Stupidity. He'll be right there with Bill, trying to keep what he has worked for and to stop jealousy from taking "other people'e money" and fighting to return to Freedom. Thank goodness for him that he has a few choices as to the best location to achieve that.
Sorry for the length gang.
If you don't want sexual deviancy which team would you vote for? Todd Blanche, Donnie's lawyer, now head of the DOJ is doing backflips to avoid releasing all of the Epstein blackmail operation files. As far as returning to freedom how will we do that when Palentir is deeply embedded in our government.
Not too long; long is Patrick G saying nothing. On the other hand you said a lot of something, most, if not all, I resonate with.
When am I getting my DOGE check, before or after my $5,000 election bribe?
Stevie, you got it already with the Trump tax cuts. Vote with the freak show and you will be sending them a check............
If Steve already received the check why did Trump promise $5000 more. But if you are worried about freak shows just watch Crash Patel deny that Epstein trafficked women to Antony but himself? How about Howard Lutnick lying about his association with Epstein or Hegseth having multiple affairs while he was married to wife #1 and #2. Looks like both teams have another freaks to go around.
Cart, since they allow anyone to vote, you have to promise the low IQ voters something. Like Mamdani did with his 'free' grocery stores.........
I agree, and like to use a Thomas Sowell expression "Compared to what?". There are all kind of ways to badmouth Trump & company, but then...things won't be better if the donkeys are in charge.
Alan you are so right and as usual tds bill is so wrong.
Speaking of stolen lands did you know that eminent domain is being used to steal land for AI data centers? If rooting out fraud is the goal how much money has the fraudster Elon Musk and his Doge boys saved us? Ironic that Elon made a fortune sucking tax payer money through subsidies and government contracts.
Sad that these are our choices but maybe both teams suck?
Why the hard on for Elon? At least he WORKS and employs thousands. Maybe you're fond of the Learing Centers (money for nothing). DOGE is dead because of the lawsuits but others like Nick Shirley have continued the fraud work. Maybe you missed yesterday where JD Vance talked about the 750,000 fraudulent Obamacare enrollees. Auto Pen increased enrollment from 11M to 24M. I'm sure there's a lot more fraud in there.......
So know problem with the billions in subsidies he has received or the Carbon Tax Credits he has received? No problem that he has billions invested in China and close ties to the Chinese government yet he was granted access to all our federal records? As far as the shape shifter Vance, he is Peter Theil’s puppet and will say anything to get elected. Even fail to defend his wife's religious beliefs. But he did look good in that blonde wig and eye shadow.
Plus, did you notice that Doge never investigated the Defense. Department. The Pentagon has never passed a audit.
Yes, caught between a rock and a hard place.
But, really, there is no other choice. The Left will flood us with foreigners. Millions of them both "legally" and illegally.
Somalis, for example, have done nothing but add to our national debt. The democrats would like a lot more of them for the kickbacks from fraud and the votes.
Policies are temporary. People are permanent.
10-15 Million poor, illiterate, unhealthy people that is over running are hospitals and schools. The Dems want Medicare for all (illegals). PA has a measles out break. I wonder why. MSM will never say who is getting them but Shapiro is quick to blame RFK Jr.
Yes, and an imported third world, dependent class, will ultimately outpopulate the middle class and are much easier to control with much lower expectations; thus, keeping the unproductive "ruling class" in power and in clover!!!
(unless of course, as history shows, today's "useful idiots" will, too, lose the game)
DJT is capable of making some of the most outrageous utterances. He might try coming out with; "God spoke to me last night and told me to cease the war in Iran Bring the troups home and stop supporting Netanyahu's genocidal behaviour".
No offramp required God had spoken to him. The man is on a hiding to nothing. He is hated by his fellow Americans and largely by the rest of the world
Not sure this is true. Have you read what your fellow contributors have written ?
He is hated by the left owned media, not the people who overwhelmingly elected him. He is also hated by stupidity and sheep following the left wing media.
Watch out. Joe Rogan and his followers abandoning the Trump Titanic. Several younger veterans on YouTube regularly hammer Trump or as they call him Diaper Don. Check out Valhalla VFT.
I laugh at the Trump True Believers cult, who turn a blind eye to his failure to prosecute the Epstein pedophiles while following Israel’s lead into a senseless war. And let’s ignore the skyrocketing national debt and soaring inflation directly as a result of our increasingly feeble leader’s policies. You ask, “compared to what?” How about leadership like that of Thomas Massie, who thinks that smaller government is better, and economic conservatism and balanced budgets are more important than foreign entanglements! Compare Trump to fiscal responsibility and limited government, try that on. Oh, that is right, the orangeman clan drove him out for taking on the Epstein Class and failing to bend the knee. Bring on the ad hominems….
There is no cult, but there is a ton of frustration. Best always. PM
Trump’s relationship to the truth is completely tenuous and his dementia doesn’t help because you don’t know what the guy is going to do from one minute to the next, including possibly using nukes.
He can’t seem to let go of the war in Ukraine, and this unnecessary, unprovoked war in Iran is a total fiasco for the world! His loyalty is clearly with “our greatest ally”, not with America.
The Democrats appear to be heavy on socialism/Marxism which historically have been failures! We have neocons that are pushing for war, so the likelihood of a peaceful solution is mostly nonexistent!
The US is in a real bind! You can call this any type of derangement syndrome you want.
Martin Armstrong generally doesn’t make a lot of apocalyptic pronouncements. He’s generally pretty circumspect.
This is where he says we are heading if Trump doesn’t change course: “God help us. It is going to get ugly into 2028. This is going to be the confrontation that leads to deep division in the USA and the eventual collapse of the Republican form of government as we reach 2032. I published this back in 2023 and it has a target of 2026 with a panic cycle in 2029. Grab your socks and hold on tight.”
I love Marty, but he's been predicting THE END for years. He's right on trend, but not on time. The "deep division" isn't going to brought on by an event; it's already there and has been for 20+ years, which is why we make ZERO progress in this country. What we have to do is take the medicine to get better. Crash the mess, already. Best always. PM
Yeah, you’re right. Marty is pretty great, but his timing can be off a bit! In any case, I have my socks ready for any eventuality!
So true: "The US is in a real bind!"
The future is worrisome and being made worse by our current president, a megalomaniac who yesterday announced to the world that he is ready to destroy a nation of 90 million people.
He's acting as a deranged dictator.
And on a smaller but no less telling scale, he now wants to place snipers atop a yet-to-be constructed monument to his glorification at the entrance to the Memorial Bridge.
Hopefully, the veterans movement dedicated to stop this waste of taxpayer money will succeed.
In the meantime, surely somebody will finally uncover why DJT is so accommodating to Putin.
I totally agree with your comment, but I do not think that DJT is particularly accommodating to Putin! I listen to a number of people on Judge Napolitano’s show and Russia felt like the United States made an agreement with them in Alaska, which we then turned around and did not honor! Just like the Minsk agreements that weren’t honored which helped usher in the conflict in Ukraine that is happening now, thanks to the neocons, that never met a war they don’t like. The government in Ukraine is utterly corrupt, with our help, and the continual anti Russian sentiment just keeps adding fuel to the fire!
I realize there are people that aren’t going to agree with this comment and that’s okay.
There is no better way to undermine one's word than consistently not keeping one's promises. Remember the promise to not allow all the old Soviet satellite countries into NATO? After every single soviet satellite is a member of NATO is Russia going to accept one more promise to not attempt to take over Russia? Get real. NATO cannot be trusted. It's pretty simple unless you believe in global warming and 15 minute cities.
My concern is based on the following of which #6 is an unsubstantiated supposition:
1. The age of sexual consent in Russia is 14
2. The Russian secret service like their Soviet predecessors bug and film the rooms of visiting dignitaries
3. DJT is a known philanderer
4. DJT visited Moscow before he became president (to explore opening a hotel)
5. Trump dismissed his US interpreter when leaving him alone with Putin and the Russian interpreter the first time they met after DJT became president
6. It doesn't take much more to conclude that Putin has evidence of compromising conduct by DJT with 14 year old girls which is OK in Russia but not OK here.
Oh brother please for your own sake read some alternative views.
My understanding is that the age of sexual consent in Russia is 16. Other than that, I don’t have a reason to disagree with your assessment! It might be correct!
You need to read some alternative media.
The war in Ukraine was caused by not keeping a promise to not allow any of the old soviet satellite countries into NATO. Ukraine was the last one and right next to Moscow and you see what that closeness is now bringing to Russia. But furthermore after breaking promises there was a US / British led coup against a elected president, installing a NATO affiliated president for Ukraine. Breaking all their promises and then killing Russian people within Ukraine is a valid case for war and it happened. Russia needed to protect its own interest. Now many EU / WEF leadership state they must defeat Russia. They are absolutely right. They desperately need Russia's resources. They economic stupidity of removing nuclear plants and relying on solar and wind has decimated German industry. Diesel costs $10 + per gallon there. Now they must defeat Russia while Russia wants to build relationships and trade with the EU. These are simply jealous aholes that want to provide their people with more welfare state so they can retain office. And their old and dying leadership wants to retain power, of course. Maybe they should start removing their welfare state, drop their climate change absurdities, start providing for their own military security, implement their lovely 15 minute cities, get their society to have nothing and be happy and put their society to work with less energy that they so believe in. Their leaders are idiots and the Europeans are finally getting rid of the coke snorting fools.
Good synopsis! I hope some people take it to heart.
The unfortunate thing is so many people do not know this because they’ve been hearing propaganda against Russia for ages and they never do any research!
I agree with you entirely Mac. I've been to Moscow and have a Russian wife so I know a bit about the Ukraine problem. The Brits and NATO will do anything to keep the war going to try to wear down the Russians but I would say be careful of continually poking the bear.
Martin Armstrong a college dropout and xcon with economic predictions that have demonstrated his sophomoric thinking, why would tout his contributions? Let me why I am wrong because that happens alot to me.
Well, Martin having spent limited time in higher education doesn’t seem to have hurt him since his net worth is considered to be somewhere between 300 and $500 million, if that is accurate. Attending college doesn’t necessarily make you smart!
I’m clearly not the only one touting his economic predictions, and allegedly he was the hedge fund manager of the year in 1998, the Forex person of the year in 2015, and the economist of the decade in 1990!
I personally believe he was set up on his charges because he refused to give the government access to his Socrates computer!
I obviously can’t prove it because I wasn’t there!
So, as sophomoric as his thinking may be, it’s still in demand because he’s 76 and people still attend his WEC conferences.
I also happen to consider him likable and approachable, and he seems to have good intentions for humanity!
Well for sure a college education is not necessary in order to contribute. However, in a highly theoretical field such as economics and economic theory, a graduate degree assists you in not making a fool of yourself in terms of your peer group and damaging your professional reputation. Armstrong has done this at the cost of his credibility.
But look at all the damage the educated idiots at the Fed have caused to the US economy. Bernanke, Greenspan and Yellen all have PHDs in Economics. And they didn't even see the financial crisis of 2008 coming.
Yeah, and I’m sure he’s crying all the way to the bank!
For someone with such a lack of credibility he has plenty of people soliciting his opinion, so lucky for him he won’t have to depend on yours!
How did it get so bad? There is no one to vote for, no leadership. The wonderful mechanism of government formed by the Founding Fathers is dead. It has been cheapened by money, destroyed by sound bite lies and catastrophic decisions.
Democracy is dead, the market is dead; the people have no voice, no choice; corruption rules and all people are corrupted.
The future is dystopian, A Reign of Terror, France, Russia, looms in the future.
Hope it will not be that bad but I probably will be that bad.
𝙃𝙤𝙬 𝙙𝙞𝙙 𝙞𝙩 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙨𝙤 𝙗𝙖𝙙?
People decided it would be nice to live at the expense of someone else, and politicians decided to accommodate them.
The people didn’t decide anything. A few decided. The military industrial complex was more profitable than consumer manufacturing,regulation limited competition, finance was where you could steal money.
The economy became government spending that went into the pockets of the deciders, the 1% that now earn 40% of the income.
The economy was slowly decimated, industrial America became the rust belt, peoples lives degraded, hopeless and the growing hopelessness was painted over by poverty programs because that is what the system produced for most people.
SS is collapsing because jobs collapsed. Everything is collapsing because we have been stagnant for 70 years. A society that does not provide for its people is a foundering society.
I mention The Reign of Terror in France and Russia because our leaders are just as corrupted as the nobles that ruled those countries. They were complete greedy failures and the people rose up thirsty for blood.
Repression is getting extreme, these people are ruthless and they turn technology against us; maybe revolution is impossible. The stupidity is at such a level that there will always be a bridge too far, a catastrophe, a black swan moment. They will destroy everything.
Not a single one of the issues you listed came into existence spontaneously. They exist because over the years, politicians made certain policy decisions and the people themselves either supported those policies or did nothing to stop them.
You have to pretend that people have no agency in order to argue otherwise.
We could theoretically turn things around even now. People in overwhelming numbers could rise up in every congressional district in this country and put forward candidates who would vote against every form of government largesse.
Every spending bill that doesn't cut the deficit.
Every program that allows one person to live at the expense of someone else. Military spending could be cut, the Fed could be abolished, interest rates could be set by the market, government welfare and other forms of socialism eliminated entirely, etc., etc.
But you and I know that none of that will ever happen.
And it isn't because of a deep state conspiracy that exercises some terrible form of mind control over the populace, rendering them incapable of deciding for themselves.
No, it's because a large percentage of our fellow homo sapiens want stuff, they want someone else to provide it, and they will vote for whoever promises to take it for them.
Your declaration that only a "few" decided all this is simply untrue.
We are where we are because for dozens of decades a majority or a plurality of voters have supported this crap.
They have no one to blame but themselves.
What did you do? What did anyone do? Of course we are all complicit.
“Every program that allows one person to live at the expense of someone else.”
Adam Smith, paraphrased, the basis of the economy is labor and barter. That is the basis of survival, the effective use of labor provides more abundantly. We all live by the labors of our fellow man. We are all dependent.
Civilization always produces a ruling class propagandizing a false dogma that promulgates their interests. In their minds they become gods and everyone else a slave to build their pyramids of stupidity.
The world is a cesspool created by people that believe in shit and shit is all they hear and speak.
There is always, in a sophisticated society, a ruling class; they decide.
What you are advocating is regime change. Let’s bomb them into it. What will change?
Everything that exists in a system is a reflection of those that influence the system and acquiesce to it.
You’re right, it is a reflection of their hearts, beliefs.
The thing we can change is ourselves.
Who does it?
"Republican lawmakers are in the doghouse. Still, they hope voters will take them back and try them one more time. But it looks like voters have had enough already."
I thought that with GW Bush, too but I was VERY wrong! What I learned is that voters have very short memories and lack the ability to think critically.
Take heart; that's just the mentality we need. It will bring on The Crash faster, and The Crash is our only way out at this point. We are merely prolonging our agony this way. Best always. PM
You nailed it R.A.
I was reading about the midterm elections. Apparently voters are unhappy. That’s never good for politicians. Politicians prefer voters happy, or frightened. Either one works. Indifferent is also acceptable. Really, the only emotion they dislike is curiosity.
The campaign message seems to be “Try me one more time.” That’s romantic. Usually you hear that from a man standing outside his ex-wife’s apartment at two in the morning.
“I’ve changed, Susan.”
“How?”
“Well…I’m outside.”
The president apparently suggested voters imagine he’s personally on the ballot. Interesting strategy. Usually politicians who aren’t on the ballot try to convince you the election isn’t about them. This fellow apparently said:
“No, no.
Let’s make this harder.”
People are worried about diesel prices. I understand, Diesel isn’t glamorous.
Nobody buys a sports car and says:
“What’s she got under the hood?”
“Diesel.”
“My God…does she deliver refrigerators?”
But diesel matters because trucks use it. And trucks carry nearly everything. So when diesel gets expensive, everything delivered by truck gets expensive. Economists have a technical term for this.
They call it:
“Bad”
I like economics.
Then there’s the $450,000 house with the 7% mortgage.
Apparently people also find this unaffordable. I ran the numbers, they’re right. That’s why I don’t run numbers very often, it’s depressing.
The realtor says:
“It’s a wonderful investment.”
I say:
“Can I afford it?”
She says:
“It’s a wonderful investment.”
I notice she didn’t answer, that’s how you know she’s a professional.
Then there’s the national debt. Forty trillion dollars. That’s a large number. I don’t know exactly how large. After about a billion dollars, numbers stop having emotional significance to me.
If somebody says:
“The government owes forty trillion dollars,”
I think:
“That sounds bad.”
But if somebody says:
“Your checking account is overdrawn by $83,”
I think:
“Jesus Christ.”
Perhaps that’s how government works. Nobody can comprehend the number, so everybody remains calm.
Maybe when the debt reaches $83, we’ll finally panic.
People apparently remember the Eisenhower years fondly. Houses, Buicks, vacuum cleaners, trips to the lake, rising incomes.
Lower debt relative to the economy. That’s pleasant, of course, nostalgia is interesting, I remember Dad washing the Buick on Sunday, I don’t remember Dad saying:
“Son, someday people will stare at this period selectively and use me in an argument about fiscal policy.”
Dad was busy, he had a Buick.
Rising living standards meant people could buy vacuum cleaners.
That’s progress, you know civilization is improving when ordinary people can afford a machine whose sole purpose is to collect things they already own…but don’t want.
Dust.
Hair.
Crumbs.
Occasionally a Lego.
The vacuum cleaner doesn’t create wealth, it removes evidence.
In that respect…it might have a future in Washington.
People also expected their children to live better than they did. That’s a nice expectation. Today parents have somewhat different expectations. They hope their children eventually move out.
Preferably before the parents die. Although given housing prices…that’s becoming an estate-planning strategy.
“Dad left me the house.”
“How sad.”
“Yes, but finally I can move out.”
The political parties are worried about the election. One side says the other side caused the problems. The other side says the first side caused the problems.
I’ve studied this carefully.
Apparently…somebody caused the problems. That’s as far as I’ve gotten.
I am so tired about hearing about the gold standard. I was 10 in 1971. Unless you can take an eraser and wipe out the past 55 years it is not going to happen until after total collapse. Time to move on, I think the readers understand that the worth of our paper dollars has been lost. 80% of the population is not old enough or doesn't even understand what it means. I don't have a problem about suggesting the purchase of gold, but the gold standard has been lost. Is there any other country in the world that's currency is still established on the gold standard? If there is, tell us about it and how they are doing. If not, let's try to figure out how we are going to improve and not just keep the status quo waiting for something that may or may not even happen in our lifetime.
Yes, there are no countries that have gold backed fiat. However, in the past three years countries and central banks, as well as international central banks, have been buying and repatriating gold at rates never seen before in human history. Moreover, the world is now it its sixth year of silver deficit production i.e., consuming more than can be produced. The silver market is inelastic, meaning it takes 7 to 15 years to bring new mines to production. To compound this problem 75% of all silver is a byproduct of mining for other substances such as copper and lead. So, if you want more silver, then you must produce more copper et. al. but copper has its own market and it is not tied to silver. So yes, to be sure, currencies worldwide will be backed by some combination of precious metals, as it is in the works as we speak. There is no other way to being stability to international settlement. How it will look has yet to be fully decided but be assured it is happening.
Educational remarks, especially your observation that central banks are buying gold.
I wonder why the US isn't adding to our stockpile?
They are still trying to "save the country," i.e. grow out of the debt. This growing out of the debt story is giving Trump time to exhibit what has happened due to the excessive debt and what the political class has festered upon us. Obviously our political system isn't working that well and hasn't for 40 years of the Great Society. Most times politicians can't see the forest for the trees. The perfect example being global warming of Vietnam or, or, or.
They don't care about the distinction between the Forrest and the Tress as such a distinction is irrelevant to them. No, they look through the Forrest and around the Trees to find any substance to pad their pockets and support their abuse of the system.
Well not sure why the US in not imbibing in the precious metals markets. It could be that the purported amount of 8130 tonnes, the largest stock pile in the world (next closes Germany 3000 plus tonnes) has been determined to be sufficient. The question for me is do we have what we say we have? I doubt it. However, given the international movement toward precious metals as the backstop, well maybe.
Some say that China has 6000 tons of gold but the way they report means it could be much higher than that!
"The Data: In just the first eight months of 2026, China imported a record-shattering 1,000+ tonnes of gold (valued at roughly $158.8 billion).
The Discrepancy: During that exact same eight-month period, the PBOC only declared an official addition of about 80 tonnes to its reserves."
There official reported reserves are only 2380 tons ha ha ha!
Stablecoins and digital currencies will be the new gold when the resset takes place. Unfortunately, you will have no physical money.
Probably and all your rights and freedoms will be gone at least here in the West. Think voting will help..........LOL! US military power is gone. Aircraft carriers and naval seapower gone. And, once the US$ goes asunder we in the west are toast. Going to be ugly folks - really ugly!
It will probably be tried. But then it requires trust, which is something long gone. I probably won't see gold backing but I would bet it comes back as confidence is costly to obtain and easy to lose.
And so we are back to the lesser of two evils. There really is no good choice. And while I am no fan of DJT, most particularly the Iran war fiasco, the demoncrats are worse. And so I’m going with the Republicans as a lesser of two evils, not because I believe 100%.
Just wondering......how do you deal with the genocides going on by the U.S. and Israel in Gaza and Lebanon? How do you deal with killing children in Iran? Targeting hospitals and police? How about assassinations in the mist of negotiations? What gives Trump and America the right to tear-up any agreements they have made on a whim all over the World? How about the ability to murder in cold blood on a boat in the Caribbean? One of these days "payback is going to be a bitch" for America!
Yes.
Jim
"And almost universally, by the early ‘60s, people expected their children to do even better. America was on an upwards course; few people doubted it."
The early '60s saw peak heritage America but then in a few short years along came the Civil Rights Act, The Great Society, Hart-Celler, feminism, and the closing of the gold window and now here we are - a dead man walking into a third world freak show.
Hmmm....is it a "freak show"? Are you sure? From this viewpoint, the only "freak show" is being put on by Trump and America. Think America is always right. Always follows international law. Always follow the Constitution. Really? Regardless, the 40T in debt is going to blow skyhigh. And when it does America is in for a deep, deep depression. Thinking the World is going to go along hangs on derangement. For us peons, we have no way out. Is this what people thought in 1929? But 1929 is going to be a walk in the park compared to what is coming.
You left out the Viet Nam war…
A good summary.
Jim
Diesel is at an all time high but crude is not, whose fault is that? With the FED unable to control long term rates the market will set them. The FED will need to inject money to avoid a liquidity squeeze since so much has already gone to tech. Finally the AI bubble will need government protection as companies are held liable for rouge programs they have produced (already lobbying for with ‘we can’t control our own programs and don’t want to spend the money and time to correct so protect us before our IPO. AI said to ask for everybody to slow down until we get our protections).
4h
Tom, you asked, "Diesel is at an all-time high, but crude is not". Just think it through. Who sets the price as "the buyer of crude" and sets the price asf the seller of diesel? The REFINERIES! How many times in your life have you bought a barrel of "Crude"? The refineries make their money by buying cheap crude and selling expensive diesel etc. They are in full control of both the buy and the sell function.
With fewer refineries they have even more control! Is that part of the agenda in CA?
Republican lawmakers are in the doghouse. Still, they hope voters will take them back and try them one more time. But it looks like voters have had enough already.
Fill in the above with Bonner readers... it is clear Big Billy doesn't give a rats ass about the future of this country. Instead of pointing fingers look at the ones pointing back and take a f'ing stand... AC
But Bill has been preaching about both teams spending too much and running up this $40 trillion debt. It's actually the Dims and Repugs who haven't balanced the budget this century who do not care about the future. Trump surely doesn't give a rat's ass about it either. During his 5+ years in office the debt has increased by over $11 trillion.
Excellent!
Man was this ever so enlightening! OL’LSO really brought it home that his initials must stand for “Left Sanity Outside” cause his logic is definitely way out there. 47 to 50 years of a terroist regime telling you they want to kill you and all your kind(Westerners-Christians & Jews) and doing it regularly is enough reason for me to say not if my vote can help stop it. No Nukes for Islamist pysho Iran.
“Left Sanity Outside” hilarious!
Well things were good in the late 50’s and early 60’s because we were still making things and the middle class was making money. Today it’s all BS
Sadly, both parties follow the same general pattern. They lie to get elected and then work to pad their own bank accounts. We just pick what we view is the lesser of two evil at election time......and hope we are right this time.
Jim Marshall
Why is it that all we get is two evils? Maybe our system doesn't work anymore? Best always. PM