The American Dream is Dead

[CPA2]

The Emperors Have No Clothes by Larry Edelson

The Fed is hell bent on devaluing the dollar. The money the Fed is printing up almost non-stop, comes out of thin air. Meaning it’s not backed by anything but the Treasury’s promise to honor the pieces of paper when they are exchanged for something of value, be it a hard asset, a service, or even a treasury bill or bond.

And that, they can do. They can redeem every one of the trillions of pieces of paper they
are printing up via a digital push of a button. But that doesn’t mean those pieces of paper will buy you the same quantity, or even quality of goods or services that they have in the past. Quite to the contrary. With an endless supply of fiat money in the cards, there is no other direction for the value of the dollar to go but down over the long term. Right now, yes, the dollar’s value has increased a tad as the sovereign debt crisis has hit Greece and the Euro region. But that doesn’t put the dollar back in a long-term bull market. And anyone who thinks that’s the case, truly must have their head examined, because the facts speak for themselves …

1. The U.S. is ground zero for the financial crisis. That means the most damage was
   done here, on our own shores, and the biggest consequences
   will be felt here, on our own shores.
2. The U.S. government is the most indebted government on the planet. It’s in worse
   shape than Greece, Portugal, Spain, or any other fiscally troubled country.

 

[Lutheranteach]

Hate to break the news, but the American Dream has been dead for about 30 years for the most part. It was BOUGHT and SOLD a long time ago to corporate interests and their lobbies.

 

[Pamm]

These are among the most cynical posts I’ve seen on here. God does make junk – and the world was formed by Him. The American Dream is not dead – it is alive and well! It is by no means perfect – but there is no better place on Earth to be.

 

[GodLovesTheSpek]

In post WWI Germany, they burned money to keep warm.

Since dollar bills are a kind of cloth (for the time being), one could sew clothes and blankets with dollar bills.

Instead of gathering more debt maybe the government can bail itself out of debt. Maybe a call to 1-800-Debt-Relief can help. (just kidding)

Seriously, the national debt is growing at an almost exponential rate. If the dollar becomes worthless, then a penny (zinc, copper) will be worth more than a dollar bill, a loaf of bread will become priceless. Farmers who have diversified crops may be our most important citizens.

There may not be any immediate post WWI German survivors to remember. Those who lived through The Great Depression are rapidly becoming fewer in number.

We have serious homeless and economic problems. Those who might think otherwise: it can get a lot, lot worse and history has recorded many instances.

The American Dream isn’t dead – it is rapidly turning into a Nightmare. One thing about nightmares – they do get as bad as one can imagine.

Sleep well.

God have mercy on us all.

 

[CPA2]

Hate to break the news, but the American Dream has been dead for about 30 years for the most part. It was BOUGHT and SOLD a long time ago to corporate interests and their lobbies.

I agree. This is no longer our government. We are a government of special interests by special interests.

 

[CPA2]

These are among the most cynical posts I’ve seen on here. God does make junk – and the world was formed by Him. The American Dream is not dead – it is alive and well! It is by no means perfect – but there is no better place on Earth to be.

With the passage of Obama Care we now have more in common with Communist countries than we do with the ideals of the founding fathers.

This nation has officially turned its back on God through abortion, no prayer in schools, etc. I think that God will no longer protect this country. He has left us to our own devices, and we will be humbled through a greater financial collapse than the Great Depression! We will not come back to a correct conscience until the chastisements.

 

[Major_Tom]

The Emperors Have No Clothes by Larry Edelson

The Fed is hell bent on devaluing the dollar. The money the Fed is printing up almost non-stop, comes out of thin air. Meaning it’s not backed by anything but the Treasury’s promise to honor the pieces of paper when they are exchanged for something of value, be it a hard asset, a service, or even a treasury bill or bond.

And that, they can do. They can redeem every one of the trillions of pieces of paper they
are printing up via a digital push of a button. But that doesn’t mean those pieces of paper will buy you the same quantity, or even quality of goods or services that they have in the past. Quite to the contrary. With an endless supply of fiat money in the cards, there is no other direction for the value of the dollar to go but down over the long term. Right now, yes, the dollar’s value has increased a tad as the sovereign debt crisis has hit Greece and the Euro region. But that doesn’t put the dollar back in a long-term bull market. And anyone who thinks that’s the case, truly must have their head examined, because the facts speak for themselves …

1. The U.S. is ground zero for the financial crisis. That means the most damage was
   done here, on our own shores, and the biggest consequences
   will be felt here, on our own shores.
2. The U.S. government is the most indebted government on the planet. It’s in worse
   shape than Greece, Portugal, Spain, or any other fiscally troubled country.

It goes without saying that you are entitled to your opinion…

… however, I disagree. If you are convinced that the Dream is dead, you will take no part in improving all of those things that you think are broken. Bummer. We could use the help.

 

[CPA2]

It goes without saying that you are entitled to your opinion…

… however, I disagree. If you are convinced that the Dream is dead, you will take no part in improving all of those things that you think are broken. Bummer. We could use the help.

My first obligation is to try to do what I can to save myself and my family. The government now has more in common with Communist countries than with the ideals of the founding fathers.

My first business decision, with the reality of Obama Care, will be to close my perfectly good business and let all of my employees go. (I had 45 employees at one time.) I will be moving to a new city and for the first time in my life** I will not hire any employees! ** I refuse to pay the federal government in money and hassle for the privilege of hiring employees! This is a sound business decision, in my opinion. I will enjoy my work more and my firm will become more profitable since I will be 100% in production instead of being only a manager.

 

[Major_Tom]

My first obligation is to try to do what I can to save myself and my family. The government now has more in common with Communist countries than with the ideals of the founding fathers.

My first business decision, with the reality of Obama Care, will be to close my perfectly good business and let all of my employees go. (I had 45 employees at one time.) I will be moving to a new city and for the first time in my life** I will not hire any employees! ** I refuse to pay the federal government in money and hassle for the privilege of hiring employees! This is a sound business decision, in my opinion. I will enjoy my work more and my firm will become more profitable since I will be 100% in production instead of being only a manager.

I feel slightly better about this post than your last. At least you have a plan and are going to DO something. Your last one was stating nothing proactive. YOu don’t want people like that in your foxhole, just waiting for the shells to hit you.

I don’t know enough about Obama Care and how it will affect small businesses, so I can’t argue with you on that point. I hope you remain optimistic; nothing good ever came out of so much negativity.

 

[stinkcat_14]

My first business decision, with the reality of Obama Care, will be to close my perfectly good business and let all of my employees go. (I had 45 employees at one time.) I will be moving to a new city and for the first time in my life** I will not hire any employees! ** I refuse to pay the federal government in money and hassle for the privilege of hiring employees! This is a sound business decision, in my opinion. I will enjoy my work more and my firm will become more profitable since I will be 100% in production instead of being only a manager.

If you want us to help you determine whether or not you are making a sound business decision, you need to answer a few questions:

1. Is your goal to maximize profits or to make a political statement?
2. If your goal is to maximize profits, what is the marginal revenue product of your last employee?
3. What is the wage rate of your employee before an after Obamacare?

If you answer these three questions, we can help you determine whether or not you are making a sound business decision.

 

[CPA2]

If you want us to help you determine whether or not you are making a sound business decision, you need to answer a few questions:

1. Is your goal to maximize profits or to make a political statement?
2. If your goal is to maximize profits, what is the marginal revenue product of your last employee?
3. What is the wage rate of your employee before an after Obamacare?

If you answer these three questions, we can help you determine whether or not you are making a sound business decision.

I do not make business decisions to “cut off my nose to spite my face!”

Quantitaive information such as marginal revenue from economics or the information that we, as accountants, use are only a guide to making to making correct business decisions. If you only use information found in college textbooks, you are well on your way to becoming extinct. Even though I am an accountant, I rely more on qualitaive information, which is not found in college textbooks, to make the correct decision. Business is more of an art than a science.

One credit manager told me something that I will never forget. He told me that a business is like a family. You teach the boys to be aggressive (salesmen), and you teach the girls to be cautious (credit managers). The trick is to walk the tightrope in between the two extremes. If credit policy is too strict, you lose business. If the credit policy is too loose, you lose your accounts receivable (bad debts). As Kenny Rogers sang, “you got to know when to hold ‘em, and when to fold ‘em.”

 

[edwest2]

Even if you don’t believe in God, what is pessimism going to get you?

Greed brought the world down. It’s on Wall Street – the organization that runs the planet. So what if the United States is the biggest debtor nation? The United States is the world’s only superpower and those drunk with power think they can do whatever they want. I’d like to remind Catholics that there are still people coming here from foreign countries with barely a grade school education, finding jobs, working two or three, having kids and getting on with their lives.

I knew people who came to this country after World War Two. Who had used Reichsmarks for toilet paper, who found work, had kids and survived.

All we are seeing here is a rerun of the Great Depression.

God bless,
Ed

 

[stinkcat_14]

Even if you don’t believe in God, what is pessimism going to get you?

Greed brought the world down. It’s on Wall Street – the organization that runs the planet. So what if the United States is the biggest debtor nation? The United States is the world’s only superpower and those drunk with power think they can do whatever they want. I’d like to remind Catholics that there are still people coming here from foreign countries with barely a grade school education, finding jobs, working two or three, having kids and getting on with their lives.

I knew people who came to this country after World War Two. Who had used Reichsmarks for toilet paper, who found work, had kids and survived.

All we are seeing here is a rerun of the Great Depression.

God bless,
Ed

Even if the American dream is dead, is that really such a big deal? After all, how much stuff do we really need anyway. We don’t need 2500 square foot houses, all we need to do is divide them in half and we will have two 1250 square foot units. That is plenty of space for a family, so the kids will have to share a bedroom, is that such a crime?

Now, to be honest, I don’t know whether or not the American dream is dead, all I know is that the economy is in a constant state of change. Sometimes we make a little more money, sometimes we make a little less. If we have enough to eat and shelter us, then we have plenty. If we have a little more, that’s great. If we have a little less, oh well.

 

[CPA2]

Even if the American dream is dead, is that really such a big deal? After all, how much stuff do we really need anyway. We don’t need 2500 square foot houses, all we need to do is divide them in half and we will have two 1250 square foot units. That is plenty of space for a family, so the kids will have to share a bedroom, is that such a crime?

Now, to be honest, I don’t know whether or not the American dream is dead, all I know is that the economy is in a constant state of change. Sometimes we make a little more money, sometimes we make a little less. If we have enough to eat and shelter us, then we have plenty. If we have a little more, that’s great. If we have a little less, oh well.

The Communists in 1917 also made similar assertions. Do not forget that private property is the basis of our freedom. The following is from someone else on this forum:

The Encyclopedia identifies the following respects in which socialism conflicts with Catholic teaching:

1. Socialism is materialistic. “Socialism appropriates all human desires and centres them on the here-and-now, on material benefit and prosperity. But material goods are so limited in quality, in quantity, and in duration that they are incapable of satisfying human desires, which will ever covet more and more and never feel satisfaction.”
2. Socialism is deterministic. “Holding that society makes the individuals of which it is composed, and not vice versa, it has quite lost touch with the invigorating Christian doctrine of free will. … Any power which claims to appropriate and discipline [the individual’s] interior life, and which affords him sanctions that transcend all evolutionary and scientific determinism, must necessarily incur Socialist opposition.”
3. Because of 2, socialism is hostile to the Church and the family. “Socialism, with its essentially materialistic nature, can admit no raison d’etre for a spiritual power, as complementary and superior to the secular power of the State. … The State was never meant to appropriate to itself the main parental duties, it was rather meant to provide the parents, especially poor parents, with a wider, freer, healthier family sphere in which to be properly parental.”
4. Socialism conflicts with the natural law regarding private property. “If man, [according to Aquinas], has the right to own, control, and use private property, the State cannot give him this right or take it away; it can only protect it.”

In other words: “It is true that the institutions of religion, of the family, and of private ownership are liable to great abuses, but the perfection of human effort and character demands a freedom of choice between good and evil as their first necessary condition. This area of free choice is provided, on the material side, by private ownership; on the spiritual and material, by the Christian Family; and on the purely spiritual by religion. The State, then, instead of depriving men of these opportunities of free and fine production, not only of material but also of intellectual values, should rather constitute itself as their defender.”

 

[stinkcat_14]

The Communists in 1917 also made similar assertions. Do not forget that private property is the basis of our freedom.

True, private property is very important. But private property is still for the most part protected in our society, so what is the big deal?

 

[CPA2]

True, private property is very important. But private property is still for the most part protected in our society, so what is the big deal?

Really? Where is private property protected? I can show you cases of judicial activism where private property was not protected.

 

[stinkcat_14]

Really? Where is private property protected? I can show you cases of judicial activism where private property was not protected.

At the end of the year in 2008 foreigners owned over $23 trillion in assets in the United States. Do you think that these foreigners would be putting their money into the US if we didn’t protect property rights?

bea.gov/newsreleases/international/intinv/intinvnewsrelease.htm

 

[CPA2]

At the end of the year in 2008 foreigners owned over $23 trillion in assets in the United States. Do you think that these foreigners would be putting their money into the US if we didn’t protect property rights?

bea.gov/newsreleases/international/intinv/intinvnewsrelease.htm

If you are paying property taxes, aren’t you renting your house from the government? Try not paying your property taxes and the government will sell your house. Try not paying your rent to a landlord and the landlord will evict you. What is the difference between paying property taxes and paying rent?

 

[stinkcat_14]

If you are paying property taxes, aren’t you renting your house from the government? Try not paying your property taxes and the government will sell your house. Try not paying your rent to a landlord and the landlord will evict you. What is the difference between paying property taxes and paying rent?

Using this logic, any tax is an attack on property rights. I suppose that you might argue that anarchy is better than no government at all. We don’t have to worry about the government taking away property rights in Somalia through the evils of taxation. I imagine they do have to worry about thugs though.

 

[CPA2]

Using this logic, any tax is an attack on property rights. I suppose that you might argue that anarchy is better than no government at all. We don’t have to worry about the government taking away property rights in Somalia through the evils of taxation. I imagine they do have to worry about thugs though.

"The funds that a government spends for whatever purposes are levied by taxation. And taxes are paid because the taxpayers are afraid of offering resistance to the tax gatherers. They know that any disobedience or resistance is hopeless. As long as this the state of affairs, the government is able to collect the money that it wants to spend. Government is the last resort the employment of armed men, of policemen, gendarmes, soldiers, prison guards, and hangmen. ** The essential feature of government is the enforcement of its decrees by beating, killing, and imprisoning. ** Those who are asking for more government interference are asking ultimately for more compulsion and less freedom (Ludwig von Misses).”