Free-Market Monetary System

Tomorrow is a big day for those who understand the evils of the Federal Reserve, and if success comes to the good, then it is a big day for everyone. In light of the protests scheduled to commence at Fed locations all over the country (http://www.endthefed.us/), I offer this excerpt from an essay by Friedrich A. Hayek, and a link to read more:

"I think it is very urgent that it become rapidly understood that there is no justification in history for the existing position of a government monopoly of issuing money. It has never been proposed on the ground that government will give us better money than anybody else could. It has always, since the privilege of issuing money was first explicitly represented as a Royal prerogative, been advocated because the power to issue money was essential for the finance of the government-not in order to give us good money, but in order to give to government access to the tap where it can draw the money it needs by manufacturing it. That, ladies and gentlemen, is not a method by which we can hope ever to get good money. To put it into the hands of an institution which is protected against competition, which can force us to accept the money, which is subject to incessant political pressure, such an authority will not ever again give us good money."

...read more: http://mises.org/story/3204

Sow, sow socialism

I despise all politicians equally.

That is the context from which I write, I think it's important, because I want to be clear that I don't take "sides" on political issues, as I've removed myself from the arena completely.

That being said, even if 1848 had marked the beginning of recorded history, I am of a mind that the social, political, and otherwise anthropological data available should be enough to convince anyone that there are ZERO good ideas in Marxist doctrine.

Clearly, my mind is a minority.

R.J. Rummel is a scholar out of the University of Hawaii who has compiled massive amounts of data about 20th century government, to the end of writing an excellent book, "Death By Government." In this book, Rummel calculates that more than 250 million people died in the 20th century at the hands of (as a result of the policies of) their own governments - not including casualties of war (he calls it "Democide").

And before you say anything: the U.S. is not exempt from this tally.

There's an interesting relationship discovered when compiling this data and reading the work: the more socialist (i.e. marxist) policies adopted by a given government, the higher the body count. Naturally, communist countries are the bloodiest - even though their greater secrecy obfuscates most of the data (until, that is, the regime topples, and information finally gets out).

And now we have the U.S. in 2008. Major financial institutions are being nationalized, with talk of other industries being brought fully into the government fold by and by (note: once the government starts financing your business, you're nationalized), the most popular U.S. presidential candidate proposes mandatory universal health-care, high-school students are being required to "volunteer" for community service, and people all over the country are eating it up. Meanwhile, Halliburton has been building internment camps for at least the last 6 years (as part of the Patriot and Military Commissions acts): http://www.libertyforlife.com/jail-police/us_concentration_camps.htm

Worried yet?

The good news is, all it takes to end this nonsense is a spine.

Or:

Sow, sow socialism.

You will reap it.

You will reap it.

The End Is Nigh

The "Bailout Bill" has officially passed both houses of congress, and been signed by the executive tyrant.

Get out while you can.

I don't mean physically leave the country, necessarily. For most people, there is no better option than the U.S., but this 800 billion dollar boondoggle is certain to have some far-reaching, terribly devastating effects.

Did anyone else notice that every "expert economist" allowed to voice an opinion in the mainstream media had no answer to the so-called "economic crisis?" They held either one of two opinions: a) the bailout won't work, b) i don't know if the bailout will work, but we can't do nothing.

Irony, anyone?

It's this "we must do something, whether or not we know the likely effects" attitude that has created every socio-econo-political mess in history. I have a suggestion for anyone holding a government office:

Don't do anything.

Try it, it feels good sometimes.

As for the rest of you, disappear. Do it as soon, and as discreetly as you can. Your self-appointed masters in Washington, and in the various state capitols, are dragging you as deep into the throes of depression and domination as you will let them. They are creating new currency out of thin air and giving it to corporations whose practices and decisions led them to financial ruin, and it will lead you there too.

This is not about saving Main St., it's not even about "saving" Wall St. (fun fact: Wall Street has been around a lot longer than the Federal Reserve, legal tender laws, and even the U.S. Congress). This is about buying time. Period.

"Buying time for what?" I pretend to hear you ask.

The easy answer is: the election. Beyond that, I wish I could say exactly - rest assured, it's not good - but I doubt that most politicians have any vision beyond the end of this year. They just wanted to be able to stop sweating about this for now. When that bailout money finally gets spent and starts to be distributed throughout the rest of the plebeian economic sectors, we will see a massive devaluation of the dollar, loss of purchasing power, and sudden drop in standard of living, for everyone except Secretary Paulson's friends.

To clarify: 1) government governs. Period. There is no other purpose for such an institution, so of course there is no surprise about what has transpired concerning the bailout, and there will be no surprise when more power to whoever stands at the helm of the next "crisis." 2) Politicians seek power. Period. And I'm not talking about your "divine-inner-self-mind-over-matter-power-of-now-eckhart-tolle" power (though, as far as mind-over-matter goes, a favorite Washington slogan is, "Reality is negotiable"), I'm talking about raw, naked, force - coercive power over the lives of other people: their subjects, namely: you.

Disappear.

Don't get caught in their web of destruction. Get out of all intangible investments - put what money you still have to work for you. A bank can't "save" your money when they can't even save themselves. So take it out of there, and trade those worthless pieces of paper for some real, tangible assets (e.g. gold, silver, oil, productive equipment, etc.), think of things people will need when the system starts to fall apart, then trade with real people. Find others who hold a healthy distrust of the current situation and agree on your own "currency." Move away from the big cities if you can, find communities that rely on character and productive work, rather than credit and slick sales pitches.

When you've discovered that your values, those things that you work to achieve and protect, are being destroyed by the puppeteers and minions of the state apparatus, and that your ability to protect them depends only on your ability to hold on to one word (one simple, little word - my first, perhaps yours, too), you will never have to worry about any government "crisis" ever again.

What's the word?

No.