China Joins Russia in Blasting U.S. Borrowing … China, the largest foreign investor in U.S. government securities, joined Russia in criticizing American policy makers for failing to ensure borrowing is reined in after a stopgap deal to raise the nation’s debt limit. People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said China’s central bank will monitor U.S. efforts to tackle its debt. – Bloomberg
Debt Fight Over, Obama Promises Action on Jobs … Still, heading into an election year, Mr. Obama’s advisers say he will be able to point to his role in the debt negotiations as proof of his ability to be a mature, responsible leader who is able to rise above Washington’s relentlessly partisan fray. … Mr. Obama’s willingness to engage in serious deficit reduction, aides said, could buy him credibility for his other economic proposals. – NY Times
Markets Tumble on Fears for US Growth and Eurozone Debts … Fresh evidence that the US recovery is faltering, and fears over the need for possible bail-outs in Italy and Spain are rocking investors’ confidence. The Dow closed down 265.87 points, or 2.2pc, to close at 11,866.60. Its eighth day of declines is its worst losing streak since the height of the financial crisis in September 2008. The S&P 500 finished 2.6pc lower at 1,254.05. … Gold touched an all-time high of $1,640.39. – UK Telegraph
Trial of ex-President Hosni Mubarak opens in Egypt … Mr Mubarak, 83, was wheeled into the cage from where he observed proceedings with the other defendants, including his two sons. He is charged with corruption and ordering the killing of protesters – a charge that carries the death penalty … Over the past month there have been renewed sit-in protests in Tahrir Square by people angry with the slow pace of change in the country. – BBC
China Joins Russia in Blasting U.S. Borrowing
China, the largest foreign investor in U.S. government securities, joined Russia in criticizing American policy makers for failing to ensure borrowing is reined in after a stopgap deal to raise the nation’s debt limit. People’s Bank of China Governor Zhou Xiaochuan said China’s central bank will monitor U.S. efforts to tackle its debt … “China hopes the U.S. administration and the Congress would take responsible policy measures to handle its debt issue,” Zhou said. He highlighted the global role of U.S. Treasuries, saying that any “large fluctuations and uncertainties” in the market for the securities would undermine financial stability and hinder the world economic recovery. Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said two days ago that the U.S. is in a way “leeching on the world economy.” – Bloomberg
Dominant Social Theme: US politicians have got to act responsibly.
Free-Market Analysis: The problem with this article is that it spins the theme that central planning works and that America’s “wise leaders” need to do a better job of managing their country. Well … they cannot. Central planning doesn’t work. Regulatory democracy doesn’t work. Socialism doesn’t work. And fraudulent fiat- money-based monetary systems do not last. Russia and China are both members of the IMF, and as such, will likely be pushing hard for a new global reserve currency – one that will undoubtedly be managed by the IMF. This is not about America narrowly escaping a default on its debt and its politicians’ weakness at addressing the debt ceiling sooner, this is about a collective attempt by Money Power to consolidate the world’s monetary system under one roof and replace the US dollar as the world’s reserve currency. This is about power consolidation and a final push towards a new world order. The eurozone experiment should make it abundantly clear to all that just by consolidating the fiat debt under one roof does nothing to alleviate the rot inherent in the foundation. The whole world is caught in an inflationary debt cycle that can end nowhere but in ruin unless the madness is stopped. TANSTAAFL.
Debt Fight Over, Obama Promises Action on Jobs
Having ceded considerable ground to Republicans in the debt ceiling fight, President Obama set out Tuesday to reclaim the initiative on the economy, promising a new effort to spur job creation while seeking to position himself as a proven voice of reason in an era of ideological overreach. … Still, heading into an election year, Mr. Obama’s advisers say he will be able to point to his role in the debt negotiations as proof of his ability to be a mature, responsible leader who is able to rise above Washington’s relentlessly partisan fray. … Mr. Obama’s willingness to engage in serious deficit reduction, aides said, could buy him credibility for his other economic proposals. – NY Times
Dominant Social Theme: The American dream lives on the back of its strong leader.
Free-Market Analysis: Here again, the NY Times carries an article that is meant to inspire people with hope. Mr. Obama, after engaging in “serious deficit reduction,” is now going to board a bus for the Midwestern United States and “sell” the American people on his recent debt-ceiling victory and how he has saved the country’s economy. And on top of that, Obama is going to create jobs. Mr. Obama is just an actor playing a part; there was no “serious defecit reduction,” no matter how many times Whitehouse officials and the manistream media play the theme. There is only the illusion of a future decrease in the rate of defecit spending over the next ten years, while the federal debt is bloated by another $2.4 trillion today. And now, off Obama goes to share how he will use his newfound trillions to “create jobs.” Good luck with that. We think Americans are waking up to the truth as it relates to the destructive nature of the money magicians at the Federal Reserve who are hellbent on devaluing the dollar and wiping out what’s left of the American middle class in the process. And as the Internet Reformation heats up, mainstream media outlets like the NY Times may find it harder to sell such false hope. After all, we live in an era of “ideological overreach,” or as we refer to it, an awakening of the masses to the greatest financial heist in history.
Markets Tumble on Fears for US Growth and Eurozone Debts
Fresh evidence that the US recovery is faltering, and fears over the need for possible bail-outs in Italy and Spain are rocking investors’ confidence. The Dow closed down 265.87 points, or 2.2pc, to close at 11,866.60. Its eighth day of declines is its worst losing streak since the height of the financial crisis in September 2008. The S&P 500 finished 2.6pc lower at 1,254.05. … Gold touched an all-time high of $1,640.39 and the Swiss franc rallied to a fresh peak against the euro. … European Commission officials played down fears that Spain or Italy would require a bail-out, but were monitoring the situation closely. An EC spokesman said: “We are very confident in both the Spanish and Italian authorities’ determination to get their economies back on track.” – UK Telegraph
Dominant Social Theme: Markets are inherently unstable, but the eurozone will be fine.
Free-Market Analysis: We’ve long been saying here at the Daily Bell that Italy and Spain are bankrupt and that sooner or later “confidence chatter” would not be able to maintain the public’s confidence in the euro-debt-dam. The European Commission can paint it anyway they like, but people can see clearly now that – whether it is the US dollar or the euro – all unrestrained fiat currencies are eventually inflated into the sewer leaving ruination in their wake. The euro is just another devaluing paper-promise and debt-ridden countries are still just that, regardless of whether they are tucked under the covers of a pan-european blanket. The EC’s confidence is likely nothing of the sort and as gold continues to rise against all fiat money, sooner or later the debt levee is going to break and wash over populations already drowning in debt.
Trial of ex-President Hosni Mubarak opens in Egypt
Mr Mubarak, 83, was wheeled into the cage from where he observed proceedings with the other defendants, including his two sons. He is charged with corruption and ordering the killing of protesters – a charge that carries the death penalty … Over the past month there have been renewed sit-in protests in Tahrir Square by people angry with the slow pace of change in the country. … On Monday and Tuesday, police backed by army troops moved in to clear the last few protesters from square. – BBC
Dominant Social Theme: Justice will prevail and then change will happen.
Free-Market Analysis: The AYM inspired color revolutions that have been sweeping across the mideast and north African states – in the name of democracy – have certainly caused “people changes” but very little progress that has had anything to do with actually improving people’s quality of life. The situation in Egypt will likely continue to worsen, regardless of the outcome of the Mubarak family trial. If the people of Egypt want productive change then they would be better off executing their socialist system of government and installing one that emphasizes small government, respect for the invisible hand of the free-market, protection of private property and an honest monetary system. Otherwise, Egypt, like all nations with a central bank strangling its populous in a noose of fiat-money debt, will continue to serve the desires of the few who wish to disadvantage the many.