a life is passed in small increments. Minutes, hours, day, full of sights, sounds, tastes, touches and words. Let economists worry about GDP; we just want a quiet place to have a cup of coffee
Bill, for sure the cafe is a beautiful place to enjoy a cup or two of coffee. I read Joel Bowman daily so I am aware of the good things Milei has done to date but I am afraid he has a big hill to climb to bring the country back to the glory days of the past. When I look at America I wonder if it will ever be possible to bring the financial structure back to a reasonable level.....I fear not! I will bet the majority of your readers are over 50 and they too wonder if sanity will ever return to our financial structure. Never sell your gold!
What makes the Argentine experiment so fascinating to me is not ideology alone, but the deeper institutional question behind it.
I always assumed that modern political systems make it nearly impossible to meaningfully reduce the size of the state once a certain level of dependency and bureaucracy has been reached. Any politician seriously attempting it would face political suicide.
That is why Argentina feels historically important. If a democracy can actually reverse part of this process and move toward a more sustainable monetary and fiscal path, then perhaps history is less deterministic than many of us assumed after decades of observing similar cycles repeat themselves.
Success is far from guaranteed. But the possibility alone is intellectually exciting.
I have not been to Buenos Aires either, but I hope to visit someday myself. From everything I have read, it seems like one of those rare places where history, culture, cafés, architecture, and everyday life still create a very special atmosphere.
Thank you sir. A few bucket list items we hope....get my wife of 43 years to Rome (I have been 3 times) and both of us to Jerusalem.....and return to Paris and then maybe buenos aires. We shall see.
well, of all the times I was in France, Paris Normandy, Alsace, Bourgogne, Lyons, Grenoble, Aix, Marseille, Nice Monaco Menton on and on...I had never been to the Cemetery in Normandy and took my family there in 2006. And it was simply stunning and gorgeous, not a blade of grass out of place and French buses rolling in with students and I heard the Headmaster tell the kids: SILENCE!!! Respect for our dead. Made me tear up so bad I had to put on sunglasses so my kids wouldnt see their =father crying. I wept silently alone a few times. "Known only Unto God" got me bad...so badly blown up and dog tag destroyed they had no idea who it was. 10,000 graves. All killed in about 4 days. I stood on the cliffs and it was shocking how steep they were and how the beach was so serene....I imaged that fateful invasion. LIFE CHANGING FOR ME and I am a Vet who has been to several Military cemeteries. Including OUR Civil War.
Thanks. And yes. And you sound like that GEM of a PROFESSOR at Harvard (of all places) and AEI, the ETHICIST who was and is on CNBC often ( l like him bunches) Arthur C Brooks. He is all about FAMILY FAITH AND FREEDOM. Plus I need her now....not the young man I used to be. Age gets us all. (Love those ads btw by Elmer and Shirley Heinrich advertising their potion for energy...he is 92! LOL. They are hilarious)
And yes, I think age slowly teaches us that companionship matters more and more. Perhaps that is one of the few advantages of getting older: we start understanding what truly has value.
Every day I pinch myself that I live in the United States and am a PROUD conservative and citizen with unalienable rights. It could be worse. FAR WORSE. LIKE ANYWHERE BUT HERE WORSE. Nobody and no place is better. We aint perfect. No country is. We try hard to end grift and graft and its daunting. BUT THE FRAUD TODAY is from the LEFT. IN THE TRILLIONS I HEARD LAST NIGHT. Stay tuned.
It is comments like these that need to be left off this forum. I agree we are the envy of the world. I to, am proud to be an American and to live in this beautiful country! The fraud and incompetence our government shows us every day is disheartening. Patrick G and his "stay tuned", has no business in this forum.
You my friend are the very epitome of the leftist who wants to eliminate that which you do not agree with, as though your beliefs and perspectives are truth. Wisdom requires humility and humility requires the recognition that the variability of thought is sacrosant and wise.
Ah, wisdom. When our ideas have become so sacrosant that just the comments coming from the opposite are perceived as threatening (to eliminate) and should be disregarded, maybe a little humility is wise. Eliminating one perspective just opens the door to stagnation, complacency and eventually corruption. I'm a true believer that each side has good ideas and should be debated.....on another forum. This forum is for the wisdom that Bonner can share with us in the financial system.
How do you know that no place is better than the US? Isn't that a matter of perspective? For example, the difference between a factory worker in Georgia who just lost his job and his medical benefits and a worker in Norway who has a national health care system and college education provided by his government.
And an oil field, owned by the Norwegian gov’t to support and pay for all the freebies…. Personally, i have been to 37 countries, coming in 1st place (besides the USA) is Israel, fantastic food, fantastic people, booth Jew and Muslim - those that work have no beef, its not what you hear on the news here. 2nd Switzerland, reminded me of the years of my adolescence, where children are out playing into evening without problem. Except it is very expensive to live there and finally 3rd is Greece, exception food exceptional people - but even with all that i agree with Patrick G. No place like the USA. None. Nada.
Thanks for the help! I have never been to Israel and its a BUCKET LIST ITEM for me....if I can make it. And agree on Greece. And to some extent Switzerland..but the Swiss have VERY dark secrets. BAD ONES. Still today.
Hmmm...you sound like Joel Bowman. LOL. Is that you Joel? Or friend of his? His wife is Norwegian if memory serves. I have not been to Norway or Oslo. But Denmark and Copenhagen across the sea. I know Norway gets the happy place award yearly, but its a constitutional monarchy and socialist government and HIGH taxes and the only meat they eat is reindeer and otherwise its fish for breakfast lunch and dinner. Sorry, couldnt resist But Im sure its lovely. BUT it is also an ally and home to NOKIA? Is that right? And otherwise what are they known for except being overun by Nazis in 1939-40? We protect them. Though I think their PM got along with Trump. They do well in Winter Olympics okay fine. BUT its not the USA, not even close for GDP and opportunity and natural resources and being the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD....its a small country. You live there? Fine. I think National Healthcare System in USA is a disaster....even its derivative Obamacare is a grotesque failure that cost me THOUSANDS every single year and free college? Really? There are 4,000 colleges in the United States. How many does Norway have? And we have 350 million people. and so the cost would be prohibitive and my taxes would TRIPLE AT LEAST. NO. HELL NO. College is NOT for everyone. In fact 50% DONT belong in college. Its not about frats sororities and football games and parties. NObody OWES you a college degree. NOBODY. NOT EVEN YOUR PARENTS. And you want to go? THEN GO and PAY FOR IT. I did. MILITARY SERVICE AND STUDENT LOANS AND WORKED THREE JOBS some of them nasty and awful and I got paid 2.50 an hour. I am PROUD OF THAT. HIGHEST HONORS BTW.
You forgot to answer my question. Wouldn't a worker with a family whose factory had been closed be better off in Norway? At least he wouldn't have to worry about going bankrupt because of medical bills. As far as college not for everyone I agree. But even Norwegians have to qualify to be accepted.
The point is that the greatest country in the world title is highly subjective. Should the greatest country in the world lead the developed countries in incarceration rates and total prisoners (more than China), obesity, healthcare costs?
You didnt answer my questions...and also are you an American or NON American? That matters. And nitpicking on various peoples problems is not the point of this soliloquy and I prefer to rise above that....too tedious and timeconsuming and we dont have space or time here. Dont get me started on crime rate in usa and who is responsible for that And Obesity is a personal choice mostly, some genetics and some economic status but that is also fading...we also are the greatest scientists and invented the drugs to CURE obesity and diabetes and also help with addictions and heart disease and they believe alzheimers...GLP1's and meanwhile EU MOOCHES OFF OF US and we pay through the NOSE for our drugs to pay for the RESEARCH and the EU gets it subsidized by national healthcare and pays a pittance in taxes for it and we got burned...but TRUMP stopped that nonsense COLD. We are DONE with EU and NATO MOOCHES. DONE. FINITO LA COMEDIA. I lived in EU also...so I know a thing or two and was BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN 50 YEARS AGO AND IT WASNT PRETTY OR NICE...it was FUGLY and SCARY...I have stories....really scary ones. I reject socialism and communism and EU'isms and so forth. In fact I would suggest the EU was better off just with some Maastrict Treaty trade deals but retain sovereignty and borders and armies and currencies and so forth. I was in the French Alps in 06 and recall seeing MANY people paying on the sly with "ancien francs"....they did NOT want the EURO. I am unapologetically patriotic and love my country and I am naturalized btw. And I made an oath of ONE allegiance and I keep ALL my oaths to God, Country, Spouse, Military and some others can't discuss here. ALL OF THEM. I dont believe in duo or triple citizenships at all. PICK ONE. CHOOSE WISELY. LEAVE YOUR PASSPORT AT THE DOOR AS YOU LEAVE. Dont come back. My view. I am grateful beyond measure I am American and BLESSED to be so. No country is perfect and I think you are confusing the term PERFECTION with GREATEST. We are the Greatest on Earth and have been so since 1776. Warts and all. Yes I like KFC but I dont eat it too often and two pieces and done! Like tonight...the 10.00 bucket of 8 dark pieces was delicious. TWO MEALS TONIGHT (wife and me) and TWO MEALS TOMORROW. What a country! I am concerned about our DIVISIVE politics now..and the sheer evil lurking inside the DNC....who foment VIOLENCE and ASSASSINATIONS and attempted ASSASSINATIONS. I believe in the Second Amendment too, btw.
Evil just within the DNC? There's evil on both teams. Lots of pedos too. That's why there was never a real investigation into to the Epstein blackmail operation.
Speaking of mooches, seems like Israel as a country is mooching off us, especially since they have national health care and a debt/GDP ratio half of ours. But both teams vote to send our tax dollars there. In fact in the land of the free any politician who votes against it will immediately be targeted by AIPAC.
Never said ONLY in the DNC. BUT now its very lopsided and VERY evil....do you ever watch Mark Levin? Fine man. A mensch. A fine lawyer chief of staff to greatest AG in 100 years....under Reagan. Levin has a show on FoxNews on Weekends (and a radio show daily) and while his style (personality) is a bit bombastic and LOUD, he is spot on the mark. An observant Jew. And a friend to MANY Christians. And he spelled it out in spades this last weekend. so pull that up on youtube.....His monologue both Saturday and Sunday show. SPELLED IT OUT. and just watching what Pelosi Schumer Schiff and Hakeem are upto is DISTURBING. Mombasa Man said at UCHICAGO decades ago in ConLaw class that the CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE TORN UP AND REWRITTEN....he is an AVOWED COMMUNIST despite his denials. His MOTHER WAS A COMMUNIST. HIS FATHER WAS EXPELLED FROM HARVARD AND DEPORTED TO KENYA FOR BEING A COMMUNIST 1960 and his wifes parents were avowed COMMUNISTS.....and she went to Kenya to follow her "husband" nine months pregnant and got there and found out he already had a KENYAN WIFE....it is STRONGLY BELIEVED from people on the scene in Kenya that Obama was born there and she returned to USA coming across the PACIFIC and into Hawaii....knowing they had LIBERAL RULES being NEWLY admitted to USA and carried her infant son and obtained a Hawaii birth certificate for him which is ALLOWED in Hawaii...its bizarre....but true. His SISTER was born in Indonesia and SHE got a Hawaii birth certificate TOO!
Bill's report makes me think Milei now has geopolitical ambitions.
Even if they were free, Argentina doesn't need F-16's.
Their operational costs (e. g. parts, fuel, training) are going to be a net drain of the meager surplus he's created to date to defend his country from whom?
Better if he left his surplus in the private sector where, until he snatched what constitutes his surplus, it was created.
US bases in Argentina? If the shoe were on the other foot would you want foreign military bases in the US. Plus, which countries are such threats to Argentina that they require US bases on their soil? Plus with over $38 trillion in national debt why do we need to pay forore bases?
well we may agree on that.....I am all about putting our military in strategic places overseas.....being the NUMERO UNO WORLD LEADER AND WORLD POWER (though we have company nipping at our heels) requires we be assertive and PROTECT the FREE WORLD AND FREE TRADE AND FREE PASSAGE AND SO FORTH. Sitting on your butt in a cafe sipping coffee or wine wont do it. ;-)
Dont misunderstand me. My apologies if I implied that. I served those who DID fly them however. And other duties. But I was enlisted NCO anyway. after military did college and grad school and then off and running...Ive met a few legends in my day as well. always in awe of them. McCain personally introduced me to Edgar Alvarez in Los Angeles. VERY humbling.
Its their politics I dont like. I have read Casey for decades too. And Rickards. I read them and listen to them on GOLD and investment ideas and ECONOMICS....whats going on big picture. BUT stop there.
Rickards is, in my opinion, too impressed with his credentials/experience and comes off as a blowhard. My opinion. Casey is more consistent with his original self. Bonner has gotten a little wonky. My opinion. Best always. PM
Well its less about personality and more about politics.....I read em all and listen....and respond mostly directly but sometimes publicly as here when it hits a sour note in me and makes me come forward. However, Rickards a good egg and solid on many levels though I dont typically follow his trades.....that is his team trades....though I like Byron a bunch. I hang with the gold bugs mostly. Dyson is another one I like. and while I voted Trump three times I also disagree with him a lot on policy and politics. A friend of mine, now deceased, who was liberal and a UNC fan to make it worse, often said in jest, "I am not always right but I am NEVER wrong!" LOL.
LOL. I admired Dean Smith immensely but growled when he beat my team. And I also admired Bobby Knight at Indiana, chair throwing and all. And several others. I knew Sen. Jesse Helms...his term for UNC cant be printed here. Hilarious....but perhaps a bit too edgy for some. He was btw a GENTLEMAN and was the FIRST to Welcome Hillary and the FIRST to welcome one of his most brutal former adversaries who won a seat in Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone....who tragically died in a plane crash. Jesse was known on the Hill as a true southern gentleman. I knew BOB and Liddy Dole well. I knew Strom Thurmond....and have a joke about him...told by Bob Dole who remarked how Strom was able to father children late in life and wondered what his secret was and went down the hall and asked him. Strom said, "I eat a banana every day." Bob said, "I am going to start eating more bananas!" I almost spit out my drink! LOL. I can list off anothe 8-10 senators I knew or know. SOME VERY WELL....powerful men. And women. But this is NOT about me or how I knew them. I was elected to NOTHING. My wife thinks I should have run and I remarked, "Dear is that a compliment or a swipe at me?" Crickets. LOL.
Yes sir but OPINIONS are DEMOCRACY in action. Remember that. TO SILENCE opinions is to be arrogant hypocritical and unconstitutional and feckless. There are LIMITS to Free Speech which the US Supremes have outlined for 150 years or so. CLEAR.
Who better to run Venezuela? But that's not going to happen if the World Bank does not approve and there's talk of a default. I'm very sure Milei was separated from his security then handed a note: Congratulations, and keep up the good work, but don't go to far...that's a lovely family you have.
I am with you Bill on SOME of what you say and about Milei. Doug Casey is a nutjob too btw. And his views of foreign policy are like yours.....wacko elitist isolationist and libertarian NONSENSE. Never work in a MILLION YEARS. EVER. CHAOS AND CRIME WOULD RESULT WITH NO GOVERNMENT OR POLICE OR RULES. NO COURTS. JUST HOPE PEOPLE DO RIGHT? GUESS WHAT? THEY WONT AND DONT. CLUELESS.
Zelensky is NOT a criminal he is a HERO. SOME people around him maybe criminals...but so is EVERY GOVERNMENT IN EVERY COUNTRY. WAKE UP BILL. HUMANS STEAL AND GRIFT AND GRAFT AND GO BONKERS. SINCE THE DAYS OF CAIN AND ABEL.
Will NEVER change. NAME ONE COUNTRY THAT IS BETTER? JUST ONE. CRICKETS. LIKE I THOUGHT.
PUTIN IS THE MONSTER MURDERER AND MARAUDER AND RAPIST THIEF AND BURGLAR AND BUGGER AND NOW HE IS IN HIDING HIMSELF.
FDR TRUMAN AND IKE EMBRACED STALIN AND MAO FOR GODS SAKE. GET A CLUE. THEY DEEMED HITLER MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF MISSILES AND NUKES....AND WE STOLE HIS NUKES AND SCIENTISTS WHO THEN BECAME CIA/NASA/WEST GERMAN CHANCELLORS AND INTELLIGENCE SERVICE DIRECTORS AND MANY MANY MANY NAZIS SETTLED IN ARGENTINA.
Seriously...............Zelensky is a HERO. Please stop or go somewhere else. Another delusional MAGA. Geez............and are you still getting COVID shots.........
Its funny ask any Eastern European and they will tell you the Ukraine is the most corrupt in all of Europe. Ukraine is not to be trusted, said to go back to the days of WWII. But I hear that B actor now has multi million dollar villas in two different locations. I ll let you guess where one of them is. True scum of the earth like many who gravitate to high positions, engage into foreign entanglements to lord over the dellusional diehard gnocchi's
Your sources on that? I know a few Eastern Europeans and Russians, all of whom DONT LIKE PUTIN. Stop abusing Poor Zelenskyy. Look at what he has accomplished..the IMPOSSIBLE and got the VERY brave Ukrainian people to fight to the death and holdoff the MARAUDERS MURDERERS AND RAPISTS AND THIEVES. Sovereignty matters. Except Mombasa Man gave it all away PUTIN POUNCED. p.s. Biden was a NON COMPIS MENTIS PUPPET OF MOMBASA MAN who got a THIRD TERM through him. Fact.
And, you "one of those". And, paranoid too. And, you need CAPS to express what? Your disagreement with what Bill writes. Really....CAPS.........I thought MAGAs had come and gone...........one never knows.
personal ad hominem attacks are against the RULES. READ AND HEED. Attacking positions is one thing but not otherwise. Thank you.
And its MY PREROGATIVE to use all caps and I never ever accepted the nitwit notion that all caps is YELLING. ITs EMPHASIS since printed word is necessarily SILENT and to make certain people know where I place emphasis not them. Thank you.
Paranoid? NOPE. Realist. I am retired. Cant explain. Nor would I to you. Democracy is complicated and messy. Ask Starmer.
I also think Pols are doing public service and we have to have them and Democracy is very messy (look at BRITAIN and FRANCE and GERMANY today) and we dont want Theocracy (Iran and other muslim states) or Despots (Turkey) and Monarchies even constittutional Monarchies. Do we? So we must put up with nonsense and fight them at ballot box. But pols go up to DC sometimes pure of heart but DAY ONE the SENIOR MEMBERS pull them aside and advise them, "YOU WANT A COMMITTEE? TOW THE LINE. OR YOU GET SIDELINED AND RUN OFF." Its that simple. I know a LOT about the Hill. DONT ASk.
You are right. It is also right to question the motives of those who enter public service. Looking at the result of “good intentions” one begins to wonder about both intentions and motives.
Well I have known several PROMINENT pols in my life. BIG ONES. I wont spew my resume here. Trust me. Powerful men. And two women. Ambassadors too. And I also know the pressures they are under. I put myself in their shoes...needing MONEY to retain office (and help party) and that means TAKING money from LOBBYISTS who represent COMPANIES...McCain tried to fix it, I know I was there. But failed and the end result was a HUGE BACK DOOR or WHOLE IN THE WALL and it got worse with PACs. Sadly. I loved Sen. McCain deeply though we disagreed OFTEN. He was a friend of mine. Deep friend. He had my back on more than ONE occasion. Sic Semper Fideles.
Completely agree. All the Argentinians I know think these reforms are causing a lot of suffering and won’t work. But maybe a rich tourist and his taxi driver know better. Go figure.
To me, Milei is fascinating if not a bit bizarre at times. But who isnt? Trump? He is VERY bizarre at times though I voted for him three times. NO REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE and we needed someone to FIX THE HORRIFIC DAMAGE DONE BY MOMBASA MAN OBAMA
So I lean towards SOME compromise and finding solutions....but that requires legislatures that cooperate and we DONT have that now. Sadly. And the Liberals have gone completely off the wall bonkers.
I knew a few Argentinians and liked them. But I also dont fully understand that country. I know a lot of Brazilians and they are bonkers too. Friendly but BONKERS.
Bill that is an excellent report ! better than anything from Joel in the last few months .. always great to get first hand facts rather than "impressions" .. the facts alone allow one to make decisions regardless of what the "vibes" or other BS feelings tell you as everyone's feelings are subject to the taste on their tongues or what they ate yesterday .. well done and more of the same please ..
well I have read Bill for DECADES.....and know his drill...he LOVES to poke the bear and say outrageous things to stir the pot, get clicks and eyeballs and maybe more paying members and then when he gets vociferous pushback sometimes (I am guilty as charged) he gets verklempt and softens it a bit. Now I had a professor in College I knew and liked well (long deceased..he was almost 70 and that was 50 years ago) from Buenos Aires who regaled us with stories of how beautiful Buenos Aires was and so forth.....so yes I know the story for the Paris of South America and SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. But I also know the DARK SIDE of Argentina...the Junta and the Peronists before that...the disappearances and POPE FRANCIS was a priest there, then and had to go into hiding (and I was no particular of Pope Francis btw because I am NOT liberal or LIBERTARIAN) I just ask BILL to tell the WHOLE STORY NOT A HALF STORY or MISCHARACTERIZE THE TRUTH.
Really.....the truth and nothing but the truth..........who actually knows what really happened.........think you know the truth......think again........there are always two sides to anything and usually the victor writes the history.........
you dont know me and dont know who I know and my resume (retired now for sometime). I dont know and dont profess to know everything. BUt I also know BS when I see it and call it out and whom I can TRUST and Gen. Jack Keane is SUPERB. Mark Levin is SUPERB. My two cents, whether you like it or not.
Bill, for sure the cafe is a beautiful place to enjoy a cup or two of coffee. I read Joel Bowman daily so I am aware of the good things Milei has done to date but I am afraid he has a big hill to climb to bring the country back to the glory days of the past. When I look at America I wonder if it will ever be possible to bring the financial structure back to a reasonable level.....I fear not! I will bet the majority of your readers are over 50 and they too wonder if sanity will ever return to our financial structure. Never sell your gold!
Jim Marshall
I am holding my gold. LIFEBOAT OFF TITANIC.
I still hold to the rule of not investing more than 10% of my assets in real gold.
Gold is an insurance policy on investments.
...Bill appreciates a quiet restaurant experience, with respectful properly attired waiters.
Such a scenario can only be had in a country where most all share the same values and appreciate the same culture.
When you have establishments residing within a diversity of culture, you will get that diverse service experience too...
Amen to that brother.
What makes the Argentine experiment so fascinating to me is not ideology alone, but the deeper institutional question behind it.
I always assumed that modern political systems make it nearly impossible to meaningfully reduce the size of the state once a certain level of dependency and bureaucracy has been reached. Any politician seriously attempting it would face political suicide.
That is why Argentina feels historically important. If a democracy can actually reverse part of this process and move toward a more sustainable monetary and fiscal path, then perhaps history is less deterministic than many of us assumed after decades of observing similar cycles repeat themselves.
Success is far from guaranteed. But the possibility alone is intellectually exciting.
I would LOVE to Visit BUENOS AIRES MENDOZA AND SALTA. But I am getting older and my physical limitations may not allow it Sigh.
I have not been to Buenos Aires either, but I hope to visit someday myself. From everything I have read, it seems like one of those rare places where history, culture, cafés, architecture, and everyday life still create a very special atmosphere.
And I sincerely hope you get there as well.
Thank you sir. A few bucket list items we hope....get my wife of 43 years to Rome (I have been 3 times) and both of us to Jerusalem.....and return to Paris and then maybe buenos aires. We shall see.
Went to Paris, and toke a Viking cruise to Normandy on our 50th Anniversary. A trip we will never forget.
well, of all the times I was in France, Paris Normandy, Alsace, Bourgogne, Lyons, Grenoble, Aix, Marseille, Nice Monaco Menton on and on...I had never been to the Cemetery in Normandy and took my family there in 2006. And it was simply stunning and gorgeous, not a blade of grass out of place and French buses rolling in with students and I heard the Headmaster tell the kids: SILENCE!!! Respect for our dead. Made me tear up so bad I had to put on sunglasses so my kids wouldnt see their =father crying. I wept silently alone a few times. "Known only Unto God" got me bad...so badly blown up and dog tag destroyed they had no idea who it was. 10,000 graves. All killed in about 4 days. I stood on the cliffs and it was shocking how steep they were and how the beach was so serene....I imaged that fateful invasion. LIFE CHANGING FOR ME and I am a Vet who has been to several Military cemeteries. Including OUR Civil War.
After 43 years of marriage, making those journeys together sounds even more meaningful than the destinations themselves.
Thanks. And yes. And you sound like that GEM of a PROFESSOR at Harvard (of all places) and AEI, the ETHICIST who was and is on CNBC often ( l like him bunches) Arthur C Brooks. He is all about FAMILY FAITH AND FREEDOM. Plus I need her now....not the young man I used to be. Age gets us all. (Love those ads btw by Elmer and Shirley Heinrich advertising their potion for energy...he is 92! LOL. They are hilarious)
Thank you, that is very kind.
And yes, I think age slowly teaches us that companionship matters more and more. Perhaps that is one of the few advantages of getting older: we start understanding what truly has value.
I visited Buenos Aires in 1994, when I was much younger. Beautiful city.
Every day I pinch myself that I live in the United States and am a PROUD conservative and citizen with unalienable rights. It could be worse. FAR WORSE. LIKE ANYWHERE BUT HERE WORSE. Nobody and no place is better. We aint perfect. No country is. We try hard to end grift and graft and its daunting. BUT THE FRAUD TODAY is from the LEFT. IN THE TRILLIONS I HEARD LAST NIGHT. Stay tuned.
It is comments like these that need to be left off this forum. I agree we are the envy of the world. I to, am proud to be an American and to live in this beautiful country! The fraud and incompetence our government shows us every day is disheartening. Patrick G and his "stay tuned", has no business in this forum.
You my friend are the very epitome of the leftist who wants to eliminate that which you do not agree with, as though your beliefs and perspectives are truth. Wisdom requires humility and humility requires the recognition that the variability of thought is sacrosant and wise.
Ah, wisdom. When our ideas have become so sacrosant that just the comments coming from the opposite are perceived as threatening (to eliminate) and should be disregarded, maybe a little humility is wise. Eliminating one perspective just opens the door to stagnation, complacency and eventually corruption. I'm a true believer that each side has good ideas and should be debated.....on another forum. This forum is for the wisdom that Bonner can share with us in the financial system.
Yup, let me know when that starts.
You have a forum? I see you are the author of a news letter.
I understand from where you are coming, but I don't understand where you're going...
I agree each side has good ideas... don't forget bad too!
Boys being girls, open borders, increased taxation, non-assimilating immigration and outsourcing goods to cheap foreign labor...
Doesn't leave a lot of room for debate.
be gone satan!
How do you know that no place is better than the US? Isn't that a matter of perspective? For example, the difference between a factory worker in Georgia who just lost his job and his medical benefits and a worker in Norway who has a national health care system and college education provided by his government.
And an oil field, owned by the Norwegian gov’t to support and pay for all the freebies…. Personally, i have been to 37 countries, coming in 1st place (besides the USA) is Israel, fantastic food, fantastic people, booth Jew and Muslim - those that work have no beef, its not what you hear on the news here. 2nd Switzerland, reminded me of the years of my adolescence, where children are out playing into evening without problem. Except it is very expensive to live there and finally 3rd is Greece, exception food exceptional people - but even with all that i agree with Patrick G. No place like the USA. None. Nada.
Thanks for the help! I have never been to Israel and its a BUCKET LIST ITEM for me....if I can make it. And agree on Greece. And to some extent Switzerland..but the Swiss have VERY dark secrets. BAD ONES. Still today.
How many countries have they invaded in the last 25 years?
you are canadian worm eater and YOU are next.
American. What am I next for? Oh I get it you are a Just another keyboard tough guy. I am so scared.😂😂🇱🇷
American. What am I next for? Oh I get it you are a Just another keyboard tough guy. I am so scared.😂😂🇱🇷
come on
Hmmm...you sound like Joel Bowman. LOL. Is that you Joel? Or friend of his? His wife is Norwegian if memory serves. I have not been to Norway or Oslo. But Denmark and Copenhagen across the sea. I know Norway gets the happy place award yearly, but its a constitutional monarchy and socialist government and HIGH taxes and the only meat they eat is reindeer and otherwise its fish for breakfast lunch and dinner. Sorry, couldnt resist But Im sure its lovely. BUT it is also an ally and home to NOKIA? Is that right? And otherwise what are they known for except being overun by Nazis in 1939-40? We protect them. Though I think their PM got along with Trump. They do well in Winter Olympics okay fine. BUT its not the USA, not even close for GDP and opportunity and natural resources and being the LEADER OF THE FREE WORLD....its a small country. You live there? Fine. I think National Healthcare System in USA is a disaster....even its derivative Obamacare is a grotesque failure that cost me THOUSANDS every single year and free college? Really? There are 4,000 colleges in the United States. How many does Norway have? And we have 350 million people. and so the cost would be prohibitive and my taxes would TRIPLE AT LEAST. NO. HELL NO. College is NOT for everyone. In fact 50% DONT belong in college. Its not about frats sororities and football games and parties. NObody OWES you a college degree. NOBODY. NOT EVEN YOUR PARENTS. And you want to go? THEN GO and PAY FOR IT. I did. MILITARY SERVICE AND STUDENT LOANS AND WORKED THREE JOBS some of them nasty and awful and I got paid 2.50 an hour. I am PROUD OF THAT. HIGHEST HONORS BTW.
You forgot to answer my question. Wouldn't a worker with a family whose factory had been closed be better off in Norway? At least he wouldn't have to worry about going bankrupt because of medical bills. As far as college not for everyone I agree. But even Norwegians have to qualify to be accepted.
The point is that the greatest country in the world title is highly subjective. Should the greatest country in the world lead the developed countries in incarceration rates and total prisoners (more than China), obesity, healthcare costs?
You didnt answer my questions...and also are you an American or NON American? That matters. And nitpicking on various peoples problems is not the point of this soliloquy and I prefer to rise above that....too tedious and timeconsuming and we dont have space or time here. Dont get me started on crime rate in usa and who is responsible for that And Obesity is a personal choice mostly, some genetics and some economic status but that is also fading...we also are the greatest scientists and invented the drugs to CURE obesity and diabetes and also help with addictions and heart disease and they believe alzheimers...GLP1's and meanwhile EU MOOCHES OFF OF US and we pay through the NOSE for our drugs to pay for the RESEARCH and the EU gets it subsidized by national healthcare and pays a pittance in taxes for it and we got burned...but TRUMP stopped that nonsense COLD. We are DONE with EU and NATO MOOCHES. DONE. FINITO LA COMEDIA. I lived in EU also...so I know a thing or two and was BEHIND THE IRON CURTAIN 50 YEARS AGO AND IT WASNT PRETTY OR NICE...it was FUGLY and SCARY...I have stories....really scary ones. I reject socialism and communism and EU'isms and so forth. In fact I would suggest the EU was better off just with some Maastrict Treaty trade deals but retain sovereignty and borders and armies and currencies and so forth. I was in the French Alps in 06 and recall seeing MANY people paying on the sly with "ancien francs"....they did NOT want the EURO. I am unapologetically patriotic and love my country and I am naturalized btw. And I made an oath of ONE allegiance and I keep ALL my oaths to God, Country, Spouse, Military and some others can't discuss here. ALL OF THEM. I dont believe in duo or triple citizenships at all. PICK ONE. CHOOSE WISELY. LEAVE YOUR PASSPORT AT THE DOOR AS YOU LEAVE. Dont come back. My view. I am grateful beyond measure I am American and BLESSED to be so. No country is perfect and I think you are confusing the term PERFECTION with GREATEST. We are the Greatest on Earth and have been so since 1776. Warts and all. Yes I like KFC but I dont eat it too often and two pieces and done! Like tonight...the 10.00 bucket of 8 dark pieces was delicious. TWO MEALS TONIGHT (wife and me) and TWO MEALS TOMORROW. What a country! I am concerned about our DIVISIVE politics now..and the sheer evil lurking inside the DNC....who foment VIOLENCE and ASSASSINATIONS and attempted ASSASSINATIONS. I believe in the Second Amendment too, btw.
Have a nice evening. God Bless America.
Evil just within the DNC? There's evil on both teams. Lots of pedos too. That's why there was never a real investigation into to the Epstein blackmail operation.
Speaking of mooches, seems like Israel as a country is mooching off us, especially since they have national health care and a debt/GDP ratio half of ours. But both teams vote to send our tax dollars there. In fact in the land of the free any politician who votes against it will immediately be targeted by AIPAC.
Dude you're wasting your time. He's just another delusional boomer. What's with all the caps ?
Never said ONLY in the DNC. BUT now its very lopsided and VERY evil....do you ever watch Mark Levin? Fine man. A mensch. A fine lawyer chief of staff to greatest AG in 100 years....under Reagan. Levin has a show on FoxNews on Weekends (and a radio show daily) and while his style (personality) is a bit bombastic and LOUD, he is spot on the mark. An observant Jew. And a friend to MANY Christians. And he spelled it out in spades this last weekend. so pull that up on youtube.....His monologue both Saturday and Sunday show. SPELLED IT OUT. and just watching what Pelosi Schumer Schiff and Hakeem are upto is DISTURBING. Mombasa Man said at UCHICAGO decades ago in ConLaw class that the CONSTITUTION SHOULD BE TORN UP AND REWRITTEN....he is an AVOWED COMMUNIST despite his denials. His MOTHER WAS A COMMUNIST. HIS FATHER WAS EXPELLED FROM HARVARD AND DEPORTED TO KENYA FOR BEING A COMMUNIST 1960 and his wifes parents were avowed COMMUNISTS.....and she went to Kenya to follow her "husband" nine months pregnant and got there and found out he already had a KENYAN WIFE....it is STRONGLY BELIEVED from people on the scene in Kenya that Obama was born there and she returned to USA coming across the PACIFIC and into Hawaii....knowing they had LIBERAL RULES being NEWLY admitted to USA and carried her infant son and obtained a Hawaii birth certificate for him which is ALLOWED in Hawaii...its bizarre....but true. His SISTER was born in Indonesia and SHE got a Hawaii birth certificate TOO!
Yeah, the republicans are so good. Wake up dude there are pigs on both sides. Maybe 3 or 4 good republicans. Pigs on both sides.
Bill's report makes me think Milei now has geopolitical ambitions.
Even if they were free, Argentina doesn't need F-16's.
Their operational costs (e. g. parts, fuel, training) are going to be a net drain of the meager surplus he's created to date to defend his country from whom?
Better if he left his surplus in the private sector where, until he snatched what constitutes his surplus, it was created.
Governments don't create wealth; they take it
Jimm EVERY country needs an Army Air Force Navy and Marines. NEIGHBORS CANNOT BE TRUSTED. EVER. PERIOD.
My point: Argentina doesn't need F - 16's.
Better it effect a defense agreement with the US allowing USAF F-16 units to be stationed there
And for USN P-8's to perform sea surveillance from Argentinean bases
US bases in Argentina? If the shoe were on the other foot would you want foreign military bases in the US. Plus, which countries are such threats to Argentina that they require US bases on their soil? Plus with over $38 trillion in national debt why do we need to pay forore bases?
Sensible questions all. To them, my responses are No, None and We Don’t
well we may agree on that.....I am all about putting our military in strategic places overseas.....being the NUMERO UNO WORLD LEADER AND WORLD POWER (though we have company nipping at our heels) requires we be assertive and PROTECT the FREE WORLD AND FREE TRADE AND FREE PASSAGE AND SO FORTH. Sitting on your butt in a cafe sipping coffee or wine wont do it. ;-)
my military days were P-3s and SR 71s and U2s.
I'm retired from Lockheed.
Among its engineers whom I met in my day was Kelly Johnson, the Skunk Works director and designer of the P -38, F-80, F-104, SR71 and the U2
He was maybe 5 feet tall. Very affable. He was a legend when I met him a fair number of years ago, a one on one meeting that I recall to this day.
I am impressed too that you few the U2 and the SR71. You are among the rare pilots who flew both.
Dont misunderstand me. My apologies if I implied that. I served those who DID fly them however. And other duties. But I was enlisted NCO anyway. after military did college and grad school and then off and running...Ive met a few legends in my day as well. always in awe of them. McCain personally introduced me to Edgar Alvarez in Los Angeles. VERY humbling.
Excellent piece today.
Bill Bonner, good cop. Doug Casey, bad cop. Best always. PM
Its their politics I dont like. I have read Casey for decades too. And Rickards. I read them and listen to them on GOLD and investment ideas and ECONOMICS....whats going on big picture. BUT stop there.
Rickards is, in my opinion, too impressed with his credentials/experience and comes off as a blowhard. My opinion. Casey is more consistent with his original self. Bonner has gotten a little wonky. My opinion. Best always. PM
Well its less about personality and more about politics.....I read em all and listen....and respond mostly directly but sometimes publicly as here when it hits a sour note in me and makes me come forward. However, Rickards a good egg and solid on many levels though I dont typically follow his trades.....that is his team trades....though I like Byron a bunch. I hang with the gold bugs mostly. Dyson is another one I like. and while I voted Trump three times I also disagree with him a lot on policy and politics. A friend of mine, now deceased, who was liberal and a UNC fan to make it worse, often said in jest, "I am not always right but I am NEVER wrong!" LOL.
Mentioning UNC, I often use this analogy to explain the Bonner-Casey arrangement: Bonner is Dean Smith, and Casey is Bob Knight. Best always. PM
LOL. I admired Dean Smith immensely but growled when he beat my team. And I also admired Bobby Knight at Indiana, chair throwing and all. And several others. I knew Sen. Jesse Helms...his term for UNC cant be printed here. Hilarious....but perhaps a bit too edgy for some. He was btw a GENTLEMAN and was the FIRST to Welcome Hillary and the FIRST to welcome one of his most brutal former adversaries who won a seat in Minnesota Sen. Paul Wellstone....who tragically died in a plane crash. Jesse was known on the Hill as a true southern gentleman. I knew BOB and Liddy Dole well. I knew Strom Thurmond....and have a joke about him...told by Bob Dole who remarked how Strom was able to father children late in life and wondered what his secret was and went down the hall and asked him. Strom said, "I eat a banana every day." Bob said, "I am going to start eating more bananas!" I almost spit out my drink! LOL. I can list off anothe 8-10 senators I knew or know. SOME VERY WELL....powerful men. And women. But this is NOT about me or how I knew them. I was elected to NOTHING. My wife thinks I should have run and I remarked, "Dear is that a compliment or a swipe at me?" Crickets. LOL.
Bonner and Casey, both are my #1 read. Visted BA, Salta, and Mendoza - good memories.
Good. I would love to do same. We shall see.
Opinions are way cheaper than a cup of coffee in the short term and can be exorbitantly expensive over time.
Yes sir but OPINIONS are DEMOCRACY in action. Remember that. TO SILENCE opinions is to be arrogant hypocritical and unconstitutional and feckless. There are LIMITS to Free Speech which the US Supremes have outlined for 150 years or so. CLEAR.
I’m not suggesting silencing anyone. Opinions without understanding or wisdom lean toward mobocracy, imho.
Agree and it was OTHERS who tried to silence me this am. Thanks.
ChatGPT says: $300 million for 24 fighters is relatively cheap by modern fighter standards.
New fighters often cost tens or hundreds of millions per aircraft.
Denmark is transitioning to Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II jets, making its F-16 fleet surplus.
So the core claim is accurate:
Argentina bought 24 used Danish F-16s for roughly $300 million.
The “bankrupt country” phrasing is an opinionated characterization rather than a precise legal description.
Who better to run Venezuela? But that's not going to happen if the World Bank does not approve and there's talk of a default. I'm very sure Milei was separated from his security then handed a note: Congratulations, and keep up the good work, but don't go to far...that's a lovely family you have.
I am with you Bill on SOME of what you say and about Milei. Doug Casey is a nutjob too btw. And his views of foreign policy are like yours.....wacko elitist isolationist and libertarian NONSENSE. Never work in a MILLION YEARS. EVER. CHAOS AND CRIME WOULD RESULT WITH NO GOVERNMENT OR POLICE OR RULES. NO COURTS. JUST HOPE PEOPLE DO RIGHT? GUESS WHAT? THEY WONT AND DONT. CLUELESS.
Zelensky is NOT a criminal he is a HERO. SOME people around him maybe criminals...but so is EVERY GOVERNMENT IN EVERY COUNTRY. WAKE UP BILL. HUMANS STEAL AND GRIFT AND GRAFT AND GO BONKERS. SINCE THE DAYS OF CAIN AND ABEL.
Will NEVER change. NAME ONE COUNTRY THAT IS BETTER? JUST ONE. CRICKETS. LIKE I THOUGHT.
PUTIN IS THE MONSTER MURDERER AND MARAUDER AND RAPIST THIEF AND BURGLAR AND BUGGER AND NOW HE IS IN HIDING HIMSELF.
FDR TRUMAN AND IKE EMBRACED STALIN AND MAO FOR GODS SAKE. GET A CLUE. THEY DEEMED HITLER MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE OF MISSILES AND NUKES....AND WE STOLE HIS NUKES AND SCIENTISTS WHO THEN BECAME CIA/NASA/WEST GERMAN CHANCELLORS AND INTELLIGENCE SERVICE DIRECTORS AND MANY MANY MANY NAZIS SETTLED IN ARGENTINA.
YOUR SANCTIMONIOUS BULLSHIT IS ODIOUS. STOP.
Seriously...............Zelensky is a HERO. Please stop or go somewhere else. Another delusional MAGA. Geez............and are you still getting COVID shots.........
Its funny ask any Eastern European and they will tell you the Ukraine is the most corrupt in all of Europe. Ukraine is not to be trusted, said to go back to the days of WWII. But I hear that B actor now has multi million dollar villas in two different locations. I ll let you guess where one of them is. True scum of the earth like many who gravitate to high positions, engage into foreign entanglements to lord over the dellusional diehard gnocchi's
All par for the course.
Your sources on that? I know a few Eastern Europeans and Russians, all of whom DONT LIKE PUTIN. Stop abusing Poor Zelenskyy. Look at what he has accomplished..the IMPOSSIBLE and got the VERY brave Ukrainian people to fight to the death and holdoff the MARAUDERS MURDERERS AND RAPISTS AND THIEVES. Sovereignty matters. Except Mombasa Man gave it all away PUTIN POUNCED. p.s. Biden was a NON COMPIS MENTIS PUPPET OF MOMBASA MAN who got a THIRD TERM through him. Fact.
Italy???
Yup
SOURCE?
Oh no. ONE OF THOSE. SIgh. Buh bye. But I will NOT be silenced by ANYONE. PERIOD. and KNOW AND LOVE THE LAW btw.
And, you "one of those". And, paranoid too. And, you need CAPS to express what? Your disagreement with what Bill writes. Really....CAPS.........I thought MAGAs had come and gone...........one never knows.
personal ad hominem attacks are against the RULES. READ AND HEED. Attacking positions is one thing but not otherwise. Thank you.
And its MY PREROGATIVE to use all caps and I never ever accepted the nitwit notion that all caps is YELLING. ITs EMPHASIS since printed word is necessarily SILENT and to make certain people know where I place emphasis not them. Thank you.
Paranoid? NOPE. Realist. I am retired. Cant explain. Nor would I to you. Democracy is complicated and messy. Ask Starmer.
Actually your “nutjobs” are the politicians who can do real harm.
I also think Pols are doing public service and we have to have them and Democracy is very messy (look at BRITAIN and FRANCE and GERMANY today) and we dont want Theocracy (Iran and other muslim states) or Despots (Turkey) and Monarchies even constittutional Monarchies. Do we? So we must put up with nonsense and fight them at ballot box. But pols go up to DC sometimes pure of heart but DAY ONE the SENIOR MEMBERS pull them aside and advise them, "YOU WANT A COMMITTEE? TOW THE LINE. OR YOU GET SIDELINED AND RUN OFF." Its that simple. I know a LOT about the Hill. DONT ASk.
You are right. It is also right to question the motives of those who enter public service. Looking at the result of “good intentions” one begins to wonder about both intentions and motives.
Well I have known several PROMINENT pols in my life. BIG ONES. I wont spew my resume here. Trust me. Powerful men. And two women. Ambassadors too. And I also know the pressures they are under. I put myself in their shoes...needing MONEY to retain office (and help party) and that means TAKING money from LOBBYISTS who represent COMPANIES...McCain tried to fix it, I know I was there. But failed and the end result was a HUGE BACK DOOR or WHOLE IN THE WALL and it got worse with PACs. Sadly. I loved Sen. McCain deeply though we disagreed OFTEN. He was a friend of mine. Deep friend. He had my back on more than ONE occasion. Sic Semper Fideles.
Completely agree. All the Argentinians I know think these reforms are causing a lot of suffering and won’t work. But maybe a rich tourist and his taxi driver know better. Go figure.
To me, Milei is fascinating if not a bit bizarre at times. But who isnt? Trump? He is VERY bizarre at times though I voted for him three times. NO REASONABLE ALTERNATIVE and we needed someone to FIX THE HORRIFIC DAMAGE DONE BY MOMBASA MAN OBAMA
So I lean towards SOME compromise and finding solutions....but that requires legislatures that cooperate and we DONT have that now. Sadly. And the Liberals have gone completely off the wall bonkers.
I knew a few Argentinians and liked them. But I also dont fully understand that country. I know a lot of Brazilians and they are bonkers too. Friendly but BONKERS.
Bill that is an excellent report ! better than anything from Joel in the last few months .. always great to get first hand facts rather than "impressions" .. the facts alone allow one to make decisions regardless of what the "vibes" or other BS feelings tell you as everyone's feelings are subject to the taste on their tongues or what they ate yesterday .. well done and more of the same please ..
I suppose the chart speaks for itself
Thank you Bill for inviting us to your relaxing day and the gentle but instructive narrative that I remember from your past writings.
well I have read Bill for DECADES.....and know his drill...he LOVES to poke the bear and say outrageous things to stir the pot, get clicks and eyeballs and maybe more paying members and then when he gets vociferous pushback sometimes (I am guilty as charged) he gets verklempt and softens it a bit. Now I had a professor in College I knew and liked well (long deceased..he was almost 70 and that was 50 years ago) from Buenos Aires who regaled us with stories of how beautiful Buenos Aires was and so forth.....so yes I know the story for the Paris of South America and SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE. But I also know the DARK SIDE of Argentina...the Junta and the Peronists before that...the disappearances and POPE FRANCIS was a priest there, then and had to go into hiding (and I was no particular of Pope Francis btw because I am NOT liberal or LIBERTARIAN) I just ask BILL to tell the WHOLE STORY NOT A HALF STORY or MISCHARACTERIZE THE TRUTH.
Really.....the truth and nothing but the truth..........who actually knows what really happened.........think you know the truth......think again........there are always two sides to anything and usually the victor writes the history.........
you dont know me and dont know who I know and my resume (retired now for sometime). I dont know and dont profess to know everything. BUt I also know BS when I see it and call it out and whom I can TRUST and Gen. Jack Keane is SUPERB. Mark Levin is SUPERB. My two cents, whether you like it or not.
You can think what you want but that isn't always so. Others have different opinions. And, like you - I don't care if you like it or not.
Have a nice day.