Since the Great Crisis began in 2007 the Fed/ Feds have done the following:
- Cutting interest rates from 5.25-0.25% (Sept ’07-today).
- The Bear Stearns deal/ taking on $30 billion in junk mortgages (Mar ’08).
- Opening various lending windows to investment banks (Mar ’08).
- Hank Paulson spends $400 billion on Fannie/ Freddie (Sept ’08).
- The Fed takes over insurance company AIG for $85 billion (Sept ’08).
- The Fed doles out $25 billion for the automakers (Sept ’08)
- The Feds kick off the $700 billion TARP program (Oct ’08)
- The Fed buys commercial paper from non-financial firms (Oct ’08)
- The Fed offers $540 billion to backstop money market funds (Oct ’08)
- The Fed agrees to back up to $280 billion of Citigroup’s liabilities (Oct ’08).
- $40 billion more to AIG (Nov ’08)
- The Fed backstops $140 billion of Bank of America’s liabilities (Jan ’09)
- Obama’s $787 Billion Stimulus (Jan ’09)
- QE 1 buys $1.25 trillion in Treasuries and mortgage debt (March ’09)
- QE lite buys $200-300 billion of Treasuries and mortgage debt (Aug ’10)
- QE 2 buys $600 billion in Treasuries (Nov ’10)
- Operation Twist 2 (Nov ’11)
- QE 3 buys $40 billion in Mortgage Backed Securities every month from now on (Sept. ’12)
That’s one heck of a list. And the worst part is I know I’ve left something out somewhere.
However, despite this incredible intervention, the economy remains in the toilet. Indeed, adding to the more evidence that the alleged “recovery” is in fact a load of BS category… we have the latest survey of small business owners. Small businesses (50 employees or more) account for 75% of job creation in the US.
- 67 percent say there is too much uncertainty in the market today to expand, grow or hire new workers.
- 69 percent of small business owners and manufacturers say President Obama’s Executive Branch and regulatory policies have hurt American small businesses and manufacturers.
- 55 percent say they would not start a business today given what they know now and in the current environment.
- 54 percent say other countries like China and India are more supportive of their small businesses and manufacturers than the United States.
“Instead of smoothing the way, our government continues to erect more barriers to growth through burdensome regulations that increase costs for small businesses and all Americans,” NFIB president Dan Danner said.
This comes on top of the following:
- Median income today is lower than it was during at the end of 2009 (when the recession supposedly ended)
- The percentage of Americans on food stamps has increased from 11% to nearly 15%
- The average unemployment duration has increased from 30 weeks to nearly 40 weeks
- The civilian employment to population ratio hasn’t budged
- Industrial production has yet to exceed its former peak (a first in post WW-II “recoveries”)
And the Fed’s answer to this issue? Print more money!
Indeed, it is now clear, via QE 3, that the Fed has gone “all in” in its commitment to money printing. QE 2 put food prices to record highs… what do you think QE 3 (which is unlimited) will do to the cost of living?
The time to start preparing is now. The printers are running. The Great Currency Debasement has begun. Some folks will walk out of this mess winners. Most will walk out as losers.
At Phoenix Capital Research, we’re taking steps to insure our clients are among the winners. We have a host of FREE Special Reports devoted to helping readers prepare for the coming Debt Implosions in both the US and Europe.
We also feature a special report devoted to inflation as well as which investments will perform best during periods of high inflation (periods like the one we’re entering).
All of this is available 100% FREE at www.gainspainscapital.com [20]
Best Regards,
Phoenix Capital Research