End of Petro-Dollar Begins, Russia Instructs Central Bank to Organize Payments From Hostile Countries in Rubles


Posted Originally on the conservative tree house on March 23, 2022 

It’s a smart move by Russian President Vladimir Putin.  Facing financial sanctions and economic pressures from the U.S, NATO, EU and western allies, Putin stated today that all oil and gas payments must be made in Russian rubles.

The EU has few options as they are reliant upon Russia for energy products oil and gas.  If Putin organizes payment in rubles, his currency will automatically increase.  This sets the stage for other less hostile countries like the BRICS alliance to assist Putin ideologically and financially by transacting in rubles through the Russian central bank.

(Oil and Gas) – […] Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia would start charging the countries it considers “hostile” in rubles for its natural gas.

“I have taken a decision to switch to ruble payments for our natural gas supplies to the so-called hostile states, stop using the compromised currencies in such transactions,” Putin said, per a transcript published on the Kremlin website as carried by Bloomberg.

The Russian President—whose list of “hostile” states includes the United States, all EU member states, Switzerland, Canada, Norway, South Korea, Japan, and many others – has ordered the Bank of Russia, the central bank, to develop a system for payments in rubles within a week.  

“At the same time, I want to emphasize that Russia will definitely continue to supply natural gas in line with the volumes and prices, pricing mechanisms set forth in the existing contracts,” Putin said at a government meeting today.

It makes no sense for Russia to export goods to the EU or the United States in U.S. dollars or euros, Putin added.  (more)

It will be interesting to see how quickly they can get this up and running.

Australian Govt Set to Launch New Tourist Ad Campaign – Come to the New Australia, We Won’t Beat You, Shoot You or Lock You Up Anymore, Promise


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 23, 2022 


If it seems like only a few weeks ago when Australia was kicking out an international tennis star for not being vaccinated, that’s because it was only a few short weeks ago.

However, with a massive surge in COVID-19 cases ongoing, and heeding urgent instructions from the WEF group, Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison announces the land down under is now going to launch a new and improved tourist campaign.

Apparently, the Aussie government is concerned their modern ‘prison camp‘ island image might have a negative impact on visitors.

In an effort to overcome the global image of Australia forcibly locking people in quarantine camps, conducting manhunts for the escapees, shooting people with rubber bullets for not wearing masks and beating people in the streets for non-compliance, the Morrison team is going to spend $60 million on a ‘Happy Oz‘ media campaign to get tourism back with no vaccinations required.

We can only imagine the new two-year ad campaign:

“Come to the New Australia, We Won’t Shoot Now – Swear”.   Or…

“We Only Club the Locals, Mate.”

“The Aussie Courts are Open Again, and This Time We Mean It, Tennis.”

“Come Back, Come Vaxxed, or Not – Who Cares?”

“We’re not as Roo’d as you might think”

“Camping’s Great, Come Visit Our New Facilities”

“See, You Really Can Comply Your Way Out of Tyranny”

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The Plot Behind the Curtain


Armstrong Economics Blog/Geopolitical Re-Posted Mar 22, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: Mr. Armstrong, I have a serious question for you. Do you think that Putin was lured into this mess by people trying to change the world? I will leave it at that.

GB

ANSWER: Yes. I cannot believe that Harris’ off-the-cuff statement at the Munich Security Meeting that Ukraine should join NATO was simply a stupid mistake on her part. She is not the brightest bulb in DC, but I believe IF this was a mistake, the White House would have instantly recharacterized what she said to make sure Putin would not take it that they were advocating violating the Belgrade Agreement where Ukraine was to remains neutral. Based on why I know, Harris is not even familiar with maps. I believe she was “handled” and told to advocate that by someone there who intentionally wanted to start this conflict. Both Harris and Biden will simply say what they are told and I fear the Neocons have taken over the White House.

There is no NATIONAL SECURITY interest for the United States in Ukraine. Everyone just chooses sides, but nobody asks the question why should the entire world go to war, which will turn nuclear, over Ukraine as they did over the Balkans in WWI? The US is not even strategically threatened if Putin took all of Ukraine.

Americans are foolish and think this is some video game and they can watch the US beat Putin like this is Monday night football. This time there are nuclear weapons and a Russian Stealth Sub can surface just miles offshow and launch against 160 targets in a matter of minutes. EVERY Administration has always sought peace UNTIL now! So go ahead and cheer for the destruction of Putin. Just be very careful for what you with for. War simulations with China have also warned that American can lose and very fast.

Biden keeps claiming that Russia is losing. He said the launch of its hypersonic missile in Ukraine over the weekend was a sign of desperation rather than testing the weapon real time. He then threatened China that if they supported Putin, they would suffer the same sanctions. Biden then says that Putin’s may launch cyberattacks against the US and use chemical weapons in Ukraine next because his “back is against the wall.”

If this is true, why not try to clam things down when we know Putin does not believe in retreat? We have only cheerleaders for war – no peacemakers. All of this because Ukraine refused to let the Donbas be independent in a democratic process and vote? You do not push Putin against the wall and then claim he is a madman. If Putin was really a madman, he would nuke Ukraine and then what? There is an intended agenda here and it smells like intentional war. Must we all die because Neocons simply hate Russians and Chinese?

It remains questionable why Putin is holding back. He has the power station and could turn off the power, but he has not. Reports keep saying the Russians are stalled about 15 miles from Kyiv. Poland has put its forces on alert as Russian and Belarusian forces are likely to deploy on the Polish-Ukrainian border to close all cargo routes to Kyiv. That is the typical siege strategy which tends to imply he wants a surrender rather than to flatten Kyiv.

Putin, I believe, was lured into his invasion knowing his chief complaint has been the constant eastward movement of NATO. That does not make him a victim. There are no good guys. Both sides fight for their own self-interest precisely as in economics – i.e. Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand. What he did not expect was this onslaught of attacks against all Russians and the sanctions that have effectively cut off Russia from the West. This is intended to put so much pressure on Russia that they storm the Kremlin and behead him or some drastic event of that nature. But now, the hatred is against all Russians as a race. This is the dream of Ukrainian Nazis.

Lindsey Graham has gone way too far even for a Neocon calling for the assassination of Putin. He better start watching his own ass in my opinion for as they say what goes around comes around. Putin would be justifies in trying to do the same to Biden if he was really the brains behind this mess. I’m sure there are Russians in the USA undercover who could carry out such an order.

Worse still, if you were China and you just watched what the West has done to Russia, you would be wise never to trust doing business with the West again. You certainly would count your fingers after shaking hands knowing that they could quickly do the same to you. This is certainly why China is moving rapidly to get its own alternative to SWIFT and Saudi Arabia has just agreed to join selling oil to them in Yuan.

Then for the Ukrainian Intelligence to put out a story claiming there is a Russian group of Russian elites were allegedly conspiring to overthrow Putin and “restore economic ties” with the West. They are posting this on Facebook post from the Chief Directorate of Intelligence for the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine. Obviously, this is pure propaganda for if this were true, they would not warn Putin. Instead, they are putting out disinformation hoping someone will believe it and think they will be a hero. They are even putting out the name Alexander Bortnikov, the Russian Director of the Federal Security Service, will become his successor to the president. It is highly unlikely that they would prefer Bortnikov.

Back in a December 2017, an open letter published by Kommersant, where more than 30 Russian academics criticized Bortnikov for attempting to legitimize the Stalin’s Great Purge. He would be far more aggressive than Putin. So it seems to be disinformation in hopes that Putin would believe it and eliminate Bortnikov clearing the way for their true desired target to head Russia.

Ah! The Games people play!

Think Twice if not three times before you just CHEER for the defeat of Russia.

There is no retreat in Putin’s mind and doing away with him will only confirm to all Russians that the West is not to be TRUSTED.

Is this the future you really want for your children and grandchildren?

Wall Street Lobbying Groups Battle To Remove Transnational Shipping Restrictions To Protect Chinese Business Interests


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 22, 2022

The 40-year deindustrialization of America, and the subsequent destruction of jobs and the U.S. middle class, did not happen accidentally. It happened as an intentional outcome of selfish multinational business interests chasing profit, combined with the willingness of congress to accept bribes -via lobbying payments- in order to facilitative corporate greed.

The only disruption in the collective economic manipulation was the forced intermission by the American middle class when Donald J. Trump was elected.

President Trump’s tariffs, countervailing duties and protectionist policies against transnational dumping of steel and aluminum into the U.S. marketplace, was a major impediment to the corporate agenda, and it quickly resulted in the biggest economic resurgence in U.S. history.

As a result, people started demanding Congress take a new approach toward Chinese transnational shipping schemes as Beijing attempted to manipulate markets and avoid the Trump-era policies.   A few in Congress assembled legislation that would prevent companies from evading tariffs by rerouting their products through another country (i.e. transnational shipping).  That legislation has triggered the multinational business groups who are now lobbying congress to remove it.

The business groups opposed to the anti-dumping legislation are the same familiar voices who decry tariffs.  The U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Retail Federation and the usual list of lobbying interests are all lining up once again to demand the U.S. remains a ‘service driven economy’, so they can continue their business models and exploit the U.S. market while profiting from cheap imported goods.

WASHINGTON DC – A coalition of business groups on Tuesday urged lawmakers to strip a bipartisan trade measure out of a China competitiveness bill before it goes to President Biden’s desk.

In a letter to congressional leaders, retail, trade and manufacturing groups announced their opposition to the Eliminating Global Market Distortions to Protect American Jobs Act, a measure to combat unfair trade practices included in the House-passed China bill.

The legislation would overhaul anti-dumping and countervailing duty laws to prevent companies from evading tariffs by rerouting their products through another country. American steelmakers have long complained that Chinese steelmakers use this tactic to dodge duties they’d otherwise be forced to pay.

The business groups on Tuesday warned that the proposal would lead to increased tariffs on an array of products from U.S. allies such as Canadian lumber, Italian pasta and Japanese aluminum. They argued that the bill would “penalize legitimate trade and contribute to the inflationary pressures on American businesses” (read more)

Ah yes, we see again, the oft surfaced defense of the ‘it will cost consumers more‘ argument.  I wonder if anyone still believes their nonsense?