Even though the U.S. has managed to avert a debt crisis and perhaps a ratings downgrade, there remains a stain on our reputation, a scarlet “A” for budgetary “Abuse,” that will not disappear. The whole world was watching, and what they saw was a dysfunctional government taking its country to the financial precipice and backing off at the very last moment. [That being said, what options does the U.S. government have to reduce/eliminate its current $10 trillion of outstanding Treasury debt and an unfathomable $66 trillion of future liabilities? I have identified 4 likely courses of action all of which will lower the standard of living of every American.] Words: 1374
July 31st, 2011 | Posted in Debts/Deficits,Economy | Read More »
The National Inflation Association (NIA) has just posted an article* which makes a number of interesting arguments for the advent of hyperinflation and, while I agree with the conclusion that we could potentially face such an event, I see it as just one of a few possible outcomes. Let me comment on the specific points in the NIA article. Words: 1666
May 3rd, 2011 | Posted in Economy,Inflation/Deflation | Read More »
The U.S. caused the 1930s deflationary depression and is again the cause of the current contraction. Although similarities exist between the two, the differences between them insure a far more consequential outcome today than in the 1930s. [Indeed, the world] now finds itself on the edge of a growing deflationary sinkhole created by the sequential collapse of two large U.S. bubbles, the dot.com and U.S. real estate bubbles. Words: 1549
July 4th, 2010 | Posted in Economy,Inflation/Deflation | Read More »
It is clearly evident that America’s debt picture is truly astronomical and, like the situation with Greece, the debt cannot, and never will, be repaid. Indeed, any way you look at it, the consequences for the United States, let alone the many other haunted economies, are grim, dismal – even disastrous. Words: 1166
May 23rd, 2010 | Posted in Debts/Deficits,Economy | Read More »
With all the attention being focused on whether or not there will be a sustainable recovery in 2010, the potential for a wave of sovereign-debt crises following the wake of the global recession has just recently started to appear on people’s radar screens – and such a wave should not be surprising. Words: 2541
April 11th, 2010 | Posted in Debts/Deficits,Economy | Read More »