Analysis Topic: Politics & Social Trends
The analysis published under this topic are as follows.
Friday, March 13, 2009
Eureka! Creative Accounting Solves Banking Crisis! / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Money_and_Markets
Mike Larson writes: Who knew it would be so easy? Who knew we could solve the banking industry's collapse by simply changing how we account for assets. Eureka! Problem solved!
That seems to be the conclusion Wall Street came to earlier this week, judging by the reaction to Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke's comments at the Council on Foreign Relations on Tuesday. During that speech, Bernanke weighed in on “mark to market” accounting, saying the following:
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Friday, March 13, 2009
The Militarization and Annexation of North America / Politics / US Politics
By: Stephen_Lendman
The title refers to the Security and Prosperity Partnership of North America (SPP), also known as the North American Union - formerly launched at a March 23, 2005 Waco, Texas meeting attended by George Bush, Mexico's President Vincente Fox, and Canadian Prime Minister Paul Martin. It's for a tri-national agreement, below the radar, for greater economic, political, and security integration with secret business and government working groups devising binding policies with no public knowledge or legislative debate. Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, March 13, 2009
U.S. Economic Depression: The Growing Homeless Tent Cities / Politics / Recession 2008 - 2010
By: Submissions
In Sacramento, California, tent cities populated by the recently made homeless have begun springing up in a scene reminiscent of the Hoover Great Depression era. This is yet another sign of bad economic times, and reflects the need for real change, not based on ideology but on the practical needs of the people.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, March 13, 2009
Reforming the Global Financial System by Flushing Out the Parasites / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Submissions
Nikki Alexander writes: When Benjamin Franklin was called before the British Parliament in 1757 and asked to account for the prosperity in the American colonies. He replied, "That is simple. In the colonies we issue our own money. It is called Colonial Scrip. We issue it in proper proportion to the demands of trade and industry to make the products pass easily from the producers to the consumers. In this manner, creating for ourselves our own paper money, we control its purchasing power, and we have no interest to pay to no one." It was the struggle for financial sovereignty that precipitated the American Revolution when the (Rothschild) Bank of England forced the colonists to give up their own currency. Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Health Care Reform, Obama Style / Politics / Healthcare Sector
By: Stephen_Lendman
On February 26, The New York Times headlined: "Obama Offers Broad Plan to Revamp Health Care....a (down payment $634 billion "reserve fund" for the next decade) toward his goal of covering the uninsured, and he would pay for it in part by cutting federal payments to hospitals, insurance companies and drug companies." More on that below. Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, March 12, 2009
In Search Of Economic Common Sense / Politics / Recession 2008 - 2010
By: Mike_Shedlock
I have been seeking economic common sense in high places. It's very difficult to find on either side of the Atlantic. And in the ever escalating displays of lack of common sense, the UK introduces quantitative easing to aid economy .
The Bank of England bought £2 billion ($2.8 billion) of government bonds Wednesday as the UK introduced quantitative easing to kickstart the ailing economy.
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
U.S. Housing Bubble, Alan Greenspan Still Hasn't Got a Clue / Politics / Central Banks
By: Tim_Iacono
On the same day that his successor signaled dramatic policy changes that would see the Federal Reserve "take away the punchbowl" before inflating yet another asset bubble, radically altering the way financial market regulators operate in the process, former Fed chairman Alan Greenspan was readying yet another in a long series of op-ed pieces aimed at defending his legacy. He didn't cause the housing bubble, or so he says.
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Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Baby Boomers' Future Going Bust / Politics / Pensions & Retirement
By: Mike_Shedlock
The attitudes and values of boomers heading into retirement are changing. They have to.
In the wake of a stock market and home price collapse, most boomers are not prepared for the future. Let's explore that idea with a look at Is the Future Going Down the Drain? Baby Boomers Going Bust .
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Greenspan the Architect of the Financial Crisis a Glutton For (His Own) Punishment / Politics / Central Banks
By: Brady_Willett
Why Greenspan continues to try and defend his deplorable record as Fed Chairman is unknown. What is known is that the once powerful Sir Alan has seen his reputation steadily deteriorate to a level not much higher than laughing-stock. Here is what Greenspan had to say in his most recent commentary: Read full article... Read full article...
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Grand Illusion - The U.S. Federal Reserve Bank / Politics / Central Banks
By: James_Quinn
So if you think your life is complete confusion Because your neighbors got it made
Just remember that it's a Grand illusion
And deep inside we're all the same.
We're all the same...
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Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Time To Stop Squandering Taxpayer's Money / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Mike_Shedlock
John Hussman is always a good read. This week, in Buckle Up , Hussman is railing about the policies in Washington. Let's tune in.
The misguided policy response from Washington has focused almost exclusively on squandering public money and burdening our children with indebtedness in order to defend the bondholders of mismanaged financial institutions (blame Paulson and Geithner – I've got a lot of respect for our President, but he's been sold a load of garbage by banking insiders).
Monday, March 09, 2009
Washington's Record as Investment Manager / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Frank_Holmes
Think the markets are kicking you around in 2009? Be thankful your portfolio isn't performing like that of the federal government in its role as investor of last resort. Read full article... Read full article...
Monday, March 09, 2009
Watch CNBC and Make Money, Who is Really Making Money? Part1 / Politics / Mainstream Media
By: Mike_Stathis
Maybe there's a good reason why CNBC has a show called Fast Money. If you follow the advice of these guys, your money is likely to evaporate very fast. Likewise, I'm beginning to see why Cramer's show is called Mad Money. You're likely to get mad if you follow his advice. Or maybe you have to be a mad man to watch it. Cramer, didn't you tell investors to stay in Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers just days before the collapse? Read full article... Read full article...
Sunday, March 08, 2009
The Bottomless Bailout / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Submissions
Ralph Nader writes: Does anybody in the federal government know or could know “who, what, where and when” of the massive, complex, vertical, horizontal, global collapse of Wall Street and its planetary tentacles in over 100 countries abroad? Step forward if you exist! Uncle Sam needs you! Is the multi-million dollar bailout of this financial mess and house of cards, this phantom wealth mummy hitting air beyond the federal governments' salvage capability?
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Friday, March 06, 2009
Can the U.S. Tax Authorities Break Swiss Bank Secrecy? / Politics / Gold & Silver 2009
By: Julian_DW_Phillips
It would seem so clear that the U.SA. Tax Authority attack on UBS is going to break the Swiss secret banking system. Will they succeed? After whacking them with a $780 million fine they are now coming in for another attack demanding the exposure of U.S. Swiss account holders in the bank. They had agreed to disclose the names of 300 U.S. based clients with accounts with U.B.S. in the States. They have and will not agree to disclose the names of U.S. citizens who hold accounts in Switzerland . But the entire body of U.S. citizens holding Swiss bank accounts are worried about this prospect. On top of that, all other foreign Swiss bank account holders are worried too. Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, March 06, 2009
Obama Success or Failure, Which is Better for the U.S. Economy? / Politics / Economic Stimulus
By: Peter_Schiff
Talk show host and conservative icon Rush Limbaugh recently ignited a firestorm of criticism for expressing his desire that Barack Obama should fail. Democrats, and even some Republicans, suggested that he had put aside his patriotism to wish for an economic collapse that would result in political advantage for conservatives. However, if you believe as I, and apparently Rush, that Obama's plans will prevent recovery, then wishing that they fail to become actual policy is the right thing to do. The problem is that since Mr. Limbaugh has a history of partisanship, and since he did not forcefully criticize the Bush Administration for similar (if slightly more modest) plans, many cannot see past the messenger to recognize the truth in the message.Read full article... Read full article...
Friday, March 06, 2009
Quantitative Easing Means Quantitative Failure of Monetary Policy / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Mike_Shedlock
The Fiscal Insanity Virus has struck again. See if you can spot the occurrences in BOE's King ‘Groping in the Dark' as U.K. Expands Money Supply .
Bank of England Governor Mervyn King, criticized for his initial response to the credit crisis, is now embarking on one of the biggest risks in British economic history.
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Friday, March 06, 2009
Frank Talk on Outlawing the Monstrosities of Debt Securitization / Politics / Credit Crisis 2009
By: Mike_Shedlock
Barney Frank is in the news. As is typically the case with "Frank News", Barney is throwing stones in the wrong direction. Please consider Frank Seeks to Curb ‘Phenomenon of Securitization' . Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, March 05, 2009
Why TALF is Bad for America / Politics / Credit Crisis Bailouts
By: Chris_Ciovacco
The recent Term Asset-Backed Securities Loan Facility (TALF) announcements bring to mind Einstein's definition of insanity – “doing the same things over and over again and expecting different results”. It is well documented that securitization of loans, use of leverage, and government intervention in the free markets helped inflate assets bubbles, fostered a culture of debt, and distorted the efficient allocation of limited resources in our economy. If you want a good real world example, Fannie Mae bonds guaranteed by the government, backed by a pool of subprime mortgages, and bought using borrowed money (leverage) touches most of the bases. Read full article... Read full article...
Thursday, March 05, 2009
The Worst Global Crisis of All Time / Politics / Water Sector
By: Money_and_Markets
Larry Edelson writes: No, I'm not talking about the global financial crisis. Nor am I talking about the AIG disaster … Citibank's failure … the collapse of GM or Ford. I'm not even referring to the Dow's recent plunge to below 7,000.
Don't get me wrong: I am not minimizing the financial crisis that's affecting people all over the world.
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