investmentwatchblog--2020-09-01--America’s Riots Are Just the Latest Version of Marxist “Syndicalism”

The year 2020 is one of the most disrupted times in at least the last half century , maybe longer .
Global protests and riots , the covid-19 virus , lockdowns , and police killings of unarmed citizens .
Add to that widespread rioting , looting , arson , homelessness , and destruction of property , including the tearing down of statues .
This chaos in the streets is being facilitated by mayors , governors , and police chiefs who are unwilling to enforce the law .
The great Ludwig von Mises included a discussion of “ syndicalism ” in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ A Treatise on Economics .
Most people have never heard or read of this concept , but it is highly relevant to the situation we find ourselves in today .
Mises ’ s analysis is even more important for understanding and fixing some of the most important problems we face today .
In general , I define syndicalism as being able to do whatever you want at the expense of others .
In part , it represents the ideas of French philosopher , Georges Sorel , who thought relentless violence should be used @ @ @ @ @ @ @ would include the “ general strike ” so familiar in Europe to this day .
This is in direct contrast to mutually beneficial exchange and the social cooperation of the division of labor .
His ideas were influential with Marxists , fascists , Nazis , and advocates of unionism .
When I first tried to read Human Action , I found it extremely difficult .
I ended up skipping entire chapters and reading through others without understanding the material .
Chapter 33 is a good example of that .
Today , reading the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now have things like Jeff Deist ’ s Human Action Podcast , which now contains a series of interviews on the book , and Robert Murphy ’ s Study Guide to Human Action : A Treatise on Economics .
In the 1990s I taught a course in Austrian economics at Auburn University , an advanced undergraduate course .
It was listed in the catalog next to the econometric and mathematical economics classes .
I spent classes reviewing chapters , but the most difficult aspect was trying to relate Mises ’ s words and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ time constraints , I never covered chapter 33 .
Fast-forward to more recent times .
The Rothbard Graduate Seminar reviews Human Action every few years along with Rothbard ’ s Man , Economy , and State and other selections during other years .
I have always been assigned to teach a section of chapters at the end of the book which includes chapter 33 .
Once again , due to time constraints and my perceived view of its relevancy , I have decided to skip the chapter .
That is , until this @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ?
Political syndicalism is direct violent revolutionary action against the institutions of capitalism , such as security forces , property , particularly business property , and the rule of law .
This approach is often adopted by Marxists , socialists , and fascists as a means of gaining power .
At the root of the chaos and upheaval on our streets is an attempt at disrupting society and taking more control of it by Marxists , socialists , and “ anarchists.
” The fundamental error that syndicalism makes is to think that entrepreneurs @ @ @ @ @ @ @ free to pursue their personal agenda .
The reality is that business leaders must follow the interests of consumers in order to further their self-interest in making profits .
They have to find correct prices , production levels , and correct means of production .
These things are determined by entrepreneurs with various types of feedback from the marketplace .
The riots , looting , and violence against people and their property is mostly motivated to achieve Marxist ideals via syndicalist activity ( i.e.
, violence ) .
Those employing these means include @ @ @ @ @ @ @ especially the “ anarchist provocateurs ” who adeptly turn peaceful protests into violent riots .
Of course , there is also some violence on the right , some of which I witness on the campus of Auburn University .
But in either case , with mayors , governors , and police chiefs restraining and even defunding the police , the violence often goes unchecked .
The Other Type of Syndicalism This use of the word “ syndicalism ” should not be confused with the better-known syndicalism as a social system , which is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ This system in theory would give workers control over the industries in which they work .
They would make the decisions on things entrepreneurs decide in the market , such as wage rates , benefits , hours , production , etc .
The workers can do anything they want at the expense of others .
But if everyone is raising their prices and reducing output , how can anyone gain from the arrangement ?
Both forms of syndicalism ultimately rest on the Marxist notions that entrepreneurs and capitalists exploit labor and have no @ @ @ @ @ @ @ each industry would want higher wages , higher prices , shorter working hours , and this would result in lower output .
Raw material prices increase and get passed on to consumer goods industries , which must pass those increases on to the consumer along with their own increases .
This happens across the entire economy .
As a result , production plummets and prices become unhinged from market prices .
The “ economy ” would collapse if syndicalism were attempted on an economywide basis .
With democracy and voting and the military @ @ @ @ @ @ @ individualist option must be developed to solve the problem .
People are arming themselves in various ways .
They are using various security devices like cameras and stronger locks .
Businesses are hiring security firms and protecting storefront windows .
Others are simply moving from cities to the suburbs and beyond .
Don ’ t expect government to solve the problem , although more secessionism and decentralization would surely help .
Mark Thornton is a Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute and the book review editor of the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is a frequent guest on national radio shows .

by Mark Thornton via Mises
The year 2020 is one of the most disrupted times in at least the last half century, maybe longer. Global protests and riots, the covid-19 virus, lockdowns, and police killings of unarmed citizens. Add to that widespread rioting, looting, arson, homelessness, and destruction of property, including the tearing down of statues. This chaos in the streets is being facilitated by mayors, governors, and police chiefs who are unwilling to enforce the law.
The great Ludwig von Mises included a discussion of “syndicalism” in chapter 33 of his Human Action: A Treatise on Economics. Most people have never heard or read of this concept, but it is highly relevant to the situation we find ourselves in today. Mises’s analysis is even more important for understanding and fixing some of the most important problems we face today. In general, I define syndicalism as being able to do whatever you want at the expense of others.
In part, it represents the ideas of French philosopher, Georges Sorel, who thought relentless violence should be used against the institutions of capitalism. This would include the “general strike” so familiar in Europe to this day. This is in direct contrast to mutually beneficial exchange and the social cooperation of the division of labor. His ideas were influential with Marxists, fascists, Nazis, and advocates of unionism.
A Key Chapter in Mises’s Human Action
When I first tried to read Human Action, I found it extremely difficult. I ended up skipping entire chapters and reading through others without understanding the material. Chapter 33 is a good example of that. Today, reading the book is much easier, because we now have things like Jeff Deist’s Human Action Podcast, which now contains a series of interviews on the book, and Robert Murphy’s Study Guide to Human Action: A Treatise on Economics.
In the 1990s I taught a course in Austrian economics at Auburn University, an advanced undergraduate course. It was listed in the catalog next to the econometric and mathematical economics classes. I spent classes reviewing chapters, but the most difficult aspect was trying to relate Mises’s words and concepts to current events. Due to time constraints, I never covered chapter 33.
Fast-forward to more recent times. The Rothbard Graduate Seminar reviews Human Action every few years along with Rothbard’s Man, Economy, and State and other selections during other years. I have always been assigned to teach a section of chapters at the end of the book which includes chapter 33. Once again, due to time constraints and my perceived view of its relevancy, I have decided to skip the chapter. That is, until this year.
What Is Syndicalism?
So, what is syndicalism? Political syndicalism is direct violent revolutionary action against the institutions of capitalism, such as security forces, property, particularly business property, and the rule of law. This approach is often adopted by Marxists, socialists, and fascists as a means of gaining power. At the root of the chaos and upheaval on our streets is an attempt at disrupting society and taking more control of it by Marxists, socialists, and “anarchists.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The fundamental error that syndicalism makes is to think that entrepreneurs and capitalists are “irresponsible autocrats” free to pursue their personal agenda. The reality is that business leaders must follow the interests of consumers in order to further their self-interest in making profits. They have to find correct prices, production levels, and correct means of production. These things are determined by entrepreneurs with various types of feedback from the marketplace.
The riots, looting, and violence against people and their property is mostly motivated to achieve Marxist ideals via syndicalist activity (i.e., violence). Those employing these means include Antifa, Black Lives Matter, and especially the “anarchist provocateurs” who adeptly turn peaceful protests into violent riots. Of course, there is also some violence on the right, some of which I witness on the campus of Auburn University. But in either case, with mayors, governors, and police chiefs restraining and even defunding the police, the violence often goes unchecked.
The Other Type of Syndicalism
This use of the word “syndicalism” should not be confused with the better-known syndicalism as a social system, which is an alternative to socialist central planning. This system in theory would give workers control over the industries in which they work. They would make the decisions on things entrepreneurs decide in the market, such as wage rates, benefits, hours, production, etc. The workers can do anything they want at the expense of others. But if everyone is raising their prices and reducing output, how can anyone gain from the arrangement? Both forms of syndicalism ultimately rest on the Marxist notions that entrepreneurs and capitalists exploit labor and have no real purpose worth rewarding. Obviously, each industry would want higher wages, higher prices, shorter working hours, and this would result in lower output. Raw material prices increase and get passed on to consumer goods industries, which must pass those increases on to the consumer along with their own increases. This happens across the entire economy. As a result, production plummets and prices become unhinged from market prices. The “economy” would collapse if syndicalism were attempted on an economywide basis.
Democracy Fails to Provide a Solution
With democracy and voting and the military not likely or viable options, an individualist option must be developed to solve the problem. People are arming themselves in various ways. They are using various security devices like cameras and stronger locks. Businesses are hiring security firms and protecting storefront windows. Others are simply moving from cities to the suburbs and beyond. Don’t expect government to solve the problem, although more secessionism and decentralization would surely help.
Author:
Contact Mark Thornton
Mark Thornton is a Senior Fellow at the Mises Institute and the book review editor of the Quarterly Journal of Austrian Economics. He has authored seven books and is a frequent guest on national radio shows.


investmentwatchblog--2020-09-01--Ranked: The Most Popular Websites Since 1993

The internet has become an increasingly important part of our everyday lives .
While it ’ s hard to imagine modern life without Google or YouTube , it ’ s interesting to reflect on how much the web has changed over the last few decades .
This animation by Captain Gizmo provides a historical rundown of the most popular websites since 1993 , showing how much the internet has evolved since the early ’ 90s .
While the web has changed drastically over the years , the top-ranking websites have remained relatively consistent .
Here ’ s a look at @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 1993 , and when each site held the number one spot : AOL was one of the first major web portals , back in the era of CD-ROMs and dial-up modems .
In its heyday , the company dominated the market , largely due to an aggressive free trial campaign that cost millions ( possibly even billions ) of dollars to execute .
Despite the large investment , the campaign worked—at its peak , AOL had over 30 million users , and a market cap of over $ 200 billion .
It was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ early 2000s , when broadband started to replace dial-up .
As the sands shifted , AOL struggled to stay relevant and was eventually sold to Verizon for just $ 4.4 billion .
Following AOL ’ s downfall , Yahoo became the next internet giant .
Starting off as a web directory , Yahoo was the first website to offer localized indexes for major cities .
At Yahoo ’ s zenith , it was worth $ 125 billion , but a series of missed opportunities and failed acquisitions meant that it could not keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ now also owned by Verizon , but remains a top 10 website globally .
It ’ s no surprise that Google currently comes in at number one .
It started out in the early ’ 90s as a university research project .
Today , it ’ s become virtually synonymous with the internet , which makes sense , considering 90 % of all internet searches are made on Google-owned properties .
Prior to Google ’ s success , there were several other go-to search engines that paved the way for Google in many @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the earlier search engines , WebCrawler was the first search engine to enable full-text search .
At one point , the website was so popular , it ’ s server would constantly crash , making it virtually unusable during peak hours .
• Lycos : This was another pivotal search engine , created in 1994 ( a year before Yahoo ) .
Lycos was the first of its kind to incorporate relevance retrieval , prefix matching , and word proximity .
• Infoseek : As Netscape ’ s default search engine , Infoseek @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s heyday .
Eventually , Infoseek was purchased by Disney and rebranded to go.com .
Unlike Infoseek , Lycos and WebCrawler have somehow managed to stick around—both companies still exist today .
Of course , they ’ re nowhere near comparable to Google in terms of revenue or daily search volume .
Unless you are a Gen Zer , you probably remember MySpace .
Like Lycos and WebCrawler , MySpace technically still exists , although it ’ s certainly not the high traffic site it used to be .
Created in 2004 , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ music fans on the web .
In just a year , the website saw massive growth , and by 2005 , it was acquired by News Corp. MySpace continued to dominate the social media landscape until 2008 , when Facebook took over as the internet ’ s most popular social media platform .
Facebook ’ s story is well-known at this point .
The Zuckerberg-led creation was a social networking site that was exclusive to Harvard students , but it soon opened up to dozens of other universities and then finally the general @ @ @ @ @ @ @ later , and the site had 100 million active users , rising to the top of the social media spectrum .
Although Facebook often finds itself mired in controversy today , the site remains the world ’ s most popular social media platform on the internet with close to 3 billion users .
It ’ s hard to predict what the future holds for Facebook , or for any of the other websites currently dominating the web .
If anything is clear from the above animation , it ’ s that the list @ @ @ @ @ @ @ websites is constantly shifting—and only time will tell what the next few decades will bring .

by visualcapitalist
The internet has become an increasingly important part of our everyday lives.
While it’s hard to imagine modern life without Google or YouTube, it’s interesting to reflect on how much the web has changed over the last few decades.
This animation by Captain Gizmo provides a historical rundown of the most popular websites since 1993, showing how much the internet has evolved since the early ’90s.
The Top Websites
While the web has changed drastically over the years, the top-ranking websites have remained relatively consistent. Here’s a look at the websites with the most traffic since 1993, and when each site held the number one spot:
Date Range Top Ranking Website Highest Number of Monthly Visits Jan 1993 – Jun 2000 AOL 405,000,000 Jul 2000 – May 2006 Yahoo 5,500,000,000 Jun 2006 – Jul 2008 Google 8,300,000,000 Aug 2008 – Jun 2010 Yahoo 11,600,000,000 Jul 2010 – current Google 81,000,000,000
*Note: Numbers rounded for clarity.
AOL
AOL was one of the first major web portals, back in the era of CD-ROMs and dial-up modems. In its heyday, the company dominated the market, largely due to an aggressive free trial campaign that cost millions (possibly even billions) of dollars to execute.
Despite the large investment, the campaign worked—at its peak, AOL had over 30 million users, and a market cap of over $200 billion. It was the most popular website online until the early 2000s, when broadband started to replace dial-up. As the sands shifted, AOL struggled to stay relevant and was eventually sold to Verizon for just $4.4 billion.
Yahoo
Following AOL’s downfall, Yahoo became the next internet giant.
Starting off as a web directory, Yahoo was the first website to offer localized indexes for major cities. At Yahoo’s zenith, it was worth $125 billion, but a series of missed opportunities and failed acquisitions meant that it could not keep up. Like AOL, Yahoo is now also owned by Verizon, but remains a top 10 website globally.
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Google
It’s no surprise that Google currently comes in at number one. It started out in the early ’90s as a university research project. Today, it’s become virtually synonymous with the internet, which makes sense, considering 90% of all internet searches are made on Google-owned properties.
Old School Search Engines
Prior to Google’s success, there were several other go-to search engines that paved the way for Google in many ways:
WebCrawler : One of the earlier search engines, WebCrawler was the first search engine to enable full-text search. At one point, the website was so popular, it’s server would constantly crash, making it virtually unusable during peak hours.
: One of the earlier search engines, WebCrawler was the first search engine to enable full-text search. At one point, the website was so popular, it’s server would constantly crash, making it virtually unusable during peak hours. Lycos : This was another pivotal search engine, created in 1994 (a year before Yahoo). Lycos was the first of its kind to incorporate relevance retrieval, prefix matching, and word proximity.
: This was another pivotal search engine, created in 1994 (a year before Yahoo). Lycos was the first of its kind to incorporate relevance retrieval, prefix matching, and word proximity. Infoseek: As Netscape’s default search engine, Infoseek was popular during the web browser’s heyday. Eventually, Infoseek was purchased by Disney and rebranded to go.com.
Unlike Infoseek, Lycos and WebCrawler have somehow managed to stick around—both companies still exist today. Of course, they’re nowhere near comparable to Google in terms of revenue or daily search volume.
The Evolution of Social Media
Unless you are a Gen Zer, you probably remember MySpace. Like Lycos and WebCrawler, MySpace technically still exists, although it’s certainly not the high traffic site it used to be.
Created in 2004, MySpace became a hub for musicians and music fans on the web. In just a year, the website saw massive growth, and by 2005, it was acquired by News Corp. MySpace continued to dominate the social media landscape until 2008, when Facebook took over as the internet’s most popular social media platform.
Facebook’s story is well-known at this point. The Zuckerberg-led creation was a social networking site that was exclusive to Harvard students, but it soon opened up to dozens of other universities and then finally the general public in 2006. Just two years later, and the site had 100 million active users, rising to the top of the social media spectrum.
Although Facebook often finds itself mired in controversy today, the site remains the world’s most popular social media platform on the internet with close to 3 billion users.
What’s Next?
It’s hard to predict what the future holds for Facebook, or for any of the other websites currently dominating the web.
If anything is clear from the above animation, it’s that the list of the world’s most popular websites is constantly shifting—and only time will tell what the next few decades will bring.


investmentwatchblog--2020-09-01--Stranger Things! US Treasury Yield Curve Rises 18 BPS Over 1 Month At 10Y Tenor As Residential Mortg

Stranger Things! US Treasury Yield Curve Rises 18 BPS Over 1 Month At 10Y Tenor As Residential Mortgage Rates Rises To 3.13%

Stranger things !
The US Treasury yield curve has risen over 18 basis points over the past month at the @ @ @ @ @ basis points at the 30 year tenor .
On the residential mortgage side , the @ @ @ @ @ rose to 3.13 % .
i would have thought that after Powell ’ s hysteria @ @ @ @ @ The Fed would have been pushing the yield curve DOWN .
Maybe this explains it @ @ @ @ @ of Governors .

by confoundedinterest17
Stranger things! The US Treasury yield curve has risen over 18 basis points over the past month at the 10-year tenor. And 31 basis points at the 30 year tenor.
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On the residential mortgage side, the Bankrate 30Y mortgage survey rate rose to 3.13%.
i would have thought that after Powell’s hysteria over the Covid virus that The Fed would have been pushing the yield curve DOWN. Maybe this explains it: The Federal Reserve Board of Governors.


investmentwatchblog--2020-09-01--The Fed Has Yet Again Propped Up Gold Prices

This week , Your News to Know rounds up the latest top stories involving gold and the overall economy .
Stories include : The Federal Reserve props up gold once again , another $ 2 to $ 3 trillion are expected to be poured into the gold market , and the surprising cheapness of gold and silver .
Most of the time , the policies of the Federal Reserve and other central banks tend to act as some of the most important drivers of gold prices .
In particular , the threat of inflation and a lack of bond yields @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold and allowed it to surge past $ 2,000 earlier this year .
Keeping this in mind , it should come as no surprise that gold jumped to $ 1,973 during Friday ’ s trading session following Fed Chair Jerome Powell ’ s announcement that the central bank might let inflation run past its long-held target of 2 % .
This reignited inflationary concerns , especially in the aftermath of the largest monetary stimulus ever issued .
Furthermore , the Fed is likely opting to let inflation run higher to maintain its zero-rates @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gold on its own .
As New Street Advisors founder Delano Saporu pointed out , any investor looking for a source of safe returns or merely an inflation hedge is bound to take an interest in gold .
While Saporu singled out Fed policies as an expected tailwind for gold , Laffer Tengler Investments ’ chief investment officer Nancy Tengler sees plenty of other reasons for the metal to keep going up .
Tengler noted that negative real interest rates , a very risky stock market and ballooning government debt should all keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the latter issue grows worse amid efforts to stimulate the economy in the wake of the pandemic .
Having expected a pullback after gold passed $ 2,000 , Tengler added that investors should look out for similar dips and treat them as entry points into a very solid market .
Latest report says that the gold market could see $ 2 to $ 3 trillion more poured into it According to latest research by Toronto-based precious metals asset management firm Sprott , the after-effects of the pandemic could cause investors to seriously reconsider @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s outperformance this year , Sprott ’ s team , like numerous other analysts , has taken note that investors remain underweight on gold .
Their report estimates that only 20 % of investors make a portfolio allocation to gold , and that the allocation has thus far lingered around the 1 % -2 % level in the majority of cases .
Yet , as gold ’ s price movements this year have shown , investors are beginning to reassess what gold can do for them .
The slew of lockdowns across @ @ @ @ @ @ @ various economies , with the U.S. being just one example .
These economies will need to be reinvigorated through increased government spending , which will be facilitated by massive government borrowing .
Since most countries are already dealing with overwhelming debt levels , Sprott believes more reckless spending will turn investors to caution and establish a view where gold is a necessity , rather than an option .
Driven by a desire to both reduce risk and preserve their purchasing power , Sprott expects the overall percentage of investors that own gold to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ allocation to increase to 3 % -5 % .
This would translate to another $ 2 to $ 3 trillion being poured into the gold market over the next few years , accompanied by a price increase to a range between $ 2,500 and $ 3,000 .
With their latest report , Sprott ’ s team has now joined many other forecasters who expect gold ’ s price to reach similar levels in the near future .
With gold setting a new all-time high and silver moving accordingly , some have begun to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ steep .
Compared to two years ago , when gold was sitting at a little over half its current price , they might be called that .
Yet when one attempts to price gold in real terms , based on how the U.S. dollar has moved over the past decades , the $ 2,000 figure begins to look like a bargain .
In an attempt to do just that , Kitco ’ s Lobo Tiggre used data provided by ShadowStats.com ’ s John Williams .
Instead of assessing gold in CPI-adjusted terms , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Labor Statistics ( BLS ) used to gauge inflation on gold ’ s price .
And , in those terms , gold reached $ 50,000 in 1980 when talking the greenback ’ s present-day value , with silver likewise climbing to $ 3,000 .
For added perspective , Tiggre uses the idea of a 50-year average for both gold and silver starting from the year when gold was untethered from the greenback .
Following the same inflation gauge that the BLS uses , gold ’ s 50-year average should sit at $ 9,612 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ at $ 238 .
Valuations such as these are lofty , and though there are some forecasters willing to call for these prices , Tiggre is reluctant to do so .
Yet the analysis presents a definitive answer to the question of whether gold ’ s current price is too high , along with showing that gold has no shortage of room to move upwards when one considers its price in real terms .

From Birch Gold Group
This week, Your News to Know rounds up the latest top stories involving gold and the overall economy. Stories include: The Federal Reserve props up gold once again, another $2 to $3 trillion are expected to be poured into the gold market, and the surprising cheapness of gold and silver.
Gold jumps as Federal Reserve strengthens inflation expectations
Most of the time, the policies of the Federal Reserve and other central banks tend to act as some of the most important drivers of gold prices. In particular, the threat of inflation and a lack of bond yields are what has consistently driven investors to gold and allowed it to surge past $2,000 earlier this year.
Keeping this in mind, it should come as no surprise that gold jumped to $1,973 during Friday’s trading session following Fed Chair Jerome Powell’s announcement that the central bank might let inflation run past its long-held target of 2%. This reignited inflationary concerns, especially in the aftermath of the largest monetary stimulus ever issued. Furthermore, the Fed is likely opting to let inflation run higher to maintain its zero-rates policy, yet another powerful boon for gold on its own.
As New Street Advisors founder Delano Saporu pointed out, any investor looking for a source of safe returns or merely an inflation hedge is bound to take an interest in gold. While Saporu singled out Fed policies as an expected tailwind for gold, Laffer Tengler Investments’ chief investment officer Nancy Tengler sees plenty of other reasons for the metal to keep going up.
Tengler noted that negative real interest rates, a very risky stock market and ballooning government debt should all keep investors close to gold, especially as the latter issue grows worse amid efforts to stimulate the economy in the wake of the pandemic. Having expected a pullback after gold passed $2,000, Tengler added that investors should look out for similar dips and treat them as entry points into a very solid market.
Latest report says that the gold market could see $2 to $3 trillion more poured into it
According to latest research by Toronto-based precious metals asset management firm Sprott, the after-effects of the pandemic could cause investors to seriously reconsider their gold positions. Despite the metal’s outperformance this year, Sprott’s team, like numerous other analysts, has taken note that investors remain underweight on gold.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Their report estimates that only 20% of investors make a portfolio allocation to gold, and that the allocation has thus far lingered around the 1%-2% level in the majority of cases. Yet, as gold’s price movements this year have shown, investors are beginning to reassess what gold can do for them.
The slew of lockdowns across the world has caused long-term damage to various economies, with the U.S. being just one example. These economies will need to be reinvigorated through increased government spending, which will be facilitated by massive government borrowing. Since most countries are already dealing with overwhelming debt levels, Sprott believes more reckless spending will turn investors to caution and establish a view where gold is a necessity, rather than an option.
Driven by a desire to both reduce risk and preserve their purchasing power, Sprott expects the overall percentage of investors that own gold to reach 40%, and the average allocation to increase to 3%-5%. This would translate to another $2 to $3 trillion being poured into the gold market over the next few years, accompanied by a price increase to a range between $2,500 and $3,000. With their latest report, Sprott’s team has now joined many other forecasters who expect gold’s price to reach similar levels in the near future.
Despite all-time highs, a deeper analysis shows that gold remains undervalued
With gold setting a new all-time high and silver moving accordingly, some have begun to interpret the metal’s valuations as steep. Compared to two years ago, when gold was sitting at a little over half its current price, they might be called that. Yet when one attempts to price gold in real terms, based on how the U.S. dollar has moved over the past decades, the $2,000 figure begins to look like a bargain.
In an attempt to do just that, Kitco’s Lobo Tiggre used data provided by ShadowStats.com’s John Williams. Instead of assessing gold in CPI-adjusted terms, Williams applied the way the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) used to gauge inflation on gold’s price. And, in those terms, gold reached $50,000 in 1980 when talking the greenback’s present-day value, with silver likewise climbing to $3,000.
For added perspective, Tiggre uses the idea of a 50-year average for both gold and silver starting from the year when gold was untethered from the greenback. Following the same inflation gauge that the BLS uses, gold’s 50-year average should sit at $9,612, with silver’s being perched at $238.
Valuations such as these are lofty, and though there are some forecasters willing to call for these prices, Tiggre is reluctant to do so. Yet the analysis presents a definitive answer to the question of whether gold’s current price is too high, along with showing that gold has no shortage of room to move upwards when one considers its price in real terms.


investmentwatchblog--2020-09-01--Big Pharma lies about vitamin C to keep people sick with cancer… while reaping huge profits from tox

Big Pharma lies about vitamin C to keep people sick with cancer… while reaping huge profits from toxic cancer treatments

( Natural News ) Vitamin C may have gotten a bit of buzz as the coronavirus pandemic ramped up , but the truth is that this wonder vitamin is often ignored by conventional medicine and the media .
However , it can ’ t be a coincidence that most people who suffer from a chronic degenerative disease are deficient in vitamin C and that lots of cancer patients have been helped by high doses of vitamin C delivered intravenously over the years .
Nobel laureate Linus Pauling and Scottish cancer surgeon Dr. Ewan Cameron have shown how 10,000 milligrams of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ several patients who conventional medicine couldn ’ t help – and that was 40 years ago .
You would think this treatment would be in wide use today , but the truth is that Western medicine tries to push cancer patients toward pricey chemotherapy instead .
Sadly , there are lots of lies being spread online and within the medical community about vitamin C , and some of them are hurting cancer patients .
Here is a look at three big mischaracterizations about vitamin C identified by Natural Health 365 .
If vitamin @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that there has never been a confirmed report of any dose of vitamin causing an individual significant harm ?
The evidence against prescription medications is far more serious , with 106,000 patients dying in hospitals in 1994 alone from legally prescribed medications that were used under careful supervision .
Ask anyone who tells you this if they have actually looked for any studies to back up this belief .
They ’ re not too hard to find – in fact , there are more than 60,000 results when you search for vitamin C @ @ @ @ @ @ @ shown a 100 percent success rate using the vitamin to treat illnesses like shingles , rheumatic fever and even polio .
To act like this is not the case is extremely irresponsible .
3 .
If it worked so well , everyone would be using it .
It would be great if everyone who needed it was actually able to take it and be healed .
Unfortunately , many doctors simply don ’ t know how it works , and many are more interested in pushing more profitable prescriptions on their patients .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ he has personally witnessed hundreds of what he called “ medical miracles ” from the use of vitamin C in high doses , and other doctors who have tried the treatment report similar successes .
You don ’ t have to look too far back to find new examples of how vitamin C can help cancer patients .
A recent study by scientists from the University of Southern California showed that fasting could be more effective at treating certain types of cancer , such as colorectal cancer , when it is combined with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ author , Valter Longo , said they showed for the first time how a completely non-toxic intervention has the power to treat an aggressive cancer effectively .
Even the National Cancer Institute admits the treatment shows a lot of promise .
A report on their website points to “ intriguing ” clinical trials that show how high-dose vitamin C can benefit patients with cancer and provide potential biomarkers that could be used to help personalize the approach .
In addition , they say that studies are shedding more light on the patient populations @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of therapy .
They also point out that vitamin C could be used alongside current therapies to make them more effective , stating : “ In addition , given the current high financial cost of new cancer drugs , it seems rational to improve the effectiveness of current therapies by studying their clinical interactions with vitamin C. In our view , the implementation of this treatment paradigm could provide benefit to many cancer patients.
” It ’ s unfortunate that this news isn ’ t reaching more cancer patients as it has the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .

by: Cassie B.
(Natural News) Vitamin C may have gotten a bit of buzz as the coronavirus pandemic ramped up, but the truth is that this wonder vitamin is often ignored by conventional medicine and the media. However, it can’t be a coincidence that most people who suffer from a chronic degenerative disease are deficient in vitamin C and that lots of cancer patients have been helped by high doses of vitamin C delivered intravenously over the years.
Nobel laureate Linus Pauling and Scottish cancer surgeon Dr. Ewan Cameron have shown how 10,000 milligrams of vitamin C delivered intravenously reversed cancer in several patients who conventional medicine couldn’t help – and that was 40 years ago. You would think this treatment would be in wide use today, but the truth is that Western medicine tries to push cancer patients toward pricey chemotherapy instead.
Sadly, there are lots of lies being spread online and within the medical community about vitamin C, and some of them are hurting cancer patients. Here is a look at three big mischaracterizations about vitamin C identified by Natural Health 365.
1. Vitamin C is unsafe.
If vitamin C is unsafe, why is it that there has never been a confirmed report of any dose of vitamin causing an individual significant harm? The evidence against prescription medications is far more serious, with 106,000 patients dying in hospitals in 1994 alone from legally prescribed medications that were used under careful supervision.
2. There’s no evidence vitamin C works.
Ask anyone who tells you this if they have actually looked for any studies to back up this belief. They’re not too hard to find – in fact, there are more than 60,000 results when you search for vitamin C studies in PubMed. Some studies have shown a 100 percent success rate using the vitamin to treat illnesses like shingles, rheumatic fever and even polio. To act like this is not the case is extremely irresponsible.
3. If it worked so well, everyone would be using it.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
It would be great if everyone who needed it was actually able to take it and be healed. Unfortunately, many doctors simply don’t know how it works, and many are more interested in pushing more profitable prescriptions on their patients. Dr. Thomas E. Levy has said that he has personally witnessed hundreds of what he called “medical miracles” from the use of vitamin C in high doses, and other doctors who have tried the treatment report similar successes.
Quiet support for vitamin C
You don’t have to look too far back to find new examples of how vitamin C can help cancer patients. A recent study by scientists from the University of Southern California showed that fasting could be more effective at treating certain types of cancer, such as colorectal cancer, when it is combined with vitamin C. The study’s senior author, Valter Longo, said they showed for the first time how a completely non-toxic intervention has the power to treat an aggressive cancer effectively.
Even the National Cancer Institute admits the treatment shows a lot of promise. A report on their website points to “intriguing” clinical trials that show how high-dose vitamin C can benefit patients with cancer and provide potential biomarkers that could be used to help personalize the approach. In addition, they say that studies are shedding more light on the patient populations most likely to respond to this type of therapy.
They also point out that vitamin C could be used alongside current therapies to make them more effective, stating: “In addition, given the current high financial cost of new cancer drugs, it seems rational to improve the effectiveness of current therapies by studying their clinical interactions with vitamin C. In our view, the implementation of this treatment paradigm could provide benefit to many cancer patients.”
It’s unfortunate that this news isn’t reaching more cancer patients as it has the potential to save a lot of lives.
Sources for this article include:
NaturalHealth365.com
Cancer.gov
MedicalXpress.com


investmentwatchblog--2020-09-01--Democrats and their media allies push coronavirus “cases” while ignoring viral load, a far more accu

Democrats and their media allies push coronavirus “cases” while ignoring viral load, a far more accurate measure

( Natural News ) It ’ s now apparent that political pressure dictates public health policy ; and if the Democrats had their way , they would use coronavirus “ cases ” to dictate public perception of their political opposition indefinitely and use the fear of a virus as a weapon to control people ’ s lives into the unforeseeable future .
This is why , to democrats , tallying and broadcasting statistically irrelevant coronavirus “ cases ” is more important than understanding viral load and immune system function , which are the most important aspects of controlling spread and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ evidence of these political games , look no further than the democrat presidential nominee , Joe Biden , who has no hope for America ’ s recovery and growth .
He said he would implement an ( illegal ) “ federal mask mandate ” starting late January 2021 .
He even mentioned he would lock the country down further , which would lead to forced vaccination with experimental cell-modifying , DNA-altering inoculations .
Who decides the metrics that are currently restricting human freedoms ?
Who gets to decide the metrics of data for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ again ?
Are people ’ s lives controlled by the number of cases that can be tallied in a given week ?
Where does a data curve begin and end ?
Are people ’ s lives dictated by the testing kit ’ s positivity rate ( which is fundamentally flawed from the start ) ?
Are the controls dictated by hospital bed capacity and mortality rates ?
If so , why aren ’ t strategies for enhancing immune function taught and implemented to prevent surge capacity and complications that lead to death ?
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ used to control human populations ?
Is the science behind these metrics resolute , or are the methods of testing and isolation flawed to such a degree , that public health policy will never allow for human freedoms again ?
If people are not allowed to live normally , what are the determining factors of data that dictate these restrictions , and how might this data be fraudulently collected , interpreted and misunderstood , so it can be used as a political weapon to hold people down , control elections , control economies @ @ @ @ @ @ @ agendas ?
Why are democratic governors suddenly not taking new CDC guidance ?
The Centers for Disease Control ( CDC ) recently changed its testing recommendations .
They now advise not to test “ asymptomatic ” people for coronavirus and not to isolate and test every contact of someone who tested positive .
This is a step in the right direction for understanding where infectious spread is actually occurring .
The FDA-approved tests for detecting covid-19 are fundamentally flawed and regularly produce false positives .
As long as false positives are part of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be “ new cases ” that can then be interpreted as “ outbreaks , ” perpetuating pandemic messaging that keeps people living in a state of emergency , fear and restricted liberty .
The key to solving the spread of the virus is understanding viral load and immune system function .
Many covid-19 tests are merely detecting non-infectious viral debris and labeling this as a “ new case , ” especially when so-called asymptomatic contacts are tested .
This perpetual detection of non-infectious viral debris does not represent active “ cases ” of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as such .
An asymptomatic “ case ” might be hundreds of millions of times less significant in terms of viral multiplication and transmission when compared to an active , symptomatic case where live infectious virus material is spread through the aerosols of an infected patient .
Why are democratic governors suddenly ignoring the new CDC guidance , when they had followed it religiously for so long ?
Andrew Cuomo joined a group of democratic governors who now reject the new CDC rule , as they continue to tally up meaningless case data @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s lives .
Could it be that these dictators want to continue tallying “ cases ” so they can use meaningless data and fear tactics to control people a little longer ?
Could it be that their political games hold the country back , as they ignore the most important aspects of helping the country move forward , such as understanding viral load , viral multiplication , immune suppression , immune function , and how to help the most vulnerable in their state ?
Read more about the lengths democrats are willing to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ global agenda at Tyranny.news .

by: Lance D Johnson
(Natural News) It’s now apparent that political pressure dictates public health policy; and if the Democrats had their way, they would use coronavirus “cases” to dictate public perception of their political opposition indefinitely and use the fear of a virus as a weapon to control people’s lives into the unforeseeable future. This is why, to democrats, tallying and broadcasting statistically irrelevant coronavirus “cases” is more important than understanding viral load and immune system function, which are the most important aspects of controlling spread and ensuring healthy recovery from infections.
For evidence of these political games, look no further than the democrat presidential nominee, Joe Biden, who has no hope for America’s recovery and growth. He said he would implement an (illegal) “federal mask mandate” starting late January 2021. He even mentioned he would lock the country down further, which would lead to forced vaccination with experimental cell-modifying, DNA-altering inoculations.
Who decides the metrics that are currently restricting human freedoms?
Who gets to decide the metrics of data for which human populations can have their freedoms again? Are people’s lives controlled by the number of cases that can be tallied in a given week? Where does a data curve begin and end? Are people’s lives dictated by the testing kit’s positivity rate (which is fundamentally flawed from the start)? Are the controls dictated by hospital bed capacity and mortality rates? If so, why aren’t strategies for enhancing immune function taught and implemented to prevent surge capacity and complications that lead to death?
For how long can emergency orders be used to control human populations? Is the science behind these metrics resolute, or are the methods of testing and isolation flawed to such a degree, that public health policy will never allow for human freedoms again?
If people are not allowed to live normally, what are the determining factors of data that dictate these restrictions, and how might this data be fraudulently collected, interpreted and misunderstood, so it can be used as a political weapon to hold people down, control elections, control economies and distort public perception, among other agendas?
Why are democratic governors suddenly not taking new CDC guidance?
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently changed its testing recommendations. They now advise not to test “asymptomatic” people for coronavirus and not to isolate and test every contact of someone who tested positive. This is a step in the right direction for understanding where infectious spread is actually occurring. The FDA-approved tests for detecting covid-19 are fundamentally flawed and regularly produce false positives. As long as false positives are part of the data pool, there will always be “new cases” that can then be interpreted as “outbreaks,” perpetuating pandemic messaging that keeps people living in a state of emergency, fear and restricted liberty. The key to solving the spread of the virus is understanding viral load and immune system function.
Many covid-19 tests are merely detecting non-infectious viral debris and labeling this as a “new case,” especially when so-called asymptomatic contacts are tested. This perpetual detection of non-infectious viral debris does not represent active “cases” of infectious disease and should not be tallied as such. An asymptomatic “case” might be hundreds of millions of times less significant in terms of viral multiplication and transmission when compared to an active, symptomatic case where live infectious virus material is spread through the aerosols of an infected patient.
Why are democratic governors suddenly ignoring the new CDC guidance, when they had followed it religiously for so long? Andrew Cuomo joined a group of democratic governors who now reject the new CDC rule, as they continue to tally up meaningless case data to force more controls over people’s lives.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Could it be that these dictators want to continue tallying “cases” so they can use meaningless data and fear tactics to control people a little longer? Could it be that their political games hold the country back, as they ignore the most important aspects of helping the country move forward, such as understanding viral load, viral multiplication, immune suppression, immune function, and how to help the most vulnerable in their state?
Read more about the lengths democrats are willing to go in order to achieve the socialist global agenda at Tyranny.news.
Sources include:
Zerohedge.com
USAToday.com
NaturalNews.com
NYTimes.com
NYTimes.com


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--ROFLMAO – Biden is not even on the same planet as the rest of us – Listen to his latest…

The Hardest Job in the World Two people in that video who don ’ t know what Biden is trying to say .
I can ’ t even wrap my head around this WHO ?
BidenWatch for August 31 , 2020 .
“ Biden ’ s phony-baloney polls are running behind Hillary ’ s phony-baloney polls of four years ago , more China policy weakness , more anti-police rhetoric , and Slow Joe comes in many days and dollars short denouncing the antifa/ # BlackLivesMatter riots.
” “ How bad do things look for Joe Biden ’ s campaign right @ @ @ @ @ @ @ worried about Minnesota , a state no Republican presidential candidate has carried since Richard Nixon ’ s 1972 landslide .
Yet polls show President Trump gaining ground in Minnesota , and Democrats are worried because they haven ’ t seen any appearances by Biden or his running mate Kamala Harris .
‘ Why aren ’ t they here ?
’ one Democratic-Farmer-Labor ( DFL ) Party official told Minnesota Public Radio last week .
‘ We need to hear from them .
We need to see their presence on the ground.
’ ” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a Young Senator , Biden Supported Keeping ‘ Boat People ’ Out of the U.S. As a freshman senator in 1975 , Joe Biden joined Sen. Robert Byrd ( D. , W.Va. ) in opposing legislation allowing 130,000 Vietnam War refugees asylum in the United States , including thousands of children .
President Gerald Ford proposed a Vietnam refugee relief program that would settle thousands of Vietnamese and Cambodian families in the United States .
The bill was met with resistance from a Democratic majority in Congress .
Sen. Byrd cited fear of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ barmaids , prostitutes , and criminals ” to the country .
Byrd—Biden ’ s colleague and an early opponent of Ford ’ s plan—was a member of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan as a young man .
In addition to Slow Joe ’ s recent , err , even further slowing down , perhaps fear of Trump discussing Biden ’ s often sordid backstory on a national stage is yet another reason why Nancy Pelosi recently said , ‘ I don ’ t think there should be any debates ’ between Biden @ @ @

The Hardest Job in the World
Two people in that video who don’t know what Biden is trying to say.
I can’t even wrap my head around this
Related:
WHO? BidenWatch for August 31, 2020. “Biden’s phony-baloney polls are running behind Hillary’s phony-baloney polls of four years ago, more China policy weakness, more anti-police rhetoric, and Slow Joe comes in many days and dollars short denouncing the antifa/#BlackLivesMatter riots.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
“How bad do things look for Joe Biden’s campaign right now? Consider this: Democrats are worried about Minnesota, a state no Republican presidential candidate has carried since Richard Nixon’s 1972 landslide. Yet polls show President Trump gaining ground in Minnesota, and Democrats are worried because they haven’t seen any appearances by Biden or his running mate Kamala Harris. ‘Why aren’t they here?’ one Democratic-Farmer-Labor (DFL) Party official told Minnesota Public Radio last week. ‘We need to hear from them. We need to see their presence on the ground.’”
DISPATCHES FROM THE MEMORY HOLE: As a Young Senator, Biden Supported Keeping ‘Boat People’ Out of the U.S.
As a freshman senator in 1975, Joe Biden joined Sen. Robert Byrd (D., W.Va.) in opposing legislation allowing 130,000 Vietnam War refugees asylum in the United States, including thousands of children. President Gerald Ford proposed a Vietnam refugee relief program that would settle thousands of Vietnamese and Cambodian families in the United States. The bill was met with resistance from a Democratic majority in Congress. Sen. Byrd cited fear of admitting “undesirables” such as “barmaids, prostitutes, and criminals” to the country. * * * * * * * * Byrd—Biden’s colleague and an early opponent of Ford’s plan—was a member of the white supremacist Ku Klux Klan as a young man.
In addition to Slow Joe’s recent, err, even further slowing down, perhaps fear of Trump discussing Biden’s often sordid backstory on a national stage is yet another reason why Nancy Pelosi recently said, ‘I don’t think there should be any debates’ between Biden and Trump.
h/t AggregateThreat


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--Trump ally Roger Stone says the election is a choice between ‘good and evil’ and the ‘godly and the

Trump ally Roger Stone says the election is a choice between ‘good and evil’ and the ‘godly and the godless’ at Tennessee church

Roger Stone described the impending 2020 election between Trump and Joe Biden as a struggle between ‘ good and evil @ @ @ @ @ and ungodly ’ .
The polarizing political figure also stated that he believed ‘ God @ @ @ @ @ purpose ’ after he was granted clemency by the president in July .
The comments @ @ @ @ @ appearance at the Mt .
Juliet church , alongside controversial Global Vision Bible Church Pastor @ @

watch from 1:06:10
Roger Stone described the impending 2020 election between Trump and Joe Biden as a struggle between ‘good and evil’ and the ‘godly and ungodly’ .
The polarizing political figure also stated that he believed ‘God spared my life for a purpose’ after he was granted clemency by the president in July.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The comments came as part of an appearance at the Mt. Juliet church, alongside controversial Global Vision Bible Church Pastor Greg Locke
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8680305/Roger-Stone-says-2020-election-struggle-godly-godless.html


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--Police Go Where the Crime Is

Police Go Where the Crime Is

Are the police friend or foe ?
Are they necessary to preserve order , or are they unnecessarily intrusive ?
@ @ @ @ @ s best interest in mind , or are they racist and violent ?
Heather Mac @ @ @ @ @ the Manhattan Institute , analyzes the numbers behind these hot-topic questions .

Are the police friend or foe? Are they necessary to preserve order, or are they unnecessarily intrusive? Do they have society’s best interest in mind, or are they racist and violent? Heather Mac Donald, Senior Fellow at the Manhattan Institute, analyzes the numbers behind these hot-topic questions.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--VIDEO: “Who Do You Want in Power?”

VIDEO: “Who Do You Want in Power?”

WHO DO YOU WANT IN POWER ?
The violent left only votes one way .
Watch ⬇ pic.twitter.com/KL4Fq4Tfyr

WHO DO YOU WANT IN POWER? The violent left only votes one way. Watch ⬇ pic.twitter.com/KL4Fq4Tfyr
— AceSix4 (@AceSix4) August 31, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--2018 Kellyanne and Chris Cuomo argue about Secret Recording

One assumes it ’ s the same recording Tucker is laughing about .

One assumes it’s the same recording Tucker is laughing about.
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AC


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--Deflation of the Citizenry’s Hard Assets Will Be a Huge Buying Opportunity for Insider Power Elites

by Charles Hugh Smith via Of Two Minds The gravy train will have to stop at some point , but right now the global elites have pushed their chips on to the U.S. dollar and stocks .
Editor ’ s note : This is a guest post by my friend and colleague Zeus Yiamouyiannis , Ph.D. , who has contributed essays to Of Two Minds since 2009 .
I believe there will be a massive contraction/deflation in the near term in certain sectors of the U.S. and world economy as demand flees from commercial real estate , as jobs do @ @ @ @ @ @ @ businesses close down , and/or people migrate to home offices .
Demand for residential real estate will also likely contract in the short term as people are forced to go into living with family or shared housing .
Even with the money-pump operating at full speed , flooding the market with cash ( which should cause inflation ) , there will be an opposite effect for the ordinary person .
Why ?
There are tons of people with no actual money to buy up , lease , or rent real estate assets .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ much to super-wealthy , that the vast majority of people will not have access to cash to invest in real estate and other durable goods .
Far fewer ACTUAL PEOPLE can pursue certain goods even if the SYSTEM is flooded with cash .
It ’ s not in their pockets !
Now this might be partially corrected by some form of Universal Basic Income ( UBI ) , but this will take time , and people will initially use it to shore up their survival .
I look at what happened in real @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and was successfully hyperinflated again .
Ordinary people lost their homes , and private equity firms bought them up with cash and re-inflated the real estate bubble .
Look at what has happened to gold , which should be $ 4,000 to $ 5,000/ounce right now , but manipulation of gold paper ( and selling gold “ assignments ” over actual gold ) has kept a kibosh on its meteoric rise .
One should not underestimate how much the global elite has tied the welfare of a fearful global populace into their own @ @ @ @ @ @ @ an intensely immoral extortion ( and should be illegal , but it is in fact rewarded ) that says , “ We get ours first , and you might get some scraps… We don ’ t get ours first ( and most ) and you get NOTHING !
Yes , it is a bullying tactic that would create revolution if they ever acted upon , or we ever called them on it ( and I hope we do ) but current retirees are also very powerful and they firmly toe the line with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of the loot to want to protect it and keep a broken system going .
Witness Joe Biden ’ s nomination to see how people are ideologically and politically drawn to symbols of their own self-interest .
Biden did not lift a finger to gain the nomination ( he had a few campaign offices , never really campaigned , raised little significant money , and drew pitiful crowds ) .
Biden set a record that I doubt will ever be beaten in winning the nomination after placing fourth in the first nominating state @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Hampshire .
He would have been toast in any fair contest , except for older suburbanites who still feel they can ride the system of graft , aligned with the Power Elite , into retirement and eventually a comfortable grave .
People under 50 were 70 % for Bernie Sanders , and people over 50 were 70 % for Joe Biden .
No more stark a contrast and commitment to completely different regimes can you see .
The first is geared toward riding the system and resisting change , the second is in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a threat to a future survival that those who support the current system will never see ( unless you believe in reincarnation ) .
Is this sustainable ?
No way .
Can it be pursued for another ten to twenty years in defiance of reality while the beneficiaries die off ?
We shall see .
Young people have NOT been exercising their political power , not even voting in decent numbers , but rather adapting to and tolerating whatever is thrown their way .
That may change , especially as conditions get both @ @ @ @ @ @ @ are some signs as very young progressive Democratic candidates ( Cori Bush , Jamaal Bowman , etc . )
are actually winning races against heavily-favored and funded incumbents .
De-growth and distribution of productivity gains will emerge as new war cries , both to save the environment and to make a living possible , as harsh and unequal realities deepen .
That may be the future , but there are no current sufficiently strong political , social , or economic barriers to this rank abuse of fiduciary trust and dignity .
The government @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and pop America with a UBI type infusion , but that won ’ t be enough even to survive amid deflated relative wages and inflated assets , not to mention a continuing Covid-19 shutdown that sees no end in sight until at least January 2021 because of a completely absent federal coordinated response .
This ennui and anxiety , this rudderless and leaderless and morality-free ship can not simply drift hither and thither , or have some brigand seize the wheel and drive it towards his own private beach , forever .
But @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , as it is now .
This year , dividends have NEVER been lower in the history of the stock market , yet the S & P 500 hit a new high ?
Billionaires are making tens of billions of dollars more !
The tsunami has not hit yet , and it will come falling on Joe Biden ’ s head if he gets elected , and no corporate apparatchik will have a solution .
The solutions Charles Smith has mentioned in his books and essays will be the only real solutions– radical @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , because these are the only things that can put food in your mouth and these are the only things you will be able to rely upon .
Multinational corporations seek only to leverage rent , not to fix the proverbial toilets .
U.S. currency already has a built in defense– it is the reserve currency of the world ’ s economic elite .
It will not be allowed to fail easily , no matter how irresponsibly domestic policies are conducted– including endless money printing and using the Fed to buy up equities @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in U.S. currency and stocks , and they know if the world ’ s largest consumer economy goes down , THEY go down ( including Putin , by the way–what would happen to his petro industry if U.S. demand and dollar collapsed ? )
.
Not so with just about anything else .
Zero to negative interest rates will continue to “ benefit ” them and their interests , because it will artificially goad stock prices higher and create a dominance for the U.S. dollar .
These guys WANT inflation , because inflated @ @ @ @ @ @ @ estate , and equities ) means increasing value on the money they already invested in these assets .
These global elites are by far the biggest borrowers , buyers , AND debtors .
What better way to solve that problem then to make interest rates zero or negative !
The gravy train will have to stop at some point , but right now the global elites have pushed their chips on to the U.S. dollar and stocks .
We should use that breathing room to make our choice away from this rigged game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ When the World Market Itself Is Fake , Economic “ Value ” Loses Any Real Meaning .
Part 3 of this series will explore where we are right now and what to look for in the tough times ahead .
Parts 4 and 5 will discuss healthy , pro-democratic , creative alternatives to the current rigged system .
AxisOfEasy Salon # 18 : The Endgame of Financialization Resembles a Philip K. Dick Novel ( 58 min ) Audiobook edition now available : Will You Be Richer or Poorer ?
: Profit , Power @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ( $ 13 ) ( Kindle $ 6.95 , print $ 11.95 ) Read the first section for free ( PDF ) .
Pathfinding our Destiny : Preventing the Final Fall of Our Democratic Republic ( $ 6.95 ( Kindle ) , $ 12 ( print ) , $ 13.08 ( audiobook ) : Read the first section for free ( PDF ) .
The Adventures of the Consulting Philosopher : The Disappearance of Drake $ 1.29 ( Kindle ) , $ 8.95 ( print ) ; read the first chapters for free @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 6.95 ( Kindle ) , $ 15 ( print ) Read the first section for free ( PDF ) .
If you found value in this content , please join me in seeking solutions by becoming a $ 1/month patron of my work via patreon.com .

by Charles Hugh Smith via Of Two Minds
The gravy train will have to stop at some point, but right now the global elites have pushed their chips on to the U.S. dollar and stocks.
Editor’s note: This is a guest post by my friend and colleague Zeus Yiamouyiannis, Ph.D., who has contributed essays to Of Two Minds since 2009.
I believe there will be a massive contraction/deflation in the near term in certain sectors of the U.S. and world economy as demand flees from commercial real estate, as jobs do not come back full force, small businesses close down, and/or people migrate to home offices. Demand for residential real estate will also likely contract in the short term as people are forced to go into living with family or shared housing. Even with the money-pump operating at full speed, flooding the market with cash (which should cause inflation), there will be an opposite effect for the ordinary person.
Why? There are tons of people with no actual money to buy up, lease, or rent real estate assets. Cash and borrowing collateral is tilted so much to super-wealthy, that the vast majority of people will not have access to cash to invest in real estate and other durable goods. Far fewer ACTUAL PEOPLE can pursue certain goods even if the SYSTEM is flooded with cash. It’s not in their pockets!
Now this might be partially corrected by some form of Universal Basic Income (UBI), but this will take time, and people will initially use it to shore up their survival. I look at what happened in real estate after 2006, where it crashed and was successfully hyperinflated again. Ordinary people lost their homes, and private equity firms bought them up with cash and re-inflated the real estate bubble. Look at what has happened to gold, which should be $4,000 to $5,000/ounce right now, but manipulation of gold paper (and selling gold “assignments” over actual gold) has kept a kibosh on its meteoric rise.
One should not underestimate how much the global elite has tied the welfare of a fearful global populace into their own program and benefit. They are using an intensely immoral extortion (and should be illegal, but it is in fact rewarded) that says, “We get ours first, and you might get some scraps… We don’t get ours first (and most) and you get NOTHING! Yes, it is a bullying tactic that would create revolution if they ever acted upon, or we ever called them on it (and I hope we do) but current retirees are also very powerful and they firmly toe the line with the status quo. They have enough of the loot to want to protect it and keep a broken system going.
Witness Joe Biden’s nomination to see how people are ideologically and politically drawn to symbols of their own self-interest. Biden did not lift a finger to gain the nomination (he had a few campaign offices, never really campaigned, raised little significant money, and drew pitiful crowds). Biden set a record that I doubt will ever be beaten in winning the nomination after placing fourth in the first nominating state, Iowa, and FIFTH in New Hampshire. He would have been toast in any fair contest, except for older suburbanites who still feel they can ride the system of graft, aligned with the Power Elite, into retirement and eventually a comfortable grave.
People under 50 were 70% for Bernie Sanders, and people over 50 were 70% for Joe Biden. No more stark a contrast and commitment to completely different regimes can you see. The first is geared toward riding the system and resisting change, the second is in transforming and doing away with system as a threat to a future survival that those who support the current system will never see (unless you believe in reincarnation).
Is this sustainable? No way. Can it be pursued for another ten to twenty years in defiance of reality while the beneficiaries die off? We shall see. Young people have NOT been exercising their political power, not even voting in decent numbers, but rather adapting to and tolerating whatever is thrown their way. That may change, especially as conditions get both worse and more globally distributed.
There are some signs as very young progressive Democratic candidates (Cori Bush, Jamaal Bowman, etc.) are actually winning races against heavily-favored and funded incumbents. De-growth and distribution of productivity gains will emerge as new war cries, both to save the environment and to make a living possible, as harsh and unequal realities deepen.
That may be the future, but there are no current sufficiently strong political, social, or economic barriers to this rank abuse of fiduciary trust and dignity. The government will be forced to subsidize underwater mom and pop America with a UBI type infusion, but that won’t be enough even to survive amid deflated relative wages and inflated assets, not to mention a continuing Covid-19 shutdown that sees no end in sight until at least January 2021 because of a completely absent federal coordinated response.
This ennui and anxiety, this rudderless and leaderless and morality-free ship cannot simply drift hither and thither, or have some brigand seize the wheel and drive it towards his own private beach, forever. But it will happen in the short term, as it is now.
This year, dividends have NEVER been lower in the history of the stock market, yet the S&P 500 hit a new high? Billionaires are making tens of billions of dollars more!
The tsunami has not hit yet, and it will come falling on Joe Biden’s head if he gets elected, and no corporate apparatchik will have a solution.
The solutions Charles Smith has mentioned in his books and essays will be the only real solutions– radical community reliance, localization, and decentralization, because these are the only things that can put food in your mouth and these are the only things you will be able to rely upon.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Multinational corporations seek only to leverage rent, not to fix the proverbial toilets. U.S. currency already has a built in defense– it is the reserve currency of the world’s economic elite. It will not be allowed to fail easily, no matter how irresponsibly domestic policies are conducted– including endless money printing and using the Fed to buy up equities.
The global elite are all invested in U.S. currency and stocks, and they know if the world’s largest consumer economy goes down, THEY go down (including Putin, by the way–what would happen to his petro industry if U.S. demand and dollar collapsed?). Not so with just about anything else. Zero to negative interest rates will continue to “benefit” them and their interests, because it will artificially goad stock prices higher and create a dominance for the U.S. dollar.
These guys WANT inflation, because inflated markets (especially in oil, real estate, and equities) means increasing value on the money they already invested in these assets. These global elites are by far the biggest borrowers, buyers, AND debtors. What better way to solve that problem then to make interest rates zero or negative!
The gravy train will have to stop at some point, but right now the global elites have pushed their chips on to the U.S. dollar and stocks. We should use that breathing room to make our choice away from this rigged game.
This is part of series entitled When the World Market Itself Is Fake, Economic “Value” Loses Any Real Meaning.
Part 3 of this series will explore where we are right now and what to look for in the tough times ahead.
Parts 4 and 5 will discuss healthy, pro-democratic, creative alternatives to the current rigged system.
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investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--A First Hand Account Of The Fatal Shooting Of A Patriot In Downtown Portland

Powerful , this guy was friend or guy shot , and was with him .
This is so tragic and @ @ @ @ @ IF the authorities were doing their job of enforcing the Laws , Keeping and Maintaining @ @ @ @ @ is on the hands of the Mayor , the Governor , the City Council and @ @ @ @ @ the House who won ’ t condemn the violence .

Powerful, this guy was friend or guy shot, and was with him.
This is so tragic and should have never have happened IF the authorities were doing their job of enforcing the Laws, Keeping and Maintaining LAW and ORDER..
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This blood is on the hands of the Mayor, the Governor, the City Council and NANCY Pelosi the Speaker of the House who won’t condemn the violence.
CR


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--The Key Indicators of the Real Estate Crash Unfolding in 2020. HUGE Disparities Right Now

We have never seen a time where such disparities existed .
They are referring to it as the K shaped recovery .
For some , everything is booming , for others , it ’ s never been worse .
What do you think is going on right now ?
This is what the future looks like .
You ’ ll see this today of course , but every street corner will be filled with those who fell into the downward spiral .
Every country today is going through a series of events that are always seemingly assisted by those in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they say .
But meanwhile , they are really just causing the problem in the first place .
But will the public ever wake up to this fact ?
Subprime Mortgages Fall Massively Delinquent .
Taxpayers on Hook .
Housing Market Splits in Two | Wolf Street NYC Landlord Stepping Up Back-to-Office Campaign With Banks – Bloomberg MTA Preps Commuting Doomsday Scenario for NYC If No Aid Comes – Bloomberg U.S. Stock Market Looks Overvalued to Corporate Finance Chiefs – Bloomberg Gap is closing more than 200 stores this year : : @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in North Carolina , including one in Mooresville – Charlotte Business Journal

We have never seen a time where such disparities existed. They are referring to it as the K shaped recovery. For some, everything is booming, for others, it’s never been worse. What do you think is going on right now?
This is what the future looks like. You’ll see this today of course, but every street corner will be filled with those who fell into the downward spiral. Every country today is going through a series of events that are always seemingly assisted by those in control. They’re helping us, they say. But meanwhile, they are really just causing the problem in the first place. But will the public ever wake up to this fact?
FHA Mortgage Delinquencies Reach a Record, Led by New Jersey – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-17/fha-mortgage-delinquencies-hit-record-high-with-economy-rattled
Subprime Mortgages Fall Massively Delinquent. Taxpayers on Hook. Housing Market Splits in Two | Wolf Street
wolfstreet.com/2020/08/27/subprime-mortgages-fall-massively-delinquent-taxpayers-on-hook-housing-market-splits-in-two/
NYC Landlord Stepping Up Back-to-Office Campaign With Banks – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-27/nyc-landlord-stepping-up-back-to-office-campaign-with-banks?srnd=premium&sref=dukn3Rgh
MTA Preps Commuting Doomsday Scenario for NYC If No Aid Comes – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-27/mta-preps-commuting-doomsday-scenario-for-nyc-if-no-aid-comes?srnd=premium
Trudeau’s Deficit Balloons With Income Support Smashing Records – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-28/trudeau-s-deficit-balloons-with-income-support-smashing-records?srnd=premium-canada
U.S. Stock Market Looks Overvalued to Corporate Finance Chiefs – Bloomberg
www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2020-08-27/-u-s-stock-market-looks-overvalued-to-corporate-finance-chiefs?sref=dukn3Rgh
stocks by sector.jpg (1212×682)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/stocks%20by%20sector.jpg?itok=cghU0bKg
(8) Julien Bittel, CFA on Twitter: “Generally speaking, when markets rise w/ volatility, bad things happen… t.co/pHJZhsfvL1” / Twitter
twitter.com/BittelJulien/status/1299371467277324289/photo/1
2020-08-29.jpg (991×535)
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www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/2020-08-29.jpg?itok=oKngC9Vk
AAPL vs Russell.jpg (1212×629)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/AAPL%20vs%20Russell.jpg?itok=Od8Wwm4C
AAPL put call skew 2_0.jpg (1175×854)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/AAPL%20put%20call%20skew%202_0.jpg?itok=f5wayf6U
investor activity elevated 2_0.jpg (796×439)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/investor%20activity%20elevated%202_0.jpg?itok=kEokx1LQ
spx ex tech vs tech.jpg (1212×746)
www.zerohedge.com/s3/files/inline-images/spx%20ex%20tech%20vs%20tech.jpg?itok=34u9-Pxt
Robot Boats Leave Autonomous Cars in Their Wake – WSJ
www.wsj.com/articles/robot-boats-leave-autonomous-cars-in-their-wake-11598673601
Bed Bath & Beyond cuts 2,800 jobs in restructuring move – nj.com
www.nj.com/news/2020/08/bed-bath-beyond-cuts-2800-jobs-in-restructuring-move.html
Gap is closing more than 200 stores this year :: WRAL.com
www.wral.com/coronavirus/gap-is-closing-more-than-200-stores-this-year/19258935/
Marks & Spencer to cut 7,000 jobs – MarketWatch
www.marketwatch.com/story/marks-spencer-to-cut-7-000-jobs-11597733879
Two more Wells Fargo branches close in North Carolina, including one in Mooresville – Charlotte Business Journal
www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2020/08/17/wells-fargo-closes-another-branch-in-mooresville.html


Panic Buying

The panic buying we ’ re seeing in $ TSLA and $ APPL today , following the historic runs into the stock splits effective today , firms my view that we are setting up for something sinister in markets .
To be sure we live in strange times , even some bulls are capitulating giving up completely on rationalizing the Fed induced bubble price action .
Today Tony Dwyer suspended all efforts to give price targets , in essence acknowledging that traditional valuations metrics no longer apply : Unlimited upside in a risk free market that keeps ignoring everything .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ surprise that the market cap expansion machine keeps creating value out of nothing : Extended buying pure and hence we end up with charts such as this : This is the circus the Fed has unleashed .
So let ’ s all acknowledge that sentiment is vastly bullish and people are piling into select stocks with no regard to risk .
I say select stocks because the internal picture keeps showing dreadful weakness underneath , even in the almighty Nasdaq : All of which brings me to a historic irony .
Let ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a liquidity machine that has pushed select indices to all time highs with most gains coming from a few tech stocks .
Take those stocks out of the equation and $ SPX is still flat on the year and most stocks are down on the year .
Viewed with this lens this multi month rally is not all that different than what we ’ ve seen in the past .
In fact , the precedence is striking in that the counter rally in the year 2000 peaked on September 1st following a furious @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ SPX hit a peak of 1530 on that day as the worst was assumed to be over and optimism had come back roaring following the initial tech crash in March of that year .
But it was after September 1 that the real fun started and $ SPX then commenced its long journey down that ended in October 2002 when $ SPX bottomed at 798.55 : It is hence notable that $ SPX is coming into the end of August and beginning of September approaching historic resistance .
Indeed $ ES tagged @ @ @ @ @ @ @ sconce rejected as $ NDX continues to make new all time highs : It is the very chart I discussed in context and detail in The Jaws : Who knows if history is still any guide in these times .
If it is then the panic buying and optimism of these days is laying the groundwork for the tears that are to follow .

BY SVEN HENRICH
The panic buying we’re seeing in $TSLA and $APPL today, following the historic runs into the stock splits effective today, firms my view that we are setting up for something sinister in markets.
To be sure we live in strange times, even some bulls are capitulating giving up completely on rationalizing the Fed induced bubble price action. Today Tony Dwyer suspended all efforts to give price targets, in essence acknowledging that traditional valuations metrics no longer apply:
Tony Dwyer at Canaccord, who's been bullish and has carried a "3300+" S&P 500 target, says this morning he is "withdrawing SPX targets because there is no precedent to how high valuations can go." — Michael Santoli (@michaelsantoli) August 31, 2020
Unlimited upside in a risk free market that keeps ignoring everything.
And hence it should come as no surprise that the market cap expansion machine keeps creating value out of nothing:
$TSLA and $AAPL adding another combined $94B in market cap in the first 90 minutes of trading. — Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) August 31, 2020
Extended buying pure and hence we end up with charts such as this:
On the last day of the month $NDX is trading 987 points or 8.9% above its upper monthly Bollinger band and 1,493 points or 14.1% above its monthly 5 EMA. pic.twitter.com/EWES3KTHL9 — Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) August 31, 2020
This is the circus the Fed has unleashed.
So let’s all acknowledge that sentiment is vastly bullish and people are piling into select stocks with no regard to risk.
I say select stocks because the internal picture keeps showing dreadful weakness underneath, even in the almighty Nasdaq:
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All of which brings me to a historic irony. Let’s recognize that the Fed has produced a liquidity machine that has pushed select indices to all time highs with most gains coming from a few tech stocks. Take those stocks out of the equation and $SPX is still flat on the year and most stocks are down on the year.
Viewed with this lens this multi month rally is not all that different than what we’ve seen in the past.
In fact, the precedence is striking in that the counter rally in the year 2000 peaked on September 1st following a furious rally in August. Sound familiar?
$SPX hit a peak of 1530 on that day as the worst was assumed to be over and optimism had come back roaring following the initial tech crash in March of that year.
But it was after September 1 that the real fun started and $SPX then commenced its long journey down that ended in October 2002 when $SPX bottomed at 798.55:
It is hence notable that $SPX is coming into the end of August and beginning of September approaching historic resistance. Indeed $ES tagged that resistance line in overnight and has sconce rejected as $NDX continues to make new all time highs:
It is the very chart I discussed in context and detail in The Jaws:
On the last day of the month $NDX is trading 987 points or 8.9% above its upper monthly Bollinger band and 1,493 points or 14.1% above its monthly 5 EMA. pic.twitter.com/EWES3KTHL9 — Sven Henrich (@NorthmanTrader) August 31, 2020
Who knows if history is still any guide in these times. If it is then the panic buying and optimism of these days is laying the groundwork for the tears that are to follow.


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--The judiciary system doesn’t apply to those in power

Two former New York City police officers pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of misconduct and receiving a bribe after the @ @ @ @ @ with an 18-year-old drug suspect in the back of a police vehicle in exchange for @ @ @ @ @ and Eddie Martins pleaded guilty on Thursday to two counts of third-degree felony bribe-receiving and @ @ @ @ @ misconduct during an unscheduled hearing in Brooklyn Supreme Court .
Justice Danny Chun agreed to @ @ @ @ @ exchange for five years of probation over the prosecutor ’ s request for one to @ @ @ @ @ Chun slammed the two detectives and the female suspect for engaging in “ criminal activities.
@ @ @ @ @ trial for the former officers was slated to begin on Sept. 9 .
Had they @ @ @ @ @ convicted , they would have faced up to seven years in prison .

Two former New York City police officers pleaded guilty Thursday to charges of misconduct and receiving a bribe after the pair said they had sex with an 18-year-old drug suspect in the back of a police vehicle in exchange for releasing her.
Richard Hall and Eddie Martins pleaded guilty on Thursday to two counts of third-degree felony bribe-receiving and nine counts of misdemeanor official misconduct during an unscheduled hearing in Brooklyn Supreme Court. Justice Danny Chun agreed to accept their guilty pleas in exchange for five years of probation over the prosecutor’s request for one to three years in prison.
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Chun slammed the two detectives and the female suspect for engaging in “criminal activities.”
Jury selection in the trial for the former officers was slated to begin on Sept. 9. Had they gone to trial and been convicted, they would have faced up to seven years in prison.


investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--Waterfall Meditation | Japan offers ‘good practice’ under freezing water to overcome pandemic

People looking for better health and clarity braved freezing cold water while meditating under a waterfall at the Buddhist temple @ @ @ @ @ meditation is performed under water of around 10-degrees Celsius .
The centuries-old practice has recently @ @ @ @ @ seek to alleviate the stress brought by the coronavirus pandemic .

People looking for better health and clarity braved freezing cold water while meditating under a waterfall at the Buddhist temple in Japan. The takigyo meditation is performed under water of around 10-degrees Celsius. The centuries-old practice has recently become more popular as people seek to alleviate the stress brought by the coronavirus pandemic.
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investmentwatchblog--2020-08-31--Trump Must Back Iraq Withdrawal Promise With Action

Ron Paul , Institute for Peace and Prosperity , Released on 8/31/20 Earlier this month , while meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister , President Trump reaffirmed his intent to remove all US troops from Iraq .
“ We were there and now we ’ re getting out .
We ’ ll be leaving shortly , ” the president told reporters at the time .
Although President Obama should never have sent US troops back into Iraq in 2016 , it is definitely well past time to remove them as quickly as possible .
Over the weekend , the Administration @ @ @ @ @ @ @ currently in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,500 .
That ’ s a good start .
One big roadblock to finally leaving Iraq alone is President Trump ’ s de facto Secretary of War , Mike Pompeo .
Although he ’ s supposed to be the top US diplomat , Pompeo is a bull in a china shop .
He seems determined to start a war with Iran , China , Russia , Venezuela , and probably a few more countries .
Unfortunately there is a pattern in this Administration where President Trump announces @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the seemingly endless conflicts we are involved in and an Administration official – often Pompeo – “ clarifies ” the president ’ s statement to mean the opposite of what the president has just said .
When the president was questioned over the weekend about a timetable for the US withdrawal from Iraq , he turned to Pompeo for an answer .
Pompeo ’ s response did not inspire much hope .
“ As soon as we can complete the mission , ” said Pompeo .
What is the mission ?
Does anyone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” for Iran , that is .
At his speech accepting the Republican Party ’ s nomination for re-election last week , Trump declared , “ unlike previous administrations , I have kept America OUT of new wars — and our troops are coming home.
” That sounds good , but how can he achieve that goal if the people he hires to carry out that policy not only disagree with him but seem to be working against him ?
The US invasion of Iraq 17 years ago was correctly described at the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Odom as “ the greatest strategic disaster in American history.
” After a relentless barrage of lies about former US ally Saddam Hussein having “ weapons of mass destruction , ” the US attack and destruction of Iraq did not bring the peace and prosperity promised by the neocon war promoters .
Instead , the US “ liberation ” of Iraq killed a million Iraqis , most of whom were civilians .
It destroyed Iraq ’ s relatively prosperous economy .
It did not result in a more peaceful or stable Middle East @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to remake Iraqi society and in picking and choosing who could participate in post-invasion Iraq the US helped facilitate the rise of al-Qaeda and ISIS .
A secular Iraq had been turned into a sectarian incubator for terrorists and extremists .
And the biggest winner in the war was Iran , who the US has demonized as an enemy for over four decades .
Yes , General Odom was right .
It was a strategic disaster .
Turning the US into a global military empire is also a strategic disaster .
Trump ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ overseas wars sounds very good .
But it ’ s time to see some real action .
That might mean some people who disagree with the president need to be fired .

Ron Paul, Institute for Peace and Prosperity, Released on 8/31/20
Earlier this month, while meeting with the Iraqi Prime Minister, President Trump reaffirmed his intent to remove all US troops from Iraq. “We were there and now we’re getting out. We’ll be leaving shortly,” the president told reporters at the time.
Although President Obama should never have sent US troops back into Iraq in 2016, it is definitely well past time to remove them as quickly as possible.
Over the weekend, the Administration announced it would be drawing down troops currently in Iraq from 5,200 to 3,500. That’s a good start.
One big roadblock to finally leaving Iraq alone is President Trump’s de facto Secretary of War, Mike Pompeo. Although he’s supposed to be the top US diplomat, Pompeo is a bull in a china shop. He seems determined to start a war with Iran, China, Russia, Venezuela, and probably a few more countries.
Unfortunately there is a pattern in this Administration where President Trump announces the withdrawal of troops from one of the seemingly endless conflicts we are involved in and an Administration official – often Pompeo – “clarifies” the president’s statement to mean the opposite of what the president has just said.
When the president was questioned over the weekend about a timetable for the US withdrawal from Iraq, he turned to Pompeo for an answer. Pompeo’s response did not inspire much hope. “As soon as we can complete the mission,” said Pompeo. What is the mission? Does anyone know? Aside from “regime change” for Iran, that is.
At his speech accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for re-election last week, Trump declared, “unlike previous administrations, I have kept America OUT of new wars — and our troops are coming home.” That sounds good, but how can he achieve that goal if the people he hires to carry out that policy not only disagree with him but seem to be working against him?
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The US invasion of Iraq 17 years ago was correctly described at the time by the late NSA Director Bill Odom as “the greatest strategic disaster in American history.” After a relentless barrage of lies about former US ally Saddam Hussein having “weapons of mass destruction,” the US attack and destruction of Iraq did not bring the peace and prosperity promised by the neocon war promoters.
Instead, the US “liberation” of Iraq killed a million Iraqis, most of whom were civilians. It destroyed Iraq’s relatively prosperous economy. It did not result in a more peaceful or stable Middle East. The US had no idea how to remake Iraqi society and in picking and choosing who could participate in post-invasion Iraq the US helped facilitate the rise of al-Qaeda and ISIS. A secular Iraq had been turned into a sectarian incubator for terrorists and extremists. And the biggest winner in the war was Iran, who the US has demonized as an enemy for over four decades.
Yes, General Odom was right. It was a strategic disaster. Turning the US into a global military empire is also a strategic disaster. Trump’s promise to bring troops home from overseas wars sounds very good. But it’s time to see some real action. That might mean some people who disagree with the president need to be fired.