Gold Clause & CBDC


Posted originally on Dec 30, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

CBDC

QUESTION: Regarding CBDC, will they convert all the savings/cash in your bank account, will they convert everything in your brokerage accounts (all stocks etc.) will they go after gold and silver you have in storage (Brinks, for example)?

KS

ANSWER: Everything will be converted to the new CBDC. The money in your bank account is already just an electronic book entry. This is why banks are closing branches everywhere in the USA as well as Europe. They are preparing for CBDCs, which means without physical paper money, bank branches are no longer needed. You can deposit a check on your phone. The only thing left for a branch is safe deposit boxes, and the government assumes you are hiding cash there anyway. So kiss your local branch goodbye. The local bank I used because it was the closest has closed, and it is now a 30-minute ride to the closest one still open.

We the People

The monetary system will still function as normal. The exchange will probably be one-for-one. The main purpose of this is to destroy the underground economy to be able to tax everything – even the 16-year-old girl next door you hire to babysit while you go out to dinner and that $100 bill you found in the parking lot that you cheated the government out of their 50% gift tax. We are all looked down upon as scum. They presume we are all guilty and the whole debt crisis is never their fault – it is you – we the people.

1913 Income Tax

This is the natural progression of direct taxation – the complete loss of all liberty. This is why the Founding Fathers prohibited direct taxation. But the socialists seized the government and followed Marx to get the evil rich. It was introduced with the promise that only the rich would have to pay. They lied about that as well, for as soon as the income tax took place, simultaneously in the same bill, there was the payroll tax demanding employers withhold income from their workers.

1912 Vermont Income Tax
1913 Feb 4 LA Times

The federal income tax of 1913 was accompanied by the fact that the law also attempted to withhold the brand-new income tax because the people were never to be trusted. Initial estimates were that the withholding provisions would yield two-thirds of income tax revenue, but in 1916, less than 5% came from withholding. Furthermore, employers’ simple lack of compliance led to a massive groundswell of opposition to the new withholding system.

Minneapolis Payroll Tax

The people realized that the government lied to get the 16th Amendment passed, and the state politicians voted for it because it allowed them to also allowed them to impose income taxes at the state level. Even cities joined the money grab, imposing city income taxes. Every layer of government now had the right to extort money from the people based on their income, requiring disclosure of their personal lives. You gave your children money, which was circumventing income tax, so they rolled out the gift tax. , which fueled the corruption on a massive scale. The Revenue Act of 1862 included an inheritance tax and gift tax, which applied to transfers of personal assets. In 1864, Congress amended the Revenue Act, added a tax on transfers of real estate, and increased the rates for inheritance taxes. They have always used war to justify raising taxes, but they always remain in place thereafter. The War Revenue Act of 1898 implemented an inheritance tax of .74 % to 15%, which was used to fund the Spanish-American War. This is why the government loves to wage wars.

Who Creates Money?


Posted originally on Dec 30, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

big stack of money

To a large extent, there is still much confusion regarding the creation of MONEY. Some people still think the government actually creates money as if it were in ancient times. When I say MONEY is no longer TANGIBLE, but it is VIRTUAL, many seem to fail to grasp just how much the world has changed. In ancient times, the state minted the coins AFTER 600 BC attempting to certify the weight to facilitate commerce. However, the government quickly learned that there was profit to be made, which is known as the “seigniorage,” referring to the difference between the intrinsic value of the metal and the declared value. In such a world, the state predominantly created money supply, discounting leverage from banking and counterfeiting.

Today that is about as far removed from how the economy functions as the next inhabitable planet. In the example I used that if a foreign investor buys domestic real estate, he is increasing the domestic money supply. The conversion of his local currency to the domestic currency is NOT dictated by some FIXED quantity created by the central bank. It is just electronic. Nobody actually prints anything , and the central bank does NOT even create electronic currency. It is just a book entry. Because the foreign investor is bringing in cash and buys a TANGIBLE object (real estate), the net amount of cash in the domestic supply of money increases the same when the Fed bought US bonds under QE2. Banking also LEVERAGES the economy by creating MONEY. If you have $1,000 on deposit and I borrow $1,000, we both now have accounts reflecting $1,000 each. Again, the state did NOT create that money.

It is once more a book entry. This is how a BANK PANIC will take place. You go to the bank trying to get your $1,000, but the bank actually lent it to me. As long as you do not try to take out that $1,000, everything is fine and dandy. Therefore, MONEY is not TANGIBLE, and it is purely VIRTUAL! The idea that MONEY is supposed to be some TANGIBLE object actually ended in 600 BC once government got involved and began to manufacture a profit from creating money. As long as the economy is free, then you are free to keep your wealth in whatever object you desire, be it gold or real estate. MONEY is NOT a store of value, for it has always fluctuated, rising in purchasing power in recessions (NOW) and declining in booms.

Institutions Can Have Their Entire Portfolio on Socrates


Posted originally on Dec 16, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

GMW Page 2

The Global Market Watch (GMW) was created for one of the top 10 banks in the world. It allowed them to look at their entire portfolio without reading a thousand reports. This allowed them to hone in on what might need their attention. As they commented, this is like having 1,000 trading assistants. We really are too busy advertising or engaging in marketing campaigns. You can die from having too much business. As is the case with offices worldwide, someone is always awake. This was designed for large institutions to save time and provide an important tool for investing.

The comments are a work in progress since the model still identifies new patterns. Socrates is proving that all the theories from the nonsense of Random Walks, etc., are just excuses for people incapable of comprehending how the world functions. The GMW records a pattern REGARDLESS of the market and assigns a number you see under the comment. That same pattern shows up in every market because the instrument is irrelevant – it is how human nature interacts with that market.

We can create a GMW for your entire portfolio to give you a fast glance at your portfolio. We are currently working on providing the same tools that I have used so you can ask question and it will respond. We are considering creating a terminal so it will access our systems and provide you with an impressive assistant.

GC Inve4stor GMW 7 29 2016

We can Add Any Stock Worldwide to Socrates


Posted originally on Dec 16, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

Socrates IPad

QUESTION #1: Mr. Armstrong, you used to provide your reports rebranded to an institution’s name in Tokyo. Would you consider that for other countries?

GL

ANSWER #1: Yes. We would articulate the turning points rather than include the arrays. That would make it too identifiable, tracing back to us. But certainly, we can do that and attack an institution’s name, such as a reputable bank or brokerage house. We can replace the majority of the cost of research. We have a database of virtually every stock in the world.

QUESTION #2: Can I request that a particular stock be added to Socrates?

EJ

ANSWER #2: Certainly.

IMF Wants El Salvador to Repeal Bitcoin’s Legal Tender Status


Posted originally on Dec 10, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

ElSalvadorBukele

The International Monetary Fund is willing to provide El Salvador with a $1.3 billion loan, but the nation must meet two demands. First, El Salvador must commit to reducing its budget deficit to 3.5% of GDP over the next three years. The second requirement is for El Salvador to begin backing away from bitcoin.

El Salvador declared bitcoin legal tender in 2021. The nation holds a bitcoin Treasury worth over $600 million as of lately with bitcoin’s recent price spike and has been purchasing about 1 btc per day. President Nayib Bukele recently took to social media to declare the success of his bitcoin adaptation, claiming gains of over 127%. Yet, the public has not largely adopted the new currency. In fact, the Central American University conducted a study in January that revealed 88% of citizens have not used bitcoin in transactions over the previous year.

Under the new IMF requirement, El Salvador must prohibit the legal requirement that states businesses must accept bitcoin as payment. Under this premise, bitcoin could not truly be considered legal tender.

Bitcoin and Gold

As I have said, global organizations will not permit crypto to operate freely outside their control. I must agree with the IMF that Bitcoin’s volatile pricing presents financial instability and exposes government revenue to greater foreign exchange rate risks. Bitcoin is merely a trading vehicle and not a proper currency. However, the IMF also states that it is concerned about anti-money laundering practices. which simply means they are concerned that they cannot tax it.

Taxation goes hand in hand with lowering the budget deficit, as the nation has been steadily increasing tax revenue. Tax revenues reached 17.64% of GDP in 2017, later advancing to 19.75% in 2022. The government has several measures in place for tax evasion and has improved its digital taxpayer registry to see who has underpaid. There is hope that the recent discovery of gold will offset the hunt for taxation, and the president does seem to be a reasonable man. Perhaps El Salvador will not require a loan if it has truly found trillions worth of gold. It appears that Nayib Bukele will not back away from his stance on bitcoin either way.

Russia Forced to Face WWIII is Probably Inevitable


Posted originally on Nov 29, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

Putin 11 27 24 strikes

Zelensky continues to betray his own country following orders from the Neocons, who used Biden to authorize long-range missiles to be launched deep into Russia, which cannot be targeted without American satellite information and coordinates. There is no way he can launch missiles into Russia and expect that Russia will not respond. This was not intended to force Russia to peace talks when the Neocons sent Boris Johnson to kill any peak deal, and now we see more than one million Ukrainians have died since. As the NY Times wrote, General Mark A. Milley, then President Biden’s chief military adviser, suggested that neither Russia nor Ukraine could win the war. This is all about trying to get Putin to attack anything so NATO can invoke Article 5 to try to force Trump to send troops to Europe to wage this war against Russia.

Putin has told why he ordered his troops to bomb Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. Putin dispatched as many as 90 missiles and 100 drones. More than a million Ukrainians were left without power by the bombing. ‘This was a response to the Ukrainian attacks with British and US strikes last week,’ Putin said. He added that Russia is still selecting new targets in Ukraine, which may include decision-making centers in the capital Kiev.

WSJ 2009 Shrink Population Gates

Meanwhile, European leaders are desperate to create World War III as the European Union is in economic trouble. The head of the German secret service, Bruno Kahl, is arguing to invoke Article 5 over any hybrid attack. They can now create a false flag, calling it sabotage to justify triggering Article 5. Handing Ukraine these long-range missiles has shifted the focus inside Russia, and it can no longer be denied that World War III is underway for this is NATO and the USA are in a proxy war with Russia, and they are escalating it rapidly, fearing Trump takes office and then he would be anti-war. It is no joke that even the Greens in Germany are pro-war under the theory that (1) it will destroy the energy production of Russia and (2) reduce the population making Bill Gates, Buffett, and Soros so happy.

Biden Secon Term

Did we get enough to save the planet?

The increase in Russian armed forces means that Putin has been forced to accept that this is World War III, and there will be no peace negotiations before Trump comes to power if they don’t try to assassinate him again. A military confrontation with NATO and the USA is a very possible outcome.  Already, they are spinning the Russian Risk of interference in the upcoming German elections. German intelligence chief Bruno Kahl said at an event organized by the international relations think tank DGAP in Berlin that Russia’s hybrid warfare raises the risk that NATO may have to consider triggering the mutual defense clause, Article 5 of the treaty. They want World War III so bad that they can taste the blood.

Putin has been trying to sit on his hands. He knows that a direct confrontation will be devastating to much of the world. He is NOT a warmonger, but those behind him are just as insane as our Neocons and the leader of Europe, who have collectively been drugged, it seems, by NATO. Putin has had no choice but to increase the Russian armed forces as he is compelled to confront that a direct military confrontation with NATO becomes more likely with every passing day.

We are Preparing the Computer Forecast for Timing

Russian President Vladimir Putin Discusses the Motives of the Biden Administration and His Perspective on President Trump


Posted originally on the CTH onNovember 28, 2024 | Sundance 

During an appearance in Kazakhstan today, Russian President Vladimir Putin had a press conference with Russian journalists who asked questions about the current conflict with Ukraine.

Before getting to the video, it is worth mentioning that our western viewpoint of Russia respecting strength; is not entirely accurate. There is something Russians respect more than strength, brutal honesty.

One of the things that separates Russians from their eastern European counterparts, is their keen ability to detect and dismiss bullshit. If you watch Russian engagement, from either inside or outside of Russia, their non pretending is truly an artform. Even the silent space between their words is something remarkable to watch.

In this first video segment, Russian President Putin is asked about the motives of outgoing U.S. President Joe Biden to escalate the NATO conflict with Russia. President Putin responds by outlining genuine, factual and honest motives that political pundits in the USA pretend not to know.  It’s fascinating to watch:

.

Why the presser? Why the questions? Why the willingness? Look, I’m no Putin whisperer, but I can see a brutally obvious motive of Vladimir Putin speaking directly to President Trump, through the media. For a myriad of reasons, including the honesty of his responses and statements, this approach seems completely logical and practical.

This next segment is even more interesting.

In this segment, Vladimir Putin is describing his views on President Trump and the status of his perspective toward Donald Trump against the backdrop of what Putin witnessed. Of course, the opportunity for passive aggressive snark is available, and Putin would not be Russian if he did not take the opportunity troll the U.S. government at the same time. WATCH:

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I’ll look for the full video of the presser to share and update with it below if I can find a good version.

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Silent Prayer Prohibited in the UK


Posted originally on Nov 27, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

Marx Religion Opium of Masses

Prime Minister of the United Kingdom Keir Starmer’s reign is akin to how America would have looked under a Kamala Harris presidency. The people have lost their ability to speak freely, and citizens are facing legal charges for speaking against Starmer’s regime. The New World Order is beginning right before our eyes.

A British Army veteran was convicted of expressing “disapproval of abortion.” This man spent 20 years proudly serving his nation. Yet, the Public Spaces Protection Order has deemed him a criminal for silently praying outside an abortion facility. He has been conditionally discharged and forced to pay a $12,000 (9,000 pound) fine for daring to pray in public.

The above video shows how disillusioned the authorities have become. “What is the nature of your prayer?” the police asked, to which the man replied he was praying for his deceased son. He was then told that he was praying in a “censorship zone,” where even your THOUGHTS can be criminalized.

Praying

Censorship zones were enacted in England and Wales on October 31, 2024. The zones are deemed “safe access zones” or “buffer zones,” and often span 150 meters around abortion clinics and hospitals. Protesting in any manner, handing out abortion alternative pamphlets, and any form of prayer – including silent prayer – is strictly prohibited. Scotland and Northern Ireland also implemented similar zones this October.

Another woman by the name of Isabel Vaughan-Spruce was arrested twice in Birmingham for silently praying in a buffer zone. Father Sean Gough has his day in court for the same crime. Both individuals were acquitted but now the government is no longer issuing slaps on the wrist.

The public is absolutely outraged. The army officer has received a petition with 60,000 signatures in his favor. Keir Starmer has failed to make a direct comment about the public outcry. People are understandably concerned over the government’s increasingly authoritarian policies. The Labour government has done away with the Freedom of Speech Act (2003) that was intended to protect free speech on university campuses. Starmer is looking for new methods to crack down on how people communicate online, and is not considering an amendment to the Online Safety Act that would punish people for speaking out against the government’s agenda online. Starmer has deemed any speech that goes against his wishes “misinformation” that must be criminalized.

Why are all the Build Back Better nations racing to eliminate free speech? The World Economic Forum (WEF) listed misinformation and disinformation as the most severe short-term global risk in its 2024 Global Risks Report. Schwab’s alliance demands international cooperation to stifle free speech. It calls for a “multi-sectoral approach” to ensure all media and tech companies carry out the government’s plan to defend the people against themselves.

Regulating Crypto Under Premise of Climate Change


Posted originally on Nov 27, 2024 by Martin Armstrong 

Cryptocurrency bitcoin basket

Governments are enacting subtle regulations over crypto. Texas has come out to demand that crypto miners report their power usage to the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT). The state claims they need this information to regulate its volatile power grid.

Public Utilities Commission of Texas (PUCT) Chairman Thomas Gleeson stated that miners must provide all information from location, ownership, to energy output. “This is another example of the PUCT and ERCOT adapting to support a rapidly changing industrial landscape,” he said. ERCOT believes there will be a new load of 152 GW by 2030.

“The rule approved today will give the PUCT and ERCOT better awareness of virtual currency mining operations around the state, which have unique power consumption characteristics,” the commission said. “The information provided in the registration will help ERCOT manage the grid reliably as more virtual currency mining facilities connect to the grid.” Failure to register will result in a $25,000 DAILY penalty PER VIOLATION.

ERCOT already has access to energy usage meters. It is quite peculiar that they are expecting individuals to begin self-reporting. This is part of a broader trend to regulate crypto. New York, not reliant on a grid of any sort, wants 70% of its electricity to be renewable by 2030, but only about 29% of energy comes from a renewable source. The state has enacted a two-year moratorium on certain types of crypto mining, stating that they need to study the impacts that energy consumption will have on the climate. The days of having an unregulated crypto market are numbered.

U.K and France in Discussions to Send NATO Troops Into Ukraine


Posted originally on the CTH on November 25, 2024 | Sundance 

With around 50 days remaining to stir up as much trouble as possible, and with around 50 days of strategic activity left in order to Trump-proof the UE coalition of the NATO alliance, the U.K and France are in “classified” discussions about sending their troops into Ukraine before President Trump takes office.

It should be remembered that President Barack Obama did not want to intervene in Libya, circa 2011.  That was a decision made by The U.S. State Department and CIA, pushed by Hillary Clinton, Samantha Power and Director Leon Panetta, and ultimately, militarily, executed by NATO Commander Admiral James Stavridis.  And yes, Libya was not a threat to NATO…. but it happened anyway.

The U.K recently signed a mutual defense agreement with Moldova, promising to come to their aid if conflict with Russia escalated into the country.  Now we see reports of the U.K traveling to France to create a two-party coalition within the larger NATO assembly, intended to send military troops into Ukraine.

Is an attack against allied troops analogous with an attack against a NATO member?  Before you answer that question, remind yourself of the justification for the reference Libya intervention, the infamous “Responsibility To Protect” or R2P.  Now, using that framework, revisit the question.  I digress.

Le Monde – […] As the conflict in Ukraine enters a new phase of escalation, discussions over sending Western troops and private defense companies to Ukraine have been revived, Le Monde has learned from corroborating sources. These are sensitive discussions, most of which are classified – relaunched in light of a potential American withdrawal of support for Kyiv once Donald Trump takes office on January 20, 2025.

The debate about sending troops to Ukraine, which French President Emmanuel Macron initiated at a meeting between Kyiv’s allies in Paris in February, was strongly opposed by some European countries, led by Germany. However, it was relaunched in recent weeks thanks to the visit to France of the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, for the November 11th commemorations. “Discussions are underway between the UK and France on defense cooperation, particularly with a view to creating a hard core of allies in Europe, focused on Ukraine and wider European security,” confided a British military source to Le Monde. (read more)

Almost all modern “western” wars are bankers’ wars.  To understand the activity, it is worth paying attention to who is the benefactor and who is the beneficiary in the Corporate/Government relationship.

History does not always repeat; however, it is almost guaranteed to rhyme.