BRICS & The Gold Backed Currency Idea


Armstrong Economics Blog/Gold Re-Posted Jul 12, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: Marty,

Will the Brics launching a gold backed currency be the catalist for bankrupting 3rd world economies? Or is it rising interest rates on their debt?

Tks for all the light u share in a confusing economic landscape.

Cbeers
.baldy

ANSWER: It is unlikely that we are looking at a BRICS single currency like the euro, for that would require a central monetary authority, surrender of sovereignty as in Brussels, end any possibility of QE, etc. We would need to completely collapse the idea of Keynesian Economics insofar as it has evolved, allowing deficit spending.

There is no special magic to gold. It was first restricted to only kings, for it was considered to be the tears from the sun god. As more gold was discovered, it began to be used for the jewelry of wealthy aristocrats. Then it became used as money in its natural form, known as electrum, a natural alloy of gold mixed with silver.

Then they refined the gold electrum and created the first bimetallic coinage around 560 BC. This required a sufficient supply of gold to create a money supply. As the quantity increased, the value of gold declined relative to both silver as well as commodities in general – inflation.

The real argument behind gold as a backing is that its quantity is limited. However, over the centuries, the silver/gold ratio has fluctuated anywhere from 8:1 to 120:1. From this perspective, the real objective here is to prevent the government from creating money at will. Thanks to Keynesian Economics, governments have the power to create money at will, allowing them to retain power and exert it in their endless wars thanks to the Neocons.

The real objective here with the issue of BRICS is that both Russian and China object to the dollar being the reserve currency in the middle of geopolitical tension. Yet the Biden Administration has undermined everything by removing Russia from SWIFT. That set in motion the collapse of globalization, and it has shown to the world that the US now controls the SWIFT system, which renders it no longer politically neutral.

This is where the IMF is trying to desperately move in for the kill to replace the dollar with their electronic digital currency. This is really no better because the IMF will also play political games. Strauss-Kahn was appointed managing director of the IMF on September 28, 2007, with the backing of then–President of France Nicolas Sarkozy. He was set up, and in New York, they came up with a maid in a hotel who claimed he tried to rape her. They wanted to remove him became he was independent. He served in that capacity until he was forced to resign on May 18, 2011. All the charges were later dismissed for the lack of any credibility. Yet, his replacement was Obama’s friend Christine Legard, a board member of the economic terrorist organization, the World Economic Forum. She was installed in the IMF and immediately threatened all the tax havens to turn over all their secret accounts so they would be removed from SWIFT. She also threatened the Vatican.

We are clearly staring into the eyes of a major global sovereign debt default. This is also why they are pushing for war. They plan on holding another Bretton Woods II, and the IMF will make its pitch to rule the world. This is all part of the scheme for this one-world government.

BoC Study: 59% of Canadians Willing to Accept CBDC


Armstrong Economics Blog/Central Banks Re-Posted Jul 12, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

The masses do not realize what CBDC really entails. It is marketed as a convenient and modern way to bank. In truth it is a tool for control, an important tool that governments need to usher in the Great Reset. A recent poll by the Bank of Canada aimed to see how willingly the public would accept a new digital currency. Surprisingly, the majority said they were willing to make the switch without hesitation.

An alarming 59% of respondents said they are willing to switch to CBDC once available. They do not realize that they won’t have a choice in the matter. Around 43% said they were “somewhat willing” to accept CBDC. Then 11% said they were “very willing” and 5% “extremely willing.” Only 25% said they would not make the switch, which again will not be optional. Only 16% admitted that they do not understand the concept.

It appears that the public does not understand the risks involved. Over half (51%) said they were confident the central bank would securely handle their transactions and data. Around 56% said they were concerned about the potential for fraud, cyber attacks (53%), personal data misuse (44%), and lack of anonymity (35%). The central bank, of course, did not ask the real question – Are you comfortable with the government controlling all of your financial transactions?

Eighteen of the G20 countries have already begun developing digital currencies. The real threat here is that CBDC will provide governments will full access to our finances. We see how easily private banks de-bank individuals. Trudeau was able to cancel accounts of protestors and their alleged supporters in an instant.

CBDC would allow government to deny people access to their finances entirely, especially since cash will not be an alternative. The WEF wants to link individual IDs to the banking system and throw in social credit scores for good measure. A WEF spokesman recently said during the Summer Davos that they would like to control what people buy and ban unapproved purchases. Then they will ensure no money goes off the grid as governments want to tax us into oblivion. Now is the time to show resistance to the idea. Once they implement these policies, there is no going back. They will give us a timeframe to convert our cash to a CBDC and then governments will have complete control over our finances.

Bankruptcy on the Rise


Armstrong Economics Blog/USA Current Events Re-Posted Jul 12, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Chapter 11 bankruptcies in the US rose by 68% during the first six months of 2023, according to Equip Bankruptcy. You may have survived the pandemic, but surviving Bidenomics is proving too much for many businesses. There were 1,766 filings during the first six months of 2022, compared to the 2,973 businesses that went under this year. Chapter 13 personal bankruptcy also rose by 23% during this period.

Around 12,107 commercial filings were recorded during the first half of this year, marking an 18% increase year-on-year. Small businesses experienced a 55% increase in Chapter 11 filings during the same time period. Commercial bankruptcies increased 12% year-on-year in June alone, and small businesses saw a 111% spike. “The growth in filings is reflective of more families and businesses facing surging debt loads due to rising interest rates, inflation, and increased borrowing costs,” said ABI Executive Director Amy Quackenboss.

Everyone is in trouble here. This is becoming a trend as inflation is here to stay. Credit card debt has reached historical highs as people struggle to pay the basics. Businesses were already decimated by COVID policies, and some never regained the momentum. People have lost all confidence in the future and are less likely to spend. Many businesses attempted to recover from lockdowns and the supply chain disaster, but the increased regulations make it difficult for many to profit. It will only become more expensive to borrow money as Powell all but guaranteed additional hikes this year, and now many have no other option than to liquidate it all.

Nigel Farage – War on Cash


Armstrong Economics Blog/Cryptocurrency Re-Posted Jul 11, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

President Trump Denounces Biden Decision to Send Cluster Bomb Munitions to Ukraine


Posted originally on the CTH on July 11, 2023 | Sundance 

President Trump does not mince words when it comes to the senseless bloodshed and chaos in Ukraine.

As Joe Biden meets with NATO members to consider their latest strategies to expand the proxy war in Ukraine, President Trump denounces the decision to provide cluster bombs.

It should be noted, this recent decision by Biden follows an earlier decision by NATO to send depleted uranium munitions into the battlefield.  Ukraine is quickly turning into a toxic killing field as World War Reddit continues.

DONALD J TRUMP – “Joe Biden should not be dragging us further toward World War III by sending cluster munitions to Ukraine—he should be trying to END the war and stop the horrific death and destruction being caused by an incompetent administration. These unexploded cluster munitions will be killing and maiming innocent Ukrainian men, women, and children for decades to come, long after the war—we pray—has ended.

If, as Biden inadvertently admitted, the reason for sending cluster bombs now is that the United States is “running out of ammunition” (a great breach of classified information), that only further emphasizes the urgency of immediately deescalating this bloody, dangerous, and out of control conflict. It certainly means we should not be sending Ukraine our last stockpiles at a time when our own arsenals, according to Crooked Joe Biden, are so perilously diminished.

There could be no more vivid proof that Joe Biden’s policy of endless war in Ukraine has tremendously weakened the United States than the humiliating admission that the USA is now out of ammo, something our enemies are undoubtedly salivating over. This “admitted” weakness is an invitation to enemies all over the world. Joe Biden is needlessly and dangerously leading us into World War III, which would be a nightmare beyond imagination—obliteration!

We must stop this insanity, immediately end the bloodshed in Ukraine, and return to a focus on America’s vital interests. Most importantly, we must completely rebuild our depleted military so it is once again so strong—like it was just 3 years ago when I rebuilt it—that no nation would even think of threatening our people. We must have “PEACE THROUGH STRENGTH” and in a short time, the Presidential election of 2024 will produce that result.” (read more)

[…] NBC News asked most of the 2024 GOP presidential campaigns Monday for comment to gauge where other candidates stand on the munitions issue.

Only former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley responded, she said she supports the decision. (link)

Recipe For Perfect Pancakes


Posted originally on the CTH on July 11, 2023 

Making good pancakes is one of the easiest processes; however, you need just the right ingredients.  Consider this recipe next time:

2 large eggs

1 1/4 cups whole milk

4 tablespoons melted butter

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 tablespoon sugar

It stinks that the better option is to communicate like this; alas, sometimes it is necessary simply to avoid the Eye of Sauron – Google. Which is really the reason for writing this.

Our tech overlords really do not like CTH for several reasons, and they put blocks in the internet path in order to make things more difficult.

The two primary reasons they dislike us are:

First, we make all CTH content available free for duplication anywhere anyone wants, along with free reign to change, enhance or make it unique.  The lack of a primary source attribution makes it harder for the tech control systems to control the information flow, which is part of the reason we do it.

Second, we do not need Google, or any other search engine assist in order to share information.  More than 95% of all CTH visits are direct from user bookmarks to the site. This is very rare and a big annoyance for those who control the internet search engine results as a way to tamp down information.

That said, there has been a rather interesting recent development in the world of Google censorship.

With Google AI now doing most of the targeting for internet content control, the Google inputs into the automated sweep/radar now creates the flagged content for Google action.  You could always identify what Google was concerned about by looking at the content they flag for removal under their compliance system.

Google has never, not a single time, ever, set up sweep and search parameters to protect Republicans.   Content against Obama and various Democrats was always the source material they wanted to see removed.   However, for the first time ever, Google is now concerned about criticism and research related to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.  In fact, Google sweeps are now demanding the removal of content that is critical of Ron DeSantis and the RNC.

In the spreadsheet below you can see 21 CTH articles that have been flagged by Google for their extremist nature.

Research, opinion and analysis of Ron DeSantis is now labeled “dangerous”, “harmful”, and/or “derogatory” by Google.

This should not necessarily come as a surprise, because Ron DeSantis is a candidate supported by all the billionaires and major multinational corporations in the U.S 2024 election.

In addition to being ideologically skewed to the far-left, the Alphabet Google corporation is owned mostly by BlackrockVanguard and Larry Page; then come the smaller institutional investment groups.   The multinationals who control Google, also control most of the donor wealth behind Ron DeSantis.

You won’t find anyone on the DeSantis team that admits this fact, but our experience with the Google content police shows they are targeting and demanding the removal of content against the interests of Ron DeSantis.  Google supports DeSantis.

If you thought the Paul Ryan and Jeb Bush support for DeSantis was revealing, how much more revealing is it to realize Google is supporting DeSantis?  What does that tell you?

The Google blackmail goes like this….. Remove the content above, or we will pull all Google Advertising from your website.  Obviously, on our shoestring budget that sucks, but whatever… the larger point is to note how Google is concerned about “harmful claims” against Ron DeSantis.

That is quite a remarkable shift.

Remember, there are trillions at stake, ‘trillions’.  With the geopolitical dynamic being threatened and with trillions of dollars at stake, nothing is ever off the table.

When you think the people who control the world of finance and politics couldn’t possibly be organizing, coordinating and manipulating certain events, again, reevaluate your reference, because they do.

It’s a large network of aligned interests.  It does not take a lot of organization and/or the creation of some massive global conspiracy, to create outcomes of mutual benefit to all parties – when the interests of those parties are aligned inside the economics of the issue.  Instead, the process used has two components:

(1) – Identify the common enemy. Thereby everyone can act according to their institutional interests to undermine and attack that enemy.

(2) – Identify the common solution. Thereby, everyone can align to support the common objective according to their institutional capability.

Eyes of a mouse/Ears of an elephant…. and don’t forget to live your best life! 

Gold Back Currency Reality


Armstrong Economics Blog/Gold Re-Posted Jul 8, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

QUESTION: Do you think the BRICS would create a gold-back currency as proposed by Russia?

SJ

ANSWER: The Neocon has directed the Biden administration to remove Russia from SWIFT. Their single-minded goal is destroying the world economy, but they do not care. They think they will conquer Russia and China and dominate the world so they will worry about the monetary system afterward.

You have to understand that if the BRICS followed that directive and created a single gold-back currency, they would have to end any idea of international trade. This proposal is understandable given the hostility of the United States from the Neocons, who are now in charge. Congress is oblivious to what is happening, and the American public is arguing over Transgender destroying the family unit.

This is not some simple one-dimensional idea that we create a limited-backed currency. That will be DEFLATIONARY and, at the same time, promote civil war in the United States. Politicians cannot run for office, promising endless gifts, forgiving student loans, etc. You cannot have deficits. This would NECESSITATE the end of Marxism once and for all.

This idea of a gold-back currency requires political change on a grand scale.  That is coming. Post-2032 will be a new monetary and political system. Before then, they are pushing CBDC, and they will restrict what you can buy or sell, and this is all to retain power because they KNOW they are losing it. But in the process, they are destroying everything. The people who voted for Biden had no clue that they were voting for a coup and the ultimate destruction of Western civilization as we have known it.

I buy gold, but I also understand the game. I do not want gold-back currency; I prefer gold to remain as a hedge against the government. If they back the currency with gold, this time, they will be knocking down every door to confiscate it all.

These Neocons have already divided the world economy in two. They think they will conquer the world. The enemy is within.

US Sending Most Deadly of All Weapons to Ukraine That Kills More Civilian Than Soldiers


Armstrong Economics Blog/Neocons Re-Posted Jul 10, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Cluster Bombs kill more civilians than soldiers and are one of the most lethal weapons that destroy any territory. More than 120 countries have signed on to an international treaty banning the weapons, which typically scatter a large number of smaller so-called bomblets over a large area that can kill or maim unwary civilians months or years later. The United States refuses to sign the treaty. Our Neocons block anything to reduce their blood-thirsty hatred of Russians and Chinese. The United States is kept divided, using abortion and LGBTQ and pushing transgender on minor children all to divert our attention from the cold hard reality that the United States has undergone a coup where the Neocons are now in full control of the government and intend to wage world war III. There is no way they will allow Trump to win, nor will they allow RFK Jr. Biden will win and the CIA, etc, will ensure the vote is rigged in 2024. There is no way they will allow anyone to come to Washington to stop this war they have dreamed about their entire lives.

The US has maintained that Cluster Bombs are a war crime in themselves. Yet, the United States intends to now send Cluster Bombs to Ukraine. The Neocons care nothing about international law or even the opinion others have of the United States. The Neocons have pushed torture in Guantanamo Bay and don’t forget about what they did in the Middle East. The Neocons directed the United States Army and the Central Intelligence Agency to commit a series of human rights violations and war crimes against detainees in the Abu Ghraib prison in Iraq,

What they did in  Abu Grab was a war crime but nobody in Washington will dare accuse a Neocon. The US pays professionals on how to torture. There would be nobody in Guantanamo Bay prison if they were guilty. They would put them on trial publically and pump up the press and the prosecutors would become famous and then run for political office. Their best case was put on trial and the jury found him innocent of over 200 charges and guilty of only one count of conspiracy.  Ahmed Khalfan Ghailani was the best case they had. Obama reiterated his first campaign promise to close Guantanamo Bay and end torture back in 2008. – it’s still open.

Neocons always do whatever they want. They will NEVER comply with international law and could care nothing about tarnishing the image of Americans worldwide.

Car Companies Offering Free Wheel Locks Amid Rampant Crime


Armstrong Economics Blog/USA Current Events Re-Posted Jul 10, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Crime in America has become so out of control that car manufacturers are now providing free steering wheel locks. Kia and Hyundai are among the companies offering free locks nationwide. There was a 95% increase in these stolen vehicles last year. Videos emerged on social media explaining how to easily steal certain late-model Kia and Hyundai vehicles using a screwdriver. The car manufacturers are taking the blame, but the true criminals are the politicians implementing light-on-crime policies.

There are lawsuits against numerous car manufacturers and calls to pull 10 million cars without engine immobilizers off the road. The problem does not lie with the car companies. “In many cases, the vehicles are stolen solely for the purpose of operating in a reckless and dangerous manner. Such criminal conduct endangers our local communities and violates the property rights of the vehicle owner,” Kia said. Disturbed teens and young adults are primarily committing these crimes. This is a moral issue in our society where the youth have been taught that they are victims and entitled to what is not theirs.

Residents of San Francisco commonly leave their windows rolled down to avoid criminals smashing in their windows. NYPD provided 500 Bronx residents with air tags to keep track of their cars. Catalytic converter theft is on the rise everywhere. And some are simply stealing cars for fun without profit. Cities are overrun with crime and there are no repercussions for bad behavior. Teens will get a slap on the wrist at most. No police force is launching an investigation to track down a stolen personal vehicle.

Stories emerge in the news of young wannabe criminals hurting themselves or others during these joy rides in stolen vehicles, and the journalists always portray them as the victims. For example, when five teens were ejected from a car during a joy ride and died, Kia was asked to put forth a statement. People are dying and killing others on these joy rides. Where are the parents? Morals among the masses have weakened.

People could leave their car doors unlocked when I was growing up. One class action lawsuit against Kia and Hyundai claims the companies are “blatantly valuing profits over the safety and security of their customers.” Is it really a safety feature if it merely prevents others from stealing the car? Vehicles without engine immobilizers existed for many years without issue. It is an issue now due to the cultural shift in thinking. America is becoming an increasingly dangerous place, and everyone besides the criminals are held responsible.

Pence Promises War if Elected


Armstrong Economics Blog/War Re-Posted Jul 10, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Mike Pence is chomping at the bit to invade Russia. He became the first GOP presidential candidate to travel to Ukraine to meet with Volodymyr Zelensky. Trump, DeSantis, and Kennedy have all stated that they want to end the war immediately. No one is as EAGER to involve themselves as Mike Pence, who all but guaranteed World War III under his rule.

“I have no doubt that if (Russian dictator) Vladimir Putin overran Ukraine, it would not be too long… before the Russian military crossed a border where we would have to send our fighting men and women to fight against them,” the Republican presidential candidate said. Pence has even condemned Biden for his “slow” reaction, despite sending so much money to Ukraine that the Pentagon cannot keep track. “I mean, President Biden said in his State of the Union address that we’re there as long as it takes. But I want to say to all your listeners, it shouldn’t take that long,” Pence said.

BUT WHAT WOULD REAGAN DO? Every GOP candidate channels his name and pretends the ghost of Reagan would back any policy they put forth. “Look, Ronald Reagan said in 1985 words in his State of the Union address that were later called the Reagan Doctrine. It was this idea that if you’re willing to fight the communists in your country, with your soldiers, we’ll give you the means to fight them there so we don’t have to fight them here. And that was part of the philosophy of American leadership in the world that set into motion the forces that brought the collapse of the Soviet Union map. And I think this is just the same fight,” Pence said.

The conflict in Ukraine has absolutely nothing to do with communism. Pence claiming we need to fight the Russians in Ukraine to prevent a conflict on US soil is ignorant at best. There is no threat of Russia invading America or Europe. Russia put forth multiple peace treaties, but the West continued to fuel the flames of war. Ukraine is a NATO leech, not a member, run by a corrupt government that disregarded all options for peace. Why would we send our men and women into battle to die? Because the ethnic Russians didn’t have their promised elections in the Donbas? The only people who will benefit from a world war are those like Pence, who profit from the military-industrial complex.