Oliver Anthony Worldwide


Armstrong Economics Blog/WEF Re-Posted Aug 16, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

COMMENT: Not only has Oliver Anthony’s songs gone viral here (NA) but also in China. Messages indicate that any kind of attempt to reference/share to his songs is now banned across WeChat. Apparently, there is a cleverly-worded Mandarin “rap version” circulating.
So the emotions appear to be universal and now…possibly something like “star spangled banner” as far as focus for a lot of disaffected workers…Every major change needs a proper emotional “anchor” and this appears to be possible here…
Did the Romans or other civilizations that collapsed experience music/song as part of the downfall?
take care,
YK

REPLY: Our client base is in the millions worldwide. I get interview requests from around the globe. That is definitely showing that many people around the world are coming to similar conclusions. The elite are being driven by Schwab and his deranged ideas. As I have said, he is a control freak in how he runs his WEF. He is trying desperately to do that to the entire world. He has ZERO respect for humanity and our freedom from tyranny as well as freedom of thought.

Nigel Victory is an Issue in USA as well!


Armstrong Economics Blog/Politics Re-Posted Aug 16, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Maui Suffers from America-Last Policies


Armstrong Economics Blog/Corruption Re-Posted Aug 16, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

The fires in Maui claimed the lives of at least 99 people. Over a thousand people are still missing as crews rush to identify remains. This was the deadliest wildfire on US soil in over 100 years. There is a lot of speculation and conspiracy theories surrounding the fires, but one proven conspiracy is that the US government is putting America last.

On Sunday, the Federal Emergency Management Agency said it was too soon to calculate the damages, but a low estimate is $6 billion. The President of the United States made sure to address his main priority by sending a $200 million aid package to Ukraine this week.  “Air defense, anti-armor, and munitions will keep the Ukrainian armed forces in the fight to defend their country’s sovereignty, territory, and people,” Secretary of State Antony Blinken announced on Monday as search teams continued to search Maui for any survivors. This is chump change for Ukraine as the White House is seeking hundreds of billions in extra funds.

Joe Biden was spotted on the beaches of Delaware this weekend as Hawaii burned down. He refused to comment on the situation and did not let it interrupt his vacation. Biden finally took to X (formerly Twitter) to address the crisis. “We’re laser-focused on getting aid to survivors, including Critical Needs Assistance: a one-time $700 payment per household offering relief during an unimaginable difficult time. We have the staff on the ground dedicated to helping survivors navigate the registration process.”

So Hawaii received $1.8 million in aid. What is $700 going to do for the people who lost everything and perhaps everyone? In comparison, a foreign nation received $200 million this week. We are witnessing what happens when the government pivots from America-First to America-Last policies.

Mercedes-Benz Disconnects from Russia


Armstrong Economics Blog/World Trade Re-Posted Aug 16, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

As my readers know, part of the Great Reset is to eliminate private car ownership under the premise of climate change. But technology has become a new tool that manufacturers and the global elite can use to limit the freedom of movement. German automaker Mercedes-Benz recently declared that Russians will be removed from their software. Yet, Germany is technically not at war with Russia, and this is a penalty for civilians.

Dealerships are rushing to find loopholes, such as connecting vehicles to European IP addresses. Russian customers will have access to a limited online service that shows if part of the vehicle’s system is failing. Why would someone want to maintain the payments on a luxury vehicle if they’re not receiving full support? Mercedes-Benz will no longer export vehicles to Russia, marking a 1.4 billion euro loss for the company. Their plant in Moscow was discontinued in April, where they previously manufactured 30,000 cars per year.

This opens a new door for tyranny and control as car manufacturers can now directly punish the people of any nation. Germany is allegedly not at war with Russia, but they have the ability to prevent Russians from properly maintaining their vehicles. This is just the beginning, as now car manufacturers will have the power to disconnect customers from services with no repercussions. They state that only the wealthy Russian oligarchs can afford Mercedes, but that is simply not true. These smart cars have added maintenance requirements, and the software must be updated frequently. So, they’re ensuring that Mercedes in Russia become obsolete in the near future.

Daimler, one of the largest auto companies in the world, is a World Economic Forum partner. Mercedes-Benz Group AG was formerly known as Daimler AG as the companies are connected. Yes, there is an active plan in place to end private car ownership by 2050.

NIH Experts Received $325 Million in Big Pharma Royalties During COVID


Armstrong Economics Blog/Corruption Re-Posted Aug 15, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

Two weeks to slow the spread was simply not enough time for the elite to steal as much power and wealth as possible. OpenTheBooks recently revealed over 1,500 records showing those at the head of the National Institutes of Health and the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases quietly profited from COVID-19 and their recommendations to “slow the spread.” Two faces of the pandemic propaganda, Dr. Anthony Fauci and Dr. Francis Collins secured 58 royalty payments out of a total of $325 million in royalties set aside for the NIH.

Sen. Rand Paul confronted Fauci for accepting bribes in June 2022. “The NIH continues to refuse to voluntarily divulge the names of scientists who receive royalties and from which companies over the period of time from 2010 to 2016, 27,000 royalty payments were paid to 1800 NIH employees,” Rand Paul said. “We know that. Not because you told us, but because we forced you to tell us through the Freedom of Information Act. Fauci refused to answer the senator or admit if he received and royalty payout for his voluntary work.

Paul dug deeper, “Here’s what I want to know. It’s not just about you, everybody on the vaccine committee, have any of them ever received money from the people who make vaccines?” Paul asked. “Can you tell me that? Can you tell me if anybody on the vaccine approval committees ever receive any money from people?” Fauci claimed that he was not legally required to admit to receiving payments. “First of all, according to the regulations, people who receive royalties are not required to divulge them, even on their financial statement, according to the Bayh-Dole act,” Fauci told Paul. Fauci took it a step further and said that the only royalties he received were for his lab. “My royalties ranged from $21 a year to $700 a year. And the average per year was $191 and 46 cents,” the doctor insisted.

We know that Fauci was lying about receiving kickbacks. Santa Cruz Biotechnology, a company that produces medical research instruments, paid Fauci 15 times. Ancell Corp. sent Fauci 14 separate payments. Chiron Corp., later bought by Novartis in 2006, paid Fauci on eight occasions. On top of all of these payments, Fauci became the highest-paid government worker in America in 2022, with an annual salary of $480,000.

Clearly, this man was unable to make unbiased decisions when Big Pharma was lining his pockets throughout the entire pandemic. The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) found 34 Chinese entities were among the agencies paying off American “scientists.” Pokrov Biologics Plant, a Russian-based animal vaccine manufacturer that is said to be a front for bioweapon production, also paid off NIH scientists. Fauci claimed he would donate all of his royalties to charity but that too seems to be a lie. The people at the top profited from our pain and prioritized profits over the people.

Christians Barred from Fostering Children in Massachusetts


Armstrong Economics Blog/WOKE Re-Posted Aug 15, 2023 by Martin Armstrong

I reported in April that Oregon’s Department of Human Services announced it would prevent some Christian families from adopting children due to their “extreme views.” Potential adopters now receive an ideological litmus test to ensure that parents adhere to the woke agenda and will agree to let their child transition to any gender at whim.

Planned Parenthood performed 374,155 abortions last year, amounting to 1,200 abortions per day. The same organization is also funding gender-affirming care for the youth. Only 1,803 women placed their babies up for adoption last year, and it is notoriously hard to adopt in America. These agencies are profiting on selling children to parents and do not prioritize the well-being of the children. The woke ideology must be at the forefront.

Massachusetts has joined Oregon in preventing Christians and other religious couples from providing homes to children. One couple from Massachusetts has taken the Commonwealth to court (Burke v Walsh) after they were denied the right to foster at-risk children. Mike and Kitty Burke were deemed unfit caregivers solely because they believe in the Catholic faith. “After months of interviews and training, and after years of heartbreak, we were on the verge of finally becoming parents,” said Mike and Kitty Burke. “We were absolutely devastated to learn that Massachusetts would rather children sleep in the hallways of hospitals than let us welcome children in need into our home.”

The Department of Children and Families (DCF) admits that they have 1,500 children displaced children awaiting forever homes. The state has no room to house these poor children temporarily and has resorted to leaving these vulnerable children in state hospitals for weeks at a time. The Burke family wanted to welcome at least one child into their home.  “Their faith is not supportive,” the social worker deemed, citing their views on gender dysphoria and sexual orientation. Perhaps the state of Massachusetts will allow the Burke family to foster a migrant military-aged adult male since that is of top priority. The entire woke agenda is hurting thousands of children, and we must begin to question why we are permitting this blatant religious discrimination to occur.

Dating in America


From Armstrong Economics Posted Aug 14, 2023

COMMENT: Mr. Armstrong, You are so right about this country being totally screwed. I dated a girl three times. Everything seemed OK. We had similar goals and interests. Then I mentioned the Trump indictment. Suddenly, she just said, oh, you are a Trump supporter. The conversation turned cold, and suddenly, I saw a look of hatred in her eyes. It is an understatement to say I got the check, and that was it. I asked her about war and Biden’s Crime Family. The war was justified because Putin supported Trump. As for the Biden Crime Family, that was a right-wing conspiracy theory. There was nothing left to talk about.

I cannot say enough. Socrates has pegged our future correctly. There was no talking to her, even on a polite level. I do not see how this country can stand as one. We are too far gone. There is no basis for the compromise of you to leave me alone, and I leave you alone. They really do not tolerate even our existence. We have no right to disagree.

I just had to say my experience firsthand.

EK

REPLY: Perhaps you should lead with that – state your political belief FIRST. That appears to be the #1 criterion for dating anymore.

The media has spun such hatred. They think this is like a football game. They score a goal and win. This is real life. What they have done to America is no different from what they did to the Jews in Germany. They had their Kristallnacht, and we will see the same outcome here—wait for the 2024 election. Human nature can turn really violent.

Biden Needs $24 Billion More for Ukraine


From Armstrong Economics Aug 14, 2023

The blank checks are never-ending. I speak of the economic impact Biden has had on our country daily. This war in Ukraine has simply been the largest money grab in recent history rivaling COVID. Biden is asking for another $24 billion in aid to Ukraine. At this point, it is nearly comical because most of us realize that Ukraine is going to ask for aid indefinitely, and our politicians willfully comply because that’s in their best interests as well. They’re going to keep the war and money wheel going. Everyone but the people are enjoying the spoils of needless war. No details on where the money will be spent and why our politicians are prioritizing foreign aid over domestic.

Weeks ago, the Pentagon reported that they lost $600 billion in aid to Ukraine over an accounting error. Every supposed check and balance is letting that slide because Biden and the Neocons have become unstoppable. House Republicans say they will not vote for more aid, but there are Neocons who WANT WAR on both sides.

Absolutely no one with a sane mind is voting to send their money to fight “Russian aggression.” Times are not what they used to be and we do not have a common enemy. We have never had a common enemy. US politicians are ignoring the $31.4 trillion in debt that they cannot pay off. Postponing the debt ceiling debate was one of the main reasons US debt was downgraded.

Not everyone living in Ukraine is in squalor. There is a reason all top officials casually travel there like the airport is JFK. This entire scheme of Ukraine is going to cause an uprising.

British Lose Confidence in Banks


From Armstrong Economics Aug 14, 2023

Britain’s four largest banks have reported that clients have withdrawn £78 billion, marking the steepest bank run since 2018. NatWest, Barclays, Lloyds, and HSBC all reported significant withdrawals in the 12 months leading up to June 2023. Worsening matters, the House of Commons Treasury Committee accused the four banks of “blatant profiteering” and “squeezing higher profits from their loyal savings customers.” The people simply have lost confidence in the banks.

The Bank of England (BoE) all but admitted the UK was officially in a recession back in September 2022. Bank Governor Andrew Bailey stated there was nothing the central bank could do to prevent a recession at that stage. The central bank raised rates for the 14th time at its last meeting, bringing the borrowing rate to 5.25%, which marks the highest level since February 2008. Those with two-year mortgages have felt the pressure as the average fixed rate now sits at 6.85% compares to 3.95% last August. Bailey said “depending on what the evidence on the economy indicates, we might need to raise interest rates again but that’s not certain,” worsening confidence in the central bank.

The big four, as they are known, have passed their costs onto the consumers and then some. Unite analysis found in March 2023 that these institutions managed to profit an additional £7 billion due rising rates. Yet, the ONS found that households were spending 1.5 percentage points more on financial services, a cost that continues to rise. The financial sector is coming out as the winner in all of this as workers in the sector have seen their incomes nearly triple since 2021. Additionally, the big four have seen a 42% rise in profits since the pandemic and have been aided by government tax cuts.

Unite’s analysis concluded:

“Unite’s research shows how the banks have already made billions in extra profit from interest rate rises. If the MPC raises rates again they stand to gain even more. Banks treat these rises as a licence to pick the pockets of householders across Britain. “Unbridled profiteering is taking billions of pounds away from workers and communities and putting it into the hands of corporate Britain. Last year, the profits of the big four banks soared to an eye watering £33 billion.  Politicians need to wake up. It’s only by taking on runaway profiteering that we can end the cost of living crisis.”

Smart money is simply moving out of the banks. People are shopping around at smaller institutions that offer a competitive advantage and/or placing their money where it will not continue to decline in value. It will only become more expensive for consumers to keep their money in these institutions as rates rise since inflation is far from under control. So far, the banks are not worried about liquidity, but watch out if this becomes a trend.

Americans Tapping into 401Ks amid Private Debt Crisis


From Armstrong Economics Posted Aug 14, 2023

Credit card balances in the US have surpassed $1 trillion for the first time, with balances up almost 20% from a year ago. The Federal Reserve Bank of New York reported that total credit card debt stood at $986 billion in the first quarter of 2023, unchanged from the record hit at the end of 2022. The average credit card interest rate offered in the US over the last three months of 2022 stood at 21.6%, according to WalletHub, a jump from about 18% a year prior. Americans are now tapping into their retirement funds to make ends meet.

Hardship withdrawals allow employees to pull money out of their 401K for an “immediate and heavy financial need.” No one would recommend doing this unless the situation was dire. Bank of America reported that 15,950 employees enrolled in 401K programs made a hardship withdrawal during the first three months of 2023, a 36% rise from Q2 22. Individuals must show evidence that the money will be used for a major hardship in order to avoid the 10% early withdrawal fee imposed for those under 59.5.

It costs more money to borrow thanks to rising interest rates. The majority of Americans do not have money stashed away for a rainy day, and those who do are rapidly draining their accounts to keep up with Biden’s economy. The CPI report in June showed a rise of 3% YoY, but look around, absolutely everything is more expensive. Shelter costs have reached an all-time high and the price of food is on the rise, especially with wheat price manipulation going on using the war in Russia as a guise. Why are we sending hundreds of billions to a foreign nation when our own people cannot afford to live? The masses need to wakeup and get mad at their current predicament before the next election if we even have one.