Gold vs. The Dollar. Good vs. Evil.
Hmmmm....I've seen this movie before. In the 1970's was the orginial production, now a "classic." Gold at $800! Silver at $80!
NOW COMES THE CURRENT CRISIS:
This new crisis is not the fall out of the 1970's Post Bretton Woods Debacle; but rather the fall out of the 1990's Post Bubblenomics Debacle of our beloved G-Man, and the 401k lovers in the Kongress.
In truth, the entire crisis comes from the notion that somehow THE GENERAL PUBLIC CAN RETIRE ON STOCK MARKET SPECULATIONS!
The notion of the 401k was that stock speculations could be the road to riches for moms and pops;
As it has been for "the rich" for so many years.
But wait a minute!
DO THE WALL STREET "RICH" GET THEIR MONEY FROM "BUYING STOCKS?"
OR, FROM SELLING STOCKS TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC, (a/k/a THE SUCKERS!)
IN FACT, SELLING STOCKS ON WALL STREET IS THE TRUE "ROAD TO RICHES!"
JUST ASK BILL GATES OR ANY OF THE OTHER BILLIONAIRES OF OUR TIME!
The only thing that mom and pop do is "support the price levels" for a time; UNTIL THE INSIDERS CAN SELL OUT!
THEN THE ENTIRE HOUSE OF CARDS COLLAPSES!
Remember this, as Dubya and the Republicans seek to trash Social Security this year!
IF STOCKS ARE SUCH A "SURE THING," WHY DOESN'T THE US GOVERNMENT INVEST IN THEM??
LETS HAVE A "DRY RUN" OF US GOVERNMENT STOCK INVESTING TO "DEMONSTRATE" THE MONEY MAKING POWER OF WALL STREET FOR "THE LITTLE GUY!"
Of course, state pension funds DO invest in the markets, and hedge funds as well. But are they getting barn-burner returns? NO!
THE TRUTH IS THAT STOCK INVESTING DONE BROADLY IS MERELY AN INFLATION HEDGE.....
YOU GET OUT APPROXIMATELY WHAT YOU PUT IN AT THE END OF THE DAY....OR THE DECADE!
SPECULATIONS AND "PICKING THE NEXT MICROSOFT" OR CHASING "THE HOTTIES" IS AN "OK" WAY TO "MAKE MONEY."
BUT, NOTE WELL, MOST OF THESE PEOPLE, AND EVEN SOME "SMART" HEDGE FUNDS GUYS END UP GOING BROKE!
There was a recent wire story to the effect that most "rich" folks who "make money" in the markets---DON'T DO IT BY INVESTING BROADLY IN A DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO!!
THESE FEW WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO PICK ONE OR TWO WINNERS, AND THEY RODE THEM TO WEALTH AND RICHES!
IN OTHER WORDS--EVERYTHING YOU'VE BEEN TAUGHT ABOUT INVESTING IS WRONG!
THE "DIVERSIFIED PORTFOLIO" IS A LOSER AT BEST, AND AN INFLATION HEDGE AT WORST!
SO, WHY IN THE WORLD WOULD THE US GOVERNMENT WANT BUBBA AND MOM AND POP SPECULATING IN STOCKS!!
THOSE FEW WINNERS WILL BE OFF-SET BY A MASSIVE NUMBER OF LOSERS WHO WILL BE CLAMMERING FOR ASSISTANCE FROM THE GOVERNMENT FOR THEIR LIVING EXPENSES!!
KNOW THIS, GENTLE READER, ANY ATTEMPT TO PUT GRANNY INTO STOCK SPECULATION WILL HAVE GRANNY SLEEPING ON A PARK BENCH!
ANY "GAIN" TO WALL STREET FROM SUCH A "PUBLIC POLICY" WILL BE SHORT LIVED.
CONSIDERING THE MASSIVE CRY FOR PUBLIC ASSISANCE OR "WELFARE" FOR THE INEVITABLE WALL STREET LOSERS!
SO, WITH DEFICITS OUT THE WAZOO FOR THE INFINITE FUTURE;
IT MIGHT BEHOOVE DUBYA & CHUMS TO CONCENTRATE ON THE FOLLOWING:
1. SOLVING THE HEALTH CARE CRISIS, WHICH IS KILLING AMERICAN BUSINESSES AND JOBS EVERYDAY NOW.
2. COMING UP WITH A "REAL PLAN" TO REDUCE THE TRADE DEFICIT, NOT THE GREENSPANIAN "DOOMSDAY" SCENARIO CURRENTLY BEING FLOATED.
3. GIVING SOME "TOUGH LOVE" TO ISRAEL'S LIKUD PARTY ABOUT THEIR WEST BANK GOALS. SO THE HEAT CAN BE TURNED DOWN ON THESE MIDDLE EASTERN "SCREWBALL WARS," SO BELOVED BY WOLFIE AND HIS GOOFBALL NEOCONS HIDING IN THE PENTAGON.
4. REDUCING THE DEFENCE BUDGET, OR MAKE IT SOLELY FOR "DEFENCE" NOT FOR "OPTIONAL UNILATERAL INVASIONS" OF LEADERS THAT WE, OR ISRAELI LIKUD, "DON'T LIKE."
BECAUSE, GENTLE READER, "DON'T LIKE" IS NOT A CAUSUS BELLI!!"
AS WE ARE DISCOVERING EVERDAY IN IRAQ.
AND SEEK FIRM, RATIONAL GLOBAL ALLIANCES, SO AMERICANS ARE NO LONGER REQUIRED TO BE THE WORLD'S SOLE SUPERPOWER.
FRANKLY, WE CAN'T AFFORD IMPERIALISM ANYMORE! HAS ANYONE NOTICED THIS LITTLE ANOMALY?
IT'S PROBABLY MASSIVELY "UNHEALTHY" FOR WORLD PEACE AND SECURITY.
ESPECIALLY WITH THE LIKES OF DUBYA, RUMMY AND WOLFIE RUNNING THINGS FOR FOUR MORE YEARS.
ALAS, WE CAN FORGET ABOUT BEING THE "WORLD'S SOLE SUPERPOWER" VOLUTARILY;
OR SADDLY, THE BOND MARKET AND A RESULTING DOLLAR COLLAPSE WILL DO IT FOR US! INDEED, THAT MAY BE ALREADY HAPPENING.
NET-NET? DUBYA HAS WAY WAY BIGGER PROBLEMS NOW THAN ABOLISHING SOCIAL SECURITY AND GIVING MORE TAX CUTS TO HIS PALS, THE RICH!
But, do you think "they" even see this? Nah.....just look at Rummy's recent "conversation with the troops" in the middle east!
THESE GUYS ARE TOTALLY, AND I MEAN TOTALLY, OUT OF TOUCH WITH THE REALITIES THAT REST OF US SEE AND LIVE WITH EVERYDAY!
ALAS, BABYLON!
