Category United States of America

Mar 9 2022

The Dismal Track Record of the Press


Armstrong Economics Blog/Press Re-Posted Mar 8, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: Hi Martin – thank you to you and your team for all your good work. Canadians have held a high level of respect for our government. It is so difficult now that our current PM and his crew have so little regard for the Canadian citizens that they serve. They lied about Trump supporters funding the Truckers Convoy and they tried to divert the GoFundMe funds.
The president of GoFundMe Tells Committee 88 Percent of Freedom Convoy Donations From Canada
Sad times when our government continues to divide us.
K.P. Toronto

REPLY: This is the problem being accelerated by yellow journalism. The press is putting out sheer garbage and they whip people into a frenzy by creating false images about everything. I do not believe that journalism will be a respectable profession in the year ahead, for they are creating tremendous crises and costing lives. What they did in Canada, then with COVID, and now with Ukraine, they are driving the world into sheet hatred.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=-o7VoM1jlOs%3Ffeature%3Doembed%26wmode%3Dopaque

It is certainly not like they have a good track record. They created the Spanish American War over total fake news, not much different from the “weapon of mass destruction” and Iraq. The New York Times even hid the death of 7 million Ukrainians by Stalin because they wanted communism.

In Canada, the words of Barry MacKillop, deputy director of Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Center, who spoke before Canada’s House of Commons finance committee, made it clear that the money the organizers managed to raise was NOT “cash that funded terrorism or was in any way money laundering” – it was simply a way for people living in what they thought was a democratic country believing was a safe way of expressing their position on an issue.

Journalism is now working hard to further the hatred of Russia and to propel the West into World War III.

Mar 9 2022

Leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates Refuse To Take Biden Phone Calls, Both Spoke to Vladimir Putin


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 8, 2022 | Sundance

Remember when Joe Biden tried to claim, because of his election, the U.S. was respected again?  Yeah, well, not so much.

Apparently, the Biden administration planned to go hat in hand to the Middle East for help with oil production.  However, Saudi Arabia and the UAE refused to even take Joe Biden’s calls.

(Wall Street Journal) […] Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the U.A.E.’s Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan both declined U.S. requests to speak to Mr. Biden in recent weeks, the officials said, as Saudi and Emirati officials have become more vocal in recent weeks in their criticism of American policy in the Gulf.

“There was some expectation of a phone call, but it didn’t happen,” said a U.S. official of the planned discussion between the Saudi Prince Mohammed and Mr. Biden. “It was part of turning on the spigot [of Saudi oil].”

[…] One U.S. official said the Biden administration has worked diligently to strengthen Saudi and Emirati missile defenses, and that America would be doing more in the coming months to help the two Gulf nations protect themselves. It may not be all the two countries want, the official said, but the U.S. is trying to address their security concerns.

But the Saudis and Emiratis have declined to pump more oil, saying they are sticking to a production plan approved between their group, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries, and a group of other producers led by Russia. The energy alliance with Russia, one of the world’s top oil producers, has enhanced OPEC’s power while also bringing the Saudis and Emiratis closer to Moscow.

Both Prince Mohammed and Sheikh Mohammed took phone calls from Russian President Vladimir Putin last week, after declining to speak with Mr. Biden. (read more)

MBS and Sheikh Mohammed are not blind.  They know the Obama-Biden teams support the Muslim Brotherhood who are the political wing of the Islamic extremist figures creating unrest in the Middle East.

Mar 9 2022

Blinken and Biden Fold, Pentagon Rejects Poland Offer for United States to Start World War III


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 8, 2022 | Sundance

Ha-Ha-Ha… Oh, the Biden administration is not happy with Poland. Not happy at all.

Earlier this afternoon, Poland called Secretary of State Anthony Blinken’s bluff, over the U.S. claims that Poland was going to send fighter jets into Ukraine.  This followed Sunday’s announcement where Poland said the U.S. State Dept was lying.

Earlier today, Poland said they would give the U.S. the planes if Blinken and Biden wanted to start World War III, but Poland wasn’t going to help the U.S. create a war with Russia.  This put the U.S. in a ‘put up or shut up’ position.  Well, Blinken and Biden just folded, per the Pentagon:

Pentagon – We are now in contact with the Polish government following the statement issued today.  As we have said, the decision about whether to transfer Polish-owned planes to Ukraine is ultimately one for the Polish government.  We will continue consulting with our Allies and partners about our ongoing security assistance to Ukraine, because, in fact, Poland’s proposal shows just some of the complexities this issue presents.

The prospect of fighter jets “at the disposal of the Government of the United States of America” departing from a U.S./NATO base in Germany to fly into airspace that is contested with Russia over Ukraine raises serious concerns for the entire NATO alliance.  It is simply not clear to us that there is a substantive rationale for it.  We will continue to consult with Poland and our other NATO allies about this issue and the difficult logistical challenges it presents, but we do not believe Poland’s proposal is a tenable one.  (read more)

Well played Team Poland, well played!

Mar 9 2022

Under Secretary Victoria Nuland Admits U.S. Funded Biological Research Labs Exist in Ukraine


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 8, 2022 | Sundance

Earlier today, Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Victoria Nuland, was testifying before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee (SFRC) on Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.  The Senate Foreign Relations Committee is the legislative branch body who works with the executive branch State Dept to launder money through foreign nations.  The Senate is the bank, the State Dept is the collection agency.

One of the members of the SFRC is Marco Rubio, also the vice-chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence (SSCI).  Keep this point at the front of your reference.  Senator Rubio has a specific intent when he asks Ms Nuland publicly about biological weapons labs in Ukraine.

Don’t get so caught up with the nervous admission by Under Secretary Nuland, that you miss the purposeful intent of Rubio in getting out in front of a story that could be more troublesome for the Fourth Branch (intelligence apparatus).  Rubio would not make this public remark, if he wasn’t ¹intending to dilute a bigger issue.  WATCH: 03:35 prompted

48 hours ago, this was a conspiracy theory.

Funny how that happens.

¹Marco Rubio was previously the Senator who defended Mark Warner against damning text messages during the SSCI Spygate effort.

Mar 9 2022

McConnell Says House Will Send $14 Billion Ukraine Aid Package to Senate in Massive Omnibus Spending Bill


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 8, 2022 

This is beyond ridiculous.   Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell announces a $14 billion Ukraine aid package will come over from the House of Representatives inside a massive Joe Biden Ominbus spending bill, because there is no budget process being followed.

The Democrats know the Senate Republicans want to send Ukraine a bunch of money to continue funding the graft, kickback and payment schemes used by the Senate in order to enrich their donors and families.  So, Nancy Pelosi takes the massive Omnibus spending bill to fund the Biden agenda and inserts the $14 billion Ukraine package she knows the Republican Senators will vote for.  WATCH:

It’s a typical UniParty manuever.  The Republicans cannot be seen on record funding Biden’s agenda, so wink-wink, nod-nod, adding the Ukraine aid gives the Republicans political cover.  Mitch, and the DeceptiCons,will now say they had to vote for Biden’s massive spending Omnibus because it’s the only way they could get the money to support the babies in Ukraine.

A vote against the Joe Biden massive Omnibus spending package is a vote to kill the Ukrainian people by not sending them $14 billion.

House Democrats shut down the government over President Trump’s buget request for $10 billion to build the southern border wall, but House Democrats can prioritize $14 billion in deficit spending to protect the borders of Ukraine.   See the agenda?

There has not been a budget passed in regular order since fiscal year 2008.  The funding of government has been shifted to a never-ending series of Omnibus spending packages and continuing resolutions for the past 15 years.  This is why our deficit has exploded.  FUBAR.

Mar 9 2022

Poland Calls Secretary Blinken’s Bluff, Refuses To Help the United States Start World War-III Against Russia


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 8, 2022 | Sundance

Last weekend, U.S secretary of State Anthony Blinken said Poland was in preparations to send their MIG fighter planes to Ukraine, and the U.S. would be replacing them.   It was a stunning statement considering that Poland is a NATO ally, and Russia would certainly see this effort as increasing direct confrontation.  However, a few hours later Poland issued a statement essentially refuting the claims by Secretary Blinken and saying they had no intent to send fighter jets into Ukraine.  Essentially the government of Poland called Blinken a liar.

In a stunning exhibition of poor diplomacy, with very serious consequences, the State Department did not retract the weekend claims by Blinken.  Instead, they doubled down saying that Poland was going to send fighter planes into Ukraine, which means NATO would be entering the conflict, which means U.S. forces would soon join the battle.  Drawing the U.S. into the war looks like the intent of Blinken’s effort.

However, in a statement today, again highlighting they have no intent to trigger World War III (despite the best efforts of the U.S), Poland is calling Blinken’s bluff {SOURCE}.  I screen captured it, because I do not want anyone to miss the direct framework of the Polish position:

Everything about that statement, including the headline, shouts that Poland is calling Anthony Blinken’s bluff.

Essentially, Poland is saying: “Bulls**t, on all of this.  The U.S. is lying.  We are not going to start World War III, but if you intend to – well, here’s the tools, you start the war.”  It is a stunning statement, and a jaw-dropping situation.

The U.S. State Department is trying to use Poland to trigger a NATO war against Russia.  Poland wants no part of that and is directly and specifically telling the world that Secretary of State Anthony Blinken is lying.  Yet somehow, the media don’t report on this.

Here’s the previous stuff:

Mar 9 2022

Biden Announces Ban on Russian Oil Imports, Simultaneous With US Gasoline Prices Hitting Record High


Posted originally on the conservative tree house on March 8, 2022 | Sundance 

line hit $4.173, according to the American Automobile Association, with many regions now far exceeding that price.  It is not uncommon to see $5/gal gasoline in many areas.

Against this backdrop, Joe Biden announced today that his administration is banning the import of oil, liquified natural gas (LNG) and coal from Russia.  [We do not import LNG or coal from Russia, so that political point is moot.]  You can read the executive order HERE.

The executive order also bans any U.S. entity from investing or facilitating the investment of Russian energy development.  That section explains why there were earlier reports of Oil companies withdrawing from Russia.  They were obviously given a heads up.

The way the order is currently written, and a lot of it has to do with extremely generous interpretations by the U.S. Treasury Dept., it would appear that any energy company currently operating in the U.S. cannot simultaneously be operating in Russia (or be part of the subsidizing and insurance network that supports energy development in Russia).  The Treasury interpretations here are fraught with complexity.

The part that matters is boiled down in this section:

(i)    the importation into the United States of the following products of Russian Federation origin:  crude oil; petroleum; petroleum fuels, oils, and products of their distillation; liquefied natural gas; coal; and coal products;

(ii)   new investment in the energy sector in the Russian Federation by a United States person, wherever located; and

(iii)  any approval, financing, facilitation, or guarantee by a United States person, wherever located, of a transaction by a foreign person where the transaction by that foreign person would be prohibited by this section if performed by a United States person or within the United States.

     (b)  The prohibitions in subsection (a) of this section apply except to the extent provided by statutes, or in regulations, orders, directives, or licenses that may be issued pursuant to this order, and notwithstanding any contract entered into or license or permit granted prior to the date of this order.  (LINK)

The European Union cannot cut themselves off from Russian oil and natural gas.  Europe relies on imports for 90% of its gas and 97% of its oil products. Russia supplies 40% of Europe’s gas and a quarter of its oil. {source}  Essentially, China and the EU will continue to be the largest purchasers of Russian energy.

The White House is looking to replace Russian oil by purchasing from Venezuela, Iran and, to a lesser extent, Saudi Arabia.   In some ways, you can look at this oil purchase shift as a continuation of President Obama’s intent to exfiltrate American wealth.  Iran and Venezuela become the favored nations again, as they were in the Obama-Biden administration 2009-2017.

Ideologues who have always operated in the background of Biden are working on the same program to consign the U.S. economy as a permanent “service driven economy.”  The difference now is the rapid speed of their policy outcomes, because Biden is disposable.

Biden-Obama, and all that come with them, are working through an ideological plan.  All of these consequences and outcomes are features, not flaws.

$7/gal gas is likely this summer (if not sooner), that’s around $180 to $200 barrel oil price.

$10/gal gas appears to be their ‘Build Back Better‘ target price with oil around $250/barrel.

The Russia-Ukraine ‘crisis’ just helps them justify and speed up the process they already had underway.   I would argue the speed of their action is driven by their concern of a mid-term election outcome that might impede the bigger objective.

White House Press Release HERE –  Executive Order HERE

Mar 8 2022

Who Are the Oligarchs?


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Mar 8, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

(Photo: Former President Obama’s private yacht)

The word “oligarch” leads some to believe that these rich individuals are part of a mysterious underground society. The Oxford dictionary defines an oligarchy as “a small group of people having control of a country, organization, or institution,” and oligarchs are those who have profited off of the regime – in this case, Putin’s.

Is there a difference between a very wealthy American businessman who has profited off of American capitalism under [insert president here]? Technically, there is not as anyone can condemn another’s political system. America’s democracy has certainly come under fire by many leaders, primarily in the Middle East who have stated America is akin to a mafia organization. Trudeau showed us Canada is not above freezing individual accounts without Due Process. Our governments have exposed themselves throughout this pandemic, especially by letting us know they are not above coercion and silencing free speech.

So while many cheer the asset forfeiture of the evil Russian oligarchs, make no mistake about it that other nations can and will use this new tactic of war in the future. Governments can not only seize their citizens’ assets but have the ability to freeze international capital. How could anyone feel safe investing in a Western nation if their assets will not be protected? These Russian citizens can have their assets seized without proof that have any ties to Putin.

The wealthy citizens are always the first to flee when a city or nation is failing.

As I have stated, this will totally destroy the world economy as we know it. Foreign investment in Russia will be seized, and the prospect of this migrating to China is extremely high. A line has been crossed. You do not go after the assets of private individuals claiming they are holding personal money for Putin. That would be akin to saying someone was holding money for any politician simply because they live under that leader’s rule.

Mar 8 2022

The Model on War & Food Shortages


Armstrong Economics Blog/Agriculture Re-Posted Mar 8, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

During a war, food production collapses because tanks have a tendency to plow down crops. Here is a food ratio book from World War II in the United States where tanks were not plowing down fields. So even during WWII War, there were Ration Stamp Books issued by the United States government for citizens to purchase goods. Even Britain issued a ratio book, for in both cases, they needed to supply food to Europe which could not grow food. This is what will develop with Ukraine and Russia, combined with Ukrain you are looking at 30% of world grain production. Most of their exports go to Africa and Southeast Asia.

Perhaps now you will understand why our model has forecast focused on food both war post-2020, as well as a commodity boom into 2024. Even back in 2020, we warned that there would be a crisis in agriculture. The yearly array we posted back then showed a rally with a target in 2023.

A number of people have written in saying that others are copying our forecasts and pretend this is their personal analysis. There are always going to be people who want to pretend and take others’ work. The danger is that nobody can do this on a personal opinion, and even claiming they have looked at cycles back 500 years is the same BS you get from climate change analysts that stopped at 1850. Going back to the 16th century is by no means enough data to look forward. You are still dealing with the same monetary system and theories that are falling apart in front of our eyes.

You can go back to our 2011 World Economic Conference in Philadelphia where I stood up and warned the war cycle would turn up in 2014. What happened that year? Ukraine overthrew Yanucovof and that began the separatist movement in Donbas and this was the start of the Minsk Agreement. McCain and Graham traveled to Ukraine in 2016 to undermine that separatist movement simply because Donbas were Russians. The war we have today is directly the result of the behind-the-scenes proxy war against Russia that they began in 2014. Both McCain and Graham both opposed Trump in 2016, and it was John McCain who handed the fake dossier funded by the Clintons to claim Russia was interfering in the 2016 US election.

The model has beaten EVERYONE who pretends they foresaw this. My personal attempts at interpreting the arrays are by no means perfect. We provide the computer arrays so you can look at its forecasts yourself. In that manner, the model can continue to provide guidance long after I am gone.

Mar 8 2022

Putin Offers Peace – Zelensky Declines


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Mar 7, 2022 by Martin Armstrong

Reliable sources have confirmed that Putin offered to stop the war instantly if Kyiv give up its army, change its constitution to become a permanently neutral country in accordance with the Budapest Agreement, and acknowledge Crimea as part of Russia along with Luhansk and Donetsk are to be free separate republics. Zelensky has refused. Luhansk and Donetsk have been fighting for their freedom ever since the 2014 Ukrainian Revolution. This is what was to be settled in the Minsk Agreement which has been dragging out for 8 years.

The real question many Ukrainians now have is Zelensky was elected promising to ease tensions with Russia but he has done the opposite even cutting off the water supply to Crimea. Should the Ukrainian people vote on this offer? Why put the country at risk for those provinces that are 98% Russian, to begin with? The fear has been that Zelensky is really a poppet for the West that wants a confrontation with Putin. They have created an Iron Curtain in the financial world and that is now simply becoming permanent. Russians are being discriminated against in Western Europe and America to the point that such bad blood has now taken place that the world is dividing and there is no return to normal. This is not just a new Financial Iron Curtain with Russia, we are looking at the same reaction with China that will support Russia at the end of the day.

China’s top diplomat just accused Washington of trying to create an Asian version of the U.S.-European NATO military alliance joining Japan, India, and Australia to create a similar NATO-like Asian block. He further warned that it is up to the Biden administration to improve relations with North Korea.

We are NOT on a path toward world peace. There is nobody interested in trying to reduce tension. Everything now is name-calling and hostility on every front.