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The Road to Zimbabwe

Posted by DrZarkov 8 months, 2 weeks ago to Economics
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The Federal Reserve System now owns nearly 30% of the US national debt, purchasing bonds from domestic holders of that debt, and is now the biggest single holder of that debt. When government begins to become the biggest buyer of its own debt, that's a strategy referred to as "monetizing the debt," printing money to cover the purchases.

Using past history as an example, the Weimar Republic of Germany tried that approach, causing runaway inflation, with the image of Germans carrying wheelbarrow loads of Marks to purchase food. Zimbabwe is the current example, with images of printed money in $100M issues that are worth only a few pennies.

Japan has been monetizing its debt for some time, and now has a national debt that's over 250% of its GDP. Once the payment on that debt reaches a point where it becomes obvious that the country can't even make the interest payment from revenues received, the country is bankrupt, and Japan is nearly there.

US national debt is now more than 120% of our GDP, and the interest payment is now more than the defense budget. We've been skating on the thin ice of low interest percentages, but even a few percentage points rise would be a crippling burden on our economy. We desperately need leadership that recognizes the pending disaster and aims for a balanced budget.


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  • Posted by $ Snezzy 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    I get offers in the mail for loans and credit cards. Apparently I'll be able to borrow my way out of debt. If little ol' me can do that, then the gummint, with its immense borrowing power, should be able to borrow us all into super-dooper prosperity.

    Who got left holding the bag in Zimbabwe and in Weimar Deutschland?
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  • Posted by bobsprinkle 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    Well then why/how does Trump seem confident that he can fix the situation. If I believe ANYBODY it is him. But how ???? I do not believe it is all financial expertise. There MUST be some social acumen as well. Ohhh I forgot...the socialist/commies. DAMN
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  • Posted by $ allosaur 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    Just tried and failed to find a video of Obama's Vice President Biden sitting on a porch and telling someone, "Yes, we can pay our way out of debt."
    Me dino saw that on Fox News a long, long time ago.
    But some statements are so absurd that they become unforgetable.
    Then a rigged election made this flawed piece of work our (p)resident~~~
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  • Posted by 8 months, 2 weeks ago in reply to this comment.
    The Reserve and government are fused at the hip, so it's become a proxy. Isn't it convenient that the Reserve is telegraphing that regardless of real fiscal signals, it intends to drop the rates in September, just in time for positive financial results to be on the books just before the election?
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  • Posted by 8 months, 2 weeks ago in reply to this comment.
    I've long maintained the US will eventually collapse in the same manner as the Ottoman empire, dying from corruption. Our culture seems to be falling into the belief that since everyone lies, the best thing is to be the most creative liar.
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  • Posted by mccannon01 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    Spending more and more at the grocery store and bringing home less and less in the trunk. Also, I was in Walmart and Best Buy the other day and noticed a LOT of empty shelf space. Agreeing with Dobrien, the Federal Reserve is not a government institution in spite of the camouflaged moniker. It is a private corporation to which the congress sold us out over a century ago. This isn't going to end well as history and current events demonstrates. See the book "The Creature From Jekyll Island".
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  • Posted by mhubb 8 months, 2 weeks ago in reply to this comment.
    there does seem to be something wrong in most companies today

    mine keeps having problems after problems
    with no clear cause
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  • Posted by Dobrien 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    The Federal Reserve System now owns nearly 30% of the US national debt, purchasing bonds from domestic holders of that debt, and is now the biggest single holder of that debt. When government begins to become the biggest buyer of its own debt,…… the Federal Reserve is not the government!
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  • Posted by $ Abaco 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    Yeah...it doesn't feel very good. Does it? I didn't really want to see the total collapse of my country. But, I think I might see it. We were the shining city on top of the hill. I recently vacationed with the fam out on the coast of California. Right on the coast was lovely. A mile in and beyond it was total shit. Roads not any better than those in Chile. Massive tent cities. Garbage. Rot. Unbelievable traffic. On my way back home to the Free State of N&%$#a I avoided the city areas and it was a big improvement.

    Now...We seem to be racing to WW3 before the election...as some stupid way for the party that's in power, claims to want to "save democracy" actually destroy it.

    I've noticed something in my work with other organizations staffed with younger people (contractors, mostly). Doing everything wrong is the new norm. Everything is screwed up, even when we start with a clean slate. I've had professionals promise me that we can do something a certain way completely back out on that statement later with zero consequence. Lying, miscalculations, improper methods and materials...all the expected norm. Wasn't like this when I was a young engineer starting out. I was expected to be on my game or I was gonna hear about it. That's all gone now...Totally reminds me of A.S....
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  • Posted by mhubb 8 months, 2 weeks ago
    this is why i say the collapse of the United States cannot really be stopped

    those doing this are beyond insane
    that includes the voters and politicians voted from by idiots and parasites
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