By Doug Casey The over-leveraging of the U.S. federal, state, and local governments, some corporations, and consumers is well known. This has long been the case, and most people are bored by the topic. If debt is a problem, it has been manageable for so long that it no longer seems like a problem. U.S. government debt has become an abstraction; it has no more meaning to the average investor than the prospect of a comet smacking into the earth in the next hundred millennia. Many financial commentators believe that debt doesn’t matter. We still hear ridiculous sound bites, like “We owe it to ourselves,” that trivialize the topic. Actually, some people owe it to other people. There … [Read more...]
Living in a Free-Lunch World
It seems that every once in a while, we awake from a deep sleep with what appears to us to be a brilliant revelation. Unfortunately, if we don't write them down they are usually forgotten by morning. Sometimes in the light of day they turn out to be totally ridiculous... but occasionally they actually do turn out to be a flash of inspiration. I had one such experience a few weeks ago. Of late I have been increasingly disturbed by the growing gulf between Liberals and Conservatives. It seems that they can't find any common ground and for all intents and purposes might be living on entirely different worlds. My revelation, although perhaps not earth-shattering, was to me at least … [Read more...]
A Very Weak Economic Recovery
By Elliott Wave International Editor's note: The following article is excerpted from Elliott Wave International's new free report, "U.S. Economy Still on Life Support." For years, the government has manipulated its unemployment statistics to line up with its claim that the economy has recovered strongly. But that's not ALL the government is hiding from you. From foodstuffs, to crude oil prices, to GDP, the numbers and analysis reported by the government and mainstream financial press are misleading at best, downright falsehoods at worst. Get the hidden truth -- click here to read the full two-part report now >> For years, the government has been manipulating its unemployment … [Read more...]
The FDA Thinks You’re Stupid
I always bristle when I hear that the government is doing something for my own good. Generally, I prefer to decide what's best for me by myself. Obviously, there are exceptions relating to criminal behavior and dishonesty but in most cases, I figure I am a big boy now and I can make my own decisions and take care of myself. In today's article Chris Wood looks at another instance of the Federal Government pushing business around. In this case, it's the FDA. Take a look and decide for yourself if this is where the FDA should be focusing its efforts. ~Tim McMahon, editor. The FDA Thinks You’re Stupid Does the FDA think you're too stupid to have access to your own genetic information? It … [Read more...]
What Causes Unemployment?
I recently received the following question about unemployment from a gentleman in Tanzania and I thought it was a good question and I would share the answer with you. What Causes Unemployment? I have been thinking on that situation of unemployment. Why does the rate of unemployment increase day after day? Does it mean that people have decreased the rate of thinking on creating jobs or there is any other reason? ~ Lioba from Dar-es-Salaam Tanzania. Here is my Response: Lioba, That is a very good question. Unemployment is a function of how efficient the marketplace is. In a purely agricultural economy, there is no unemployment, everyone has to work, if they don't work they don't eat. … [Read more...]
BLS Recovering From Shutdown
The government shutdown is over and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics is recovering from their unscheduled vacation. The United States federal government shutdown of 2013, lasted from October 1 to 17, 2013. Unemployment data for the month of September was due to be released on October 4th i.e. four working days into the shutdown. So the employment data is now scheduled for release on October 22nd. And the Consumer Price Index which is used to calculate the September inflation rate, which was scheduled for release on October 16th is now scheduled for release on October 30th. Although the shutdown inconvenienced vacationers wanting to see National Monuments and the National Zoo, did it … [Read more...]
What’s So Bad about Shutting the Government Down?
It all seems a bit silly. On Monday the National Park Service declared that the open-air Veterans Memorial would be closed during the shutdown. After all they have to prove there is some "pain" involved in shutting down the government. But a bunch of 80-90 year old veterans would have none of it and they tore down the blockades. So the park service made a 180-degree turn and declared their visits now constitute protected “First Amendment activity” . Basically they had no choice, what were they going to do? Shoot the old war heroes? Put them all in jail? It's like a bit of a joke. No their backs are against the wall, somehow they must impress on us common rabble how important the … [Read more...]
What are “Foreign Exchange Reserves”?
Will the U.S. Dollar Be Replaced as the World's Reserve Currency? Foreign Exchange Reserves are foreign money held by International banks for use in international trade and in an effort to diversify their holdings and hedge against the inflation of their own currency. The most common items bought and sold with their foreign exchange reserves are oil and gold. Up until 1944 the asset of choice was gold and it was used as the medium of exchange between countries to settle their debts. But in July 1944, delegates from the 44 Allied nations gathered in Bretton Woods, New Hampshire., and made the U.S. dollar the reserve currency of the world. At that time, the dollar was pegged at $35 per ounce … [Read more...]
What is the Difference Between Micro and Macro Economics?
Microeconomics vs. Macroeconomics- Economics can be described as the social science that examines how people use limited resources to produce, distribute, and consume goods and services to satisfy their unlimited needs and desires. Although microeconomics and macroeconomics are not the only disciplines and paths of specialization to exist within the broader context of economics, these two related, tightly bound, but nonetheless disparate fields are likely the most prominent. Microeconomics and macroeconomics do exactly what their names indicate. Microeconomics focuses on close-up snapshots of people, businesses, and non-profit organizations acting within economies while macroeconomics … [Read more...]
What is the Fiscal Cliff and How is it Affecting the Economy
The fiscal cliff that is the current hot topic in the news is a combination of automatic spending cuts and tax hikes that are scheduled to go into effect at the end of 2012 and the beginning of 2013. The spending cuts were triggered when congress failed to reach a deficit reduction agreement during last years debt ceiling debate. The tax increases are also automatic because Congress failed to make the "Bush Tax Cuts" permanent opting instead for a more politically expedient temporary tax reduction. In other words, they "kicked the can down the road" and it landed at the end of 2012. Perhaps they were hoping the Mayans were right and the world would end before they had to deal with the … [Read more...]
