investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--NATO to Plan Invasion of China

NATO to Plan Invasion of China

On November 27th , Germany ’ s Spiegel magazine , which is a reliable propaganda organ for America ’ s NATO military alliance against Russia , headlined ( in German but autotranslated here ) “ Explosive reform proposals for NATO : There is life after ‘ brain death ’ ” , and made only passing mention there of NATO ’ s plan ultimately to ‘ defend Europe against China ’ ( and not only against Russia ) ; but , on December 1st , Russia ’ s Tass News Agency headlined more informatively and honestly , “ China to become @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Russia in next 10 years , report says ” .
So : NATO ’ s coming second coming , or life after ‘ brain death ’ ( which was Macron ’ s phrase for NATO ) , will be for it to ratchet-up , from one central target for its aggressions , to two central targets .
As I have extensively documented in analyzing the data to determine “ Is the U.S. actually a ‘ police state ’ ?
” , today ’ s United States isn ’ t merely ‘ a ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s leading police state , and yet its European allies — which are far less dictatorial — continue , obliviously , to ignore this reality .
They refuse to quit their alliance with the world ’ s leading police state .
They claim that they have to keep their alliance with the world ’ s leading police state , in order to ‘ protect ’ themselves against ‘ Russian aggression ’ , but the only example they cite of such ‘ aggression ’ is Russia ’ s having resisted the U.S. regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in effect by no later than June of 2013 , to grab Russia ’ s main naval base , which was , ever since 1783 ( and still remains ) in Sevastopol in Crimea , which then was in Ukraine ( though only from 1954 to 2014 , and inside Russia for hundreds of years before 1954 ) , and to turn it into yet another U.S. naval base .
Russia ’ s having taken the necessary self-defensive actions to prevent that grab by the U.S. regime was ‘ Russian aggression ’ .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to their respective publics .
NATO is strictly a military organization to boost military spending in U.S.-allied countries — the U.S. regime ’ s vassal nations — so that the profits of ( mainly U.S.-based ) military contractors such as Lockheed Martin and BAE will be boosted , at the expense of the deceived publics of European nations ( as well as of America ’ s own population ) , which publics pay in their tax dollars for this boondoggle for those huge U.S.-and-allied armaments firms .
To put it simply : NATO @ @ @ @ @ @ @ benefit of owners of U.S.-and-allied armaments contractors — the manufacturers of the weaponries of war .
However , NATO is actually more than that .
For example , the lists of top donors to NATO ’ s main PR arm , The Atlantic Council , such as in 2018 and in 2020 , show — either by name , or by a corporation or foundation that is controlled by beneficiaries of the work of this sales-promotion organization for warfare — practically all U.S-and-allied billionaires , but also include some mere centi-millionaires ( such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Myer Feldman , had negotiated U.S. arms-sales to Israel , then founded a major law firm , and — with his key government contacts — became a very successful investor ) .
A large portion of the U.S. economy is controlled by beneficiaries of the firms that sell to U.S.-and-allied governments , and many of them ( unlike Feldman , who instead merely worked for billionaires ) are heirs of America ’ s famous aristocratic families .
These annual payments ( tax-deductible donations ) to NATO ’ s main PR arm are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ charity that benefits the public or anyone much outside U.S.-and-allied aristocracies .
Instead , this is payment for services rendered , just as much as in any non non-profit corporation , such as ExxonMobil or Lockheed Martin ( except : these are tax-deductible payments ) .
So , even these payments to a ‘ non-profit ’ are actually payments for services rendered to themselves .
They are sound business investments for these individuals , some of whom are even in NATO ’ s target-countries ( instead of in its member-countries ) and might @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as exceptions if and when their countries become invaded by NATO ( those donations might thus be considered as protection-money ) .
An example , in the list of top donors in 2019 , “ $ 500,000 – $ 999,999 Donations , ” which has three listees there , is “ System Capital Management , ” which is the Ukrainian Rinat Akhmetov , $ 6.4 billion .
His coal mines were in the breakaway far-eastern Donbass part of Ukraine , which he didn ’ t want to lose , and so he was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ defending themselves against the frequent invasions from the 2014 U.S.-supplied Ukrainian stooge regime , which was trying to conquer them .
So , Akhmetov is , though in different ways , helping to fund both sides in that conflict .
Also in that “ $ 500,000 – $ 999,999 ” category is “ Saab North America , Inc. , ” which is Kai Johan Jiang , of both Sweden and China .
And the third entity there , a Swiss firm ( and Switzerland isn ’ t even a NATO member but instead @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , provides more than 85 % of the world ’ s currency inks ” , and this product is in people ’ s wallets as a result of their government ’ s paying that corporation — so , maintaining favorable relations with U.S-and-allied governments is important , there , as well , even though the ink that is used to prevent counterfeiting isn ’ t specifically military .
But most of the major donors to the Atlantic Council are U.S. billionaires and their organizations , and are specifically military-related .
Funding both sides @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for billionaires , because protection money is sometimes a necessary expense in a business — especially in an international one .
All of these people need to stay on the ‘ good ’ side of NATO , because , if they fail to do that , then they might lose everything , and they know it .
Donating to the Atlantic Council buys not only a type of insurance policy , but a tax-write-off , and also prestige .
The newly issued NATO report , “ NATO 2030 ” , opens its “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Chinese power and global reach poses acute challenges to open and democratic societies , particularly because of that country ’ s trajectory to greater authoritarianism and an expansion of its territorial ambitions .
For most Allies , China is both an economic competitor and significant trade partner .
China is therefore best understood as a full-spectrum systemic rival , rather than a purely economic player or an only Asia-focused security actor .
While China does not pose an immediate military threat to the Euro-Atlantic area on the scale of Russia , it @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Atlantic , Mediterranean , and Arctic , deepening defence ties with Russia , and developing long-range missiles and aircraft , aircraft carriers , and nuclear-attack submarines with global reach , extensive space-based capabilities , and a larger nuclear arsenal .
NATO Allies feel China ’ s influence more and more in every domain .
NATO is a treaty-organization , and therefore its decision to invade a country is made by one-or more of its member-nations .
Its first invasion was in violation of NATO ’ s Charter because no member-nation had been attacked @ @ @ @ @ @ @ requested NATO into the Bosnian War on 6 February 1994 , which the U.N. did because the U.N. wanted to invade but the Truman-shaped U.N. lacks the military forces that FDR had intended it to have — Truman wanted the U.S. Government to be the policeman of the world , not the U.N. to be that .
So : this invasion violated not only Truman ’ s NATO but FDR ’ s U.N. , and it reflected the fundamental lawlessness of the international order in this Truman-made world , despite all of FDR @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s second invasion was when the U.N. requested NATO into the Croatian War of Independence on 19 November 1994 .
Again , both the Atlantic Charter and FDR ’ s intentions for the U.N. were being violated ; so , the Truman-created international lawlessness was reaffirmed .
NATO ’ s third invasion was of Kosovo , when “ On 13 April 1999 , NATO approved plans for Operation Allied Harbour , a 10,000-troop NATO deployment to support humanitarian relief efforts for refugees resulting from the Serb expulsion of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo.
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ ‘ humanitarian ’ invasion — also violated both the Atlantic Charter and the U.N. Charter , but , this time , the U.N. had not requested the action ; and , so , that is why the U.N. ’ s 23 October 2000 “ Kosovo Report ” made explicit this U.N. ’ s absurdity and irrelevance by asserting “ The Commission concludes that the NATO military intervention was illegal but legitimate.
” After that — regarding America and some of its NATO allies invading and conquering Iraq in 2003 , and many other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Yugoslavia — brought out into the open this U.N. ’ s absurdity and irrelevance .
NATO ’ s first invasions occurred after the Soviet Union itself ended .
The reasons for this is that , until that happened in 1991 , NATO wasn ’ t able to invade without possibly thereby sparking a nuclear World War III , which would destroy the entire world — including the U.S .
The post-1991 mono-polar geostrategic world is the world of endless wars , endless invasions by the U.S. to impose its will throughout the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ nuclearly armed nation , such as Russia or China , would be fundamentally different than NATO ’ s prior invasions .
NATO will actually be irrelevant to attacking Russia or China , except for its allowing America to post in its NATO vassal-nations U.S.-controlled nuclear weapons and therefore to cause any retaliation against an American nuclear attack to become a retaliatory counter-attack against not only America , but also against any such vassal-nation .
In other words : any decision , on the U.S. side , to launch World War III , will @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the U.S. President himself or herself .
The NATO Charter ( the Atlantic Charter ) is no actual defense against anything , but it is , instead , the subservience of all non-U.S. members to the collective will of the U.S. aristocracy , and-or , of any idiotic or perhaps power-crazed U.S. President ( such as George W. Bush , Barack Obama , and Donald Trump ) , the person who actually makes that decision .
Regarding the possibility that either Russia or China will launch WW III , it is zero , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ routinely coup-conquered , or outright invaded and destroyed , nations , is — and after WW II has always been — only the United States .
The list is long : Thailand 1948 , Syria 1949 , Iran 1953 , Guatemala 1954 , and all the way up till Iraq 2003 , Libya 2011 , Syria 2012- , Ukraine 2014 , and others .
Right now , NATO ’ s hope to deceive their publics to believe that China ’ s Government during the modern ( post-dynasties ) era is an aggressive , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what had long been parts of China , such as Hong Kong , Taiwan , and Tibet .
However , back at the end of World War II , when the ambivalent but basically neoconservative ( i.e.
, U.S. imperialistic ) American President Harry S. Truman endorsed the Chinese “ nationalists ” under Chiang Kai-shek , America was endorsing those nationalists ’ claims to all of those traditionally Chinese territories — including claims that were then being challenged by other U.S. allies , such as UK ( Hong Kong ) .
In other @ @ @ @ @ @ @ China ’ s civil war on 1 October 1949 against the U.S.-backed nationalist Chinese , America was supporting instead of opposing China ’ s getting back the territories that it had lost ; but , afterward , it opposed that , as being ‘ Chinese aggression ’ .
Now , NATO will be moving in , to intensify America ’ s aggressions against China .
During the periods of hereditary monarchs ruling in China and in Russia , there was such a thing as “ Russian imperialism ” and as “ Chinese imperialism @ @ @ @ @ @ @ over , and now the only real threat to the entire world is the U.S. Government .
To be allied with it is to be a part of that imperialism , which is extremely real today — far more real than ‘ Russian imperialism ’ or than ‘ Chinese imperialism ’ .
To be a part of that hyper-aggressive imperialism , which exists today , is to be a U.S.-stooge regime in international relations , and is therefore to be subject to whatever retaliation will come from any nuclearly armed independent nation such @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the event that the U.S. regime will decide that the time has finally come to execute its unofficial but ( since at least 2006 ) overarching geostrategic goal of winning WW III against both Russia and China ( called “ Nuclear Primacy ” ) so that it will rule the entire world as its realm , unchallenged and unchallengeable .
If they believe in that , then it certainly isn ’ t for the benefit of their public , even if it might be for their own benefit , in profits of firms @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only on sales to the U.S. Government and to the Governments that are allied to it ) that they own , or benefit from in other ways .
For example , since 2014 , Amazon Web Services has supplied to the U.S. Government ( CIA , Pentagon , NSA , etc . )
its cloud-computing services , which has since produced virtually all of Amazon ’ s profits ( also see “ Cloud Business Drives Amazon ’ s Profits ” ) , though Amazon doesn ’ t even so much as show up @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the U.S. Government ; so , this extremely profitable business is more important to Jeff Bezos ( the owner also of the Washington Post ) than all the rest of his investments put together are , though Amazon doesn ’ t even show up on the list of top 100 U.S. Government contractors .
In fact , more recently , Forbes reported that “ Amazon Derives Most of its Profits from AWS ” .
A company doesn ’ t have to be among the top 100 sellers to the U.S. Government in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even the majority of its profits from the U.S. Government .
But this is a reason why the U.S. Government now spends approximately half of the entire planet ’ s military expenses .
And to own also a major news-medium , such as the Washington Post ( which has a long tradition of backing U.S. coups and invasions ) , places one in the position to shape the public ’ s perceptions , and not merely to profit from them .
NATO was supposed not to take on any new members after the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ its communism , and ended its Warsaw Pact which had been created in 1955 in response to America ’ s having created NATO in 1949 ; and which nation — the Soviet Union — itself broke up into 6 independent nations : Russia , Belorussia , Ukraine , Georgia , Azerbaijan , and Armenia .
But the U.S. regime was simply lying about its intentions during that crucial period from 1989 to 1991 , and now has absorbed all of the Warsaw Pact into its NATO alliance against Russia , and is even @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s 5 non-Russian states into its alliance to help conquer Russia — and , now , also to conquer China .
If the U.S. Government had not been negotiating in bad faith back in 1990 , it would simply have ended its anti-Russian alliance immediately , when the Warsaw Pact ended in 1991 .
But , now , it is instead set upon expanding , so as to conquer the entire world , for the U.S. aristocracy .
None of this is in the standard propagandistic ‘ history ’ books , and the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included in any that get mass distribution .
( For example , none of them mention that the Cold War was started by U.S. President Truman , upon the advice of General Dwight Eisenhower , on 26 July 1945 . )
By the time the public will know it ( if that ever happens ) , it might already be too late .
NATO ’ s now planning to invade China ought to be a wake-up call , but how many people , in the countries that are controlled by the U.S. regime @ @ @ @ @ @ @ is happening , and has already happened ?
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author , most recently , of They ’ re Not Even Close : The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records , 1910-2010 , and of CHRIST ’ S VENTRILOQUISTS : The Event that Created Christianity .

by Eric Zuesse
NATO to Plan Invasion of China
Eric Zuesse
On November 27th, Germany’s Spiegel magazine, which is a reliable propaganda organ for America’s NATO military alliance against Russia, headlined (in German but autotranslated here) “Explosive reform proposals for NATO: There is life after ‘brain death’”, and made only passing mention there of NATO’s plan ultimately to ‘defend Europe against China’ (and not only against Russia); but, on December 1st, Russia’s Tass News Agency headlined more informatively and honestly, “China to become NATO’s second main enemy after Russia in next 10 years, report says”. So: NATO’s coming second coming, or life after ‘brain death’ (which was Macron’s phrase for NATO), will be for it to ratchet-up, from one central target for its aggressions, to two central targets.
As I have extensively documented in analyzing the data to determine “Is the U.S. actually a ‘police state’?”, today’s United States isn’t merely ‘a’ police state, but is the world’s leading police state, and yet its European allies — which are far less dictatorial — continue, obliviously, to ignore this reality. They refuse to quit their alliance with the world’s leading police state. They claim that they have to keep their alliance with the world’s leading police state, in order to ‘protect’ themselves against ‘Russian aggression’, but the only example they cite of such ‘aggression’ is Russia’s having resisted the U.S. regime’s plan, which was clearly in effect by no later than June of 2013, to grab Russia’s main naval base, which was, ever since 1783 (and still remains) in Sevastopol in Crimea, which then was in Ukraine (though only from 1954 to 2014, and inside Russia for hundreds of years before 1954), and to turn it into yet another U.S. naval base. Russia’s having taken the necessary self-defensive actions to prevent that grab by the U.S. regime was ‘Russian aggression’. Europe’s leaders are simply lying to their respective publics. NATO is strictly a military organization to boost military spending in U.S.-allied countries — the U.S. regime’s vassal nations — so that the profits of (mainly U.S.-based) military contractors such as Lockheed Martin and BAE will be boosted, at the expense of the deceived publics of European nations (as well as of America’s own population), which publics pay in their tax dollars for this boondoggle for those huge U.S.-and-allied armaments firms. To put it simply: NATO is an enormous sales-promotion organization for the benefit of owners of U.S.-and-allied armaments contractors — the manufacturers of the weaponries of war.
However, NATO is actually more than that. For example, the lists of top donors to NATO’s main PR arm, The Atlantic Council, such as in 2018 and in 2020, show — either by name, or by a corporation or foundation that is controlled by beneficiaries of the work of this sales-promotion organization for warfare — practically all U.S-and-allied billionaires, but also include some mere centi-millionaires (such as Adrienne Arsht, whose late husband, Myer Feldman, had negotiated U.S. arms-sales to Israel, then founded a major law firm, and — with his key government contacts — became a very successful investor). A large portion of the U.S. economy is controlled by beneficiaries of the firms that sell to U.S.-and-allied governments, and many of them (unlike Feldman, who instead merely worked for billionaires) are heirs of America’s famous aristocratic families. These annual payments (tax-deductible donations) to NATO’s main PR arm are ‘charitable’ but no type of charity that benefits the public or anyone much outside U.S.-and-allied aristocracies. Instead, this is payment for services rendered, just as much as in any non non-profit corporation, such as ExxonMobil or Lockheed Martin (except: these are tax-deductible payments). So, even these payments to a ‘non-profit’ are actually payments for services rendered to themselves. They are sound business investments for these individuals, some of whom are even in NATO’s target-countries (instead of in its member-countries) and might help those billionaires to receive favorable treatment as exceptions if and when their countries become invaded by NATO (those donations might thus be considered as protection-money). An example, in the list of top donors in 2019, “$500,000 – $999,999 Donations,” which has three listees there, is “System Capital Management,” which is the Ukrainian Rinat Akhmetov, $6.4 billion. His coal mines were in the breakaway far-eastern Donbass part of Ukraine, which he didn’t want to lose, and so he was helping to fund those people who were defending themselves against the frequent invasions from the 2014 U.S.-supplied Ukrainian stooge regime, which was trying to conquer them. So, Akhmetov is, though in different ways, helping to fund both sides in that conflict. Also in that “$500,000 – $999,999” category is “Saab North America, Inc.,” which is Kai Johan Jiang, of both Sweden and China. And the third entity there, a Swiss firm (and Switzerland isn’t even a NATO member but instead ‘neutral’), “SICPA, provides more than 85% of the world’s currency inks”, and this product is in people’s wallets as a result of their government’s paying that corporation — so, maintaining favorable relations with U.S-and-allied governments is important, there, as well, even though the ink that is used to prevent counterfeiting isn’t specifically military. But most of the major donors to the Atlantic Council are U.S. billionaires and their organizations, and are specifically military-related.
Funding both sides in a war isn’t unusual for billionaires, because protection money is sometimes a necessary expense in a business — especially in an international one.
All of these people need to stay on the ‘good’ side of NATO, because, if they fail to do that, then they might lose everything, and they know it. Donating to the Atlantic Council buys not only a type of insurance policy, but a tax-write-off, and also prestige.
The newly issued NATO report, “NATO 2030”, opens its “China” section with:
The scale of Chinese power and global reach poses acute challenges to open and democratic societies, particularly because of that country’s trajectory to greater authoritarianism and an expansion of its territorial ambitions. For most Allies, China is both an economic competitor and significant trade partner. China is therefore best understood as a full-spectrum systemic rival, rather than a purely economic player or an only Asia-focused security actor. While China does not pose an immediate military threat to the Euro-Atlantic area on the scale of Russia, it is expanding its military reach into the Atlantic, Mediterranean, and Arctic, deepening defence ties with Russia, and developing long-range missiles and aircraft, aircraft carriers, and nuclear-attack submarines with global reach, extensive space-based capabilities, and a larger nuclear arsenal. NATO Allies feel China’s influence more and more in every domain.
NATO is a treaty-organization, and therefore its decision to invade a country is made by one-or more of its member-nations. Its first invasion was in violation of NATO’s Charter because no member-nation had been attacked, and this was when the U.N. requested NATO into the Bosnian War on 6 February 1994, which the U.N. did because the U.N. wanted to invade but the Truman-shaped U.N. lacks the military forces that FDR had intended it to have — Truman wanted the U.S. Government to be the policeman of the world, not the U.N. to be that. So: this invasion violated not only Truman’s NATO but FDR’s U.N., and it reflected the fundamental lawlessness of the international order in this Truman-made world, despite all of FDR’s plans and intentions.
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NATO’s second invasion was when the U.N. requested NATO into the Croatian War of Independence on 19 November 1994. Again, both the Atlantic Charter and FDR’s intentions for the U.N. were being violated; so, the Truman-created international lawlessness was reaffirmed.
NATO’s third invasion was of Kosovo, when “On 13 April 1999, NATO approved plans for Operation Allied Harbour, a 10,000-troop NATO deployment to support humanitarian relief efforts for refugees resulting from the Serb expulsion of ethnic Albanians from Kosovo.” This — NATO’s first ‘humanitarian’ invasion — also violated both the Atlantic Charter and the U.N. Charter, but, this time, the U.N. had not requested the action; and, so, that is why the U.N.’s 23 October 2000 “Kosovo Report” made explicit this U.N.’s absurdity and irrelevance by asserting “The Commission concludes that the NATO military intervention was illegal but legitimate.”
After that — regarding America and some of its NATO allies invading and conquering Iraq in 2003, and many other U.S. international gangland operations after the breakup of Yugoslavia — brought out into the open this U.N.’s absurdity and irrelevance.
NATO’s first invasions occurred after the Soviet Union itself ended. The reasons for this is that, until that happened in 1991, NATO wasn’t able to invade without possibly thereby sparking a nuclear World War III, which would destroy the entire world — including the U.S. The post-1991 mono-polar geostrategic world is the world of endless wars, endless invasions by the U.S. to impose its will throughout the world.
The decision to invade a nuclearly armed nation, such as Russia or China, would be fundamentally different than NATO’s prior invasions. NATO will actually be irrelevant to attacking Russia or China, except for its allowing America to post in its NATO vassal-nations U.S.-controlled nuclear weapons and therefore to cause any retaliation against an American nuclear attack to become a retaliatory counter-attack against not only America, but also against any such vassal-nation. In other words: any decision, on the U.S. side, to launch World War III, will be made by only one person, the U.S. President himself or herself. The NATO Charter (the Atlantic Charter) is no actual defense against anything, but it is, instead, the subservience of all non-U.S. members to the collective will of the U.S. aristocracy, and-or, of any idiotic or perhaps power-crazed U.S. President (such as George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump), the person who actually makes that decision.
Regarding the possibility that either Russia or China will launch WW III, it is zero, because the imperialistic power, which has routinely coup-conquered, or outright invaded and destroyed, nations, is — and after WW II has always been — only the United States. The list is long: Thailand 1948, Syria 1949, Iran 1953, Guatemala 1954, and all the way up till Iraq 2003, Libya 2011, Syria 2012-, Ukraine 2014, and others.
Right now, NATO’s hope to deceive their publics to believe that China’s Government during the modern (post-dynasties) era is an aggressive, imperialistic, Government, are issues concerning what had long been parts of China, such as Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Tibet. However, back at the end of World War II, when the ambivalent but basically neoconservative (i.e., U.S. imperialistic) American President Harry S. Truman endorsed the Chinese “nationalists” under Chiang Kai-shek, America was endorsing those nationalists’ claims to all of those traditionally Chinese territories — including claims that were then being challenged by other U.S. allies, such as UK (Hong Kong). In other words: before the communist Chinese won China’s civil war on 1 October 1949 against the U.S.-backed nationalist Chinese, America was supporting instead of opposing China’s getting back the territories that it had lost; but, afterward, it opposed that, as being ‘Chinese aggression’. Now, NATO will be moving in, to intensify America’s aggressions against China.
During the periods of hereditary monarchs ruling in China and in Russia, there was such a thing as “Russian imperialism” and as “Chinese imperialism,” but those days are long-since over, and now the only real threat to the entire world is the U.S. Government. To be allied with it is to be a part of that imperialism, which is extremely real today — far more real than ‘Russian imperialism’ or than ‘Chinese imperialism’. To be a part of that hyper-aggressive imperialism, which exists today, is to be a U.S.-stooge regime in international relations, and is therefore to be subject to whatever retaliation will come from any nuclearly armed independent nation such as Russia and such as China in the event that the U.S. regime will decide that the time has finally come to execute its unofficial but (since at least 2006) overarching geostrategic goal of winning WW III against both Russia and China (called “Nuclear Primacy”) so that it will rule the entire world as its realm, unchallenged and unchallengeable. If they believe in that, then it certainly isn’t for the benefit of their public, even if it might be for their own benefit, in profits of firms (ones whose profits depend mainly or only on sales to the U.S. Government and to the Governments that are allied to it) that they own, or benefit from in other ways. For example, since 2014, Amazon Web Services has supplied to the U.S. Government (CIA, Pentagon, NSA, etc.) its cloud-computing services, which has since produced virtually all of Amazon’s profits (also see “Cloud Business Drives Amazon’s Profits”), though Amazon doesn’t even so much as show up on that list of 100 top contractors to the U.S. Government; so, this extremely profitable business is more important to Jeff Bezos (the owner also of the Washington Post) than all the rest of his investments put together are, though Amazon doesn’t even show up on the list of top 100 U.S. Government contractors. In fact, more recently, Forbes reported that “Amazon Derives Most of its Profits from AWS”. A company doesn’t have to be among the top 100 sellers to the U.S. Government in order to be making, perhaps, even the majority of its profits from the U.S. Government. But this is a reason why the U.S. Government now spends approximately half of the entire planet’s military expenses. And to own also a major news-medium, such as the Washington Post (which has a long tradition of backing U.S. coups and invasions), places one in the position to shape the public’s perceptions, and not merely to profit from them.
NATO was supposed not to take on any new members after the Soviet Union, in 1991, ended its communism, and ended its Warsaw Pact which had been created in 1955 in response to America’s having created NATO in 1949; and which nation — the Soviet Union — itself broke up into 6 independent nations: Russia, Belorussia, Ukraine, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Armenia. But the U.S. regime was simply lying about its intentions during that crucial period from 1989 to 1991, and now has absorbed all of the Warsaw Pact into its NATO alliance against Russia, and is even trying to get the Soviet Union’s 5 non-Russian states into its alliance to help conquer Russia — and, now, also to conquer China. If the U.S. Government had not been negotiating in bad faith back in 1990, it would simply have ended its anti-Russian alliance immediately, when the Warsaw Pact ended in 1991. But, now, it is instead set upon expanding, so as to conquer the entire world, for the U.S. aristocracy. None of this is in the standard propagandistic ‘history’ books, and the U.S. regime still prohibits it from being included in any that get mass distribution. (For example, none of them mention that the Cold War was started by U.S. President Truman, upon the advice of General Dwight Eisenhower, on 26 July 1945.) By the time the public will know it (if that ever happens), it might already be too late. NATO’s now planning to invade China ought to be a wake-up call, but how many people, in the countries that are controlled by the U.S. regime, even know that any of this is happening, and has already happened?
—————
Investigative historian Eric Zuesse is the author, most recently, of They’re Not Even Close: The Democratic vs. Republican Economic Records, 1910-2010, and of CHRIST’S VENTRILOQUISTS: The Event that Created Christianity.


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Copper Bull Run May Only Be Getting Started

The price of copper is on a tear right now thanks to news that a number of pharmaceutical companies have developed effective vaccines against COVID-19 , raising hopes that the world economy will open to full capacity sooner than expected .
The industrial metal rose 12.24 % in November , its best month in four years .
Today it was trading as high as $ 3.50 per pound ( $ 7,616 per ton ) , its highest level since 2013 .
The copper rally is due in large part to improved manufacturing activity in the U.S. , China and eurozone @ @ @ @ @ @ @ the IHS U.S. Manufacturing PMI hit 56.7 , up significantly from 53.4 in October .
The month-to-month increase was the sharpest since September 2014 , according to IHS Markit .
Meanwhile , Chinese factories signaled their strongest improvement in over a decade .
The Caixin China General Manufacturing PMI posted 54.9 in November as output and new orders surged to 10-year highs .
Looking at manufacturers on a global scale , you would be forgiven for not knowing we were in the middle of a pandemic and economic pullback .
The JPMorgan Global @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to 53.7 , a 33-month high .
According to JPMorgan economists , this marks the fastest pace since January 2018 .
The Start of Another China-Driven Supercycle ?
In light of the positive manufacturing uptrend , some economists and market experts see the start of a new copper-price supercycle driven largely by China .
The Asian country currently consumes about half of all copper produced worldwide , and this share could increase as the nation undergoes a vast energy shift to renewables such as wind and solar .
This week , a senior @ @ @ @ @ @ @ world ’ s top copper producers , said that copper output would need to double over the next 30 years to meet surging demand for green renewable energy .
“ To keep pace with these mega trends , copper production will have to double over the next 30 years , ” commented Tariq Salaria , VP for sales and marketing at BHP .
Reflecting on the copper bull run , which has lifted the metal ’ s price some 72 % since the March low , one money manager believes this rally could @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Says Luke Sadrian , chief investment officer at Commodities World Capital , copper is “ looking like it did in ’ 04 and ’ 05 , and the world didn ’ t get the memo.
” Due to massive imports from China , copper prices increased more than 280 % between the beginning of 2004 until they peaked in May 2006 .
Today ’ s China imports of the red metal are much greater than they were then .
In July of this year , the country bought a record 762,211 tonnes of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ four times greater than the average monthly import amounts between 2004 and 2007 .
In a note to clients this week , Goldman Sachs analysts said they believe the current price strength “ is not an irrational aberration ” but rather “ the first leg of a structural bull market in copper.
” By the first half of 2022 , the Wall Street bank says that it ’ s “ highly probable ” copper could test its previous record high of nearly $ 10,150 per ton , set in February 2011 .
As @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and explorers have soared .
For the six months through December 3 , the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index was up more than 66 % , outpacing the returns for other metal miner groups .
Performance for the period was driven by companies such as Capstone Mining ( up 174.04 % ) , which operates in the U.S. and Mexico ; Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan ( 140.68 % ) ; and Ivanhoe Mines ( 93.93 % ) , which is currently developing three properties in Southern Africa .
Our favorite copper name continues to be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , the Vancouver-based company is set to begin production at its tier-one Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo ( DRC ) , believed to be the world ’ s second-largest copper deposit .
“ Kakula is on track to begin production in under one year from now , which , considering we ’ ve been working in Africa for 27 years now , feels like tomorrow morning , ” commented Robert Friedland , Ivanhoe ’ s billionaire founder and co-chairman .

by Frank Holmes, CEO, U.S. Global Investors
The price of copper is on a tear right now thanks to news that a number of pharmaceutical companies have developed effective vaccines against COVID-19, raising hopes that the world economy will open to full capacity sooner than expected. The industrial metal rose 12.24% in November, its best month in four years. Today it was trading as high as $3.50 per pound ($7,616 per ton), its highest level since 2013.
The copper rally is due in large part to improved manufacturing activity in the U.S., China and eurozone. For the month of November, the IHS U.S. Manufacturing PMI hit 56.7, up significantly from 53.4 in October. The month-to-month increase was the sharpest since September 2014, according to IHS Markit.
Meanwhile, Chinese factories signaled their strongest improvement in over a decade. The Caixin China General Manufacturing PMI posted 54.9 in November as output and new orders surged to 10-year highs.
click to enlarge
Looking at manufacturers on a global scale, you would be forgiven for not knowing we were in the middle of a pandemic and economic pullback. The JPMorgan Global Manufacturing PMI climbed from 53.0 in October to 53.7, a 33-month high. According to JPMorgan economists, this marks the fastest pace since January 2018.
click to enlarge
The Start of Another China-Driven Supercycle?
In light of the positive manufacturing uptrend, some economists and market experts see the start of a new copper-price supercycle driven largely by China. The Asian country currently consumes about half of all copper produced worldwide, and this share could increase as the nation undergoes a vast energy shift to renewables such as wind and solar.
This week, a senior executive at BHP, one of the world’s top copper producers, said that copper output would need to double over the next 30 years to meet surging demand for green renewable energy.
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“To keep pace with these mega trends, copper production will have to double over the next 30 years,” commented Tariq Salaria, VP for sales and marketing at BHP.
Reflecting on the copper bull run, which has lifted the metal’s price some 72% since the March low, one money manager believes this rally could be one for the history books. Says Luke Sadrian, chief investment officer at Commodities World Capital, copper is “looking like it did in ’04 and ’05, and the world didn’t get the memo.”
Due to massive imports from China, copper prices increased more than 280% between the beginning of 2004 until they peaked in May 2006.
Today’s China imports of the red metal are much greater than they were then. In July of this year, the country bought a record 762,211 tonnes of unwrought copper, which is close to four times greater than the average monthly import amounts between 2004 and 2007.
In a note to clients this week, Goldman Sachs analysts said they believe the current price strength “is not an irrational aberration” but rather “the first leg of a structural bull market in copper.” By the first half of 2022, the Wall Street bank says that it’s “highly probable” copper could test its previous record high of nearly $10,150 per ton, set in February 2011.
Copper Miners on Fire
As a result, shares of copper producers and explorers have soared. For the six months through December 3, the Solactive Global Copper Miners Index was up more than 66%, outpacing the returns for other metal miner groups. Performance for the period was driven by companies such as Capstone Mining (up 174.04%), which operates in the U.S. and Mexico; Arizona-based Freeport-McMoRan (140.68%); and Ivanhoe Mines (93.93%), which is currently developing three properties in Southern Africa.
click to enlarge
Our favorite copper name continues to be Ivanhoe. As I reported in September, the Vancouver-based company is set to begin production at its tier-one Kamoa-Kakula Copper Project in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), believed to be the world’s second-largest copper deposit.
“Kakula is on track to begin production in under one year from now, which, considering we’ve been working in Africa for 27 years now, feels like tomorrow morning,” commented Robert Friedland, Ivanhoe’s billionaire founder and co-chairman.


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Wall Street Banks Want To Sell Lots More Corporate Bonds Despite Alarming Rise of Zombie Companies

by Jason Burack of Wall St For Main St Wall Street banks say that subzero yields are good for selling @ @ @ @ @ corporate credit ?
Only a few weeks ago , Jason explained the entire Wall Street @ @ @ @ @ is back after the Fed unfroze credit markets in March and April .
But recently @ @ @ @ @ that there is a staggering amount of large , publicly traded companies listed on US @ @ @ @ @ zombie companies and can not even service their debts !
Commit to tipping us monthly @ @ @ @ @ high level , thought provoking content that includes interviews with top experts , analysis and @ @ @ @ @ the economy www.patreon.com/wallstformainst

by Jason Burack of Wall St For Main St
Wall Street banks say that subzero yields are good for selling even more corporate bonds and corporate credit?
WAIT WHAT???
Only a few weeks ago, Jason explained the entire Wall Street bank bond selling scheme that is back after the Fed unfroze credit markets in March and April.
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But recently, we have found out that there is a staggering amount of large, publicly traded companies listed on US stock exchanges that are considered zombie companies and cannot even service their debts!
FULL SHOW NOTES AND LINKS HERE
Commit to tipping us monthly for our hard work creating high level, thought provoking content that includes interviews with top experts, analysis and short videos about investing and the economy www.patreon.com/wallstformainst


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Fauci: End Christmas & New Year – The Virus That Will Never End

Fauci is already calling for shutting down both Christmas and New Years ’ celebrations .
They are doing exactly the @ @ @ @ @ of the Romans .
Give them “ bread and circuses ” ( “ panem et @ @ @ @ @ attributed to Juvenal , a Roman poet who published his works between 100-127 AD .
@ @ @ @ @ political sense that given those things to the people and politicians can do anything they @ @ @ @ @ it to imply the “ selfishness ” of common people and their neglect of wider @ @ @ @ @ to do as it liked .
These people are trying to suppress civil unrest , @ @ @ @ @ the people so they can be conquered without firing a shot .
But their agenda @ @ @ @ @ seek to create a feudal state where the super-rich rule and we , the great @ @ @ @ @ This is no longer about the famous 1 % .
This is about 0.005 % @ @ @ @ @ has the audacity to call our “ SUPER RICH FRIENDS .
”

by Martin Armstrong
Fauci is already calling for shutting down both Christmas and New Years’ celebrations. They are doing exactly the opposite of the political strategy of the Romans. Give them “bread and circuses” (“panem et circenses”) is generally attributed to Juvenal, a Roman poet who published his works between 100-127 AD. It was meant in a political sense that given those things to the people and politicians can do anything they wished. Juvenal did use it to imply the “selfishness” of common people and their neglect of wider concerns that allowed the government to do as it liked.
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These people are trying to suppress civil unrest, suppress religion, and divide the people so they can be conquered without firing a shot. But their agenda is so anti-Democratic as they seek to create a feudal state where the super-rich rule and we, the great unwashed, own nothing. This is no longer about the famous 1%. This is about 0.005% of the super-rich ABC News has the audacity to call our “SUPER RICH FRIENDS.”


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Pro-Biden effort offered Native Americans $25-$500 Visa gift cards and jewelry to vote.

Key Native American leaders working with the Biden campaign offered tribal members and associates Visa gift cards , jewelry , @ @ @ @ @ to vote in the presidential election , according to several videos being used by the @ @ @ @ @ to challenge Nevada ’ s vote .
In one long video , officials from the @ @ @ @ @ offering a raffle for gift cards in values of $ 25 , $ 100 , @ @ @ @ @ 500 to those who can prove they voted .
Other gifts for voting include bracelets @ @ @ @ @ T-shirts , and masks .
“ If you come here to vote or if you @ @ @ @ @ having a raffle , ” said RSIC spokeswoman Bethany Sam in one of the videos @

Key Native American leaders working with the Biden campaign offered tribal members and associates Visa gift cards, jewelry, and other “swag” to vote in the presidential election, according to several videos being used by the Trump campaign’s effort to challenge Nevada’s vote.
In one long video, officials from the Reno-Sparks Indian Colony are shown offering a raffle for gift cards in values of $25, $100, $250, and $500 to those who can prove they voted.
Other gifts for voting include bracelets, necklaces, earrings, T-shirts, and masks.
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“If you come here to vote or if you voted already, RSIC is having a raffle,” said RSIC spokeswoman Bethany Sam in one of the videos.
www.washingtonexaminer.com/washington-secrets/pro-biden-effort-offered-native-americans-25-500-visa-gift-cards-jewelry-to-vote


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--California Gave $400 Million – $1 Billion in Federal Unemployment Funds to Prisoners

The DA ’ s have said the scheme , which they announced last week , involves tens of thousands of @ @ @ @ @ bilked the state out of as much as $ 1 billion in federal funds meant @ @ @ @ @ and income due to COVID-19 .

The DA’s have said the scheme, which they announced last week, involves tens of thousands of inmates and outside accomplices who bilked the state out of as much as $1 billion in federal funds meant for Californians who lost jobs and income due to COVID-19.
www.sacbee.com/news/california/article247561575.html
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h/t Weyoun


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--LA area locked down and out of power

LA area locked down and out of power

It ’ s windy as heck down here in Southern California , just hours after the brutal lockdown order for @ @ @ @ @ thousands of Californias are without power , mostly in and around the LA area !

It’s windy as heck down here in Southern California, just hours after the brutal lockdown order for LA. Now tens of thousands of Californias are without power, mostly in and around the LA area!
www.sce.com/outage-center/check-outage-status
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AC


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--EDWARD SNOWDEN asks TRUMP to Pardon JULIAN ASSANGE!

Edward Snowden took to Twitter Thursday to ask President Donald Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange .
Snowden , @ @ @ @ @ disclosed US and UK dragnet spy programs to the press in 2013 , said the @ @ @ @ @ life and death .
“ If you grant only one act of clemency during your @ @ @ @ @ : free Julian Assange , ” Snowden tweeted .
“ You alone can save his @ @ @

Edward Snowden took to Twitter Thursday to ask President Donald Trump to pardon WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Snowden, a former NSA contractor who disclosed US and UK dragnet spy programs to the press in 2013, said the pardon was a matter of life and death.
“If you grant only one act of clemency during your time in office, please: free Julian Assange,” Snowden tweeted. “You alone can save his life.”
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Mr. President, if you grant only one act of clemency during your time in office, please: free Julian Assange. You alone can save his life. @realDonaldTrump — Edward Snowden (@Snowden) December 3, 2020
www.cnet.com/news/edward-snowden-asks-trump-to-pardon-julian-assange/
h/t Chatarr


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--“Because Democrats Like To RUIN Your LIFE, That’s Why!”

A Michigan Democrat made the mistake of asking a witness just now why more witnesses do n't come forward .
@ @ @ @ @ : # MichiganHearing pic.twitter.com/ivYWjukGe5

A Michigan Democrat made the mistake of asking a witness just now why more witnesses don't come forward.
Her answer should go Viral:#MichiganHearing pic.twitter.com/ivYWjukGe5
— Major Patriot (@MajorPatriot) December 3, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--San Diego Wants To Use Military-Grade Drones To Catch Speeders

The Voice of San Diego recently revealed how the city of San Diego secretly considered using military-grade drones to spy on motorists .
According to the article , San Diego officials secretly kicked around the possibility of using General Atomics ’ “ SkyGuardian ” drones to ID and track speeding vehicles .
They even went so far as to request General Atomic make no mention of the San Diego Police Department ( SDPD ) possibly using a 12,500 pound military drone for public safety use .
The article went on to illustrate how General Atomic sent emails to city officials @ @ @ @ @ @ @ inspect things like rail and power lines , monitor floods and conduct maritime surveillance .
Which brings us to Common Dreams who detailed exactly how this would play out in the future .
Four months ago , Common Dreams warned that “ a persistent eye ” in the sky would be coming to a city near you and they could not have been more right .
This past September , Maj. General James Poss , the Air Force ’ s top intelligence officer was preparing to join the FAA with plans to use @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ This plan was ordered by Congress in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act .
It directed the Departments of Defense and Transportation to “ develop a plan for providing expanded access to the national airspace for unmanned aircraft systems of the Department of Defense.
” Gen. Poss was one of nearly two dozen ex-military officers who , starting in 2010 , were put into positions at the FAA to oversee drone integration research .
With little public scrutiny , the plan has been moving forward ever since.
” The article went on @ @ @ @ @ @ @ about law enforcement using military drones to monitor Americans .
“ Back in 2017 , military technology analysts were predicting that by 2025 , drones similar to those used in Afghanistan and Iraq would be hovering above U.S. cities , relaying high-resolution video of the movement of every citizen to police departments ( and who knows who else ) .
When there was public pushback to this police department drone use—even a pro-industry reporter called the idea dystopian—General Atomics changed the purpose of the flight from providing data to the police to mapping @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ” If you are thinking San Diego is an isolated incident , think again .
Over the past year , I have reported on how police have begun using drones to monitor suspicious people , and how some police departments are using them to respond to 911 calls .
And throughout , a disturbing pattern has emerged .
At first , law enforcement promises to only use drones in emergency circumstances like helping to locate a missing person or look for abducted children .
Next , without any explanation , they implement using @ @ @ @ @ @ @ monitor police protests .
Now they want to use them to catch speeders .
The questions I asked last month about police drones responding to 911 calls are becoming more and more relevant with each passing day .
It is high time for Americans to demand that law enforcement keep their promise and only use drones in an emergency .

by mapi
The Voice of San Diego recently revealed how the city of San Diego secretly considered using military-grade drones to spy on motorists. According to the article, San Diego officials secretly kicked around the possibility of using General Atomics’ “SkyGuardian” drones to ID and track speeding vehicles.
“Records obtained by Voice of San Diego show that the city’s Office of Homeland Security had been supportive of General Atomics, a local defense contractor, in its attempt to open the skies above San Diego to new forms of surveillance. They wound up talking last year about how police might benefit from putting a massive vehicle with a camera above the metro.”
They even went so far as to request General Atomic make no mention of the San Diego Police Department (SDPD) possibly using a 12,500 pound military drone for public safety use.
“Since SDPD is not involved in the public safety aspect of this project and IPP, they and the mayor’s office requested no inclusion/indication of public safety-specific use,” Harrison Andrew Pierce wrote.
The article went on to illustrate how General Atomic sent emails to city officials detailing how SkyGuardian could be used to inspect things like rail and power lines, monitor floods and conduct maritime surveillance.
Which brings us to Common Dreams who detailed exactly how this would play out in the future.
Four months ago, Common Dreams warned that “a persistent eye” in the sky would be coming to a city near you and they could not have been more right.
This past September, Maj. General James Poss, the Air Force’s top intelligence officer was preparing to join the FAA with plans to use SkyGaurdian drones on the American public.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
“This plan was ordered by Congress in the 2010 National Defense Authorization Act. It directed the Departments of Defense and Transportation to “develop a plan for providing expanded access to the national airspace for unmanned aircraft systems of the Department of Defense.” Gen. Poss was one of nearly two dozen ex-military officers who, starting in 2010, were put into positions at the FAA to oversee drone integration research. With little public scrutiny, the plan has been moving forward ever since.”
The article went on to explain why everyone should be concerned about law enforcement using military drones to monitor Americans.
“Back in 2017, military technology analysts were predicting that by 2025, drones similar to those used in Afghanistan and Iraq would be hovering above U.S. cities, relaying high-resolution video of the movement of every citizen to police departments (and who knows who else). When there was public pushback to this police department drone use—even a pro-industry reporter called the idea dystopian—General Atomics changed the purpose of the flight from providing data to the police to mapping critical infrastructure in the San Diego region.”
If you are thinking San Diego is an isolated incident, think again.
“This plan has been enacted and expanded under Presidents and Congresses of both parties. If you’re uncomfortable with a President Biden having the ability to track the movements of every Tea Party or Q-Anon supporter, you should be.”
“Recently, CBP has expanded their reach, using these drones to assist police in Minneapolis, San Antonio and Detroit in the wake of protests against police brutality.”
Over the past year, I have reported on how police have begun using drones to monitor suspicious people, and how some police departments are using them to respond to 911 calls. And throughout, a disturbing pattern has emerged.
At first, law enforcement promises to only use drones in emergency circumstances like helping to locate a missing person or look for abducted children. Next, without any explanation, they implement using drones to read vehicle license plates, monitor police protests. Now they want to use them to catch speeders.
The questions I asked last month about police drones responding to 911 calls are becoming more and more relevant with each passing day.
“What will happen to Americans privacy once police drones begin flying down our streets? Drones will fly over people’s yards while voyeuristic pilots invade everyone’s privacy. Was someone taking a shower or getting undressed in their window? Don’t worry, the police will have a real-time video of it. Was someone sunbathing in their backyard? The police will know.”
It is high time for Americans to demand that law enforcement keep their promise and only use drones in an emergency.


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--China State Media to Senator Marsha Blackburn: “B*tch”

China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing .
Some things will never change… Director of National Intelligence @ @ @ @ @ that China is using blackmail , bribery and covert influence to target members of Congress @ @ @ @ @ laws that are favorable to China are passed '' t.co/zloXmJ4vmk pic.twitter.com/s3fb1m7359

China has a 5,000 year history of cheating and stealing. Some things will never change…
Director of National Intelligence John Ratcliffe tells @CBS_Herridge that China is using blackmail, bribery and covert influence to target members of Congress and make sure “only laws that are favorable to China are passed" t.co/zloXmJ4vmk pic.twitter.com/s3fb1m7359
— CBS News (@CBSNews) December 3, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Navy Brings Back US Atlantic Fleet as Russian Threats Intensify – The Atlantic fleet will confront t

Navy Brings Back US Atlantic Fleet as Russian Threats Intensify – The Atlantic fleet will confront the Russian Navy

Terrorism is no longer the biggest threat facing the U.S. , Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said during a hearing on @ @ @ @ @ .
Threats from Russia and China are increasing , and the Navy must reorganize to @ @ @ @ @ meet the unique maritime challenges of the Atlantic theater , we will rename Fleet Forces @ @ @ @ @ Fleet , ” Braithwaite said .
“ We will refocus our naval forces in this @ @ @ @ @ mission — controlling the maritime approaches to the United States and to those of our @ @ @

Terrorism is no longer the biggest threat facing the U.S., Navy Secretary Kenneth Braithwaite said during a hearing on Navy and Marine Corps readiness. Threats from Russia and China are increasing, and the Navy must reorganize to address them.
“To meet the unique maritime challenges of the Atlantic theater, we will rename Fleet Forces Command as the U.S. Atlantic Fleet,” Braithwaite said. “We will refocus our naval forces in this important region on their original mission — controlling the maritime approaches to the United States and to those of our allies.”
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www.military.com/daily-news/2020/12/02/navy-brings-back-us-atlantic-fleet-russian-threats-intensify.html


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Can Employers Fire Any Employees That Choose Not To Take The COVID Vaccine?

A COVID vaccine is not even available yet , but the mainstream media is already full of stories about whether or not it is legal for employers to fire employees that refuse to take it .
To me , this is not even a debate that we should be having .
It would be fundamentally anti-American and morally reprehensible for any employer to fire someone for choosing not to get vaccinated .
Unfortunately , the mainstream media does not see things that way , and they are interviewing lots of legal experts that are assuring employers that it is perfectly @ @ @ @ @ @ @ t want to get vaccinated .
For example , the following comes from a CNBC article… If religious convictions really did protect employees , that would be great .
From my perspective , any employee that refuses to get vaccinated based on a sincerely held religious conviction should definitely be shielded from being fired under federal law .
Unfortunately , the CNBC article goes on to explain why federal law is probably not going to protect any person of faith from mandatory vaccination requirements… Ryan emphasizes that state laws regulating what constitutes reasonable @ @ @ @ @ @ @ but that “ under federal law , employers don ’ t have to grant a religious accommodation if doing so would result in more than a de minimis cost to the operation of the business.
” “ De minimis ” is Latin for “ of minimum importance ” and is used in law to refer to a total so small that it is not even recognized .
Given how significantly the pandemic has impacted businesses , Ryan says “ this is a pretty low standard.
” Meaning , many employers will likely have @ @ @ @ @ @ @ other words , under federal law there is hardly any protection at all for workers that wish to refuse the COVID vaccine .
Other major news outlets have been publishing similar stories .
This excerpt comes from a piece that was published by Reuters… It is almost as if there is a coordinated effort to make employers across the country aware that they can issue such mandates .
A little over a decade ago , the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration ruled that employers could make vaccines mandatory during the swing flu @ @ @ @ @ @ @ faded rather rapidly and so very few employers actually went in that direction .
But now it appears that COVID-19 is going to be with us for quite a while , and some employers have already decided that they are going to make vaccination mandatory for all employees… Just a few months into the coronavirus pandemic , Holly Smith had already made up her mind .
She was not going to reopen her restaurant to diners until there was a vaccine .
She just didn ’ t think it was safe .
When @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , they asked : Would the vaccine be mandatory ?
Yes , she said .
It would be .
“ I ’ m not going to open until I can indeed be sure that everyone on my staff is vaccinated , ” says Smith , chef and owner of Cafe Juanita in Kirkland , Wash. “ The immediate people on the team — you ’ ve got to take care of them .
If you don ’ t take care of them , they can not help you take care of business.
” @ @ @ @ @ @ @ want to take the vaccine , they will be hitting the bricks .
And as I have detailed repeatedly in recent weeks , it is not easy to find another job in this economy .
The good news is that most employers will likely be hesitant to mandate vaccines because of the potential of pushback from their employees .
According to a recent Gallup survey , 42 percent of all Americans do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine… It is estimated that there are 328 million people living in the United States @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 328 million is 137 million .
If those 137 million people stand up for their God-given rights , we almost certainly will not see widespread vaccine mandates .
But will they ?
We shall see .
In the months ahead , there is going to be so much public pressure to get vaccinated , and the CDC plans to aggressively promote their vaccination campaign .
They even plan to distribute “ buttons or stickers ” so that people that have been injected can advertise that fact to others… In addition , within the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ W. Bush , Bill Clinton and Joe Biden have all committed to being vaccinated publicly… That would seem to be quite a public relations coup for the pharmaceutical companies , but if any of them has any sort of an adverse reaction to the vaccine it will rapidly transform into a public relations nightmare .
Of course the truth is that nobody really knows what the long-term side effects of taking COVID vaccines will be for the population as a whole .
As I have discussed previously , this entirely new class of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and those that line up first to get a COVID vaccine will be the guinea pigs .

by Michael Snyder
A COVID vaccine is not even available yet, but the mainstream media is already full of stories about whether or not it is legal for employers to fire employees that refuse to take it. To me, this is not even a debate that we should be having. It would be fundamentally anti-American and morally reprehensible for any employer to fire someone for choosing not to get vaccinated. Unfortunately, the mainstream media does not see things that way, and they are interviewing lots of legal experts that are assuring employers that it is perfectly legal to fire people that don’t want to get vaccinated. For example, the following comes from a CNBC article…
“In general, yes, employers are able to mandate the vaccine when it becomes available with, of course, a bunch of caveats,” says employment lawyer Lindsay Ryan, listing possible exemptions for those with specific medical conditions and those with sincerely held religious convictions.
If religious convictions really did protect employees, that would be great.
From my perspective, any employee that refuses to get vaccinated based on a sincerely held religious conviction should definitely be shielded from being fired under federal law.
Unfortunately, the CNBC article goes on to explain why federal law is probably not going to protect any person of faith from mandatory vaccination requirements…
Ryan emphasizes that state laws regulating what constitutes reasonable accommodations for religious groups vary significantly, but that “under federal law, employers don’t have to grant a religious accommodation if doing so would result in more than a de minimis cost to the operation of the business.” “De minimis” is Latin for “of minimum importance” and is used in law to refer to a total so small that it is not even recognized. Given how significantly the pandemic has impacted businesses, Ryan says “this is a pretty low standard.” Meaning, many employers will likely have legal ground to require vaccination.
In other words, under federal law there is hardly any protection at all for workers that wish to refuse the COVID vaccine.
Other major news outlets have been publishing similar stories. This excerpt comes from a piece that was published by Reuters…
Gostin and five other health law experts said private companies in the United States have broad liberties to set health and safety standards, which would allow them to mandate vaccinations as a condition of employment with some exceptions.
It is almost as if there is a coordinated effort to make employers across the country aware that they can issue such mandates.
A little over a decade ago, the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration ruled that employers could make vaccines mandatory during the swing flu pandemic, but of course that crisis faded rather rapidly and so very few employers actually went in that direction.
But now it appears that COVID-19 is going to be with us for quite a while, and some employers have already decided that they are going to make vaccination mandatory for all employees…
Just a few months into the coronavirus pandemic, Holly Smith had already made up her mind. She was not going to reopen her restaurant to diners until there was a vaccine. She just didn’t think it was safe. When she shared the decision with her staff, they asked: Would the vaccine be mandatory? Yes, she said. It would be. “I’m not going to open until I can indeed be sure that everyone on my staff is vaccinated,” says Smith, chef and owner of Cafe Juanita in Kirkland, Wash. “The immediate people on the team — you’ve got to take care of them. If you don’t take care of them, they cannot help you take care of business.”
If some of her employees do not want to take the vaccine, they will be hitting the bricks.
And as I have detailed repeatedly in recent weeks, it is not easy to find another job in this economy.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
The good news is that most employers will likely be hesitant to mandate vaccines because of the potential of pushback from their employees. According to a recent Gallup survey, 42 percent of all Americans do not plan to get a COVID-19 vaccine…
Americans’ willingness to be vaccinated against COVID-19 rebounded a bit in October, as seen in Gallup polling conducted before Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna made promising announcements about the likely effectiveness of their coronavirus vaccines. Fifty-eight percent of Americans in the latest poll say they would get a COVID-19 vaccine, up from a low of 50% in September.
It is estimated that there are 328 million people living in the United States right now, and 42 percent of 328 million is 137 million.
If those 137 million people stand up for their God-given rights, we almost certainly will not see widespread vaccine mandates.
But will they?
We shall see.
In the months ahead, there is going to be so much public pressure to get vaccinated, and the CDC plans to aggressively promote their vaccination campaign.
They even plan to distribute “buttons or stickers” so that people that have been injected can advertise that fact to others…
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is planning to offer health care providers a template they can use to print buttons or stickers that would advertise a person’s vaccination status. The idea is that the button would be handed out to patients after they receive their vaccination shots. The effort is part of a “toolkit” that the CDC plans to provide healthcare systems to “educate and promote vaccination,” a CDC spokesperson told ABC News.
In addition, within the past few days Barack Obama, George W. Bush, Bill Clinton and Joe Biden have all committed to being vaccinated publicly…
President-elect Joe Biden said he would publicly take a vaccine when it’s available to encourage the public to get vaccinated, joining three former presidents who recently pledged to do the same. Biden said he’d “be happy” to join former Presidents Barack Obama, George W. Bush and Bill Clinton in getting the vaccine in public to prove it is safe.
That would seem to be quite a public relations coup for the pharmaceutical companies, but if any of them has any sort of an adverse reaction to the vaccine it will rapidly transform into a public relations nightmare.
Of course the truth is that nobody really knows what the long-term side effects of taking COVID vaccines will be for the population as a whole.
As I have discussed previously, this entirely new class of mRNA vaccines has never been tried before, and those that line up first to get a COVID vaccine will be the guinea pigs.


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Woke Corporations Who Supported BLM Lobby Against Ban On Chinese Slave Labor

Nike , Coca-Cola and Apple , three corporations that vehemently supported the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd , are lobbying against a US ban on imports of products produced by Chinese slave labor .
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act , which is awaiting a green light from the Senate , bans the import of goods produced in Xinjiang where companies can not prove they were not made by slave labor .
Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang face massive persecution at the hands of Chinese authorities , with many being held in de facto re-education camps @ @ @ @ @ @ @ and undergo draconian brainwashing programs .
Nike , Coca-Cola and Apple have never missed an opportunity to assert their woke corporate values , with Apple CEO Tim Cook previously proclaiming , “ To the Black community – we see you .
You matter and your lives matter.
” In honor of BLM , Nike also released an amended version of their slogan that said , “ For once , Don ’ t Do It , ” while Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said , “ Companies like ours must speak up as allies to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Uyghur lives don ’ t matter because all three corporations are lobbying against the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act .
“ And yet , for all their performative moralising , these companies are now trying to water down action against the extreme oppression of Uyghur Muslims in China , ” reports Spiked .

Authored by Paul Joseph Watson via Summit News,
Nike, Coca-Cola and Apple, three corporations that vehemently supported the Black Lives Matter movement after the death of George Floyd, are lobbying against a US ban on imports of products produced by Chinese slave labor.
The Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act, which is awaiting a green light from the Senate, bans the import of goods produced in Xinjiang where companies cannot prove they were not made by slave labor.
Uyghur Muslims in Xinjiang face massive persecution at the hands of Chinese authorities, with many being held in de facto re-education camps in which they are forced to work and undergo draconian brainwashing programs.
Nike, Coca-Cola and Apple have never missed an opportunity to assert their woke corporate values, with Apple CEO Tim Cook previously proclaiming, “To the Black community – we see you. You matter and your lives matter.”
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
In honor of BLM, Nike also released an amended version of their slogan that said, “For once, Don’t Do It,” while Coca-Cola CEO James Quincey said, “Companies like ours must speak up as allies to the Black Lives Matter movement.”
Apparently, Uyghur lives don’t matter because all three corporations are lobbying against the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.
“And yet, for all their performative moralising, these companies are now trying to water down action against the extreme oppression of Uyghur Muslims in China,” reports Spiked.
…
…


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-04--Student Loan Horror Stories: Borrowed: $79,000. Paid: $190,000. Now Owes? $236,000

Whether it ’ s CNBC telling us what issues mattered to the young in the presidential election , or Yahoo !
Finance telling us the big winners in the 2020 election were “ young people and student voters , ” or Forbes telling us “ young people with student loan debt have a harder time reaching financial milestones , ” the student loan controversy is almost universally presented as a “ youth ” issue .
This is the first of many deceptions baked into coverage of one of the more misunderstood and misreported issues of our time .
Student loans @ @ @ @ @ @ @ In fact , that ’ s the problem .
They matter far too much , to too many older people .
“ People that are 45 years and older , that ’ s where the student loan problem is a real issue , ” says “ Chris , ” who took out his first loan in 1981 .
“ Because those are the people that normally would have the highest balances.
” Now 59 , Chris asks to tell his story under a pseudonym , to protect the service industry career he ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of someday escaping his student debt .
“ In the realm I ’ m in now , I don ’ t really advertise the fact that I owe $ 236,000 , ” he sighs .
It ’ s often argued that forgiving student debt would unfairly punish other groups , particularly those who “ did the right thing ” and paid off their loans .
In truth , political changes have already punished plenty of student loan holders .
Chris is a prime example .
He grew up in the Midwest , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Southwest Missouri State ( now called Missouri State ) in 1980 .
He began paying for his undergrad studies upfront , a decision that would have fateful consequences .
He entered school just as Americans were electing Ronald Reagan , who wanted to dramatically re-order federal spending priorities .
Among his first acts : raising the interest rates for some federally-guaranteed student loans from 7 % to 9 % .
“ What ’ s really ironic , ” Chris says , “ is that if I hadn ’ t paid cash the first @ @ @ @ @ @ @ in college , my loans would have gotten locked in at a much lower rate.
” Paying the Reagan rate instead of the pre-Reagan rate was Chris ’ s first political misfortune .
The second kicked in years later , in the mid-eighties , by which time he ’ d transferred to the University of Missouri-Columbia , graduated with a B.A.
, entered and completed a grad program there , and moved on to Joe Biden ’ s Alma Mater at Syracuse law .
He left graduate school owing $ 14,000 , and @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of $ 79,000 .
He thought he ’ d be graduating with a law degree , and expected to be able to make his payments .
Part of his calculation involved the fact that student loan interest was once tax-deductible , much like mortgage interest .
But the Tax Reform Act of 1986 began a see-sawing journey for the student loan deduction , essentially eliminating it as a personal deduction for a time .
“ I looked at education as a capital expenditure , ” Chris says .
“ Part of my strategy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ always be tax-deductible .
So that would at least give me a little bit of a [ cushion ] in making my payments , because , I would have that tax deduction.
” After they changed the law , “ It was like , ‘ Wow , this is going to be difficult , this is going to be interesting .
’ ”

By Matt Taibbi, via SubStack
Whether it’s CNBC telling us what issues mattered to the young in the presidential election, or Yahoo! Finance telling us the big winners in the 2020 election were “young people and student voters,” or Forbes telling us “young people with student loan debt have a harder time reaching financial milestones,” the student loan controversy is almost universally presented as a “youth” issue.
This is the first of many deceptions baked into coverage of one of the more misunderstood and misreported issues of our time. Student loans matter to older people, too. In fact, that’s the problem. They matter far too much, to too many older people.
“People that are 45 years and older, that’s where the student loan problem is a real issue,” says “Chris,” who took out his first loan in 1981. “Because those are the people that normally would have the highest balances.”
Now 59, Chris asks to tell his story under a pseudonym, to protect the service industry career he’s built in part with the hope of someday escaping his student debt.
“In the realm I’m in now, I don’t really advertise the fact that I owe $236,000,” he sighs.
It’s often argued that forgiving student debt would unfairly punish other groups, particularly those who “did the right thing” and paid off their loans. In truth, political changes have already punished plenty of student loan holders. Chris is a prime example.
He grew up in the Midwest, and began studying philosophy and political science at Southwest Missouri State (now called Missouri State) in 1980. He began paying for his undergrad studies upfront, a decision that would have fateful consequences. He entered school just as Americans were electing Ronald Reagan, who wanted to dramatically re-order federal spending priorities. Among his first acts: raising the interest rates for some federally-guaranteed student loans from 7% to 9%.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
“What’s really ironic,” Chris says, “is that if I hadn’t paid cash the first year and a half that I was in college, my loans would have gotten locked in at a much lower rate.”
Paying the Reagan rate instead of the pre-Reagan rate was Chris’s first political misfortune. The second kicked in years later, in the mid-eighties, by which time he’d transferred to the University of Missouri-Columbia, graduated with a B.A., entered and completed a grad program there, and moved on to Joe Biden’s Alma Mater at Syracuse law. He left graduate school owing $14,000, and left law school with a total balance of $79,000.
He thought he’d be graduating with a law degree, and expected to be able to make his payments. Part of his calculation involved the fact that student loan interest was once tax-deductible, much like mortgage interest. But the Tax Reform Act of 1986 began a see-sawing journey for the student loan deduction, essentially eliminating it as a personal deduction for a time.
“I looked at education as a capital expenditure,” Chris says. “Part of my strategy was, is that the interest would always be tax-deductible. So that would at least give me a little bit of a [cushion] in making my payments, because, I would have that tax deduction.”
After they changed the law, “It was like, ‘Wow, this is going to be difficult, this is going to be interesting.’”
…
…


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-05--Euphoria In Markets With No End In Sight?

U.S. markets are in another speculative fervor .
It ’ s possible that we are at beginning of the business cycle , but near the end of the speculative cycle because the Fed didn ’ t let markets fully crash in March .
Investors don ’ t even fear a recession because all that happened this year was a quick crash and rebound .
A recession wouldn ’ t end this speculation , not that we are near another one .
The end will come when everyone is in the market and they realize the Fed can ’ t save @ @ @ @ @ @ @ It ’ s highly unlikely this fervor lasts several more years .
It ’ s very common to see people on financial Twitter bragging about triple digit returns year to date .
Obviously , there are always people who lie about returns , but in this case , 2020 was so great that they don ’ t need to lie .
People really have made amazing gains .
Let ’ s look at some of the euphoric data points .
The NAAIM exposure index is at 103.17 which means for 3 weeks the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Short sellers simply don ’ t exist .
The CNN fear and greed index is at 85 which signals extreme greed .
As you can see from the chart below , the 5 day average of the CBOE put to call ratio is at a 20 year low .
The junk bond yield is at 4.45 % which is a record low .
Over 90 % of S & P 500 stocks are above their 200 day moving average which is the highest since 2011 .
The CAPE ratio is in the low @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Value stocks have beaten growth in the past few weeks .
However , the highly predicted crash in growth stocks hasn ’ t come .
The Nasdaq 100 is at a record high .
The market wants its cake which is the rally in value stocks and doesn ’ t want to eat its vegetables which is a crash in the hottest stocks of the year which include software , electric vehicles , and online retail .
These hot stocks shake off bad company specific news , high valuations , and good @ @ @ @ @ @ @ normalcy .
Value stocks are becoming less cheap , but growth stocks are still in a bubble .
As you can see from the chart below , the ratio of tech ’ s cumulative total return to energy recently peaked at a higher level than the tech bubble mainly because energy had its worst run since the early 1930s .
We can ’ t just have energy stocks rally without money rotating out of the winners .
We might see that happen in early 2021 as momentum stocks do the best in December @ @ @ @ @ @ @ claims fell sharply , but these great results were likely due to the Thanksgiving holiday .
We must wait until next week to see if the labor market is really improving again .
We might see a jump in claims next week .
Last week ’ s initial claims reading was revised up from 778,000 to 787,000 .
In the week of November 28th , seasonally adjusted initial claims fell to 712,000 which was dramatically below estimates of 780,000 and the lowest estimate which was 755,000 .
It ’ s extremely rare for @ @ @ @ @ @ @ was caused by Thanksgiving .
Unadjusted initial jobless claims fell from 836,000 to 714,000 which was a new cycle low .
That was the biggest decline since the week of August 8th .
PUAs fell 30,000 to 289,000 .
As you can see from the chart above , there was a 13 % drop in unadjusted initial claims plus PUAs which was the biggest decline since late September .
It ended the 2 week increase streak .
It looked like claims were about to start an uptrend because of the third wave of @ @ @ @ @ @ @ been a reversal of hospitalizations unfortunately .
Seasonally adjusted continued claims fell from 6.089 million to 5.52 million .
If this was an accurate depiction of the labor market , meaning no one was on pandemic benefits , the labor market would be a few weeks from doing well .
However , there are millions of people on pandemic claims and the biggest reason for the decline in normal continued claims is people running out of benefits ( 6 months over ) .
In fact , 13.4 million people are on the verge @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ t extended before December 26th .
McConnell is aiming for a $ 500 billion stimulus and the Dems support the bipartisan $ 908 billion stimulus .
The blue bars in the chart above show there are 14.9 million short term claimants ; the red bars show there are 5.25 million long term claimants .
The light red and light blue bars show the 13.4 million people who are on the verge of losing their benefits .
It would be so easy for the government to extend these benefits for 2 months , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
We got another decline in job cut announcements in November as the chart below shows .
There were 64,797 job cuts announced in November which was up 45 % from last year ; this was the 2nd lowest reading of 2020 .
It was down from 80,666 in October .
There have been 2.228 million cuts this year which is a 298 % increase from last year .
In fact , there have been more job cuts in entertainment ( 857,620 ) in 2020 than all industries combined in 2019 .
There @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 397,783 ) and New York ( 260,209 ) combined in 2020 than the entire country in 2019 .
There were 185,504 hires in November which is higher than every other November since at least 2015 .
We expect a massive decline in job cut announcements in 2021 .
Markets are in a state of abject euphoria .
It ’ s like a trance where nothing is viewed as bearish .
The ratio of tech returns versus energy peaked at a higher level than during the tech bubble .
Jobless claims fell sharply , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , so take that improvement lightly .
There was another sequential decline in job cut announcements .
This was a terrible year that is ending on a less bad note .
2020 will probably hold the record for job cuts in a year for decades .

by UPFINA
U.S. markets are in another speculative fervor. It’s possible that we are at beginning of the business cycle, but near the end of the speculative cycle because the Fed didn’t let markets fully crash in March. Investors don’t even fear a recession because all that happened this year was a quick crash and rebound. A recession wouldn’t end this speculation, not that we are near another one. The end will come when everyone is in the market and they realize the Fed can’t save their risky stocks with no sales.
It’s highly unlikely this fervor lasts several more years. It’s very common to see people on financial Twitter bragging about triple digit returns year to date. Obviously, there are always people who lie about returns, but in this case, 2020 was so great that they don’t need to lie. People really have made amazing gains.
Let’s look at some of the euphoric data points. The NAAIM exposure index is at 103.17 which means for 3 weeks the average fund has been leveraged long. Short sellers simply don’t exist. The CNN fear and greed index is at 85 which signals extreme greed. As you can see from the chart below, the 5 day average of the CBOE put to call ratio is at a 20 year low. The junk bond yield is at 4.45% which is a record low. Over 90% of S&P 500 stocks are above their 200 day moving average which is the highest since 2011. The CAPE ratio is in the low 30s.
CBOE equity put/call ratio (5d average) now at its lowest since July 2000 pic.twitter.com/mVzKFQpWP2 — Liz Ann Sonders (@LizAnnSonders) December 4, 2020
Value vs Growth
There has been a shift. Value stocks have beaten growth in the past few weeks. However, the highly predicted crash in growth stocks hasn’t come. The Nasdaq 100 is at a record high. The market wants its cake which is the rally in value stocks and doesn’t want to eat its vegetables which is a crash in the hottest stocks of the year which include software, electric vehicles, and online retail. These hot stocks shake off bad company specific news, high valuations, and good vaccine news which imply a return to normalcy. Value stocks are becoming less cheap, but growth stocks are still in a bubble.
As you can see from the chart below, the ratio of tech’s cumulative total return to energy recently peaked at a higher level than the tech bubble mainly because energy had its worst run since the early 1930s. We can’t just have energy stocks rally without money rotating out of the winners. We might see that happen in early 2021 as momentum stocks do the best in December and the worst in January.
Who remembers the first one? pic.twitter.com/sOusDOUBhC — Lawrence Hamtil (@lhamtil) December 3, 2020
Great Unemployment Claims Report?
Jobless claims fell sharply, but these great results were likely due to the Thanksgiving holiday. We must wait until next week to see if the labor market is really improving again. We might see a jump in claims next week. Last week’s initial claims reading was revised up from 778,000 to 787,000. In the week of November 28th, seasonally adjusted initial claims fell to 712,000 which was dramatically below estimates of 780,000 and the lowest estimate which was 755,000. It’s extremely rare for estimates to be this off. This was caused by Thanksgiving.
We are primarily funded by readers. Please subscribe and donate to support us!
Initial #unemployment claims fall + than expected
⬇75k to 712k (SA) in w-e Nov28
⬇122k to 714k (NSA) > PUA claims (NSA): 289k (⬇30k) > Still very high 1.0 million new jobless benefits claimants! > Alarming with fiscal cliff for 13.5 million nearing on PUA and PUEC benefits pic.twitter.com/kdRmDhYzUJ — Gregory Daco (@GregDaco) December 3, 2020
Unadjusted initial jobless claims fell from 836,000 to 714,000 which was a new cycle low. That was the biggest decline since the week of August 8th. PUAs fell 30,000 to 289,000. As you can see from the chart above, there was a 13% drop in unadjusted initial claims plus PUAs which was the biggest decline since late September. It ended the 2 week increase streak. It looked like claims were about to start an uptrend because of the third wave of COVID-19. There certainly hasn’t been a reversal of hospitalizations unfortunately.
Big Problem Coming
Seasonally adjusted continued claims fell from 6.089 million to 5.52 million. If this was an accurate depiction of the labor market, meaning no one was on pandemic benefits, the labor market would be a few weeks from doing well. However, there are millions of people on pandemic claims and the biggest reason for the decline in normal continued claims is people running out of benefits (6 months over). In fact, 13.4 million people are on the verge of losing their benefits if they aren’t extended before December 26th. McConnell is aiming for a $500 billion stimulus and the Dems support the bipartisan $908 billion stimulus.
Key #unemployment benefits chart: – BLUE: Short-term benefit claimants: 14.9 million
– RED: Long-term benefit claimants: 5.25 million – LIGHT BLUE AND RED: Programs that expire after Christmas: 13.4 million pic.twitter.com/hLPv9kiTZh — Gregory Daco (@GregDaco) December 3, 2020
The blue bars in the chart above show there are 14.9 million short term claimants; the red bars show there are 5.25 million long term claimants. The light red and light blue bars show the 13.4 million people who are on the verge of losing their benefits. It would be so easy for the government to extend these benefits for 2 months, but the two sides are still apart.
Another Decline In Job Cut Announcements
We got another decline in job cut announcements in November as the chart below shows. There were 64,797 job cuts announced in November which was up 45% from last year; this was the 2nd lowest reading of 2020. It was down from 80,666 in October.
November @ChallengerGray job cuts totaled 64,797, +45.4% y/y vs. +60.4% in prior month … majority of cuts in Leisure/Hospitality, with Tech sector in 2nd place … announced holiday hiring plans at 759k, down from 814k last year pic.twitter.com/hc2RoCp4bq — Liz Ann Sonders (@LizAnnSonders) December 3, 2020
There have been 2.228 million cuts this year which is a 298% increase from last year. In fact, there have been more job cuts in entertainment (857,620) in 2020 than all industries combined in 2019. There have been more cuts in California (397,783) and New York (260,209) combined in 2020 than the entire country in 2019. There were 185,504 hires in November which is higher than every other November since at least 2015. We expect a massive decline in job cut announcements in 2021.
Conclusion
Markets are in a state of abject euphoria. It’s like a trance where nothing is viewed as bearish. The ratio of tech returns versus energy peaked at a higher level than during the tech bubble. Jobless claims fell sharply, but this was the week of Thanksgiving, so take that improvement lightly. There was another sequential decline in job cut announcements. This was a terrible year that is ending on a less bad note. 2020 will probably hold the record for job cuts in a year for decades.


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-05--The macro case for hard assets is the most compelling I have ever seen.

This chart has never been so relevant .
The macro case for hard assets is the most compelling I have @ @ @ @

This chart has never been so relevant.
The macro case for hard assets is the most compelling I have ever seen. pic.twitter.com/kW3ZXMyCG6
— Otavio (Tavi) Costa (@TaviCosta) December 5, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-05--The average US worker must now work 141 hours to buy 1 share of S&P 500. That’s, of course, a fresh

The average US worker must now work 141 hours to buy 1 share of S&P 500. That’s, of course, a fresh record. In the 1980s, it took less than 20 hours.

Just to put things into perspective or the rising wealt inequality in one chart : The average US worker must @ @ @ @ @ buy 1 share of S & P 500 .
That 's , of course , @ @ @ @ @ the 1980s , it took less than 20 hours .
pic.twitter.com/UF8bvm0oXE

Just to put things into perspective or the rising wealt inequality in one chart: The average US worker must now work 141 hours to buy 1 share of S&P 500. That's, of course, a fresh record. In the 1980s, it took less than 20 hours. pic.twitter.com/UF8bvm0oXE
— Holger Zschaepitz (@Schuldensuehner) December 5, 2020


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-05--Harry Dent on dead economy: “The dumb money is small traders loading up on call options.” LOL Smart

Harry Dent on dead economy: “The dumb money is small traders loading up on call options.” LOL Smart money will “start the downtrend that breaks the back of the dumb money.”

With its “ zombie ” public companies and small-business failures , the U.S. economy is “ dead , ” and a second stimulus won ’ t revive it , Harry S. Dent Jr. argues in an interview with ThinkAdvisor .
“ The Contrarian ’ s Contrarian , ” as Dent is known , forecasts that the pandemic-afflicted U.S. economy , amid an enormous Federal Reserve-created bubble , won ’ t bottom until 2023 .
“ The crisis ahead of us is a big detox of the biggest financial drug stimulus in history , ” he warns .
The stock market @ @ @ @ @ @ @ 2023 , he predicts .
It will be “ the lowest stock market of our lifetime.
” Dent , 67 , accurately called Japan ’ s 1989 economic collapse , the dot-com bust and the populist wave that delivered the presidency to Donald Trump .
He uses propriety research and bases predictions mainly on demographics and trends .
As head of HSD Publishing , the Harvard Business School MBA puts out the monthly HS Dent Forecast and Rodney Johnson Report , along with free daily insight “ e-letters.
” ( www.harrydent.com ) Detractors @ @ @ @ @ @ @ whose forecasts have often been wrong .
In the interview , he discusses his grim outlook for the market , discerned mainly from a “ megaphone pattern ” he sees , and provides an analysis of the “ dumb money ” and “ smart money ” going into and out of it .
Dent has written a number of bestsellers .
His most recent title is “ Spending Waves ” ( 2019 ) .
ThinkAdvisor interviewed the controversial prognosticator Tuesday .
He was speaking by phone from San Juan , Puerto Rico , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Along with the dire predictions , Dent offered advice to investors who prefer to stay in stocks “ this late in the bubble , ” including an idea for “ cheap insurance ” to use as a hedge .

Nearly a fifth of public companies are “zombies” propped up by debt, Harry Dent says.
With its “zombie” public companies and small-business failures, the U.S. economy is “dead,” and a second stimulus won’t revive it, Harry S. Dent Jr. argues in an interview with ThinkAdvisor.
“The Contrarian’s Contrarian,” as Dent is known, forecasts that the pandemic-afflicted U.S. economy, amid an enormous Federal Reserve-created bubble, won’t bottom until 2023.
“The crisis ahead of us is a big detox of the biggest financial drug stimulus in history,” he warns.
The stock market will bottom late in 2022 or early 2023, he predicts. It will be “the lowest stock market of our lifetime.”
Dent, 67, accurately called Japan’s 1989 economic collapse, the dot-com bust and the populist wave that delivered the presidency to Donald Trump. He uses propriety research and bases predictions mainly on demographics and trends.
As head of HSD Publishing, the Harvard Business School MBA puts out the monthly HS Dent Forecast and Rodney Johnson Report, along with free daily insight “e-letters.” (www.harrydent.com)
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Detractors say Dent is mostly an ace marketer whose forecasts have often been wrong.
In the interview, he discusses his grim outlook for the market, discerned mainly from a “megaphone pattern” he sees, and provides an analysis of the “dumb money” and “smart money” going into and out of it.
Dent has written a number of bestsellers. His most recent title is “Spending Waves” (2019).
ThinkAdvisor interviewed the controversial prognosticator Tuesday. He was speaking by phone from San Juan, Puerto Rico, where he’s based year-round. Along with the dire predictions, Dent offered advice to investors who prefer to stay in stocks “this late in the bubble,” including an idea for “cheap insurance” to use as a hedge.
www.thinkadvisor.com/2020/12/03/harry-dent-market-crash-coming-in-2-3-years-economy-already-dead/?amp=1


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-05--Bubble Monster? Total Option Call Volumes Versus Fed Balance Sheet (S&P 500 Index, Home Prices, Mort

Bubble Monster? Total Option Call Volumes Versus Fed Balance Sheet (S&P 500 Index, Home Prices, Mortgage Originations, Commercial Real Estate Too)

Call option volume has soared with The Fed ’ s endless monetary easing .
But it isn ’ t just @ @ @ @ @ with The Fed ’ s balance sheet , but the S & P 500 index @ @ @ @ @ increased as well .
Home prices and mortgage originations have also soared with Fed stimulus @ @ @ @ @ economy that is fueled by Fed asset purchases .

by confoundedinterest17
Call option volume has soared with The Fed’s endless monetary easing.
But it isn’t just call option volumes that increased with The Fed’s balance sheet, but the S&P 500 index and commercial real estate have increased as well.
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Home prices and mortgage originations have also soared with Fed stimulus.
We now have an economy that is fueled by Fed asset purchases.


investmentwatchblog--2020-12-05--Mossad Chief Assassinated in Israel!

Mossad Chief Assassinated in Israel!

We are literally just minutes away from the start of a major conflict in the Middle East - Iran vs @ @ @ @

Iran being blamed. Shit just got real.
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h/t Bacon and Eggs