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The Average American Has a Sub-Average Quality of Life... and a Sub-SUB View of Politicians
Let’s take a
slice of the adult American population, say, 100 people, and put them in a
room.
Of these
100, nearly three quarters (73) complain of financial stress. In fact, of the
ones who are divorced, 80% cited financial difficulties as the reason they
split from their spouse.
It’s not
surprising to hear this, the official numbers tell us that roughly 9-10 of the
100 people we selected are unemployed. Of course, those are the “official”
numbers. If you actually bother asking these 100 people to their faces if
they’ve got work, you’d find 16-17 of them are unemployed, but the 6-7 extra to
the official 10 listed as out of work are not counted by the Government because
they’ve given up looking for employment.
According to
the Government’s official data, these people no longer exist, but they’re
standing there in our room, along with the rest of the folks who the Government
DOES count. And they help explain how despite an official unemployment rate of
9.5%, roughly 13% of our average 100 (13 people) are currently using food
stamps to buy food.
But even
this number hides the real level of economic collapse in the US. All told 14
(14.3% to be exact) of our 100 average Americans are living at the poverty level.
Only two countries in the OECD have higher poverty rates: Turkey and Mexico.
Of course,
this is merely because we’re focusing on adults for this exercise; the poverty
level for children under the age of 18 is an incredible 20%. Who would have
ever thought that was possible in the US? I certainly didn’t.
Of the 67 or
so people who own homes in our group of “average Americans,” 16 (roughly 24%) of
them are “underwater,” meaning they owe the bank more money on their mortgage
than their homes are actually worth. Another five out of this 67 have lost
their homes to foreclosure since the Depression began in 2007.
Add to all
of this the facts that Americans’ second most common source of wealth (stocks)
haven’t returned anything in over a decade and that incomes today are 5% lower
than they were in 1999 and you’ve got a pretty bleak picture for the US economy
and Americans’ quality of life. Indeed, according to Credit Suisse, the US now
ranks seventh in the world in terms of wealth… which the website Zero Hedge
notes is behind Singapore, Sweden, AND France.
If our 100
“average Americans” may have a sub-average quality of life, but they have a
sub-SUB-average view of Politicians.
At no point
in the last year have more than half (50) of our group of average Americans
approved of President Barack Obama. Indeed, only 29 of them approve of the job
our current President is performing.
However,
these poor views of our President pale in comparison to the loathing our
average 100 display towards Congress: only
16 of them think Congress is doing a good or excellent job.
In contrast,
over half (56) of them DIS-approve of the job Congress is doing. More than
three quarters of them (76) believe most members of Congress are more
interested in their own careers than in helping Americans.
And yet,
despite all of this, US politicians and the powers that be continue to proclaim
that the US is on the road to recovery, that our economy is strengthening, and
that they’ve got everything under control.
Even more
astounding, the US stock market continues to rally in the face of economic data
that is simply horrific. In fact, stocks actually rally BECAUSE of bad economic
data since traders believe it guarantees the Fed will throw even more money at
the problem in the form of QE 2 (never mind that QE 1 was a total failure).
How will
this end? Somewhere between really bad and horrible. Stocks can disconnect from
reality for a while, but not permanently (see 2008). And when the two meet up
again this time around it’s going to make 2008 look like a picnic.
Why?
Because the
Federal Reserve has already thrown the kitchen sink at the problem. So when the
markets come unhinged again the world will realize the truth of the Financial
Crisis: that the Fed cannot and will not save the day. All it’s done is trash
the Dollar while propping up insolvent banks.
Good
Investing!
Graham
Summers
PS. If
you’re worried about the future of the stock market and have yet to take steps
to prepare for the Second Round of the Financial Crisis… I highly suggest you
download my FREE Special Report specifying exactly how to prepare for what’s to
come.
I call it The Financial Crisis “Round Two” Survival
Kit. And its 17 pages contain a wealth of information about portfolio
protection, which investments to own and how to take out Catastrophe Insurance
on the stock market (this “insurance” paid out triple digit gains in the Autumn
of 2008).
Again, this
is all 100% FREE. To pick up your copy today, got to http://www.gainspainscapital.com
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Americans and their politicians have gotten soft and do not take personal responsibility.
Blaming the banks and the government because you are over leveraged, is like blaming Mexico for your drug problems, the tobacco company for making you smoke and Mc Donalds for making you fat.
During WWII the US sucked it up, took rations on gasoline and bought war bonds.
During the last two wars they are sponsoring the US went on a spending binge.
Sorry the forecast calls for pain. One way or another.
France, Spain and Greece are having strikes because they are unhappy with austerity, but the government is going ahead anyway.
Obama, Pelosi, anyone? Want to give the US the bad news that they need to tighten the belt and may get reduced entitlements and services in order for longer term fiscal health?
Ok, that is what I thought, just inflate it away and the people will not notice the crockpot destruction until you are out of office. Then send in another (lawyer) politician to run on the "Change" platform.
repeat rinse repeat
full disclosure: I have holdings in PM, MCD and am looking at a fleet of mules outside Tijuana.
Life was too good for too long, so it's time to redistribute the misery anyway.
Homes are not investments; they are places to live. Don't buy what you cannot afford. That's the bottom line.
Lets just see your 100 put their votes where their mouths are in November . Then we will see if the ficticious poll is right . My hopes are thin of deposing the corrupt House and Senate . "Know them by their fruits" . Maybe we will have a beginning . Maybe what they have done in the dark to deceive us , will be laid bare in the light , and they will be removed from power . The light of liberty and justice , honesty and integrity , servants attitude rather than self servers .
I am probably a very small percentage of that room who is free and clear in the home. We have basically cut our budget to the bone. Just the basics and are even cutting the 60 dollar Satellite bill out and replacing it with a provider for about 24.00 a month. Our old Provider wants to compete and keep us with a similar package for 29.00 But sorry. that 5 dollars is a deal breaker.
We can then apply the savings towards constantly rising utilities which we combated by replacing the electrical system in the home and all electrical consuming devices as well as adding insulation. We have cut power use by over 64% and it seems that we will no longer pay 120 dollar electric bills but only pay roughly 50-65 or so because the company constantly tacks on various fees for different things to maintain their own lavish lifestyle.
My spouse is getting out of one job and taking her 401k with her. It isnt very much money at all since her employer converted all 100% vested employees, took the entire plan private and issued new vesting rules with a 5000 dollar cap on payouts (Anything over automatic annuities) and caused 6 years to be inserted at 20% until fully vested again.
With the other work, we have stripped out deductions to the minimum and any savings net each month gets shoveled into the war chest pending tax time on February.
We have fell down several tax brackets and still our taxes rise. Fine so be it.
Medically? Irrelevant. One is a vet and the other is choosing to rely on Hospice if things get too bad. Otherwise just a bit of first aid out of the trauma bag in the other room. Burial and everything is paid for up front free and clear and all arrangements are made.
Rising gasoline costs cause us to turn down very good jobs downtown (Over 50+ miles one way) and keep on decent work with a in-demand industry such as Health care within a few miles of home. If gasoline goes to 10.00 a gallon, we don't care.
Except I may have to ensure I am good on Marksmanship to fend off the zombies who see me getting and paying for gasoline.
The Government constantly pushes food nutrition. But we are living well enough on a very small menu each week. We have actually lost some weight and substituted expensive food products for food grown in our garden. Next year's garden will be more extensive using our learning experiences this year.
This is also the death of the media in our home. The DTV is not on unless the weather man is needed to tell us where the tornadoes are going. See my earlier post on the satellite. That will all be made to go away along with CNN, Fox news and the rest of the crappy outputs of Media news. Newspapers? Dead. We get the same stuff online within minutes of something happening.
They say our quality of life has gone down. I say different.
No longer do we tumble out of bed and race down the freeway with a horde of barbarians at 80 mph trying to get to work at 5:30 with road rage and tailgaters. We actually get to sleep in and smile at the roaring engines on the freeway every morning.
But at some point, there is a list in both of our hands to take to that court house in a few days (Early elections) and there is going to be MUCH firing of incumbents and hiring of people we have researched and chosen to elect (Hire) to Congress and other local offices.
We are seriously thinking of tearing up the voter registration cards and going rogue. We dont care anymore about the Democrats or the Republicans. That does not matter anymore.
What should matter is the Nation needs a budget passed each year, on time every year and work done properly according to the People's wishes. This earlier year when I witness Congress singing "One more vote" to ram a Health care bill that has already increased costs, caused us to kill medical insurance totally (To save that money and use it for broken arm fees from the doctor for example.)
The malls and the lifestyle of retails consumerism is dead too. We buy stuff once a month and add to our growing pile of ammunition, rations and water as well as a number of other useful things. Mostly online deliveries to bypass the growing taxes from sales.
We work to improve and make continuing repairs to our home and certain enhancements while putting people to work in small numbers each year. If we cannot or will not buy a home, sell our home or rent.... we are going to stay put and really take our existing structure to the max. Including FEMA rated doors and other improvements.
We are certified not to be on a flood plain. We have bought flood insurance faithfully anyway. No more. We learned the program is underwater because the stupids in charge keep paying to rebuild homes destroyed by hurricanes and floods that will happen again and again in the exact same spots. How much will it take for the people to stop this waste and GO live elsewhere where they dont have to worry about floods and storms. It's better to live on a hill than at the bottom of one.
FDIC banking is dead. ATM is dead. We make a bank run once a month (Maybe....) and keep a vault at home and don't need to bleed money towards the banking system any more than necessary. It's all cash. Occasionally we wave a credit card but pay it off when we get home.
We once owned stock in power. We sold and got out back before the markets fell years ago. We did see an opportunity to go into Ford at 2.50 but chose not to.
Now looking at today's market conditions as reported by ZH, I must say that we are not paying a dime into wall street and they need to collapse and clear out the dead wood. The faster we get this over with the easier it will be to ease the pain and make things right again.
We have seen the Embargo, S&L's and 9-11 and recent problems in the last few years. But never have we seen a Market that seems to be inflated by Uncle Sam blowing money.
We would prefer that money being blown by Dear Uncle Sam go straight to the People. For example... If you retired People at 50 mandatory with a 1 million dollar lump sum check and social security at 67 onwards you will instantly create millions of jobs and clear out the old fucks who have been working too hard and too damn long in a rut and are getting tired of it.
So tired that they need to buy young women to come show them a good time. What a waste.
Iraq once showed their new Stock Market when the US Invasion was winding down. All they had was a White Board, a bunch of magic markers, a few telephones and a few traders to keep track of everything bought and sold.
Maybe we should retire the entire Wall Street Establishment and start over again trading with the basic white board using a telephone and markers to add up and subtract trades by daytime only.
I can go on. Some of you are going to junk me. But you will learn that I have done everything I can and will continue to do whatever it takes to be resilient and strong to give the USA a fighting chance before it's all over or it's all fixed proper.
Basically we are not going to quit now.
I won't junk you, but I will say that paring back isn't exactly a winning strategy in all cases. Also, why the fuck did it take you so long to lose faith in the electoral system? I knew by the time I was 16 that voting is a complete sham! I still chuckle when I see those tools on election day wearing their self-righteous "I voted!" stickers. Those are the same people who enjoy prime time television each night and race to work to discuss what happened on the Biggest Loser or The Bachelorette.
As far as boomers getting pay outs, get real. Your generation blew us up, you get nothing.
A very long time ago President Ford was replaced by Carter. I recall the... joy in the air as Carter took office. The people at least in my area were happy.
Not for long though. Iran took care of that.
Regean broke the USSR. We made them bury themselves.
Losing faith in the election system? Well, I thought it was Clinton two rerun was difficult (Florida hanging chads or was it another election?)
When I watched the last election with Obama running, I took strength to see Iowa come out of the farms all over in a winter storm to take Huckabee and put him in for the Presidency.
But once morning came, everything else is down hill from there.
I went back to my old dusty history books, the correct kind that are not allowed to be taught in schools today. I learned about the Parties since about the Andrew Jackson Presidency.
When I closed the book, I had known right then that someone is going to get elected and it aint always the one that will be good for the Nation.
Going over some of the past Presidents and some of thier bio's seem to confirm it.
I have seen enough. Now I want change before I get too old to recall how much I actually gave a damn for a very long time. Hopefully by then the IV drugs will be pretty good company.
Sounds great, doing it right. I got a place in the NC mountains with well and septic, southern exposure, wind possibilities, and 5 acres to grow.
The boys here believe in the 2nd amendment and still make moonshine. It always was an alternative fuel for vehicles until Rockefeller funded prohibition to make 'em stop. It's legal with a permit for alternative fuel but most don't bother here cause they like the taste, too.
200 gal water/200lbs sugar/1 lb cake of brewers yeast x 3 days; distill EtOH @170 F = 40 gal yield 90%+ EtOH. A little whispering and cajoling might help.
Cost is about $1.50-2.00 gal EtOH from sugar. Stock up. Ratio is the same on smaller batches. As a fuel read up on how to make your vehicle or generator alcohol fuel compatible. Usually not much. Off shelf additive to protect seals + fuel filter/flow change to accommodate change in combustion and starting.
We dun gone green!
I suspect your estimate is a little high. 6-8% ETOH would be a more realistic yield. The temperature will also greatly influence both the percentage, and the amount of time needed to produce alcohol.
You are onto the major points
Best of luck to you and yours.
You're making all the right moves to survive this calamity. Good for you. You'll make it.
Nice sentiment, very much appreciated.
S&P500 Financials index has not been bullish for some time. This is a warning.
http://stockmarket618.wordpress.com/2010/09/27/mon-sept-27
A house divided soon falls. "Strength in diversity" is a lie...... strength in unity is the truth. The UNITED states used to be a world leader............ The DIVERSITY states are coming apart .......
http://www.kevinmacdonald.net/Immigration.pdf
Diversity divides. The USA is finished. This diversity scam is the underlying corrosive factor to a unified and coherent culture.
It's a "jewish" evolutionary strategy as outlined in Dr. Kevin MacDonald's trilogy "The Culture Of Critique", "Separation and It's Discontents", and 'A People That Shall Dwell Alone". He basically lays out their playback for destroying a nation and it's culture. They moved here after destroying russia and germany before us and setting up the crime syndicate that is kikistan proper.
I just want the same insider information to trade upon just as they do.... If they just aint going to write us all a million dollar check then the least they could do is let us know which stocks to buy. LOL what a scam these jokers are running. See you all at the FEMA Camp
Hah! The death of the Americans may have been greatly exaggerated?
"I don't see much future for the Americans. It's a decayed country. And they have their racial problem, and the problem of social inequalities . . . Everything about the behavior of American society reveals that it's half Judaized, and the other half negrified. How can one expect a State like that to hold together - a country where everything is built on the dollar?"
-Adolf Hitler
only half judaized? he obviously wast talking about the Federal reserve. thats 100% Judaized.
You got junked for that but it's true nonetheless.
Just thanks for your name. After getting trashed watching the Giants and the Jets win, the words "liberal sodomy" absolutely cracked me up.
Thanks, and by the way, don't f the banks because the banks are already f'ed.
Nice quote.
The best book about Hitler:
The Young Hitler I Knew -- August Kubizek
Epilogue
http://www.faem.com/books/yhik24.htm
I opened the envelope; there were my friend's postcards, letters and drawings, though certainly only a part of those I had received from him. But nevertheless, some well worthy of interest; I reread his cards and letters. What should I do with them? Should I send him back the whole correspondence. But why? He had other things to do now than to warm up old boyhood memories. Perhaps he had long since forgotten the lanky, music-mad carpenter's apprentice whom he had met in the Linz Theatre. Should I write to him? That, too, seemed to me pointless, as even in those days he had scorned me for my feeble interest in politics and now he would be more than ever disappointed in me.
-----------
In the beginning I was often questioned, first in Eferding, then in Gmunden. These interrogations all ran on the same lines; something like:
"You are a friend of Adolf Hitler's?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
"Since 1904."
"What do you mean by that? At that time he was nobody."
"Nevertheless, I was his friend."
"How could you be his friend when he was still a nobody?"
An American officer of the Central Intelligence Corps asked: "So you are a friend of Adolf Hitler's. What did you get out of it?"
"Nothing."
"But you admit that you were his friend. Did he give you money?"
"No."
"Or food?"
"Neither."
"A car, a house?"
"Not that either."
"Did he introduce you to beautiful women?"
"Nor that."
"Did he receive you again, later on?"
"Yes."
"Did you see him often?"
"Occasionally."
"How did you manage to see him?"
"I just went to him."
"So you were with him. Really? Quite close?"
"Yes, quite close."
"Alone?"
"Alone."
"Without any guard?"
"Without any guard."
"So you could have killed him?"
"Yes, I could have."
"And why didn't you kill him?"
"Because he was my friend."
I don't buy it on your word that the provided quote is legite. Could be though. That peice of shit Hitler was quite a peice of work.
Glad you have employement.
Can't blame you. You are a tool. Shut the fuck up about skin color, Ethnic affilition, and any other bullshit leftwing game.
That is what the left has got? Sick ass bastards.
Fuck you.
Your whore mother crapped a retard.
GHW Bush: "Your whore mother crapped a retard."
Bush "Senior" said with disgust as he tossed a deck shoe at his dysfunctional son George "Junior"...
Bush "Junior" crawled out of the sailboat he had crashed on the Kennebunkport rocks sobbing...
"John" Jeb Bush: "What a dumb-ass, huh daddy?"
"Neil" Mallon Bush: "I told you that 'tard was adopted."
"Marvin" Pierce Bush: "Of course he's a 'tard."
"Look at how many times daddy hit him in the head with a baseball..."
I must of hit the wrong link , This is certainly not the ZH in my favorites....
I've been thinking long and hard about this "little" problem. Like currencies, it's all relative. When push comes to shove, and it will, the good old U.S.A. still has what it takes, relative to other countries. I think that we all will survive this monetary insanity. What I REALLY worry about is the random BIG event. A huge CME (coronal mass exjection) or EMP (electomagnetic pulse) that destroys the entire electrical grid. Then we are back to about 1850, and no one has mules or a garden. That's going to be the game changer. We're looking at, maybe 90% death rate. Messy. I'm buying gold/silver for an economic oopsy, can't really plan for the BIG event.