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    • would set this country straight
    • What we need is first off to not even make this stimulus package. I mean our national debt will be over 60 trillion dollars for those who do not understand this that means that it would take YOU spending 1,000,000 dollar PER DAY it would take you 160,000 YEARS not days to meet our national debt!!!! I mean come on you don't get out of debt by spending more! Just give it time trust me your taxes will increase and inflation will take place! I'm 18 and to be honest i don't wont to pay outstanding taxes for the rest of my life! I work aready and taxes kill me! Try earning mininum wage and not haveing that much time because your always at the school. It suck's big time. Then my future kids and there kids will be paying for this. I'm HIGHLY against this Bailout! We needed to jus let it ride so to say because as my economics teacher says decomercy will always correct its self.

       
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  • Comments

    Leetid said:
    I am sure it will correct itself when people start to spend again but a lot of people are still spending in the UK but not as much as they used to.
    posted about 1 year ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    Ya good point but it will take awhile. We all got the crap scared out of us when all you hear is were in a recession. I mean I personally think the news had some part of our downfall because it scared people and made them stop spending and saving there money.
    posted about 1 year ago
    kayranft said:
    Good comments from one so young! Shows you're paying attention. Good for you! Most kids your age don't give a hoot about anything political or government related. And thanks for choosing to follow me on Plinky! I appreciate it. Remember: always think for yourself or somebody else will do it for you!
    posted about 1 year ago
    five23 said:
    welcome to libertarianism (or at least something similar to it)!
    if you haven't become acquainted with ron paul, don harrold, rick santelli, and the austrian school of economics, now might be a good time
    posted about 1 year ago
    Jenny1 said:
    Wow, good point and very true. I love the line from the Batman film with the Joker in it that says, What this city needs is an enema..LOL THATS what this country needs and it is very refreshing to know there are young people like you who are on top of things and interested in the direction this country is heading. WTG! Keep up the good work.
    posted about 1 year ago
    beckyrae said:
    hey thanks for following me. you sound like an intelligent person and do bring up some very good food for thought. i agree that this country does not need to go into debt any further than what it already has. It seems to me that there has to be some other way to get through this mountain of debt rather than adding more taxes that eventually trickle down to the woring people
    posted about 1 year ago
    e-elliott said:
    I totally agree with you. Although I haven't looked at your blog yet, the one about investing in precious metals, I thought you might find it interesting to know that my husband saved my mother from financial ruin by cashing in nearly all of her stock holdings (after my father's death), and invested a great deal of her money in gold & other precious metals, as well as gold mine stocks. She has been profiting ever since, & escaped the recent 'crash'.
    posted about 1 year ago
    e-elliott said:
    First of all, democracy is a political system, not an economic one (actually, we're a Republic, not a democracy, according to our Founding Fathers). America supposedly is a capitalist country, in the economic sense; unfortunately, the recent actions of our government show a gross distortion of pure capitalism.In a way you're right; a pure capitalist system always corrects itself. The huge banking corporations that went under, i.e. AIG, Lehmann Brothers,J.P Morgan, should not have been "bailed out"; they should have been allowed to fail. Then smaller institutions who extend credit to real capital formation (businesses who produce goods & services)would rise in status and establish themselves in their proper place, and re-instate the Glass-Stiegal Act, which prevents huge invest banking conglomerates, i.e. prevents standard banks from merging with investment banks. In real capitalism, when businesses fail, they fail, & for a reason; others who do the job better take their place.Sadly, we do not possess a true capitalist system; this is mostly due to the fact that the US government is a corporation itself; bought, sold, and controlled by all sorts of interests: from the banking industry, the pharmaceutical companies, big oil; the list goes on. Almost all of out "elected representatives"-except for a few exceptions, like Ron Paul, Dennis Kusinich & Bernie Sanders-accept large amounts of money from PAC's, who represent these interests. Now, they can't leave these huge financial buddies out in the cold, can they? **Although it's interesting to note that the very 1st stimulus legislation was passed BY FORCE; a day or 2 after its passage, a few outraged senators reported to the press that Nancy Pelosi had placed Congress under martial law to force passage of the stimulus package. In addition, several senators of both parties, stated that the Bush administration had threatened national martial law due to civil unrest from total economic collapse **Of course, this was not reported widely in the mainstream media: please remember almost all media in this country is controlled by a few large corporations, who effectively censor what is reported. These same corporations-Hearst, for example, who now owns most of the nation's newspapers-are also bedfellows of the American government. There is a tacit agreement-which equals a Constitutional breach-that facts or events that show our government in a bad light are simply not reported, or relegated to the back page.In addition, the mainstream media accepts the statistics the government puts out as gospel truth: i.e., the level of inflation. Inflation is already rampant-just go to the grocery store; 4 bags of groceries routinely add up to over $100. Use Webster Tarpley's-an author and political analyst-marker: a gallon of milk, an American staple. How much has the price of a gallon of milk gone up in the last 6 months? the last year? Admittedly, inflation has gone down since the increase of "strength" of the dollar, which itself won't last long, as it is the direct result of China's interference in the world stock exchange (it makes America's debt to them worth more) + the fact that most foreign countries, in their financial straits,still cling desperately to the misconception that the US is still the financial giant of the world, and therefore salvation will always be through the dollar.This despite the Federal Reserve (although not Constitutionally allowed to do so-in fact, the Fed is a PRIVATE institution with no oversight from the government) is printing money 24/7, to increase the amount of "money" in economic circulation. Of course, this is totally illogical, since the more paper currency there is, the less it's worth. Watch, we'll soon be like the Wehrmacht Republic pre-WWII; you'll have to take a wheelbarrow full of bills to the market to buy a loaf of bread. Or like Zambia, which started printing billion dollar bills, their inflation is so out of control.Back to what got us in this situation in the 1st place-the derivatives crash, which stemmed from excessive leverage. Ask your economics professor for details. If you think our national debt is bad-and it is -consider the amount of derivative issuance: 1.4 quadrillion dollars. Write that figure out, with all its zeros, it'll take a while to figure out. A quadrillion is a million trillion, a trillion is a million billion, a billion is a million million. Actually, derivatives weren't a scam-they are perfectly legal. They just weren't "regulated enough", according to the SEC. This is the same SEC who allowed Bernard Madoff-don't you just love that his name describes his actions perfectly-to lose over $50 billion of investors' money, despite repeated warnings from legitimate, disinterested parties.You're right, you and every other taxpayer will be paying for our government's immorality & greed for generations. Social Security, for the retired & disabled, is totally depleted. as you know, with interest, the debt cannot be paid off; every time a dollar is created to 'Pay off' the debt, you're creating more debt. And although 98% of Americans polled stated they're against the bailouts, they'll continue.Conclusions to be drawn from this; 1. Our government is totally corrupt, and we no longer have a true capitalist system 2. Don't trust anything the corporate media says, it's almost all propaganda 3. Our government is turning fascist, by definition-fascism is the blending of the economic and political systems, in which the corporations take over the government, & corporate gains are privatized and the losses are socialized (a twist of the Fascism of the '20's) 4. We are totally fucked, in every sense of the word.PS I'd love to know how your economic prof. responds to this comment. The deindustrialization of the US started in the '70's, and in economic theory wealth is created only by the means of production. But we have become the biggest debtor nation, in that we produce less & less, and consume more and more . We're in debt because we no longer produce good & services that the rest of the world wants, but instead borrow to consume other countries' goods, services & savings (with interest, of course). Our whole economy is a fragile bubble; 75% of our economy is consumption = debt.OF course our government tries to hide this, by treating consumption as an asset, not a liability. Ask your professor to screen the movie "Money as Debt" in class (you can get it off YouTube).PPS Ask you economics prof. if he subscribes to the Keynesian School or the Austrian School of Economics.






    posted about 1 year ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    You make a very interesting point mr.elliott I agree wit alot of your views. And also my teacher is not a professor. I'm still a senior in highschool and he's just one of my football coachs teaching eco and gov. To be honest I personally have more knowledge on the subject of our gov and eco then he does. I make him look like a total idiot in classroom disscussions. But you do have some very good points. We basicly screwed our self with lack of knowledge. EVEN OUR YOUTH is basicly dumb to the state of how SCREWED we actually are. In my eco & gov class i'll start talking bout the stim package and a majority of my classmates don't know what I'm talking bout DONT CARE or don't even know about the stim package and i'm sure its jus not in my class i'm sure it's around the U.S. OUR youth just don't give a shit some do like myself. But most are just like ya ya Jeremy... Were's a party this weekend yall?? I mean come on WE ALL need to WAKE UP!!!!!! I Was watching fox business a while back the other morning before school like i always do and they was talking bout how screwed we are! I'm just a 18 year old young adult and I don't know everything but I do know that Yall best be getting ready to pay out the butt in taxes adults and youth alike because sooner or later youth of America its your turn to pay for mess ups!!!!!
    posted about 1 year ago
    Savitha said:
    Hey I do admire your awareness of the economic situation in your country. But don't you think that you are overreacting a trifle? Come on, you are still in high school. You are an observer now. So relax and pick up lessons for the future. As much as you may rant about the stimulus bill, I am sure that the writing is pretty much clear on the wall. There is simply no other option. In fact a section of economists feel that even this stimulus package is not big enough to arrest the freefall in the economy. As much as the ethical implications continue to bother us [especially the fact that the burden has to be borne by the tax payers], in the interest of the larger good, there is no other viable option.
    posted about 1 year ago
    Tabby said:
    Everybody is mad about the stim package. Why? Everybold says they should have let AIG and all the other big companies fall. Do you really relize what would have happened if they did? Apparently not. First of all AIG alone employes over 700,000 people. If you count everyone. EVERYONE! Now if AIG fails that 700,000 more people without a job. Thats 700,000 people in foreclosure because they dont have a job anymore. Thats 700,000 people signing up for unemployement for the first time. Thats 700,000 people drawing welfare instead of a paycheck. And thats just one of the big companies, now imagen it was all of them. Thats a little over 4 MILLION people that cant feed their families anymore. See its not so easy when you look at it from all angles is it.
    posted about 1 year ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    well tabby were already paying out the ass for it anyways and some majory bussiness they should bail out that would actually HELP us but alot of the stim package is total BULL CRAP!!!!!!!!!!!! we will see just how many "JOBS" comes out of this when its all said and done and do you honestly think all 700,000 of them people would have not got a job??? i mean come on some people have a work ethic and even if there layed off there going at least try to find another job and support there family!!! SO look at it from the job that a majority of the people that lose there job there going find a new job doing SOMETHING! To even be able to survie today!!!! SO THATs another angle you need to look at! Because welfare and all the other gov aid ant going pay ALL the bills at the end of the month NOW IS IT???
    posted 12 months ago
    BlackBuddha said:
    You are very very lucky because your Econ teacher is crazy smart. Democracy is a selfreparing system, but in the meantime people need some help.
    posted 11 months ago
    simplymisstonya said:
    Bravo to a young soul....
    posted 11 months ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    IS budget of 3.45 TRILLION dollars in 2010 really wat this country needs? I was watching fox bussiness last night and it said the house passed it!!! Ant that jus a bit much to run our country! we cant like cut some stuff out and save some money somewhere I mean COME ON 3.45 TRILLION DOLLARS!!!!
    posted 11 months ago
    btheriot said:
    Sometimes it does feel like the world is going to the dogs. It's refreshing to see a young man like yourself so interested in the world beyond his front door. I lived through the economic downturns. . . President Carter and the lines for gas and the congress passing laws to regulate the temperature settings for thermostat. Keep learning and adapting and you will find the motivation to do more than endure . . . you will find success. I often sat at my grandmother's knee as she told me "the stories of old." She taught me many things, but I'll share her wisdom regarding the fickelness of the economy. She lived through depressions and great flood and was widowed at a young age with 12 children to feed. With her husband's death, she lost her love, her home, her income, and her children were scattered to those who would take them in if they could afford to feed them. They had been sharecropper farmers. So she passed on this lesson to me: Always own the land you live on. It will provide you with your shelter and can feed you. It has become fashionable to be environmentally conscious, but those preaching don't have the ability to be self-suffiencent as she taught me. Don't expect anything from the government, it will usually fail to live up to the ideal. Create wonderful relationships, so that in times of hardship you rely on each other and yourself to fare through it all. In my childhood community my family was the only one with a car. So we planned the errands and shopping to accommodate us all. We each had gardens or farms and shared the work and the food we reaped. We cooked and canned food together. We shared the labor and the rewards. We didn't even lock our door when we weren't home in case one of the neighbors needed to enter to use the phone. Sometimes when it looks like the world is going to hell in a handbasket, remember these are the times that forge creativity and ingenuity and strength if you remember to prioritize continuous learning and adapting.
    posted 11 months ago
    Platform29 said:
    It's so refreshing to find someone at your age actually AWARE of what's going on around them. You have every right to feel the way you do - the country is going to hell in a hand basket. And as you have so aptly pointed out, this is YOUR FUTURE and the legacy we leave YOUR GENERATION. However, government meddling is not restricted to the economy. Each week, local state governments file bills that continue to restrict our freedom, some of which directly conflict with the Constitution. Some of the things that affect us the most are closer to home.
    Thanks for following me and keep up the good work! I look forward to more of your posts.
    posted 11 months ago
    goodnightamerica said:
    Wow, this is gonna sound outrageous, but we think exactly the same and figured that from the beginning, smiley's mom is really into politics and she hears a mouthful. do u want 2 know y that's outrageous, we're 13 years old!!!
    posted 11 months ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    new info I was watching fox bussiness this moning like usuall and it was talking bout how Ford and GM's plans. Ford cut there debt down by 10 billion dollars in a win win bargin. WITH NO GOV AID (so far). While GM combined wit (SEGWAY) thats right segway! Weird huh for those who don't no segway is that little all electric 2 wheeled stand up device you jus cruise along ya know on it! They plan on makeing a all electric 4 wheeled vehicle name (PUMA) like the shoe company ya know! I think that amazing eventhough its going be complex! I have college courses already for electronics and placed first in the state for electronic applications. Me and my instructor was talking about this about two years ago and how to do it! AND how HARD it would be with the weight, safety, and etc! But don't you think if they combine segway and Gm that there going either A. get a bunch of money from the gov or B. pay for it all by thereself! I don't know exactly how its going be done but if the gov does support it which they prob will. Then I belive that will be the best thing to come out of this WHOLE STIM package! U got a car that can hopefully be mass produced, cheap, effective, good for our plant, and to top it all of it would LIMIT our need for foreign OIL! I mean granted all the oil people going be pissed but o well there rich as can be anyway! I mean this past summer i worked high end construction and the house we worked on ALL summer and den sum was ALL CUSTOM and jus rough est was over 3 MILLION DOLLARS and this house IS HIS POOL HOUSE!!!!!!!! NO LIE he has a main house guest, pool house, barn and alot more and guess what he does for a living thats right OWNS his on oil rig!!!! I believe we should look into investing in both ford and Gm because i believe there not going fail for one. Also this moring at 7 am FORDS stocks was at $3.77 a share that seems pretty dang cheap to me!!!! But u do what you want i think i bout to put my money into ford and gm some and see what happens!!!!
    posted 11 months ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    THE FOLLOWING REPORTS IS WAT I PULLED OFF OF www.goldworld.com they are written by a author called Luke Burgess. They are very interesting 2 me what he has to say each report will be in a different comment to avoid confusion! so check them out it's some good stuff!
    posted 11 months ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    The Great American Debt MachineBy Luke Burgess | Monday, April 6th, 2009
    Michael Alton Davies was just born at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in downtown Chicago.
    He weighs 7 pounds and 10 ounces. He is only minutes old. And yet, he is already saddled with a humongous debt.
    Believe it or not, Michael was born into debt. . . and he owes almost $250,000!
    His birth did not require special, expensive care. And he didn't inherit any debt from his parents or other family members.
    No, there is actually nothing special at all about Michael's debt situation. He is not alone.
    You see, young Michael — and every other citizen of the United States — will be responsible for paying the tab on a growing $70 trillion debt.
    To pay back this debt at $1,000,000 per day would take 191,780 years! And that's just what we as Americans owe today!
    This debt has put the United States in an extremely perilous situation, especially right now with the global economic recession. Nevertheless, there's a bright, silver lining to this ominous cloud of debt. That's because...The shear size of this debt guarantees economic conditions that will allow informed investors to reap massive profits.
    Let me explain. It's all part of. . .
    The Great American Debt Machine
    The U.S. Government has mastered the magician's art of illusion.
    They've become experts in crafting a distortion of reality. Namely, the American government has found a way to cover up 85% of the nation's actual debt! Here's what I'm talking about. . .
    The Feds essentially keep two sets of books that make up America's debt portfolio.
    The first set of of books is the widely publicized "National Public Debt."The National Public Debt is currently over $11 trillion and is climbing at a rate of almost $4 billion per day.
    This is the figure that's quoted in the evening news and on the famous U.S. National Debt Clock in Manhattan. In the past century, this debt has skyrocketed nearly 400,000%.
    But the National Public Debt doesn't even come close to telling half of the story. The U.S. Government Is Another $60 Trillion in the Hole!
    You see, the U.S. government doesn't classify future financial responsibilities — such as social security, government-sponsored health care, and other contractual obligations — as "public debt." And it's with this simple act of reclassification that the Feds have been able to shield the American public from the truth about the country's actual debt position.
    Nevertheless, calculations suggest that such financial obligations will no doubt cost the American taxpayers roughly $60 trillion!
    This debt is no secret among Washington insiders, nor is the fact that the government is trying to hide it. In fact, David Walker, the former U.S. Comptroller General and the nation's top accountant between 1998 and 2008 said, "As the federal official who signs the audit report on the government's financial statements, it is apparent that our government's financial condition is far worse than advertised."
    Walker has also said, "Current federal financial reporting and budgeting provides policymakers and the public with an incomplete and even misleading picture."
    Add it all up, and the United States government is on the line for almost $70 trillion in total financial obligations, including public debt.
    And like I said, that's just what we owe today! Check this out. . .
    The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a new report a few weeks ago called "The Federal Government's Financial Health." In this report, the GAO reported an expected increase in National Public Debt of over 500% within the next several decades!
    Take a look at the U.S. GAO's projections. . . and remember this is the U.S. government's own estimates. . . A similar move in the nation's actual debt — that's the National Public Debt plus all other fiscal responsibilities — would result in a total financial obligation of over $550 trillion!
    That's over $1.8 million that would be owed for every American citizen today!
    It's time to. . .
    Get Your Checkbook Out!
    America's $70 trillion debt works out to about $500,000 per working American and is literally enough money to start your own country. . . maybe two. Heck, you might even have enough cash left over to fund a war between the two.
    As a result of this massive financial obligation, every American child is born into debt owing nearly a quarter million dollars!
    The interest on that debt alone is going to cost almost twice as much as educating the child!
    Now, forget about trying to assign blame to the Democrats or Republicans because this whole mess really got started back in the 1970s, and both parties are guilty, guilty, guilty.
    Besides, we can't change the past, despite how much we'd like to, sometimes. However, we can use this information to protect our financial future, and even reap substantial investment returns. And here's how to do that while the U.S. government's accountants. . .
    Face the Music
    America has been drunk on borrowed money over the past several decades. And now it's starting to catch up with us like a bad hangover.
    The result of this massive construction of debt has been directly reflected in the currency markets.
    And this escalation of debt is exactly why the value of the U.S. dollar has fallen as much as 42% since 2001.
    As a result of the devaluation of the greenback, and continuation of rising debt, countries around the world are now starting to seriously consider ditching the U.S. dollar as the world's main reserve currency.
    In fact, the Chinese government just came out a few days ago and proposed replacing the U.S. dollar as the world's dominant reserve currency with a new "international reserve currency."An actual shift in reserve currency power would send the value of the U.S. dollar spiraling down. . . quite likely crashing to all-time lows.
    This great devaluation of the U.S. dollar is generally negative for investment markets across the board. But as I mentioned just a second ago, an informed investor has a huge advantage over their competitors and can use this information to profit greatly. But more on that in just a second.
    The replacement of the dollar as the world's main reserve currency is not as alarmist or as far-fetched as it may sound.
    In fact, the U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner responded to China's proposal by saying he was "quite open" to its suggestion to displace the U.S. dollar.
    Other economists have suggested that the Euro may take over the lead reserve currency position.
    Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan gave his opinion in September 2007, saying that it is "absolutely conceivable that the euro will replace the dollar as reserve currency, or will be traded as an equally important reserve currency."
    Either way, it seems imminent that the value of the U.S. dollar is headed further south as the U.S. government will be forced to print more money to pay off this debt.
    The good news is that it's not too late to protect your financial well-being from the falling dollar and return a significant profit at the same time. All you need to know is. . .
    The Best Way to Profit from the Devaluation of the U.S. Dollar
    After several months of searching, I've found two of the best U.S. dollar short positions. And they work as simple as this. . .
    Every time the U.S. dollar goes down, these two investment positions go up.
    But here's what makes these two investment vehicles special. . .
    Both of these positions are leveraged, which means that every time the U.S. dollar goes down, the return on your investment increases by a multiple.
    Now, the mainstream financial media hates these investment vehicles, and you'll never hear about them on CNBC or BNN. That's because the financial media has corporate masters that rely on the strength of the U.S. dollar to expand business.
    They try to sweep the truth about the continuing decline of the U.S. dollar under the rug. But sooner or later they'll have to face the music. And everyone with assets denominated in U.S. dollars will be negatively affected to some extent.
    As I mentioned just a minute ago, the value of the U.S. dollar has already fallen quite significantly over the past several years.
    But the market gods are offering a second chance to take advantage of the falling U.S. dollar. That's because. . .
    Over the past several months, the U.S. dollar has had significant strength as governments, central banks, and large financial institutions have been acquiring the greenback as a hedge against their own, presumably less-stable currencies in the face of the global recession/depression.
    But everyday more and more people around the world are starting to recognize the once great U.S. dollar as what it has become. . . an IOU for nothing!
    Wait, scratch that.
    The U.S. dollar is an IOU for less than nothing. . . it's an IOU for DEBT!
    How to Protect Against and Profit from a Falling U.S. Dollar
    The U.S. government is limited in how much it can raise taxes. So it will be forced to create new money to pay off its $70 trillion financial obligation. This inflationary pressure virtually guarantees the continuing decline of the U.S. dollar. And now that the greenback has had some strength, there's never been a better time to go short on the U.S. dollar.
    I have recently added the two leveraged U.S. dollar short investment positions to my 2009 Secret Stock Files Investment Strategy Portfolio. And I want to share them with you today, so that you too can protect your future financial well-being and profit from the continuing decline of the U.S. dollar.
    If you're interested in learning more about these two investment vehicles, just keep reading.
    posted 11 months ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    #2 REPORT
    U.S. National DebtThe 20 Biggest Holders of U.S. National Public DebtBy Luke BurgessTuesday, April 7th, 2009
    The U.S. National Public Debt is now over $11.2 trillion. And it's climbing at a rate of $2.7 million per minute!
    By the time you are done reading this article, the U.S. National Public Debt will have climbed over $20 million. And Uncle Sam is running up this tab with ever-increasing speed.
    In the past five months alone, the U.S. government has increased National Public Debt by $1 trillion. It has been the fastest jump in U.S. history.
    It took the American government a full 191 years (from 1791 until 1982) to rack up its first trillion dollars in national debt. The second and third trillions got on the scoreboard much more quickly. . . each within just four years.
    By the time George W. Bush was inaugurated as President in 2001, the National Public Debt stood at $5.7 trillion. The Bush Administration increased Public Debt by almost $4.9 trillion. Under his authority, Bush increased National Public Debt faster than nearly all of his predecessors combined.What is U.S. National Pubic Debt? U.S. National Public Debt comprises Debt Held by the Public and Intragovernmental Holdings.
    The Debt Held by the Public is all federal debt held by individuals, corporations, state or local governments, foreign governments, and other entities outside the United States Government less Federal Financing Bank securities. Types of securities held by the public include Treasury Bills, Notes, Bonds, TIPS, United States Savings Bonds, and State and Local Government Series securities.
    Intragovernmental Holdings are Government Account Series securities held by Government trust funds, revolving funds, and special funds; and Federal Financing Bank securities. A small amount of marketable securities are held by government accounts. But I'm not just picking on Bush and the Republicans. . . National Debt stood at $10.6 trillion on the day Barrack Obama took office. But if his budget projections are accurate, President Obama's administration will run up nearly as much national debt in four years as Bush did in eight. In fact, during the eleven weeks since Obama took office, the National Public Debt has increased almost $600 billion.
    And the federal budget he unveiled in February projects even faster increases in the National Public Debt. It is estimated that Public Debt will rise to almost $13 trillion by the end of the fiscal year on September 30th.
    The hundreds of billions of dollars being spent as part of the federal bailout of the financial markets is a leading factor in the rapid increase in government debt.
    And as the U.S. government spends an unprecedented amount of money to fix the nation's economy, there is a need to raise the cash to pay for it.
    This can only be accomplished by raising taxes, which is an very unpopular option, or through borrowing whereby America sells U.S. Treasury securities of varying maturity.
    For investors, U.S. government bills, notes, and bonds are considered a safe financial product with AAA ratings from agencies such as Moody's, Standard & Poor's, and Fitch. These credit rating agencies assume a guaranteed rate of return based on the "full faith and credit of the United States."
    The federal government has been partially funding operations via Treasury debt securities for decades. This borrowing adds to the National Public Debt. Much of that debt is held by private sector, but about 40% is held by public entities, including parts of the government.
    Here are the 20 biggest holders of U.S. government debt. . .Advertisement
    Get Your Piece of the $850 billion Infrastructure StimulusFailing infrastructure could be the crisis that defines the U.S. as a country, with far reaching consequences that will dwarf both peak oil and climate change. To help alleviate infrastructure problems like failing bridges and water mains, and to stimulate a failing economy, an $850 billion infrastructure stimulus is being passed that will send infrastructure stocks soaring. Government funding will literally be pouring off their balance sheets.And you can ride the trend for all it's worth. This new report outlines all the details, including the companies you need to know about in order to profit. Start making government-backed infrastructure gains today! Click here to learn more.________________________________________
    20. Republic of Ireland — $50 Billion
    As a country with just 4.2 million citizens, Ireland currently holds $50 billion in U.S. government debt. Between January 2008 and January 2009, Ireland increased its holding of American debt by 221%.
    19. Germany — $56 Billion
    Germany is a member of the United Nations (UN), North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), Group of Eight (G8), and Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). It is a major economic power with the world's third largest economy by nominal GDP and the fifth largest in purchasing power parity. Germany is the world's largest exporter and second largest importer of goods. The central European country controls $56 billion in U.S. Treasuries.
    18. Switzerland — $62 Billion
    The neutral, landlocked, alpine country, which hosts many international organizations including the Red Cross and World Trade Organization (WTO), owns just over $62 billion in U.S. debt.
    17. Hong Kong — $72 Billion
    Renowned for its expansive skyline and natural setting, Hong Kong holds about $72 billion in U.S. government debt. Hong Kong is one of the world's leading financial capitals, a major business and cultural hub, and maintains a highly-developed capitalist economy.
    16. Taiwan — $73 Billion
    As another advanced, high-income Southeast Asian economy, Taiwan owns about $73 billion in U.S. Treasuries. The country's technology industry plays a key role in the global economy, as Taiwanese companies manufacture a giant portion of the world's consumer electronics.
    15. Luxembourg — $87 Billion
    With a population of less than 500,000, Luxembourg owns over $87 billion in American debt. The tiny country is a founding member of the European Union (EU), NATO, UN, Benelux, and the Western European Union, reflecting a political consensus in favor of economic, political, and military integration.
    14. Depository Institutions — $107 Billion
    According to the Federal Reserve Board of Governors, depository institutions, such as commercial banks, savings banks, and credit unions, hold over $107 billion in government debt.
    13. Russia — $120 Billion
    Russia is the largest country in the world, covering more than an eighth of the Earth's land area. With 142 million people, it is the ninth largest by population. The transcontinental country currently holds about $120 billion in U.S. debt. This figure increased 240% between January 2008 and January 2009.
    12. United Kingdom — $124 Billion
    Britain was the world's first industrialized country and the world's foremost power during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Today, the United Kingdom currently holds $124 billion in U.S. debt securities and has the fifth largest economy in the world by nominal GDP.
    11. Insurance Companies — $126 Billion
    The Federal Reserve Board of Governors lists insurance companies as holding $126 billion in Treasury securities. This group includes property-casualty and life insurance firms.
    10. Brazil — $134 Billion
    Brazil is the fifth largest country in the world by geographical area, occupying nearly half of South America, and the fifth most populous country. The South American economic giant holds $134 billion in U.S. debt.
    9. Caribbean Banking Centers — $177 Billion
    The U.S. Treasury identifies the Bahamas, Bermuda, the Cayman Islands, the Netherlands Antilles, Panama, and the British Virgin Islands as holding $177 billion in American debt.
    8. Oil Exporters — $186 Billion
    Included in the group of oil exporters are Ecuador, Venezuela, Indonesia, Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Algeria, Gabon, Libya, and Nigeria. The group combines for a total of approximately $187 billion held in U.S. government debt.
    7. Other Investors — $413 Billion
    This diverse group includes individuals, government-sponsored enterprises, brokers and dealers, bank personal trusts, estates, and both corporate and non-corporate businesses for a total of $413 billion held in U.S. national debt.
    6. Pension Funds — $456 Billion
    Pension funds control large amounts of cash, which is reserved for personal retirements, and are therefore obligated to make relatively safe investments, such as U.S. Treasury securities. This group includes both private and local government pension funds, totaling over $456 billion.
    5. State and Local Governments — $523 Billion
    State and local governments hold over a half-trillion dollars in U.S. Treasuries. The level of investment has remained very stable over the past three years, moving within the range of $517 billion and $550 billion from 2006 to 2009.
    4. Japan — $635 Billion
    As another major U.S. trade partner, the archipelago country of Japan holds a huge amount of America's debt with a stunning $635 billion. Japan has the world's second largest economy by nominal GDP and the third largest in purchasing power parity.
    3. Mainland China — $740 Billion
    The economy of Mainland China is the second largest in the world after that of the United States with a GDP of almost $8 trillion by purchasing power parity. China has been the fastest-growing major nation for the past quarter of a century with an average annual GDP growth rate above 10%. As one of the world's continuous civilizations, consisting of states and cultures dating back more than six millennia, China now controls approximately $740 billion in U.S. debt.
    2. Mutual Funds — $769 Billion
    Mutual funds hold the second largest amount of American debt compared to any other group. Including money market funds, mutual funds, and closed-end funds, this group of investments manages approximately $769 billion of U.S. Treasury securities.
    1. The Federal Reserve and U.S. Intragovernmental Holdings — $4,806 Billion
    This probably comes to you as no surprise. The largest holder of U.S. government debt is the privately-owned Federal Reserve. The Federal Reserve system of banks and other U.S. intragovernmental holdings accounts for a stunning $4.8 trillion in U.S. Treasury debt. And with recent announcements from the Fed, another potential $1 trillion may be added to its balance sheet. All this debt has put the United States economy and the U.S. dollar in a perilous situation, especially with the global economic recession right now.
    Historically, currencies were backed by precious metals. But in the current scheme of fiat money, the U.S. government is free to print all the money it wants. Consequently, the government cannot technically go bankrupt as any debtor nation can just issue more money through a practice known as seigniorage.
    However, a gross imbalance between the amount of new money being brought into circulation and the amount of economic goods represented by an economy is an unstable situation that can lead to hyperinflation.
    Nevertheless, there is a silver lining to this ominous cloud of debt. That's because. . .
    The shear size of this debt guarantees economic conditions that will allow informed investors to reap massive profits.
    I've already taken up a lot of your time today. But if you're interested in learning the whole truth about the debt of the United States, and how to profit from it, please keep reading here. Good Investing,

    posted 11 months ago
    Investinginmetals said:
    #3 REPORT THIS ONE IS BY GREG MCCOAH ANOTHER GOOD AUTHOR I LIKE TO READ FROM AT www,goldworld.com

    Financial Crisis InvestingThe 10 Best Investments During a Financial CrisisBy Greg McCoachMonday, March 30th, 2009As I travel around the country right now, meeting and talking to fellow investors, I encounter the same question over and over. . .
    "How do I invest during this financial crisis?"
    Of course there's no easy answer to this question. That's simply because we just don't know how bad things will get. And while we are hoping for the best, we'd be foolish not to prepare for the worst. With this in mind, I have created a list of ten of the best investments you can make in preparation for the worst. But as you'll see in just a minute, many of these investments are not financial instruments that will return money. Rather, they are investments that will create other benefits in the future, such as security. Financial Crisis InvestingTen Best Ways to Invest During a Financial Crisis1. Lower or Eliminate Any DebtSeems obvious, but it bears repeating. The less debt you have in times of financial turmoil, the better off you will be. Large debt will be like a millstone around your neck as you're trying to tread water in a very deep lake. Make the decision to pay off any and all debts as quickly as possible. Then, consider never getting back into debt. Do not live beyond your means. Practice moderation. Despite what the media says, you do not need a luxury automobile, designer clothing, or expensive jewelry to be happy. Debt should only be used in the most dire of situations.2. Use Cash Effectively NowLook to use cash as effectively as possible over the next 12 months before major inflationary forces kick in and destroy the purchasing power of your money, especially if you live in the United States. For each individual this is going to mean different things. But overall you should ask yourself the question, "What is the most effective use of this cash right now while prices are still low and the purchasing power of money is still relatively high?" 3. Put Together a Food StorageMedia won't touch this with a 10-foot pole, but the time of easily accessible food at cheap prices may soon be over. The supply disruptions that always attend hyper-inflationary events have the possibility to cause major problems and shortages. It's best to plan ahead by putting together a food storage of items that store well for a long time, such as canned goods, freeze-dried foods, vacuum-packed food, etc. 4. Get a Safe Haven LocationIf things get bad enough, major cities and densely populated areas may experience civil unrest on a scale we have never seen in America. Look at the scenarios painted by Gerald Celente, who says that within the next four years, America will see food riots, tax revolts, job marches, and millions of homeless. Or, consider the social anarchy that took place in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. It doesn't take much to set off unrest. And what good is our money going to do us if we don't have a safe place to live until civil order can be restored? You may want to consider purchasing a small cabin in the mountains or a retreat area with like-minded people. You may have relatives who already have such a place. Think through this issue and stock it up ahead of time.
    5. Own the Physical Precious Metals and Quality Mining SharesTaking physical possession of gold and silver bullion coins and bars is essential to surviving any crisis. History has clearly shown that those who held the physical metals during times of economic turmoil and displacement fared much better than those who didn't. Make sure you own the gold and silver coins of the country you live in. If you live in Canada, then make sure you own the Canadian Gold and Silver Maple Leafs. If you are an American, then own the Gold and Silver Eagles. If you only can afford a small amount of metals, then you should own the silver coins first. Bars are cheaper to buy then coins, but coins such as the Eagles and Maple Leafs will be highly recognizable and more useful for purchasing or bartering for items you may need. Also, adding quality precious metals mining shares can greatly increase the leverage of your gold and silver portfolio, but they should be carefully selected. The combination of owning physical precious metals and mining shares will go a long way towards protecting your hard-earned savings from the ravages of the coming horrific inflation. If you can only afford one of these two suggestions, then you should stick with the physical metals.
    6. Consider Buying a GunRegardless of your personal views on gun ownership, not having a gun when trouble comes could mean the difference between life and death. A good all-around pistol would be a 9MM or .45 caliber hand gun. You may also want to consider a defensive-type shotgun such as a Mossberg 500 or a high-powered, semi-automatic rifle, such as an AR-15, which I think is the best choice for defense. A semi-automatic rifle is more powerful than any handgun, and has a higher round capacity and longer range capability than a shotgun or pistol. It's also important to make sure you have at least several hundred rounds of ammunition, along with multiple magazines. The last weapon that you may want to consider is a hunting rifle. The most important thing about owning a gun is knowing how to use it. And practice makes perfect. So, I urge you to consider buying a gun, and practice frequently at a range until you are comfortable using it.Advertisement
    Alternative Energy Myths Report Jeff Siegel's Alternative Energy Myths report is currently available at no charge for his Green Chip Review members. Green Chip Review is a daily e-letter that offers market analysis in alternative and renewable energy, organic foods, green building, and all associated LOHAS segments. For a free membership to the Green Chip Review and to reserve your copy, click here. ________________________________________
    7. Think Globally with Your MoneyThe more money you have in a crisis environment, the bigger problem you'll have trying to protect it. Business as usual is simply not going to work. Keeping your money in U.S. dollars inside the United States looks like it will be a disaster at some point. You should consider legally getting some of your money outside the country. While this strategy can get somewhat complicated, it may be prudent for those with a large enough net worth to spend the time and money doing so. For smaller-net worth individuals this would not be necessary, but you could keep some money in other currencies such as the Canada's, Hong Kong's, or Singapore's. In the end, though, I think physical holdings of gold and silver will be the ultimate safe haven currencies compared to anything else the world has to offer.
    8. Find Other Like-Minded PeopleNo single person is an island unto themselves. It will be important in the coming months and years ahead to surround yourself with other like-minded people who are prepared and have various skill sets. Banding together in groups will become essential in the trying times ahead. You should learn as many new skills as possible such as canning food, growing vegetables, rasing livestock, shooting a gun, etc.
    9. Share Your Knowledge with OthersSome people will not be willing to listen under any circumstances. But if you approach people in the correct manner, you can be a big influence in getting others to prepare while they still can. This is something all good people should be willing to do. In that conversation, you should inform others that the way back to economic prosperity is getting back to our Constitutional values. "We the People" are going to have to take our country back from the greedy, power-seeking political types who exist in Washington and New York. Everyone should read the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights so they know what our government is and should be. As more and more people come to the realization that we have all been had, more will be willing to stand up and fight for what is right and what the founding fathers created for us. The system of liberty given to us in 1787 is what created this great country and the prosperity it has seen. Unchecked greed and corruption are now destroying it.
    10. Have a Good Communication SystemIn cases of severe and long-standing civil unrest, communications systems and the grid may be down for indefinite periods of time. With readily available methods of communication no longer operating, old technology such as "Ham Radios" could become an absolute lifeline. Handheld portable "HT" radios, as they are called, would be incredibly valuable. These do require a license, but the license is very easy to get. With a couple of weeks of study, you could easily pass the 30-question multiple choice test required to get a "Technicians License." Purchasing several of these small handheld radios for family members would be very valuable in such a crisis. The best model out there is the Yaesu VX-6 for around $250.00. You should also look to purchase the high-performance antenna for this model, manufactured by Diamond Antenna (Model number SRH77CA), for around $30.00. While these are some of the most important things to consider for the coming economic meltdown, this is by no means an all-inclusive list. I will continue to provide information about the best things to consider in my Mining Speculator newsletter each and every month as I find other good sources or ideas to consider.
    Kind regards,
    Greg McCoachEditor, Gold WorldInvestment Director, Mining SpeculatorP.S. On a more positive note, members of Luke Burgess' Secret Stock Files have winning returns on 10 of the 11 recommendations made during the first quarter... and those include two stocks that have returned over 100% in just a few weeks! Not only am I a member of his service, but I am also an active investor of his recommendations. Secret Stock Files has provided me with several new investing ideas and has made me a lot of money, even during this economic recession. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised to find his portfolio beating 95% of the advisories on the scene right now. I strongly urge you to check Luke's Secret Stock Files out. P.P.S. Gold prices are coiled to skyrocket, and this may be one of your last chances to own the yellow metal for under $1,000 an ounce. So I urge you to buy right now! Throughout human history, gold has offered safety amid crisis. Fortunately for us, there's a new money-making phenomenon that can actually double your gains in gold. Thanks to this unique tool, every time gold gains just 1%, you make 2%. . . a 25% gain pays 50%. . . a 100% gain pays 200%. . . a 500% gain pays 1,000%! Click here to learn more.
    posted 11 months ago
    zman14u said:
    It is amazing to start by having a stimulus package when there is always seems to be no money from the government for particular budgets, example education. Without raising taxes we suddenly can afford to pay for two wars. But before the war, everyone had to cut on their budgets due to the government did not have the money. Help Wall Street and the banks, they get money and suddenly quickly buying up other things and giving bonuses. However saving interest rates are a joke. While when you are late and the finance charges are 25-32% per year. The baks have came up just about every form of how to take your money, but when it comes to giving out to savings, they forget you. So people wonder why savings accounts have no value for the general public when it comes to saving. Even the interest gets taxed at the end of the year. The auto industry has not bother to really change in over 30 years. They just don't want to change. 30 years later american cars are still getting an average 25-27 mpg, while in the short period of time watching Japan, Germany boost to 35-40+ mpg. Congress had the chance a long time ago to put some fire on the auto industry, but as usual the lobbyist won. So we pay for them as taxpayers to bail out what? Are we paying for them to retool the factories? Are we paying to keep jobs here in America or are we paying for the CEO and the stock brokers to keep their pockets full. No wonder US fell behind Japan, the signs have been around, by looking at what people buy. How hard is that to figure. Unfortunately American cars are not even without foreign parts. Great ideas that the auto industry talks about now, however that was the same back during the 70's. The industry hopes it can ride the wave on someone elses money and hope it settles soon, so they don't need to spend their own money. But unfortunately the workers pay the price.So much money being spent quickly, and they have not follow history how the money is spent. Accountability is only affected by those they don't want the money be given. When money is handed out to those they wanted to give to, then accountability is not around. It is amazing that my future great great great great grand child when born already will be isuued a bill of over a $150,000 to start with. If I was that child I would crawl right back in and give my share of the bill to someone who create the bill .

    posted 11 months ago
    eccentricitees said:
    The only good thing about the government making money useless by devaluing it and printing more, is that life will become less object related as things will be so expensive they will become worthless and life will be the leverage point of reality.
    The bad thing as reality will be totally based on the value of human life, not money, and as we all know, humans have a disregard for life and governments when they can't exploit money in exchange for power they will go for what ever is available and that will be us, we will be totally exposed to the whims of the governments follies.
    Governments are like ravenous wolves, and the one that is being created now will be insatiable.
    Survival will become all about avoiding the wolf and watching it devour others into bankruptcy as the free money and BS will come due to be paid back in real time.
    posted 11 months ago

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