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The American Elections
Via Mark J. Grant, author of Out of the Box,
“Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they will just have to sit on their blisters.”
-Abraham Lincoln
For those of you in other parts of the world let me explain to you that between today and the American elections; virtually nothing else will matter. The United States will be in absolute focus on who is going to be the next President and what the Congress may look like. Short of a war breaking out between Israel and Iran or Germany marching into Brussels America will be focused inward and with rapt attention. Generally in the last decades the degree of difference between our candidates has been a matter of minimal variation. This is not the case in this election. We have a more Socialistic choice with Mr. Obama and a more Capitalistic choice with Mr. Romney. You can largely forget foreign policy debates and various schemes and artifices that try to re-direct the electorate; Americans vote from their pocketbook.
“The American President has to take all sorts of abuse from liars and demagogues.… The people can never understand why the President does not use his supposedly great power to make them behave. Well, all the President is, is a glorified public relations man who spends his time flattering, kissing and kicking people to get them to do what they are supposed to do anyway.”
-Harry S. Truman
As an observer of politics because they play such a crucial role in the world of investments I have a few remarks that differentiate this election from the last one. Gone are the promises of social redemption from Mr. Obama’s speeches because, in my view, the promises were not delivered upon. There is no ground swell of younger voters campaigning and voting for some sort of Orwellian new world order and I wonder just how many in this sub-set will actually vote for anyone. Gone are the speeches promising new hope for the next generation because America has run up the debt to the point that something must be done and we have reached the limit of our social indulgence and so that hard choices, tough choices, are going to have to be made by whoever assumes the American presidency. The concept of the “fiscal cliff” is not devoid of meaning as I postulate, as a matter of political reality, that we are probably better off with Romney and a Republican Congress so that the country does not lock itself in stalemate at a time when we can ill afford to be in that position. As a macro comment I would say that the liquidity provided by the world’s central banks has largely run its course and that there are issues of solvency in both America and in Europe that must be addressed. It may be true that the world suffers presently from a lack of leadership but the debts of Europe and of America will force the hand of the meek and the unwilling because the burden is far past the size where it can be ignored.
“An election is coming. Universal peace is declared, and the foxes have a sincere interest in prolonging the lives of the poultry.”
-George Eliot
Now, to set the record straight, I am neither a Republican or a Democrat and I have voted for both depending upon someone’s vision and qualifications. Neither have I given one red cent to anyone running for office. To me though, in this election, the choice is clear. I believe in working hard and having a country where someone can stand upon their own two feet and make something of themselves. I have always been proud that people can arrive in America from Europe, from Korea, from Paraguay, from Outer Mongolia and be free from religious persecution and have the chance, the opportunity, to better their life and the lives of their family. I am not a Socialist and while I think there should be a safety net for people in America I am not in favor of grand transferences of capital from the people that succeeded to the people that either chose not work or who did not accomplish their goals for whatever reasons. I see the Socialism in Europe where they believe in some type of harmonization and of the averaging of people and incomes but I do not believe in that concept nor do I think that is a core part of American values. No one gave me a dime and I got to my present circumstances based upon my own initiative and I applaud those who have done the same and those that have gotten further down the road than I have and while, like any of you, I am offended by illegal and immoral acts, I do not think that the vast majority of those on Wall Street should be bashed simply for the political sport of pitting Wall Street against Main Street.
“We have plenty of Confidence in this country, but we are a little short of good men to place our Confidence in.”
-Will Rogers
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Liquidity has run its course. Solvency issues.....
Sounds like Lehman, Bear Sterns. Fannie, Freddie, Wells Fargo, AIG in 08.
Today it sounds like the US Treasury, European Union.
They have played a game they cannot possibly win.
This article is just more crazy assertions from thinly disguised parnoid comspiracy theorists.
"This article is just more crazy assertions from thinly disguised parnoid comspiracy theorists."
And to paraphrase Peter Griffin (Family Guy): "You Sir, are a Fastizio!"
See I too can make up words like 'comspiracy' & 'parnoid'
;-)
No more kicking the can down the road then? Surely not!
You don't have to be a theorist to see the grand conspiracy. It's right in your face. aw.
This article is just more crazy assertions from thinly disguised parnoid comspiracy theorists.
I get a very strong sense that fools like you are about to have a massive die off.
Relax people ~ the election has already been called for Obama...
~~~
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pmdsk-Z7YS0&feature=youtu.be
francis_sawyer
LIAR!
Romney has already been chosen.
Obama was a placeholder to appease suicidal Democrats.
Well as you know ~ I get ALL my information from CBS as they have proven to be a reliable source... Plus ~ I'm an avid watcher of 'The People's Court'
francis_sawyer
So you admit CBS pays you to post!
You have not earned your money because I hear Vegas is tanking horribly.
I would only EVER trust a network whose CEO is the great nephew of David Ben-Gurion...
Thanks francis. Why do you suppose everyone doesn't know that?
Methinks the down arrows show you don't really understand sarcasm.
I think you're right. The banksters have chosen their guy, and Romney was reportedly at Bilderberg this year. Take lessons from the Republican primaries (as well as Scott Walker's shady Wisconsin win) and how Romney cheated his way to the nomination. These are important precedents for how the Republicans have been playing.
It's going to be the Bain vs. ACORN voting machines come November. Keep your eye out for reports of voter/election fraud. The 6th is going to be a bloodbath.
Jlmadyson
"Liquidity has run its course"
Good to hear you have a new solidity.
I hear Rice is good for liquidity issues, at least that is what works with Dogs.
The game is over, the players just don't realise it yet.
To the younger generation..
YOU cannot vote yourself "Free Stuff" by voting for a politician. They'll just take "Your stuff" instead.
UGrev
I beg to differ.
The young have the freedom to vote for who ever will burst their little bubbles.
Disenchantment, dispair and disillusionment are all the free stuff youth needs.
Differ all you want. I support your right to differ. Whether you are correct or not is another matter. While I agree they have the right to choose to vote for whoever they want.. they CANNOT expect gratification on the scale of "Delusions of Grandeur" while making that choice. It is irresponsible for a person to vote based on the promise of "Free Stuff" from the government when that "Free Stuff" is not actually gratis. It's paid for by the populace as a whole. To base ones' choice on this is to willfully and maliciously, albeit in many cases unknowingly by virtue of indifference or idiocy, affect the prosperity of others.
The consequences are what you are experiencing right now. Certainly this is freedom of choice and I am not denying that. However, being wise in ones' choices while making sure your choices do not affect the rights of others is also ensuring the freedom of others. So, go ahead and vote for "Free Stuff".. eventually, you end up with a society that tramples eachother for that $99.00 laptop. But hey, you voted freely for it, with indifference in your decision all the while saying "It's for the kids".
That's special..
True words, but coarse demands, if wisdom or reason is what it should be expected, by those whose generation has been brought up with everything but.
Gratification through entitlementality is what has been ingrained through this perpetual fuelling of the middle class populace notion, while said notion serves many definitions, which vary periodically, according to the intended purpose, which once provided its supply-growth machine, and now its demand-consumption machine.
As such, an unproductive middle class populace, with the sole role of a demand-consumption machine, is by default programmed to demand.
So siding with the tribe that supports entitlement of the masses seems as the choice to be made, in order to ensure the perpetually free provision of gratification.
By superficially observing the situation, it would appear that this particular tribe seems to represent the root of the current malaise, but its enlargement throughout time, and through malleability of those controlling it, can be defined as a reactionary consequence to the actions of the tribe representing the capital, its allocation, as well as the policies of short-termism implemented by its controlling proxies, which lead us to this juncture, in the pursuit of unaccountable profitability.
do we break 1400 on the spx today..since bernake is calling it quits the easy money will be over..se you at 1250 spx by year end..lol
Futures aren't bouncing, SPX down 20 to 1410 minutes ago, DJIA down 170, CAC down 2.2%, rest down 1%-2%, 6-12 month chart uptrends breaking now, safety-net sentiment is failing.
"Between today and the American elections; virtually nothing else will matter."
I think what happens on The Walking Dead and American Horror story are much more important.
I was really pissed that neither candidate expressed their outrage over the cancellation of Boss!
Oh and Young Justice has a more absorbing plot line than any election.
Dear fellow respected ZH'ers - What are your opinions on how markets will react after the US Presidential Elections should either Obama or Romney be elected?
Thanks in advance!
Howdan
I think food prices will definitely increase while packaging shrinks.
At least that's how it works at my local market.
Haha great response Gully Foyle - thanks I think sadly you are spot on and it's really irrelevant who wins....It'll just be more of the same.
see above ^^^
I think we've gotta have a serious leg down either way. This overinflated piece of shit that they call a market should be at about half its current level. I think we've seen the top this past month and will see a good correction, maybe not to its actual real value, but pretty sizeable nonetheless. And whoever wins, the "other side" will be blamed for the tanking market.
And food prices will appear to be a triple-levered ETF, going straight to the moon.
What do you mean by "markets"?
Regarding the Puppet-in-Chief of the United States, it matters not to the Central Planners who the puppet is.
The Central Planners pull the strings, the puppet moves.
The last real President was the guy before Woodrow Wilson.
JFK tried to restore power to the Presidency and had to be removed.
It would be suicidal for the puppet to try to act on his own.
Amen
Obama and Romney are like choosing between Coke and Pepsi as someone put it. They both can add to your weight and rot your teeth but provide no benefit.
yogibear
Dude Google South Park for a far better election analagy.
You mean the Douche and the Turd Sandwich?
You voted Republicrat and Democan in the past?
There's your problem, right there.
You voted and, in doing so, legitimised the process.
I've apologized for that.
You mean like bankers who look at porn at their desks while counting mounds of PUBLIC cash?
Yes. Yet another bullshit piece on ZH from another paper-pusher who stinks of fear.
Shizzmoney
"You mean like bankers who look at porn at their desks while counting mounds of PUBLIC cash?"
If they are naked with that cash in their laps then they would be counting MOUNDS OF PUBIC CASH.
Champagne for my real friends and real pain for my sham friends.
Guess which group we are all in with either of these asshats.
What you, or any of us, "think" is irrelevant. Unless there are real consequences for bad behavior at all levels of society nothing will change. The difference between the wall street and financial fucks and the rest of the world is these motherfuckers are seriously overpaid relative to the real value they actually create. By the way, having your bonus go from 50 millon to 25 million because you bankrupt a company is not a real consequence, you should be bankrupted as well!!!
Prosecute the fraud you dumb paper-pushing fucks or the rest of us will eventually bring the guillotines and use them indescriminately. I see numerous people taking themselves and their communities "off the grid" as it were already. Fine with me, I know the real value of the labor of my employees and myself. Noone wants to restore the rule of law and contracts, fine, fuck you all and give me something fucking real in exchange for my labor and your survival. Stupid fucking sheep.
"...or the rest of us will eventually bring the guillotines and use them indescriminately."
No we won't. At best we might vote for someone else who will do something only slightly different.
hungry folks behave irrationally, think of the guillotine as a metaphor for random acts of survival. If you don't think wealthly folks, banks, large companies and political elite sitting on tons of real assets won't be targeted once really smart, formally employed, engineers are starving, you don't know history. In the end, humans are indeed tribal. Will your tribe survive the upcoming chaos? That's all you should be concerned with.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=saYvWAVmT_s&feature=autoplay&list=AL94UKM...
Jackson Browne - I Am A Patriot
Main Street will always be the sacrificial lamb in any type of power brokerage, be it political or otherwise. Justice and its consequences are just another shadow market component, bought and sold with the same rigor as any other commodity.
Wow, could not be more relevant today. Well done.
These elections are completely pointless.
It's a two party system where both sides are brought off and paid for by the same corporate mob.
There is no choice the way it is, the people are screwed either way.
Choose the red pill... wake the fuck up America.
Well, if the Repubs manage to repeal Obamacare, these elections will not be pointless.
Said another way, would you vote for Obamacare right now? Train wreck, right? So let's at least get THAT out of the way. Ron Paul 1, Socialists 0.
And since repealing Obamacare has zero change of happening, are they then pointless?
A repeal would be against the financial interest of the insurance companies, drug companies, equipment/supply companies, and IT/EMR companies. As Romney has repeatedly stated, he would merely "change a few things" (ie., remove the stuff that is not in their financial interest, such as the protections against recission), and keep the shit they do like, such as mandating that every person purchase coverage by rule of law (which is unconstitutional, but this particular Supreme Court clearly doesn't give a shit about the constitution).
The humorous fallacy in the public rhetoric is this notion that "private businesses" don't like Obamacare. Not true. Big businesses/cronies love this shit. Small businesses are fucked. See now? This is just one reason among many why we're fucking screwed either way.
It's too late the republic is doomed. Too many corporations and people are on the sucking on the government teet and it can't be sustained. There are too many takers and not enough producers. We outsourced most of our manufacturing so we produce nothing and consume everything. We have fought one war too many and emptied our coffers, and the war machine is no longer a profitable enterprise,paying for itself with any treasure from it's adventures. Too many politicians have sold their soul just so they can get elected one more time. We have passed the event horizen and now it's time for the big flush.
There is only one way to resist the new world order and it's not with elections. My guess is people need to feel a little hunger before they do.
Hungry people do not make rational decisions.
The decisions they are making now are clearly rational.
How about over-fed and under-fed make for irrational choices? Seems that balance is what we should be striving for; but that will be difficult in a world of extremes.
Rational is in the eye of the beholder...
Now I have a clear picture of who is responsible for this fucked up choice for president: The author of this article believes one of the two stooges will actually call the shots.
Shouldnt outside authors have guest post written on the beginning the header?
when the sky clears you will experience the shadow of the black swan
Elected?
In this American's opinion, those two should instead be arrested
What a load of hogwash!! Is this a slow morning in Zero Hedge....nobody else willing to write an article.
I'll write a guest post. It'll be titled "Fuck you, Bernanke: why Ben Bernanke and his ilk are traitorous fucktards who should all be hanged." My article will instantly get 1 million views and win me a Pulitzer, an Oscar, and a Nobel prize in Science.
Write up the whole truth and I'll make sure you also receive the 1st NoBull Piece Prize award.
In one of the threads on last night's debate, the following comment was posted:
"Romney just claimed the US Navy is weaker now than it was in 1917. I got news for Romney, and unlike Romney I actually served in the US Navy, the US Navy is the stongest Naval force in the world. It could defeat every Navy on the planet put together with about 1/4 of the the US Naval forces."
Ok, you have my attention!
The quoted statement is only a part of a longer post that has garnered far more ups than downs. I am not here challenging the thoughtfulness of the full post. What is of interest to me, however, is the matter of fact nature of the military boast the quoted statement makes. Look at it. Then, examine the assumptions upon which it has, of necessity, to be based.
In no particular order, it appears to assume some or all of the following:
1--more naval weaponry by a factor of 4 than the rest of the world combined is an advantage rather than an extraordinary waste.
2--successful warfare in the 21st century continues to depend on having more and bigger more lethal weapons platforms that ride on or under the water and/or fly and land on elongated skateboards and/or emit high energy death rays of the type first demonstrated in recent times by Nicola Tesla emanating from sea, land, space or from the moon.
3--unlike the rest of the world (combined) there is no limit on US capacity to deploy weapons.
I here challenge the accuracy, let alone sanity, of those assumptions. I think they are flawed.
I wonder what sort of shock to the American social fabric would occur if the vaunted US military industrial complex were revealed to be nothing more than a vast syndicate of profligacy and wasted talent?
There are interests that are making trillions of dollars on the invasions, wars, and empire building.Yet, the same people promoting wars, and getting filthy rich off them, are given the CNN-FOX-ABC pulpit to bash some guy that is getting some food stamps to feed his kids because his wages he works for don't quite cover all expenses.
Smedley Buttler, "War is a Racket".
The author starts by saying the office of the President has no significant powers, then argues that events will overwhelm whoever we elect as President this time because we are hopelessly insolvent. He then mysteriously concludes that this election is CRITICAL and that Romney and a Republican Congress are the best choice.
Let me offer a libertarian solution. If you want less government and spending, vote for Obama with a Republican Congress. A divided government is a government that can't do much. WTF is so bad about that?
I fully agree, goodrich4bk. From the start my plan has been to hold off my vote for POTUS based on what is most likely to happen with the House and Senate.If the Senate were to go GOP, I'd want to vote for Obama. If it stays Dem, then I am voting for Romney. I'll have to make a judgment based on polls and momentum, etc., but I think it looks most likely that the Dems will continue to hold the gavels next year.
I assume the House will stay GOP and there the ratio doesn't matter as much so long as most of the TeaParty folks are reelected. In fact, having the Dems pick off a few seats empowers smaller groups more since Leadership will need their vote every time.
Nope. If you vote for Obama you will see him continue his disregard for congress, and congress's inability to do anything about it in the face of Presidential control of the Justice department and of the military. Where have you been as Obama has completely disregarded the Constitution for 4 years?
Now, I'm not saying that Rumney will be different. We have as example the fact that Bush43 ALSO disregarded the Constitution - and was abbetted in doing so by the Congress. Whether Dem or Rep - the same paymasters will run the congress and pay them to do nothing as their CiC destroys constitutional rule further.
Not every American votes according to their pocketbook, although most do. Personally, the first determining factor for me is based on the violence America is exporting around the world and how much each candidate contributes or will contribute to this.
The Financial situation is what I look at next, even though in today's world the Financiers are largely responsible for the exportation of American Violence and exploitation of the world as a whole.
Obama's first time up for president showed a conflict because he was trying to come off as a peace candidate while sucking up to the Wall Street Financiers, so one could not vote for him if they were paying attention because of this obvious lie of his.
Yet, now we have Romney who is not only supporting a Violent America overseas but has bent over backwards and frontwards to let Israel, a foreign nation, know that he is willing to get America embroiled in even More violence for Israel's sake. He's also pledging $1 Trillion increased military spending. Sounds like a lot of the Wealthy white shoe boys are getting nervous that they may be losing their place on the world pedestal. So be it.
Every time a recession hits, or worse, the bashing starts on those who make average to poor to no wages. Of course food stamps are going to go up in a recession; more people need help. Wall Streeters are out of touch with reality; they've been making a living so long betting on other people's productivity (you know, those poor "trash" that actually do the work) they don't know what real work is. They also are the ones investing in the war machines and are likely the benefiaries of such warring mentality, unlike those that actually work for a living and whom are too ignorant to understand that they should not encourage their kids to military.
Anyone that votes for Romney or Obama is voting for the death of America. Both candidates represent the same interests and both are part of the same One Party that runs America, and is destroying the nation through massive theft and propagation of Violence....Don't pin this on the fucking poor. Go ahead, vote for your man, Romney. He will at least lead us into WWIII a bit faster and maybe our death knell will be quicker than the slow national suicide that Obama is giving us.
+100
Tough decisions? What is this author talking about? Presidents are yes men spending other people's money.
How bout we start with the "the vast majority of those on Wall Street " turning State's evidence or any otherwise exposing actionable evidence against the Oligarchic monsters who pay their wages? They are, after all, in the best postion to know about such things. The author did not indicate any advocacy for that.
Anyone who's voting in this "election" is a fucking retard, and that includes people I know and love....
"It is irresponsible for a person to vote based on the promise of "Free Stuff" from the government when that "Free Stuff" is not actually gratis. It's paid for by the populace as a whole."
The quoted statement is ideological. It represents a strong, nay, overwhelming attachment to libertarian and/or anarchistic values. I'm sure the poster strongly believes his:her use of the perjorative term "free stuff" is a fair and balanced way of describing the social welfare aspects of human societies on planet earth in this the 21st century.
I can only say that the viewpoint expressed by the poster is not widely adhered to on the planet as a whole. Its largest fan base is likely centered in the US of A. The presumed interests of liberty, freedom, self reliance that the viewpoint might be based upon are simply not persuasive to most people in most countries on this planet at this time.
I don't claim to know for sure whether a planet of armed, gold-laden, individualistic hoarders would be better or worse; but I think it would be worse. That is just my opinion.
Holy shit, Tyler has been The Narrator this whole time??? What a mindfuck...
With Romney there is a small chance the fedgov will suck less. Ya, I'm a dreamer. We'll see.
At present about the only "control" we little people have is that the Ober Fuehrers seem to require more than four years to pull off their Grand Designs. If they ever figure out how to abbreviate the process without having to get re-elected we're screwed.
Grant suggests: 'Germany marching into Brussels' ...
What a wonderful idea!
"tough choices, are going to have to be made by whoever assumes the American presidency."
Nah. The elites are flying high now. They'll just keep flying the plane until it runs out of gas and crashes. The elite politicians are playing musical chairs for the prize of going down in history as "the New Hoover." They don't seem to understand the concept of supply SYSTEMS and the interlocking infrastructural dependecies of modern technology and social order. From my POV, today's elites are the nobility partying in the castle while the Red Death parties outside... until... oops!
Sucks to be them!
Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil; who substitute bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter! Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes, and clever in their own sight! Woe to those who are heroes in drinking wine, and valiant men in mixing strong drink; who justify the wicked for a bribe, and take away the rights of the ones who are in the right!" Is 5:20 - 23.
In the context of current global conditions, Isaiah Chapter 5 is interesting...
LULZ! You forgot the <sarc> off, Mark Grant. What a load of steaming horseshit. You go ahead and vote Romney because you believe it will preserve "capitalism." Or vote for Obama. It don't fucking matter. But jumping out in defense of Wall Street? Pardon me, sir, your delusion is showing.
How's that Honduran Supreme Court decision treating you? Pisser that they just don't take the route of the Panamanians and shoot the poor bastards who complain about the transfer of state assets to private entities. Those Panamanians sure know how to run that capitalism, now.
I might pay more attention to these ravings if "social indulgence" also included corporate welfare. Funny how no one points out the billions corporations take from the government. And then the CEOs are pissed off that we don't worship them for their acumen.
Neither candidate will benefit this country, but given their respective backgrounds I honestly feel Romney would do less damage than another 4 years under Obama -- damage will be done, regardless of who wins. That said, the options in this election are tantamount to these two wondeful choices:
A) Four more years of hell [Obama]
B) Four likely years of purgatory [Romney].
For those who don't find either option desirable and want to just get it all over with there is always the Cthulhu write-in option.