investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Why the Fed’s Money Printing Won’t Save Main Street… Here’s What It Means for the Dollar

Doug Casey ’ s Note : In the over 30 years I ’ ve known him , my respect—and liking—for Frank Giustra has only grown .
Not just because he ’ s a world-class businessman , having built Yorkton Securities into a powerhouse , and then founding Lionsgate Entertainment .
More relevant to this interview , he ’ s a first-rate judge of the markets—one of the best I ’ ve ever met at seeing turning points and understanding trends .
He ’ s one of the few financiers in the “ Master of the Universe ” class that understands @ @ @ @ @ @ @ he ’ s talking about .
I suggest you read this closely .
International Man : The coronavirus was the pin that popped the Everything Bubble .
What do you think the economic ripple effects will be ?
Frank Giustra : I think it was a bubble that was begging to be pricked .
The cause was never the issue .
I don ’ t think anybody predicted the cause would be a pandemic .
Last summer in an interview , I provided a list of things that might prick the bubble .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ list , but here we are .
As I said , the bubble was begging to be pricked .
It was a bubble unlike any bubble we ’ ve ever seen in history—and it was a global bubble .
It was a debt-driven bubble , spread over many asset classes .
I think the economic hit from COVID is going to be long-lasting .
All the fiscal and monetary policy response is not going to address what is actually changing out there , which is a lack of demand .
We were already @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the COVID crisis hit .
Everybody was preparing for the next recession , and this event completely killed the remaining demand .
Furthermore , I don ’ t believe we are returning to the old “ normal.
” I don ’ t believe we have seen the end of this pandemic .
It won ’ t end with a first wave only .
The world lacks a concentrated coherent effort—in fact , it ’ s all over the map .
The US response is unique to say the least , and it will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ haven ’ t seen the effects of this crisis on the developing world yet .
I think when it hits there—if it hits in the same way that it hit the developed world—it ’ s going to be even more tragic .
It ’ s going to doubly impact global supply chains , demand , and all sorts of things .
So , I think we ’ re going to probably see a second wave , maybe in the fall or winter .
The reaction will probably be more severe than with the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ completely freak out and overcompensate .
Even when we get back “ normal , ” it won ’ t be the old normal .
I think that people ’ s behavior is going to change with respect to travel , consumption , and going out .
It ’ s going to be an economic hit that ’ s going to be with us for a very long time .
And now you ’ ve got all this crazy money printing that ’ s taking place .
I predicted we were going to get @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that we ’ re seeing now .
The money printing we are now seeing is in full ludicrous mode .
We ’ re going to see the Fed balance sheet probably at $ 10 trillion before the year is out .
Looking ahead , I think we are going into a 1970 ’ s style stagflation but in hyperdrive .
And , that ’ s probably the worst of all worlds .
I just don ’ t see how we come out of this easily over the next little while .
As I @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We were already coming to the end of a long-term debt cycle that lasts 70 years or so , and we are now at its peak .
Everybody was speculating like crazy .
Now , we are seeing the unraveling of that bubble , and it ’ s going to be very , very ugly .
Personally , I am more concerned about the geopolitical impact of what ’ s coming than I am about the economic impact .
Everybody can afford to live a poorer lifestyle , but what happens in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as we are starting to see now .
It ’ s always worrisome when countries stop trading .
We all know what happens when countries engage in trade and currency wars… the shooting starts .
That ’ s what worries me the most , especially with respect to the U.S. and China : the back and forth blame game that ’ s taking place .
We already had a scenario where the relationship was very fragile between the U.S. and China .
There ’ s no stopping China from becoming the next economic @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is taking a position of trying to undermine that .
While this COVID situation is very unfortunate , I ’ m more worried about what ’ s going to happen geopolitically as we get into very difficult economic times .
You ’ ve mentioned something that I think no one has really focused on .
Many people are just watching what is happening with the U.S. , Canada , and the rest of the developed world .
Few realize there are many weaker links out there in the third world .
Just look @ @ @ @ @ @ @ know , it ’ s a perfect example of everything that can go wrong .
It ’ s not just Argentina ; it is happening in countries like Venezuela , Lebanon , and others .
Frank Giustra : I grew up in Argentina as a little boy .
My father lost all his wealth there .
I ’ m very familiar with Argentinian history .
If you look at what ’ s happening in the US , it ’ s going down a similar path as Argentina .
Where politicians will do anything @ @ @ @ @ @ @ do anything to please the electorate ; they print money , pile on debt .
What eventually follows is hyperinflation , which , in turn , destroys their currency .
Savers get wiped out , and everyone has to start from scratch .
I think it will not be long before the US ends in a similar place .
And likely in a lot less time than I would have thought last year .
International Man : Since the global lockdown , the Federal Reserve has created trillions of dollars out of thin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ small businesses , average Americans , airlines , and more .
In just the past few months , the US government has created more money out of thin air than it has for its entire existence .
What does this mean for the US dollar ?
Frank Giustra : All discipline has gone out the window .
We are talking about trillions of dollars like we are throwing around baseball scores .
It ’ s amazing ; in a country that is so divided , politicians are united on one thing—they can spend @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ re doing now .
There is no opposition for $ 2- or $ 3-trillion-dollar stimulus plans .
The Fed bailouts that cost trillions of dollars to bail out the markets , not to save Main Street .
And there will be a day of reckoning for all this useless money printing .
The U.S. dollar is going where every other reserve currency in history has gone : in the dust bin .
It ’ s fascinating , as it happens on a regular basis every 100 years or so .
For some @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it will happen to them because , after all , it ’ s America !
I wonder if the Dutch believed that… or the French or the British .
The printing presses are now in ludicrous mode , and they ’ re going to stay there .
I don ’ t think there is any going back to any kind of discipline—whether fiscal or monetary policy .
I think the days of sub-trillion-dollar deficits are long gone .
It is far too easy for politicians to wave their hand and say , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ three trillion dollars.
” I think the federal deficit will end up at four or five trillion dollars before the year is over .
They ’ re not done .
An additional stimulus will come .
They will find that the idea of a V-shaped recovery is sheer fantasy .
So , they ’ re going to keep throwing more and more money at it .
I did an interview last August where I was asked specifically about the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency , and I said , “ It ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ cease to be the reserve currency at some point down the road , but that ’ s a long way off.
” Once the COVID crisis hit , I ’ ve changed my views on the timeline .
Now , I think the US dollar ’ s days are numbered in the shorter term , but I am not sure how , exactly , it ’ s going to play out .
The only reason that the dollar sat on top of all the other currencies—all the other reserve currencies of the developed @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
As small as it was , there was a yield .
You could buy U.S. Treasuries and get something , whereas , if you bought euros or yen , you got a zero or negative return .
Last summer , I predicted that U.S. rates would go to zero before the recession hit because Trump was already pushing for it , and once they went to zero , the money-printing would start .
I said , “ Once the U.S. dollar goes to zero yield , what reason is there for any @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Why would you do that , especially when they ’ re printing it like crazy ?
” It just goes on top of the same garbage pile as every other non-yielding currency .
I said , when that happens—and you ’ re seeing it now—buyers are going to walk away .
So , who ’ s left to buy all that debt ?
The Fed will be the buyer of last resort , and the only buyer .
And you can see it already happening .
The Fed is buying the Treasuries @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is something that Ray Dalio predicted last year , too—when he talked about the paradigm shift .
He talked about the “ big squeeze ” that was coming , and he was absolutely correct .
He said , “ We ’ re going to hit a recession .
Rates will go to zero ; investors are going to start looking for returns that they believe will give them a better return than US Treasuries , but you have these growing deficits and all these unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities coming due .
So @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
The buyers disappear , and the Fed has to buy it .
The Fed has to monetize that debt.
” So , what we ’ re going into now is a grand debt monetization .
Here is the absurd part .
The Fed is pushing for fiscal stimulus , saying it ’ s done its part with monetary stimulus .
But at the end of the day , it ’ s all one and the same , because all deficits are being monetized , regardless .
It ’ s a Ponzi scheme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ plan for another five trillion dollars , but you ’ re going to monetize that immediately , so it ’ s all about printing money .
And by doing so , you destroy your currency just like every other great power throughout history .
Editor ’ s Note : The ripple effects of the government lockdown are only stating to take shape .
That ’ s not to mention the unprecedented amount of money the that is being pumped into every corner of the economy by the Federal Reserve .
That ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Doug Casey just released an urgent new PDF titled Guide to Surviving and Thriving During an Economic Collapse .
It explains what ’ s to come and exactly what you should do to protect yourself .
Click here to get it now .

Via International Man
Doug Casey’s Note: In the over 30 years I’ve known him, my respect—and liking—for Frank Giustra has only grown. Not just because he’s a world-class businessman, having built Yorkton Securities into a powerhouse, and then founding Lionsgate Entertainment. More relevant to this interview, he’s a first-rate judge of the markets—one of the best I’ve ever met at seeing turning points and understanding trends.
He’s one of the few financiers in the “Master of the Universe” class that understands gold and economics. Frank knows what he’s talking about. I suggest you read this closely.
—
International Man: The coronavirus was the pin that popped the Everything Bubble. What do you think the economic ripple effects will be?
Frank Giustra: I think it was a bubble that was begging to be pricked. The cause was never the issue. I don’t think anybody predicted the cause would be a pandemic.
Last summer in an interview, I provided a list of things that might prick the bubble. A pandemic wasn’t on the list, but here we are.
As I said, the bubble was begging to be pricked. It was a bubble unlike any bubble we’ve ever seen in history—and it was a global bubble. It was a debt-driven bubble, spread over many asset classes.
I think the economic hit from COVID is going to be long-lasting. All the fiscal and monetary policy response is not going to address what is actually changing out there, which is a lack of demand.
We were already going into a slowing global economy when the COVID crisis hit. Everybody was preparing for the next recession, and this event completely killed the remaining demand.
Furthermore, I don’t believe we are returning to the old “normal.”
I don’t believe we have seen the end of this pandemic. It won’t end with a first wave only. The world lacks a concentrated coherent effort—in fact, it’s all over the map.
The US response is unique to say the least, and it will come back to bite them.
We haven’t seen the effects of this crisis on the developing world yet. I think when it hits there—if it hits in the same way that it hit the developed world—it’s going to be even more tragic. It’s going to doubly impact global supply chains, demand, and all sorts of things.
So, I think we’re going to probably see a second wave, maybe in the fall or winter.
The reaction will probably be more severe than with the first wave because people and governments will completely freak out and overcompensate.
Even when we get back “normal,” it won’t be the old normal.
I think that people’s behavior is going to change with respect to travel, consumption, and going out.
It’s going to be an economic hit that’s going to be with us for a very long time.
And now you’ve got all this crazy money printing that’s taking place. I predicted we were going to get money printing but not to the degree that we’re seeing now.
The money printing we are now seeing is in full ludicrous mode. We’re going to see the Fed balance sheet probably at $10 trillion before the year is out.
Looking ahead, I think we are going into a 1970’s style stagflation but in hyperdrive. And, that’s probably the worst of all worlds.
I just don’t see how we come out of this easily over the next little while.
As I said, this was bound to happen. We were already coming to the end of a long-term debt cycle that lasts 70 years or so, and we are now at its peak.
Everybody was speculating like crazy. Now, we are seeing the unraveling of that bubble, and it’s going to be very, very ugly.
Personally, I am more concerned about the geopolitical impact of what’s coming than I am about the economic impact.
Everybody can afford to live a poorer lifestyle, but what happens in these situations is a trend towards deglobalization as we are starting to see now.
It’s always worrisome when countries stop trading. We all know what happens when countries engage in trade and currency wars… the shooting starts.
That’s what worries me the most, especially with respect to the U.S. and China: the back and forth blame game that’s taking place. We already had a scenario where the relationship was very fragile between the U.S. and China.
There’s no stopping China from becoming the next economic superpower. But I think the U.S. is taking a position of trying to undermine that.
While this COVID situation is very unfortunate, I’m more worried about what’s going to happen geopolitically as we get into very difficult economic times.
International Man: Those are great points.
You’ve mentioned something that I think no one has really focused on. Many people are just watching what is happening with the U.S., Canada, and the rest of the developed world. Few realize there are many weaker links out there in the third world.
Just look at Argentina right now. As you know, it’s a perfect example of everything that can go wrong. It’s not just Argentina; it is happening in countries like Venezuela, Lebanon, and others.
Frank Giustra: I grew up in Argentina as a little boy.
My father lost all his wealth there. I’m very familiar with Argentinian history.
If you look at what’s happening in the US, it’s going down a similar path as Argentina. Where politicians will do anything to please the electorate. Politicians will do anything to please the electorate; they print money, pile on debt. What eventually follows is hyperinflation, which, in turn, destroys their currency. Savers get wiped out, and everyone has to start from scratch.
I think it will not be long before the US ends in a similar place. And likely in a lot less time than I would have thought last year.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
International Man: Since the global lockdown, the Federal Reserve has created trillions of dollars out of thin air to bail out everyone—huge corporations, small businesses, average Americans, airlines, and more.
In just the past few months, the US government has created more money out of thin air than it has for its entire existence.
What does this mean for the US dollar?
Frank Giustra: All discipline has gone out the window. We are talking about trillions of dollars like we are throwing around baseball scores.
It’s amazing; in a country that is so divided, politicians are united on one thing—they can spend endlessly.
That’s what they’re doing now. There is no opposition for $2- or $3-trillion-dollar stimulus plans.
The Fed bailouts that cost trillions of dollars to bail out the markets, not to save Main Street. And there will be a day of reckoning for all this useless money printing.
The U.S. dollar is going where every other reserve currency in history has gone: in the dust bin.
It’s fascinating, as it happens on a regular basis every 100 years or so. For some reason, Americans don’t believe it will happen to them because, after all, it’s America!
I wonder if the Dutch believed that… or the French or the British.
The printing presses are now in ludicrous mode, and they’re going to stay there.
I don’t think there is any going back to any kind of discipline—whether fiscal or monetary policy. I think the days of sub-trillion-dollar deficits are long gone.
It is far too easy for politicians to wave their hand and say, “Okay. Pile on another two or three trillion dollars.”
I think the federal deficit will end up at four or five trillion dollars before the year is over.
They’re not done. An additional stimulus will come. They will find that the idea of a V-shaped recovery is sheer fantasy.
So, they’re going to keep throwing more and more money at it.
I did an interview last August where I was asked specifically about the U.S. dollar as a reserve currency, and I said, “It’s inevitable that the US dollar will cease to be the reserve currency at some point down the road, but that’s a long way off.”
Once the COVID crisis hit, I’ve changed my views on the timeline.
Now, I think the US dollar’s days are numbered in the shorter term, but I am not sure how, exactly, it’s going to play out.
The only reason that the dollar sat on top of all the other currencies—all the other reserve currencies of the developed world—is because it actually provided a yield. As small as it was, there was a yield. You could buy U.S. Treasuries and get something, whereas, if you bought euros or yen, you got a zero or negative return.
Last summer, I predicted that U.S. rates would go to zero before the recession hit because Trump was already pushing for it, and once they went to zero, the money-printing would start.
I said, “Once the U.S. dollar goes to zero yield, what reason is there for any foreign investor to invest in U.S. dollars? Why would you do that, especially when they’re printing it like crazy?”
It just goes on top of the same garbage pile as every other non-yielding currency.
I said, when that happens—and you’re seeing it now—buyers are going to walk away.
So, who’s left to buy all that debt?
The Fed.
The Fed will be the buyer of last resort, and the only buyer. And you can see it already happening. The Fed is buying the Treasuries as they are being issued.
This is something that Ray Dalio predicted last year, too—when he talked about the paradigm shift. He talked about the “big squeeze” that was coming, and he was absolutely correct.
He said, “We’re going to hit a recession. Rates will go to zero; investors are going to start looking for returns that they believe will give them a better return than US Treasuries, but you have these growing deficits and all these unfunded pension and healthcare liabilities coming due. So, what’s going to happen? The buyers disappear, and the Fed has to buy it. The Fed has to monetize that debt.”
So, what we’re going into now is a grand debt monetization.
Here is the absurd part. The Fed is pushing for fiscal stimulus, saying it’s done its part with monetary stimulus. But at the end of the day, it’s all one and the same, because all deficits are being monetized, regardless. It’s a Ponzi scheme.
It doesn’t really matter.
You can create a fiscal stimulus plan for another five trillion dollars, but you’re going to monetize that immediately, so it’s all about printing money. And by doing so, you destroy your currency just like every other great power throughout history.
I think that’s where we’re headed.
(You can find Frank’s writing and insights at frankgiustra.com/.)
Editor’s Note: The ripple effects of the government lockdown are only stating to take shape. That’s not to mention the unprecedented amount of money the that is being pumped into every corner of the economy by the Federal Reserve.
That’s exactly why New York Times best-selling author Doug Casey just released an urgent new PDF titled Guide to Surviving and Thriving During an Economic Collapse. It explains what’s to come and exactly what you should do to protect yourself. Click here to get it now.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--“DC is starved for cash and figures drivers are an easy target. You have to try hard to keep your ca

“DC is starved for cash and figures drivers are an easy target. You have to try hard to keep your car from going over 20 miles an hour.”

Cash-starved DC has come up with another boneheaded revenue scheme — set the city speed limit to 20 miles per @ @ @ @ @ cruising speed .

NEW SPEED LIMIT TURNS DC INTO GIANT SCHOOL ZONE:
Cash-starved DC has come up with another boneheaded revenue scheme — set the city speed limit to 20 miles per hour. Which is practically cruising speed.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The new law takes effect June 1.
7/ The new speed limit will go into effect this Monday, June 1st. 20 is plenty. pic.twitter.com/EHgpa2ktm1 — Mayor Muriel Bowser #StayHomeDC (@MayorBowser) May 29, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--US “declinism” is a myth. According to the world wealth report there has been more new wealth create

US “declinism” is a myth. According to the world wealth report there has been more new wealth created in the US each of the past 10 years than in China or the EU.

The point of this post is to hopefully help dispel this myth that the US is somehow in decline ( outright or relative ) , when there is zero data supporting this .
To the contrary , in many ways the US has been pulling away from other nations in relative terms .
I ’ ll elaborate below… Wealth creation is a great indicator of the underlying health of a country and a direct reflection of its economic systems ability to grow and sustain prosperity for its people .
I see many comments on this sub that make grand claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ hard data to back up these statements .
It ’ s one thing to claim the US is reducing its international commitments ( which is true ) its another to claim it ’ s in either outright or relative decline ( neither of which is true ) .
According to the world wealth report , last year the US created more wealth than China and the EU combined .
Since the reports inception the US has lead each year in overall wealth creation .
If you read the report it becomes pretty clear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has been pulling away from both China and the European Union .
Wealth is the source of all national power .
Without it you can not spend on R & D or sustaining a large armed forces ( among many other things ) .
China did overtake the US to become the country with the most people in the top 10 % of global wealth , but still produces much less overall new wealth than America each year .
This seems to point to higher concentrations of wealth in China among its richest @ @ @ @ @ @ @ % wealthier today than they were in 2006 .
In terms of overall net wealth the US ( $ 110 Trillion ) dwarfs both the whole of Europe ( $ 90 Trillion ) and China ( $ 63 trillion ) Up until covid global wealth had been growing at a healthy pace .
The worlds “ net worth ” is now over $ 360,000,000,000,000 .
The report discusses wealth inequality as well , I found this statement informative… Second , the report looks at the evolution of wealth inequality .
The bottom half @ @ @ @ @ @ @ than 1 % of total global wealth in mid-2019 , while the richest 10 % own 82 % of global wealth and the top 1 % alone own 45 % .
Global inequality fell during the first part of this century when a narrowing of gaps between countries was rein- forced by declining inequality within countries .
While advances by emerging markets contin- ued to narrow the gaps between countries , inequality within countries grew as economies recovered after the global financial crisis .
As a result , the top 1 % of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ wealth .
This trend appears to have abated in 2016 and global inequality is now likely to edge downward in the immediate future .

by NineteenEighty9
Source: Credit Suisse global wealth report
The point of this post is to hopefully help dispel this myth that the US is somehow in decline (outright or relative), when there is zero data supporting this. To the contrary, in many ways the US has been pulling away from other nations in relative terms. I’ll elaborate below…
Wealth creation is a great indicator of the underlying health of a country and a direct reflection of its economic systems ability to grow and sustain prosperity for its people.
I see many comments on this sub that make grand claims about US declinism, but never any hard data to back up these statements. It’s one thing to claim the US is reducing its international commitments (which is true) its another to claim it’s in either outright or relative decline (neither of which is true).
According to the world wealth report, last year the US created more wealth than China and the EU combined.
The US, China, and Europe contributed the most towards global wealth growth with USD 3.8 trillion, USD 1.9 trillion and USD 1.1 trillion respectively.
Since the reports inception the US has lead each year in overall wealth creation. If you read the report it becomes pretty clear that even in relative terms the US has been pulling away from both China and the European Union.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Wealth is the source of all national power. Without it you cannot spend on R&D or sustaining a large armed forces (among many other things).
For the past decade, global wealth creation has centered around China and the United States. This year, the United States extended its un- broken spell of wealth gains, which began after the global financial crisis in 2008. The United States also accounts for 40% of dollar million- aires worldwide and for 40% of those in the top 1% of global wealth distribution.
China did overtake the US to become the country with the most people in the top 10% of global wealth, but still produces much less overall new wealth than America each year. This seems to point to higher concentrations of wealth in China among its richest citizens.
China overtook the United States this year to become the country with most people in the top 10% of global wealth distribution.
The average American is 45% wealthier today than they were in 2006.
Average wealth was USD 211,000 in 2000, and rose fairly steadily until 2006, before falling during the global financial crisis. Wealth per adult has now fully recovered, and is 45% above the 2006 level.
In terms of overall net wealth the US ($110 Trillion) dwarfs both the whole of Europe ($90 Trillion) and China ($63 trillion)
Up until covid global wealth had been growing at a healthy pace. The worlds “net worth” is now over $360,000,000,000,000.
Aggregate global wealth rose by USD 9.1 trillion to USD 360.6 trillion, representing a growth rate of 2.6%. Wealth per adult grew by just 1.2% to USD 70,850 per adult in mid-2019.
Edit:
The report discusses wealth inequality as well, I found this statement informative…
Second, the report looks at the evolution of wealth inequality. The bottom half of wealth holders collectively accounted for less than 1% of total global wealth in mid-2019, while the richest 10% own 82% of global wealth and the top 1% alone own 45%. Global inequality fell during the first part of this century when a narrowing of gaps between countries was rein- forced by declining inequality within countries. While advances by emerging markets contin- ued to narrow the gaps between countries, inequality within countries grew as economies recovered after the global financial crisis. As a result, the top 1% of wealth holders increased their share of world wealth. This trend appears to have abated in 2016 and global inequality is now likely to edge downward in the immediate future.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--The “made in China 2025” initiative is dead in the water

For those unaware , the made in China 2025 initiative was initially designed to facilitate china ’ s rapid rise through the value chain and away from low cost manufacturing toward more high tech industries of the future .
The plan was initially predicated on access to huge volumes of foreign capital .
But with recent events in HK and basic law being rendered null and void , the PRC has essentially cut itself off from the source of the majority of its foreign investment .
With the current climate foreign investment has all but evaporated .
Due to constant @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has exhausted its fiscal ability , there isn ’ t enough money to build these factories of the future without access to massive levels of foreign capital .
There ’ s more than 200,000,000 unemployed in the PRC right now , this will further erode and damage state finances and create budget crunches in a number of areas ( like the belt and road ) The PRC faces the real possibility of being undercut by nations like India and Vietnam on one end ( low cost manufacturing ) and cut off from US @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dramatic course correction it ’ s my opinion that the PRC will be forced into the middle income trap and face perpetual stagnation , until its pending demographic crises begins to choke it in the 2030s .
The demographic crises is a post on its own , but what I can ’ t wrap my head around yet is how China expects to deal with a demographic crises the scale of Japans but with 1/6 the per capita wealth .
The pension system is already underfunded , it ’ s a ticking time @ @ @ @ @ @ @ love to hear more opinions on the subject .

by NineteenEighty9
For those unaware, the made in China 2025 initiative was initially designed to facilitate china’s rapid rise through the value chain and away from low cost manufacturing toward more high tech industries of the future.
China aims to move away from being the “world’s factory” (producing cheap, low-quality goods due to lower labour costs and supply chain advantages) and move to producing higher-value products and services, like aerospace and semiconductors, and to achieve independence from foreign suppliers for such products and services.
The plan was initially predicated on access to huge volumes of foreign capital. But with recent events in HK and basic law being rendered null and void, the PRC has essentially cut itself off from the source of the majority of its foreign investment. With the current climate foreign investment has all but evaporated.
Due to constant government stimulus since 2008 the central government has exhausted its fiscal ability, there isn’t enough money to build these factories of the future without access to massive levels of foreign capital.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
There’s more than 200,000,000 unemployed in the PRC right now, this will further erode and damage state finances and create budget crunches in a number of areas (like the belt and road)
The PRC faces the real possibility of being undercut by nations like India and Vietnam on one end (low cost manufacturing) and cut off from US technology on the other. Without a dramatic course correction it’s my opinion that the PRC will be forced into the middle income trap and face perpetual stagnation, until its pending demographic crises begins to choke it in the 2030s.
The demographic crises is a post on its own, but what I can’t wrap my head around yet is how China expects to deal with a demographic crises the scale of Japans but with 1/6 the per capita wealth. The pension system is already underfunded, it’s a ticking time bomb.
Just my thoughts. Would love to hear more opinions on the subject.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Pile of bricks conveniently set up next to a government building with zero construction sites nearby

A pallet of bricks sitting in the middle of the street .
What more proof do you need that this @ @ @

by Venus230
A pallet of bricks sitting in the middle of the street.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
What more proof do you need that this is staged?
Pile of bricks conveniently set up next to a government building with zero construction sites nearby pic.twitter.com/l3W7JAiIWh — MaGoaaattt (@Anthony57178437) May 30, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--BEWARE THE PROPAGANDA: MSM WANTS US TO FEAR THE “MEAT CRISIS”

The propaganda and weaponization of the mainstream media is really ramping up as more and more people start to figure out what ’ s really happening .
Now that the mainstream media and elitists have played all their cards , they are grasping for straws trying everything the can to keep us in a panicked state of fear so we are easier to control .
The meat shortages are not due to a lack of food , but the government ’ s commands .
The mainstream media is desperately doing what they can to bring a meat shortage to fruition @ @ @ @ @ @ @ more self-reliant and better prepared for tyrannical governmental food chain disruptions .
This is not to say the meat crisis and food shortages are not real , but it ’ s not a reason to panic yourself unless you have no preparations and not a shred of food in your house .
If you don ’ t know how to improve your self-reliance and have placed all of your trust in the obviously crumbling system , then perhaps you should be concerned .
But most of us are prepared and have the critical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Take this Yahoo article titled “ America ’ s Meat Problems Are About To Get Worse ” for instance .
This assumes the tests are accurate .
They are not : We also know Tyson Foods is working with Bill Gates to force extremely unhealthy GMO-riddled fake meats onto the market and that ’ s likely why they are killing chickens : It ’ s all a part of their plan to panic people into needing to be saved .
They will create a problem , then offer you the solution .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to them and subjugate yourself .
Instead , why not prepare ?
We ’ ve offered several ideas on how to make sure you ’ ve got enough long-term food stored so you can learn to garden and become more self-reliant .
If you are new to self-reliance , you aren ’ t alone , but there are seasoned people who are often all too happy to offer some advice .
You won ’ t be an expert overnight .
Some of this takes years to figure out .
You also have to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is unlike anyone else ’ s .
You need to do what ’ s right for you and your family .
Americans Are Rediscovering Self-Reliance To End Their Own Enslavement Make sure you are constantly learning and growing .
Becoming more reliant on yourself is a huge first step to killing any fear for good .
You know that you can provide anything your family will need to survive , taking your trust out of the rigged supply chains .
Don ’ t let the media panic you into surrendering your freedom for @ @ @ @

by Mac Slavo of SHTFplan
The propaganda and weaponization of the mainstream media is really ramping up as more and more people start to figure out what’s really happening. Now that the mainstream media and elitists have played all their cards, they are grasping for straws trying everything the can to keep us in a panicked state of fear so we are easier to control.
The meat shortages are not due to a lack of food, but the government’s commands. The mainstream media is desperately doing what they can to bring a meat shortage to fruition, but many have already started becoming more self-reliant and better prepared for tyrannical governmental food chain disruptions.
This is not to say the meat crisis and food shortages are not real, but it’s not a reason to panic yourself unless you have no preparations and not a shred of food in your house. If you don’t know how to improve your self-reliance and have placed all of your trust in the obviously crumbling system, then perhaps you should be concerned. But most of us are prepared and have the critical thinking skills to provide enough for ourselves.
Take this Yahoo article titled “America’s Meat Problems Are About To Get Worse” for instance.
Of the 2,200 workers tested for coronavirus at Tyson Foods’ chicken processing plant in Wilkes Country, 570 tested positive last week, Tyson told NPR. Parts of the facility have closed for cleaning, cutting how much meat the plant can turn out. And so, for the first time during the COVID-19 pandemic, North Carolina farmers have had to start euthanizing at least 1.5 million chickens, a state agriculture official told the News & Observer, calling the measure a “last resort.” –Yahoo
This assumes the tests are accurate. They are not:
Positive For Coronavirus: Goats and Papayas
We also know Tyson Foods is working with Bill Gates to force extremely unhealthy GMO-riddled fake meats onto the market and that’s likely why they are killing chickens:
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Tyson Foods Warns “Food Supply Chain Is Breaking”
Bill Gates & Food Corporations Worked To End Livestock Production, Pushed Lab-Grown Meat
It’s all a part of their plan to panic people into needing to be saved. They will create a problem, then offer you the solution. All you have to do is bow to them and subjugate yourself. Instead, why not prepare? We’ve offered several ideas on how to make sure you’ve got enough long-term food stored so you can learn to garden and become more self-reliant.
Prepping For The Upcoming Government-Induced Food Shortages
If you are new to self-reliance, you aren’t alone, but there are seasoned people who are often all too happy to offer some advice. You won’t be an expert overnight. Some of this takes years to figure out. You also have to just jump in because your personal situation is unlike anyone else’s. You need to do what’s right for you and your family.
Americans Are Rediscovering Self-Reliance To End Their Own Enslavement
Make sure you are constantly learning and growing. Becoming more reliant on yourself is a huge first step to killing any fear for good. You know that you can provide anything your family will need to survive, taking your trust out of the rigged supply chains. Don’t let the media panic you into surrendering your freedom for a pork chop.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Minnespolis police chief: Many of criminal rioters came from outside the city

Using the tragic and unconscionable death of George Floyd last Wednesday , May 27 , 2020 , as their excuse , rioters not only have converged on Minneapolis , they are now fomenting mayhem across America , including an attack on the White House itself .
We have every reason to suspect an unseen hand behind the riots .
None other than Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo , who is black , said that “ many ” of the people who looted businesses and set fires in the city are not from Minneapolis .
He said : “ There was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on causing some destruction .
Certainly we saw that in the looting and setting fires… .
It was clear to me also hearing from local community leaders that many of the people involved in criminal conduct last night were not known Minneapolitans to them…not recognized as being here from the city.
“ For video of Arradondo , go to Fox9 KMSP .
Given the fact that George Soros had funded so many “ protests ” and social unheavals , we have every reason to suspect his hand in the current riots : • @ @ @ @ @ @ @ protest in Ferguson & Selma • Who ’ s behind the ‘ migrant caravan ’ invasion ?
– George Soros and the telltale Star of David • ‘ Arab Spring ’ in America : NAACP joins Soros-funded coalition for massive protests in D.C. • Financial Times names George Soros ‘ Person of the Year ’ for promoting globalism-elitism and open borders • Soros aids invasion of Christian Europe by Muslim refugees , says Hungary prime minister • Crocodile tears : George Soros says Europe on verge of collapse

by Dr. Eowyn
Using the tragic and unconscionable death of George Floyd last Wednesday, May 27, 2020, as their excuse, rioters not only have converged on Minneapolis, they are now fomenting mayhem across America, including an attack on the White House itself.
We have every reason to suspect an unseen hand behind the riots.
None other than Minneapolis Police Chief Medaria Arradondo, who is black, said that “many” of the people who looted businesses and set fires in the city are not from Minneapolis. He said:
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
“There was a core group of people who…were focused on causing some destruction. Certainly we saw that in the looting and setting fires…. It was clear to me also hearing from local community leaders that many of the people involved in criminal conduct last night were not known Minneapolitans to them…not recognized as being here from the city.“
For video of Arradondo, go to Fox9 KMSP.
Given the fact that George Soros had funded so many “protests” and social unheavals, we have every reason to suspect his hand in the current riots:
~Eowyn


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Michigan State Government Employees Will Be Paid $600 Per Week To Take A Day Off

Are you ready for this week ’ s absurdity ?
Here ’ s our Friday roll-up of the most ridiculous stories from around the world that are threats to your liberty , risks to your prosperity… and on occasion , inspiring poetic justice .
“ Bet you stay home now you hypokrits [ sic ] , ” read the misspelled graffiti outside of a burnt down church in Mississippi .
That graffiti , of course , is suspected to have come from the unidentified arsonist .
The motive : the church ignored the city ’ s lockdown rules , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sued the city of Holly Springs over the lockdowns after being cited for holding mass despite city restrictions on how many people could gather , and non-essential businesses .
The lawsuit cites religious freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment , and claims the congregation only held services inside when weather prevented outdoors services .
And even then , proper social distancing methods were followed .
But it seems the arsonist took the mainstream media bait .
The prevailing attitude is that you ’ re hurting others by going about your normal life , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ home .
This arson is not front page news because it doesn ’ t support the mainstream narrative .
It wasn ’ t the armed protesters who became violent .
It was some Quarantine-Karen who thinks your freedom is more dangerous than arson .
Click here to read the full story .
A resolution introduced by Kamila Harris in the US Senate condemns “ the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric ” which “ has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed , assaulted , and scapegoated for the COVID–19 pandemic.
” The resolution claims @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and rhetoric related to COVID–19 , such as the ‘ ‘ Chinese Virus ’ ’ , ‘ ‘ Wuhan Virus ’ ’ , and ‘ ‘ Kung-flu ’ ’ , have perpetuated anti-Asian stigma.
” According to the resolution , words like these have allegedly ( and only anecdotally ) led to an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans .
The resolution doesn ’ t actually do anything , except call on public officials to condemn the anti-Asian rhetoric .
It also encourages law enforcement to investigate actual crimes against Asians , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ since that ’ s their job .
The resolution demands law enforcement compile statistics about anti-Asian bias , starting at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic .
Surely next the Senate will introduce resolutions condemning anti-religious rhetoric related to the coronavirus lockdowns .
You wouldn ’ t want people to , say , burn a church to the ground because of the media/ political hysteria .
Click here to read the resolution .
Woman arrested for sitting on the beach with “ We Are Free ” sign A woman went to a beach @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the sand with a sign that read : “ We Are Free.
” Three police officers promptly responded to show the woman , no , you are not .
Miami police arrested the protester because it is currently illegal to sit on the beach in Miami .
Just think about this .
Three police officers woke up that morning and went to work in the “ Land of the Free.
” At work these officers ripped a “ We Are Free , ” sign out of a peaceful citizen ’ s hands , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to jail , because she was sitting on a beach .
These officers ’ will enforce any arbitrary lockdown rule , however absurd or unconstitutional .
Click here to read the full story .
A private Jewish school in New York City shut down with the rest of the city to slow the spread of coronavirus .
But a couple weeks to slow the spread turned into a couple months with life on hold .
Eventually , students returned to the school , without the permission of NYC .
But later the same @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down .
Neighbors called the police to report dozens of teenage students gathering on the premises .
Some were not even wearing masks– the horror .
This is one of the latest confrontations between NYC officials punishing Orthodox and Hasidic Jews for flouting the lockdown rules , and continuing to exercise their First Amendment rights to practice religion , and peaceably assemble .
Somehow , turning in your Jewish neighbors for violating arbitrary laws sounds eerily familiar… Click here to read the full story .
Michigan government employees will be paid $ 600 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ The state will “ lay off ” these employees for one day per week until July .
That will save the state $ 80 million on payroll .
But because workers are technically “ laid off ” for one day per week , that allows them to be compensated with Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation of $ 600 per week .
That ’ s right , it has become the responsibility of the entire nation to chip-in and pay these Michigan government employees $ 600 for each day they take off , stay home @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what heroes do these days , right ?
They do nothing .
Stay home and watch Netflix , because the government told them to .
So heroic .
Click here to read the press release , and here for the unemployment fact sheet .
And to continue learning how to ensure you thrive no matter what happens next in the world , I encourage you to download our free Perfect Plan B Guide .
Because… If you live , work , bank , invest , own a business , and hold your assets @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are putting all of your eggs in one basket .

by Simon Black of Sovereign Man
Are you ready for this week’s absurdity? Here’s our Friday roll-up of the most ridiculous stories from around the world that are threats to your liberty, risks to your prosperity… and on occasion, inspiring poetic justice.
Church burnt down for ignoring lockdown rules
“Bet you stay home now you hypokrits [sic],” read the misspelled graffiti outside of a burnt down church in Mississippi.
That graffiti, of course, is suspected to have come from the unidentified arsonist. The motive: the church ignored the city’s lockdown rules, and continued holding services.
This same church sued the city of Holly Springs over the lockdowns after being cited for holding mass despite city restrictions on how many people could gather, and non-essential businesses.
The lawsuit cites religious freedom guaranteed under the First Amendment, and claims the congregation only held services inside when weather prevented outdoors services. And even then, proper social distancing methods were followed.
But it seems the arsonist took the mainstream media bait. The prevailing attitude is that you’re hurting others by going about your normal life, and not cowering in fear inside your home.
This arson is not front page news because it doesn’t support the mainstream narrative.
It wasn’t the armed protesters who became violent. It was some Quarantine-Karen who thinks your freedom is more dangerous than arson.
Click here to read the full story.
Senate wants to ban coronavirus hate speech
A resolution introduced by Kamila Harris in the US Senate condemns “the increased use of anti-Asian rhetoric” which “has resulted in Asian Americans being harassed, assaulted, and scapegoated for the COVID–19 pandemic.”
The resolution claims that “the use of anti-Asian terminology and rhetoric related to COVID–19, such as the ‘‘Chinese Virus’’, ‘‘Wuhan Virus’’, and ‘‘Kung-flu’’, have perpetuated anti-Asian stigma.”
According to the resolution, words like these have allegedly (and only anecdotally) led to an increase in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
The resolution doesn’t actually do anything, except call on public officials to condemn the anti-Asian rhetoric.
It also encourages law enforcement to investigate actual crimes against Asians, which hopefully they were already doing, since that’s their job.
The resolution demands law enforcement compile statistics about anti-Asian bias, starting at the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.
Surely next the Senate will introduce resolutions condemning anti-religious rhetoric related to the coronavirus lockdowns.
You wouldn’t want people to, say, burn a church to the ground because of the media/ political hysteria.
Click here to read the resolution.
Woman arrested for sitting on the beach with “We Are Free” sign
A woman went to a beach in Miami, and sat down in the sand with a sign that read: “We Are Free.”
Three police officers promptly responded to show the woman, no, you are not.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Miami police arrested the protester because it is currently illegal to sit on the beach in Miami.
Just think about this. Three police officers woke up that morning and went to work in the “Land of the Free.”
At work these officers ripped a “We Are Free,” sign out of a peaceful citizen’s hands, physically restrained her, and brought her to jail, because she was sitting on a beach.
These officers’ will enforce any arbitrary lockdown rule, however absurd or unconstitutional.
Click here to read the full story.
Neighbors Inform on Jewish School in NYC
A private Jewish school in New York City shut down with the rest of the city to slow the spread of coronavirus.
But a couple weeks to slow the spread turned into a couple months with life on hold.
Eventually, students returned to the school, without the permission of NYC.
But later the same day, the school was promptly shut down.
Neighbors called the police to report dozens of teenage students gathering on the premises. Some were not even wearing masks– the horror.
This is one of the latest confrontations between NYC officials punishing Orthodox and Hasidic Jews for flouting the lockdown rules, and continuing to exercise their First Amendment rights to practice religion, and peaceably assemble.
Somehow, turning in your Jewish neighbors for violating arbitrary laws sounds eerily familiar…
Click here to read the full story.
Michigan government employees will be paid $600 per week to take a day off
Michigan will usher 31,000 state employees into a federal Work Share program.
The state will “lay off” these employees for one day per week until July. That will save the state $80 million on payroll.
But because workers are technically “laid off” for one day per week, that allows them to be compensated with Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation of $600 per week.
That’s right, it has become the responsibility of the entire nation to chip-in and pay these Michigan government employees $600 for each day they take off, stay home, and relax.
That’s what heroes do these days, right? They do nothing. Stay home and watch Netflix, because the government told them to. So heroic.
Click here to read the press release, and here for the unemployment fact sheet.
And to continue learning how to ensure you thrive no matter what happens next in the world, I encourage you to download our free Perfect Plan B Guide.
Because… If you live, work, bank, invest, own a business, and hold your assets all in just one country, you are putting all of your eggs in one basket.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Chris Cuomo’s viewership has plunged by HALF since he contracted Wuhan virus

From Daily Mail : CNN host Chris Cuomo ’ s ratings have plunged 49 percent in the two months since he announced he ’ d contracted coronavirus , data from Nielsen Media Research shows .
Since the week of March 30 , Cuomo has dropped from first in his 9pm time slot among cable news hosts to bottom of the barrel , last week averaging just 440,000 daily viewers in the age demographic prized by advertisers .
Cuomo ’ s stunning ratings nosedive came after interviews with his brother , New York Governor Andrew Cuomo , in lighthearted segments that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the coronavirus pandemic .
Though all cable news saw something of a drop-off in viewership in May , as viewers seemingly grew weary of the pandemic coverage , Chris Cuomo ’ s decline was sharper than his time slot competitors , MSNBC ’ s Rachel Maddow and Fox News ’ Sean Hannity .
A spokesperson for Chris Cuomo declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com .
However , a source close to the anchor pointed out that cable news ratings rise and fall dramatically depending on what ’ s happening in the news @ @ @ @ @ @ @ averages don ’ t provide an accurate picture of viewership .
Chris Cuomo ’ s ratings peak came the week of March 30 when he announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus and was isolating in his basement , beating out Maddow and Hannity with 862,000 daily viewers in the 25-54 age demographic .
Since then , his ratings have dropped 49 percent in the demo and 35 percent overall , while Maddow is down 17 percent in the demo and 7 percent overall .
Hannity has dropped 38 percent in the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ week , Chris Cuomo dropped below Maddow in the demo for the first time since March 2 .
Maddow had 498,000 daily average viewers in the demo and Chris Cuomo had 355,000 .
Hannity has beaten Chris Cuomo since the week of April 6 .
Last week , Hannity garnered 4.7 total viewers and 589,000 in the 25-54 demographic .
Read the whole story here .

by DCG
Imagine my distress.
From Daily Mail: CNN host Chris Cuomo’s ratings have plunged 49 percent in the two months since he announced he’d contracted coronavirus, data from Nielsen Media Research shows.
Since the week of March 30, Cuomo has dropped from first in his 9pm time slot among cable news hosts to bottom of the barrel, last week averaging just 440,000 daily viewers in the age demographic prized by advertisers.
Cuomo’s stunning ratings nosedive came after interviews with his brother, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, in lighthearted segments that were widely panned as ratings stunts amid the coronavirus pandemic.
Though all cable news saw something of a drop-off in viewership in May, as viewers seemingly grew weary of the pandemic coverage, Chris Cuomo’s decline was sharper than his time slot competitors, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow and Fox News’ Sean Hannity.
A spokesperson for Chris Cuomo declined to comment when reached by DailyMail.com.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
However, a source close to the anchor pointed out that cable news ratings rise and fall dramatically depending on what’s happening in the news cycle. The person argued that weekly averages don’t provide an accurate picture of viewership.
Chris Cuomo’s ratings peak came the week of March 30 when he announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus and was isolating in his basement, beating out Maddow and Hannity with 862,000 daily viewers in the 25-54 age demographic.
Since then, his ratings have dropped 49 percent in the demo and 35 percent overall, while Maddow is down 17 percent in the demo and 7 percent overall. Hannity has dropped 38 percent in the demo and 12 percent overall.
Last week, Chris Cuomo dropped below Maddow in the demo for the first time since March 2. Maddow had 498,000 daily average viewers in the demo and Chris Cuomo had 355,000. Hannity has beaten Chris Cuomo since the week of April 6. Last week, Hannity garnered 4.7 total viewers and 589,000 in the 25-54 demographic.
Read the whole story here.
DCG


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Why The Public Should Rebel Against Forced Vaccinations

The debate over the morality and practicality of forced vaccinations has been raging for many years , long before the coronavirus ever hit the US population .
With the advent of the pandemic the narrative has shifted to one of “ necessity ” .
The media and the majority of governments around the world now act as if mass vaccinations are a given ; the “ debate is over ” , as collectivists like to say when they are tired of having to deal with any logical or factual complaints .
In the case of the novel coronavirus there is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the virus was engineered or evolved in a lab ( as more and more evidence is suggesting ) , and then perhaps there is one already developed .
Typically , vaccines take years to test and produce , and whenever a vaccine is rushed onto the market very bad things tend to happen .
The vaccine debate often revolves around the issue of safety .
Is a particular inoculation safe or poisonous ?
Does it have long term effects that are dangerous ?
Does it harm children with highly sensitive and underdeveloped body @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but ultimately the fight over vaccines has less to do with medical safety or effectiveness and more to do with individual rights vs government demands .
In other words , the more important questions are : Should social engineering by governments and elites be allowed ?
Do people have the right to determine how their bodies are medically augmented or manipulated ?
Does the “ security of the majority ” take precedence over the civil liberties of the individual ?
And if so , who gets to determine what freedoms will be taken @ @ @ @ @ @ @ vaccination philosophy usually make a legal or technical argument first before they appeal to the idea of “ the greater good ” .
They do this because they know that public perception often assumes ( wrongly ) that legal authority is the same as moral authority .
In 1905 , the US Supreme Court was presented with Jacobson vs. Massachusetts , a case involving the subject of state enforced smallpox vaccination .
The defendant argued on the grounds of the 14th Amendment that his bodily liberty was being violated by the state if @ @ @ @ @ @ @ his consent .
The state and the Supreme Court felt differently ( of course ) .
The Supreme Court ruled against Jacobson on the grounds that his refusal to take the vaccine put other people “ at risk ” , and that “ for the common good ” states have certain “ police powers ” that supersede personal liberties .
Whenever liberty movement activists argue against forced vaccinations on constitutional grounds , THIS is the counter-argument that the government and statists will make .
They will bring up Jacobson vs. Massachusetts and then @ @ @ @ @ @ @ discussion .
Essentially , the Supreme Court argued that the federal government could not interfere with state imposed forced vaccinations on the grounds of states rights and the 10th Amendment .
Most people in the liberty movement will find this rather ironic , as it is bizarre to hear about the federal government defending states rights .
But , this support of the 10th Amendment is highly selective .
First , let ’ s not forget that the Supreme Court has been wrong many times in the past .
In the Dredd Scott @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ruled in favor of slavery and the right of states to enforce the institution .
They also argued that the 5th Amendment protected slave owners because freeing slaves meant depriving owners of their “ property ” .
The Supreme Court ’ s habit is to defend states rights and the 10th Amendment when people ’ s individual liberties are being quashed .
However , if a case involves states protecting citizens from federal intrusion , the court flips and attacks states rights when they work in favor of individual liberty or self determination @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be the reason why Trump and the federal government have mostly left the lockdowns and emergency actions to the states .
The legal precedence was already established in 1905 on quarantines and forcing vaccinations through state police powers , so it only follows that the establishment would utilize the states to carry out such measures in the near future .
The “ states vs federal government ” debate sets up a false paradigm .
There is no separation between state and federal governments when it comes to tyranny – both sides love it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to each other at times .
That is to say , whether it is the federal government violating your constitutional rights or the state government violating your constitutional rights , the Supreme Court is often comfortable with both .
The truth they don ’ t want to discuss is that at bottom the Bill of Rights overrules them regardless of federal precedent or the 10th Amendment .
The key to the Bill of Rights is that each American citizen has INHERENT LIBERTIES that supersede both federal and state power .
These rights are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ today , and the law can not be adjusted to violate them tomorrow .
These rights and freedoms are ETERNAL .
The Supreme Court hisses with a forked tongue about the “ spirit of the constitution ” but ignores the clear and concrete intent as stated by the Founders .
Statists argue in favor of the “ living document ” philosophy when it suits them as a means to change the original meaning and laws put forth in the Bill of Rights because this allows them to violate citizen freedoms under the guise @ @ @ @ @ @ @ legality ” is not the same a morality .
Legality is meaningless , and the Supreme Court is meaningless if it acts against the constitutional bedrock of the Bill of Rights and individual liberty as they have done numerous times in the past .
So , if we can not rely on legality to protect us from state tyranny , what can we rely on ?
Forced vaccine advocates will say that morality is on their side as well , for if a person does not vaccinate they are putting the rest of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , your individual rights must be violated in order to protect the rights of the rest of society .
The problem is that Jacobson vs Massachusetts makes no logical argument supporting this assertion , and neither do forced vaccine proponents .
Look at it this way : How can a person that is not vaccinated “ harm ” people that are vaccinated ?
How are they putting those people at risk ?
If the vaccine actually works , then vaccinated people are safe from infection , aren ’ t they ?
So , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is the person that chose not to vaccinate .
This comes down to personal choice , there is no question of “ the greater good ” or social risk .
I find it fascinating that the people that argue fervently in favor of forced vaccinations ( people like Bill Gates ) also tend to be the same people that argue in favor of abortion rights .
So , “ my body my choice ” is acceptable when it comes to women ending the lives of unborn children , but “ my body my @ @ @ @ @ @ @ comes to mass vaccinations even though an unvaccinated person is a threat to no one .
Some vaccine advocates will then claim that unvaccinated people could be host to “ mutations ” that threaten herd immunity .
The problem is that there is no evidence to support this argument .
The vast majority of viruses tend to mutate into LESS deadly or infectious strains , not more deadly .
The only mitigating factors would be if a virus was deliberately designed or engineered to mutate in an unnatural manner .
If a virus @ @ @ @ @ @ @ different and more deadly strain that can attack vaccinated persons then the vaccine was never useful to begin with , and forced vaccinations are pointless .
Once again , if the vaccine is effective then there is simply no basis for the position that an unvaccinated person puts vaccinated people in danger .
The next argument by pro-forced vaccination people is to ask “ why ” ?
Why do you care if you are vaccinated ?
What do you have to worry about ?
Just go along to get along , right… ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ anti-gun narrative : Why do you need to carry a gun ?
Why frighten other people ?
The chances you will need it are slim , right… ?
The most important answer to the gun question is “ Because it ’ s my right to carry and I plan to exercise it .
Also , your fear of guns does not take precedence over my constitutional freedoms.
” The same goes for forced vaccination : Because it is my right to refuse to have ANY pharmaceutical product injected into my body .
Your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ my constitutional rights .
If you want to take the vaccine then that is your choice .
Leave me out of it .
Arguing about hypothetical threats is a waste of time .
I carry a firearm because I have the right to have a means of defense just in case I need it .
I refuse vaccinations because I have a right to avoid potential bodily harm just in case I have suspicions of a faulty product .
And is there reason to be concerned about faulty vaccines ?
Absolutely .
Mass @ @ @ @ @ @ @ public have a track record of harming people ’ s health .
With globalists like Bill Gates , an obsessive champion of depopulation at the forefront of the Covid-19 effort , I have no plans to accept any coronavirus vaccine .
Bill Gates has funded numerous experimental vaccine trials through the World Health Organization , including Polio vaccination programs .
It was these same programs that led to viral outbreaks of polio in various countries and hundreds of paralyzed children .
In fact , the vaccines caused more cases of Polio than the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , admitted by the WHO and other mainstream sources , though numerous leftist media outlets continue to deny it .
At most , the WHO and Gates can claim that the infections were “ accidental ” .
But if this is the case , it would still suggest that vaccines developed by Gates Foundation programs and the WHO should not be trusted .
In 1976 a swine flu scare enabled the initiation of a government funded mass vaccination program .
The vaccine was faulty and was canceled in less than 10 weeks after @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , a rare neurological condition that leads to temporary paralysis and sometimes death .
In 2008 , Swiss company Novartis tested a Bird Flu vaccine on the homeless and poor population of Poland .
The vaccine trial paid participants $ 2 , and they were told the inoculation was for the “ normal flu ” .
According a homeless center in the area at least 21 people died right after they participated in the trial .
A GlaxoSmithCline executive by the name of Moncef Slaoui was recently tapped by Donald Trump to head @ @ @ @ @ @ @ develop a coronavirus vaccine .
This appointment should be highly concerning to the public .
Why ?
Because Glaxo has a dark history in vaccine development , including an incident in Argentina in 2007-2008 when they were fined after a pneumonia vaccine trial allegedly caused the deaths of at least 14 babies .
Slaoui was in charge of Glaxo ’ s vaccine division at the time .
Statists that argue in favor of forced vaccination will dismiss all of these examples as mere “ accidents ” that are “ rare ” .
Others @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worth the risk of a “ few deaths ” due to some faulty vaccines .
But this does not address the core issue of the battle against forced vaccination programs .
Does a minority of elites in government or even a majority of useful idiots in the general population have the right to declare ownership of your body in the name of an arbitrary “ greater good ” ?
I say no , which is why I will NOT be conforming to any forced vaccine measures and I am willing to take extreme @ @ @ @ @ @ @ necessary .
As mentioned above , if a vaccine works , then there is no need to force people to take it .
It will protect those that want it and the only risk is to those that choose not to use it .
Frankly , the people in charge of the vaccine effort are not to be trusted , they have open ideological agendas that are questionable to say the least .
Allowing them to dictate what goes into our bodies is akin to slavery at best , and possible mass death @ @ @

by Brandon Smith
The debate over the morality and practicality of forced vaccinations has been raging for many years, long before the coronavirus ever hit the US population. With the advent of the pandemic the narrative has shifted to one of “necessity”. The media and the majority of governments around the world now act as if mass vaccinations are a given; the “debate is over”, as collectivists like to say when they are tired of having to deal with any logical or factual complaints.
In the case of the novel coronavirus there is no vaccine yet; unless of course the virus was engineered or evolved in a lab (as more and more evidence is suggesting), and then perhaps there is one already developed. Typically, vaccines take years to test and produce, and whenever a vaccine is rushed onto the market very bad things tend to happen.
The vaccine debate often revolves around the issue of safety. Is a particular inoculation safe or poisonous? Does it have long term effects that are dangerous? Does it harm children with highly sensitive and underdeveloped body systems? These are valid concerns, but ultimately the fight over vaccines has less to do with medical safety or effectiveness and more to do with individual rights vs government demands.
In other words, the more important questions are: Should social engineering by governments and elites be allowed? Do people have the right to determine how their bodies are medically augmented or manipulated? Does the “security of the majority” take precedence over the civil liberties of the individual? And if so, who gets to determine what freedoms will be taken away?
The Legal Argument
The purveyors of the forced vaccination philosophy usually make a legal or technical argument first before they appeal to the idea of “the greater good”. They do this because they know that public perception often assumes (wrongly) that legal authority is the same as moral authority.
In 1905, the US Supreme Court was presented with Jacobson vs. Massachusetts, a case involving the subject of state enforced smallpox vaccination. The defendant argued on the grounds of the 14th Amendment that his bodily liberty was being violated by the state if he was subjected to arbitrary vaccination without his consent. The state and the Supreme Court felt differently (of course). The Supreme Court ruled against Jacobson on the grounds that his refusal to take the vaccine put other people “at risk”, and that “for the common good” states have certain “police powers” that supersede personal liberties.
Whenever liberty movement activists argue against forced vaccinations on constitutional grounds, THIS is the counter-argument that the government and statists will make. They will bring up Jacobson vs. Massachusetts and then claim that is the end of the discussion.
Essentially, the Supreme Court argued that the federal government could not interfere with state imposed forced vaccinations on the grounds of states rights and the 10th Amendment. Most people in the liberty movement will find this rather ironic, as it is bizarre to hear about the federal government defending states rights. But, this support of the 10th Amendment is highly selective.
First, let’s not forget that the Supreme Court has been wrong many times in the past. In the Dredd Scott case in 1834, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of slavery and the right of states to enforce the institution. They also argued that the 5th Amendment protected slave owners because freeing slaves meant depriving owners of their “property”.
The Supreme Court’s habit is to defend states rights and the 10th Amendment when people’s individual liberties are being quashed. However, if a case involves states protecting citizens from federal intrusion, the court flips and attacks states rights when they work in favor of individual liberty or self determination.
The Jacobson vs. Massachusetts case may be the reason why Trump and the federal government have mostly left the lockdowns and emergency actions to the states. The legal precedence was already established in 1905 on quarantines and forcing vaccinations through state police powers, so it only follows that the establishment would utilize the states to carry out such measures in the near future.
The “states vs federal government” debate sets up a false paradigm. There is no separation between state and federal governments when it comes to tyranny – both sides love it, though they pretend to be opposed to each other at times. That is to say, whether it is the federal government violating your constitutional rights or the state government violating your constitutional rights, the Supreme Court is often comfortable with both.
The truth they don’t want to discuss is that at bottom the Bill of Rights overrules them regardless of federal precedent or the 10th Amendment. The key to the Bill of Rights is that each American citizen has INHERENT LIBERTIES that supersede both federal and state power. These rights are inalienable. They cannot be violated today, and the law cannot be adjusted to violate them tomorrow. These rights and freedoms are ETERNAL.
The Supreme Court hisses with a forked tongue about the “spirit of the constitution” but ignores the clear and concrete intent as stated by the Founders. Statists argue in favor of the “living document” philosophy when it suits them as a means to change the original meaning and laws put forth in the Bill of Rights because this allows them to violate citizen freedoms under the guise of “legality”. But “legality” is not the same a morality. Legality is meaningless, and the Supreme Court is meaningless if it acts against the constitutional bedrock of the Bill of Rights and individual liberty as they have done numerous times in the past.
The Moral Argument
So, if we cannot rely on legality to protect us from state tyranny, what can we rely on? Forced vaccine advocates will say that morality is on their side as well, for if a person does not vaccinate they are putting the rest of society at risk of infection. Therefore, your individual rights must be violated in order to protect the rights of the rest of society. The problem is that Jacobson vs Massachusetts makes no logical argument supporting this assertion, and neither do forced vaccine proponents.
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Look at it this way: How can a person that is not vaccinated “harm” people that are vaccinated? How are they putting those people at risk? If the vaccine actually works, then vaccinated people are safe from infection, aren’t they? So, the only person “at risk” is the person that chose not to vaccinate. This comes down to personal choice, there is no question of “the greater good” or social risk.
I find it fascinating that the people that argue fervently in favor of forced vaccinations (people like Bill Gates) also tend to be the same people that argue in favor of abortion rights. So, “my body my choice” is acceptable when it comes to women ending the lives of unborn children, but “my body my choice” is not acceptable when it comes to mass vaccinations even though an unvaccinated person is a threat to no one.
Some vaccine advocates will then claim that unvaccinated people could be host to “mutations” that threaten herd immunity. The problem is that there is no evidence to support this argument. The vast majority of viruses tend to mutate into LESS deadly or infectious strains, not more deadly. The only mitigating factors would be if a virus was deliberately designed or engineered to mutate in an unnatural manner.
If a virus is designed to mutate into a vastly different and more deadly strain that can attack vaccinated persons then the vaccine was never useful to begin with, and forced vaccinations are pointless. Once again, if the vaccine is effective then there is simply no basis for the position that an unvaccinated person puts vaccinated people in danger.
The Conformity Argument
The next argument by pro-forced vaccination people is to ask “why”? Why do you care if you are vaccinated? What do you have to worry about? Just go along to get along, right…?
This argument reminds me of a common anti-gun narrative: Why do you need to carry a gun? Why frighten other people? The chances you will need it are slim, right…?
The most important answer to the gun question is “Because it’s my right to carry and I plan to exercise it. Also, your fear of guns does not take precedence over my constitutional freedoms.” The same goes for forced vaccination: Because it is my right to refuse to have ANY pharmaceutical product injected into my body. Your fears of infection do not matter to my constitutional rights. If you want to take the vaccine then that is your choice. Leave me out of it.
Arguing about hypothetical threats is a waste of time. I carry a firearm because I have the right to have a means of defense just in case I need it. I refuse vaccinations because I have a right to avoid potential bodily harm just in case I have suspicions of a faulty product.
And is there reason to be concerned about faulty vaccines? Absolutely. Mass vaccinations programs that were rushed to the public have a track record of harming people’s health.
With globalists like Bill Gates, an obsessive champion of depopulation at the forefront of the Covid-19 effort, I have no plans to accept any coronavirus vaccine. Bill Gates has funded numerous experimental vaccine trials through the World Health Organization, including Polio vaccination programs. It was these same programs that led to viral outbreaks of polio in various countries and hundreds of paralyzed children. In fact, the vaccines caused more cases of Polio than the wild-type virus. This if VERIFIED FACT, admitted by the WHO and other mainstream sources, though numerous leftist media outlets continue to deny it.
At most, the WHO and Gates can claim that the infections were “accidental”. But if this is the case, it would still suggest that vaccines developed by Gates Foundation programs and the WHO should not be trusted.
In 1976 a swine flu scare enabled the initiation of a government funded mass vaccination program. The vaccine was faulty and was canceled in less than 10 weeks after causing hundreds of cases of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare neurological condition that leads to temporary paralysis and sometimes death.
In 2008, Swiss company Novartis tested a Bird Flu vaccine on the homeless and poor population of Poland. The vaccine trial paid participants $2, and they were told the inoculation was for the “normal flu”. According a homeless center in the area at least 21 people died right after they participated in the trial.
A GlaxoSmithCline executive by the name of Moncef Slaoui was recently tapped by Donald Trump to head up the government’s effort to develop a coronavirus vaccine. This appointment should be highly concerning to the public. Why? Because Glaxo has a dark history in vaccine development, including an incident in Argentina in 2007-2008 when they were fined after a pneumonia vaccine trial allegedly caused the deaths of at least 14 babies. Slaoui was in charge of Glaxo’s vaccine division at the time.
Statists that argue in favor of forced vaccination will dismiss all of these examples as mere “accidents” that are “rare”. Others will claim that fighting the pandemic is worth the risk of a “few deaths” due to some faulty vaccines. But this does not address the core issue of the battle against forced vaccination programs. Does a minority of elites in government or even a majority of useful idiots in the general population have the right to declare ownership of your body in the name of an arbitrary “greater good”? I say no, which is why I will NOT be conforming to any forced vaccine measures and I am willing to take extreme actions to defend myself from them if necessary.
As mentioned above, if a vaccine works, then there is no need to force people to take it. It will protect those that want it and the only risk is to those that choose not to use it. Frankly, the people in charge of the vaccine effort are not to be trusted, they have open ideological agendas that are questionable to say the least. Allowing them to dictate what goes into our bodies is akin to slavery at best, and possible mass death at worst.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Powell says Fed policies ‘absolutely’ don’t add to inequality…  Food prices see historic jump; Likel

Powell says Fed policies ‘absolutely’ don’t add to inequality…  Food prices see historic jump; Likely to stay high

( Bloomberg ) — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell cast the central bank ’ s actions during the coronavirus crisis as aimed squarely at helping U.S. workers , a tactic to head off criticism which has dogged it since the last recession : that its policies primarily serve Wall Street and wealthier Americans .
The Fed ’ s flurry of emergency lending since mid-March has sought to stabilize financial markets and extend credit to companies struggling to find financing from banks and other traditional lending sources .
That has helped buoy financial markets and again exposed the Fed to attacks @ @ @ @ @ @ @ central bank has attracted additional scrutiny for not mandating companies that access its support to maintain payrolls .
Powell countered by saying the Fed ’ s real aim is to preserve jobs by keeping firms afloat .
“ The pandemic is falling on those least able to bear its burdens , it is a great increaser of inequality , ” Powell said Friday during an online discussion when asked whether the Fed ’ s policies contribute to U.S. inequality .
“ Everything we do is focused on creating an environment in which those @ @ @ @ @ @ @ keep their job or maybe get a new job.
” DES MOINES , Iowa ( AP ) — As if trips to the grocery store weren ’ t nerve-wracking enough , U.S. shoppers lately have seen the costs of meat , eggs and even potatoes soar as the coronavirus has disrupted processing plants and distribution networks .
Overall , the cost of food bought to eat at home skyrocketed by the most in 46 years , and analysts caution that meat prices in particular could remain high as slaughterhouses struggle to maintain production @ @ @ @ @ @ @ workers healthy .
While price spikes for staples such as eggs and flour have eased as consumer demand has leveled off , prices remain volatile for carrots , potatoes and other produce because of transportation issues and the health of workers who pick crops and work in processing plants .

(Bloomberg) — Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell cast the central bank’s actions during the coronavirus crisis as aimed squarely at helping U.S. workers, a tactic to head off criticism which has dogged it since the last recession: that its policies primarily serve Wall Street and wealthier Americans.
The Fed’s flurry of emergency lending since mid-March has sought to stabilize financial markets and extend credit to companies struggling to find financing from banks and other traditional lending sources. That has helped buoy financial markets and again exposed the Fed to attacks for having rescued investors first. The central bank has attracted additional scrutiny for not mandating companies that access its support to maintain payrolls.
Powell countered by saying the Fed’s real aim is to preserve jobs by keeping firms afloat.
“The pandemic is falling on those least able to bear its burdens, it is a great increaser of inequality,” Powell said Friday during an online discussion when asked whether the Fed’s policies contribute to U.S. inequality. “Everything we do is focused on creating an environment in which those people will have their best chance to keep their job or maybe get a new job.”
finance.yahoo.com/news/powell-says-fed-policies-absolutely-180650997.html
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DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — As if trips to the grocery store weren’t nerve-wracking enough, U.S. shoppers lately have seen the costs of meat, eggs and even potatoes soar as the coronavirus has disrupted processing plants and distribution networks.
Overall, the cost of food bought to eat at home skyrocketed by the most in 46 years, and analysts caution that meat prices in particular could remain high as slaughterhouses struggle to maintain production levels while implementing procedures intended to keep workers healthy.
While price spikes for staples such as eggs and flour have eased as consumer demand has leveled off, prices remain volatile for carrots, potatoes and other produce because of transportation issues and the health of workers who pick crops and work in processing plants.
apnews.com/54f1efe0afa71b0a939fda91cf917366


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--The US/China conflict is likely to escalate in the future. This is not a fight between equals as is

The US/China conflict is likely to escalate in the future. This is not a fight between equals as is often portrayed in the media.

I want to preface this by saying : I support free markets , free speech and democracy .
The PRC/CCP lacks the legitimacy of its people and represents the greatest threat to personal freedoms and individual liberties around the world since the USSR .
As with all totalitarian regimes it is deeply insecure , vindictive , coercive , and values its own survival more than the lives of it citizens .
There is a large and growing bipartisan consensus within the United States government and Congress that it ’ s relationship with the PRC has become hostile , and that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ need to be checked .
Based on how the American government is talking it looks as if they are going to retaliate against Beijing once corona is over .
I think you ’ re going to see a massive coordinated retaliation against the CCP and it ’ s interests by the whole of the American government .
The current US/China power struggle ( or as some call it coldwar 2.0 ) is often portrayed as a battle between two superpowers but that really couldn ’ t be further from the truth .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ has never met the criteria to be called a superpower , at best it ’ s a strong regional power .
At its peak the USSR economy was 60-65 % the size of the US , China ’ s is closer to 60 % today ( the CCP has inflated its GDP figures for decades ) So even in relative terms it ’ s not as powerful a rival overall as the Soviet Union was .
In terms of overall wealth the US dwarfs China and produces more wealth each year than China @ @ @ @ @ @ @ everything as black and white so this “ superpower rivalry ” narrative has taken hold but it portrays china as much more powerful and influential than it actually is .
Under all the propaganda and strongman talk the CCPs regime has become very brittle and non responsive .
And it ’ s incredibly vulnerable to US political , military and economic pressure .
China ’ s entire economic foundation is build on a system dependent on access to US dollars , China keeps massive USD foreign reserves because that ’ s what backstops @ @ @ @ @ @ @ so easy to ween off USD they would ’ ve done it decades ago .
Instead the opposite has happened , the US dollar is more dominate today than it was before the Great Recession .
So much so that central bank governors like Mark Carney have warned that corona virus has likely made the worlds dependence on USD a permanent fixture because there ’ s no viable alternative .
The threat of dumping treasuries is a bluff , it would be significantly more damaging to China than to America .
All the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ them as the PBOC sells them .
China comes out no further ahead but does incredible damage to its own economy .
What if the US was as coercive as China ?
Take a second and imagine a world where the US was as coercive in its foreign policy as the PRC .
If it ( or any other nation ) didn ’ t do as told all America would have to do is announce it ’ s cutting china ’ s access to dollars and overnight the entire banking and financial system @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scenario would ever play out because the cascading effect would be devastating to other Asian economies .
But it demonstrates one of the many policy tools America can use to bludgeon the PRC if it needed to .
It ’ s very under appreciated how many knives America has on china ’ s jugular .
This struggle is by no means a contest between two equal powers , the PRC is dominated by the US in almost every domain and has likely hit its high water mark as the unsustainable debt load , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it long term .
Aside from coercion China lacks any real soft or hard power beyond economic clout .

by NineteenEighty9
I want to preface this by saying:
I support free markets, free speech and democracy. The PRC/CCP lacks the legitimacy of its people and represents the greatest threat to personal freedoms and individual liberties around the world since the USSR. As with all totalitarian regimes it is deeply insecure, vindictive, coercive, and values its own survival more than the lives of it citizens.
Growing bipartisanship
There is a large and growing bipartisan consensus within the United States government and Congress that it’s relationship with the PRC has become hostile, and that it’s aggressive and coercive policies need to be checked. Based on how the American government is talking it looks as if they are going to retaliate against Beijing once corona is over. I think you’re going to see a massive coordinated retaliation against the CCP and it’s interests by the whole of the American government.
Superpower rivalry
The current US/China power struggle (or as some call it coldwar 2.0) is often portrayed as a battle between two superpowers but that really couldn’t be further from the truth. The PRC, just like the USSR, has never met the criteria to be called a superpower, at best it’s a strong regional power. At its peak the USSR economy was 60-65% the size of the US, China’s is closer to 60% today (the CCP has inflated its GDP figures for decades) So even in relative terms it’s not as powerful a rival overall as the Soviet Union was.
A superpower is a state with a dominant position characterized by its extensive ability to exert influence or project power on a global scale. This is done through the combined means of economic, military, technological and cultural strength as well as diplomatic and soft power influence. Traditionally, superpowers are preeminent among the great powers.
In terms of overall wealth the US dwarfs China and produces more wealth each year than China does.
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The US, China, and Europe contributed the most towards global wealth growth with USD 3.8 trillion, USD 1.9 trillion and USD 1.1 trillion respectively.
The media likes to portray everything as black and white so this “superpower rivalry” narrative has taken hold but it portrays china as much more powerful and influential than it actually is. Under all the propaganda and strongman talk the CCPs regime has become very brittle and non responsive. And it’s incredibly vulnerable to US political, military and economic pressure.
China’s entire economic foundation is build on a system dependent on access to US dollars, China keeps massive USD foreign reserves because that’s what backstops its own currency. If it was so easy to ween off USD they would’ve done it decades ago. Instead the opposite has happened, the US dollar is more dominate today than it was before the Great Recession. So much so that central bank governors like Mark Carney have warned that corona virus has likely made the worlds dependence on USD a permanent fixture because there’s no viable alternative.
The threat of dumping treasuries is a bluff, it would be significantly more damaging to China than to America. All the Fed would have to do is buy them as the PBOC sells them. China comes out no further ahead but does incredible damage to its own economy.
What if the US was as coercive as China?
Take a second and imagine a world where the US was as coercive in its foreign policy as the PRC. If it (or any other nation) didn’t do as told all America would have to do is announce it’s cutting china’s access to dollars and overnight the entire banking and financial system would become insolvent. I doubt this scenario would ever play out because the cascading effect would be devastating to other Asian economies. But it demonstrates one of the many policy tools America can use to bludgeon the PRC if it needed to. It’s very under appreciated how many knives America has on china’s jugular.
In conclusion
This struggle is by no means a contest between two equal powers, the PRC is dominated by the US in almost every domain and has likely hit its high water mark as the unsustainable debt load, inefficiencies and demographic crises begins to strangle it long term. Aside from coercion China lacks any real soft or hard power beyond economic clout.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--DOG WHISTLES THAT DIDN’T BARK:

DOG WHISTLES THAT DIDN’T BARK:

● Biden fails to condemn rioting in remarks on Minneapolis .
● Missed it by This Much : Obama ’ @ @ @ @ @ George Floyd leaves out something pretty freakin ’ important .
In sharp contrast : Atlanta @ @ @ @ @ for peace amid fiery George Floyd protests .
“ ‘ This is not a protest @ @ @ @ @ the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr .
This is chaos , ’ she said @ @ @ @ @ about this city , then go home , ’ adding that “ the violent demonstrations @ @ @ @ @ the life of George Floyd .
’ ”

● Biden fails to condemn rioting in remarks on Minneapolis.
● Missed it by This Much: Obama’s statement on death of George Floyd leaves out something pretty freakin’ important.
● Minneapolis mayor urges protesters to wear masks and practice social distancing.
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● Trevor Noah Defends Looting: ‘Police in America Are Looting Black Bodies.’
In sharp contrast: Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms pleads for peace amid fiery George Floyd protests. “‘This is not a protest. This is not in the spirit of Martin Luther King Jr. This is chaos,’ she said. ‘If you care about this city, then go home,’ adding that “the violent demonstrations in Atlanta are ‘disgracing the life of George Floyd.’”
h/t ED


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--“WE CANNOT ARREST PEOPLE WHEN WE’RE TRYING TO HOLD GROUND BECAUSE OF THE SHEER SIZE, THE DYNAMICS AN

“WE CANNOT ARREST PEOPLE WHEN WE’RE TRYING TO HOLD GROUND BECAUSE OF THE SHEER SIZE, THE DYNAMICS AND THE WANTON VIOLENCE THAT’S COMING OUT THERE.”

“ There ’ s simply more of them than us , ” said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz , quoted in @ @ @ @ @ ‘ Absolute Chaos ’ in Minneapolis as Protests Grow Across U.S. ” ( NYT ) @ @ @ @ @ a different police precinct and flames streamed from businesses over several city blocks — a @ @ @ @ @ office , a bank , a restaurant — as residents asked where the police and @ @ @ @ @ rang out… and flames streamed… .
The NYT is writing as if human individuals are @ @ @ @ @ as the Governor is speaking specifically about people and calling attention to the us-versus-them situation @

via althouse
“There’s simply more of them than us,” said Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, quoted in “George Floyd Updates: ‘Absolute Chaos’ in Minneapolis as Protests Grow Across U.S.” (NYT).
Gunshots rang out near a different police precinct and flames streamed from businesses over several city blocks — a gas station, a post office, a bank, a restaurant — as residents asked where the police and firefighters had gone.
Gunshots rang out… and flames streamed…. The NYT is writing as if human individuals are not in the picture even as the Governor is speaking specifically about people and calling attention to the us-versus-them situation.


investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--Nancy Pelosi Lectures About Wearing Masks… While Not Wearing A Mask

The Mask Wars are heating up .

The Mask Wars are heating up.
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investmentwatchblog--2020-05-30--BALTIMORE: Woman Punches Cop in the Face, Get’s Knocked Out — Cop FIRED

A woman in Baltimore just punched a cop in the face twice .
Don ’ t think she was expecting @ @ @ @ @ head from behind… BREAKING— @ mayorbcyoung says the officer who was seen on video striking @ @ @ @ @ from police duties .
Says the officer who was hit by the woman “ showed @ @ @ @ @ .
The woman should have been placed under arrest and not assaulted.
” BREAKING— @ @ @ @ @ @ was seen on video striking a woman has been removed from police duties .
Says @ @ @ @ @ by the woman “ showed remarkable restraint by not retaliating .
The woman should have @ @ @ @ @ not assaulted .
”

Caleb Hull
@CalebJHull
A woman in Baltimore just punched a cop in the face twice.
Don’t think she was expecting to get clocked in the head from behind…
A woman in Baltimore just punched a cop in the face twice. Don’t think she was expecting to get clocked in the head from behind… pic.twitter.com/XQMCLL3RHe — Caleb Hull (@CalebJHull) May 30, 2020
Robert Lang WBAL
@Reporterroblang
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BREAKING—@mayorbcyoung says the officer who was seen on video striking a woman has been removed from police duties. Says the officer who was hit by the woman “showed remarkable restraint by not retaliating. The woman should have been placed under arrest and not assaulted.”
BREAKING—@mayorbcyoung says the officer who was seen on video striking a woman has been removed from police duties. Says the officer who was hit by the woman "showed remarkable restraint by not retaliating. The woman should have been placed under arrest and not assaulted." — Robert Lang WBAL (@Reporterroblang) May 30, 2020
Robert Lang WBAL
@Reporterroblang
BREAKING—@mayorbcyoung says the officer who was seen on video striking a woman has been removed from police duties. Says the officer who was hit by the woman “showed remarkable restraint by not retaliating. The woman should have been placed under arrest and not assaulted.”
BREAKING—@mayorbcyoung says the officer who was seen on video striking a woman has been removed from police duties. Says the officer who was hit by the woman "showed remarkable restraint by not retaliating. The woman should have been placed under arrest and not assaulted." — Robert Lang WBAL (@Reporterroblang) May 30, 2020
h/t CrsCrpr