China is Number 1 - Video

The $10.10 Big Mac

The push to increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10 (a 39% increase) an hour is misguided. One must understand the consequences of such a proposal. First, there actually are going to be consequences. There is no “free tree” from which to pick the plumbs of higher wages. Someone has to pay. The first to pay will be the workers themselves. Most small businesses have low profit margins and their first inclination will be to let some of these workers go if they can. Others will pass the costs along to their customers, you and me, who will be paying more for our Big Macs. Finally there are some small businesses that will just not be able to do either and will have to close their doors sending even more to the unemployment lines.

Let’s be clear. Those making $7.25 are in entry level positions. These jobs are not intended to be for those with families for the long run. Those employed in these positions need to work toward furthering their careers either in or out of their current positions building on the foundation of these minimum wage jobs.

Lastly, those currently making $10 will demand increases in their wages fostering even more unsustainable increases by our tottering economy. Resist socialism. Embrace capitalism. It actually works.

Great Cadillac Ad!

Our Furture?

Are we on a spiral downward? Some would say yes, but most just continue to watch TV and surf the internet in blissful distraction. Here is a good video on what the future may hold. There is still time to recover, but we would need to change - radically change.


Alternate site if you cannot view the video. (Second video).
Also see this frightening posting.

Compare US Debt To Average Household Finances

Everyone knows the debt and spending of the United States is out of control. But how can we relate to billions and trillons of dollars that the Federal government spends? There are just too many zeros flying around. Below, the column to the right reflects the US government's finances while the numbers under the $50,000 reflect the budget shortfall and the accumulated debt in numbers equivalent to that of a household making $50,000.

This shows that a typical household making $50,000 would be overspending by $27,765 on their credit card each year. It also shows that your total credit card debt, the cumulative overspending from past years would be $342,542 and your total liabilities including promises to pay others in the future would be over $2.5 million - A certain prospect for bankruptcy. 

New Michigan Law Punishes Cash-Based Tax Cheats

New Michigan law cracks down on tax cheating 'zapper' technology | MLive.com: This report shows the lengths which state governments will go to collect their taxes. Who knows how much is lost to "under the table" cash transactions. The solution here is to pass a new law outlawing software that under-reports cash transactions. The real solution is to get rid of cash altogether. Only the most antiquated businesses today take only cash. Most transactions are electronic. Paper money is playing a smaller and smaller role. Ultimately, cash or paper will be a thing of the past. Just think of the  taxes that will be collected. There is certainly an incentive to go this direction. How about illegal activity? That will be dramatically reduced too. 

Don't think this system is too good too soon. It's not. There will be a powerful individual that will use it for nefarious purposes. It's only a matter of time. Are you ready?

2nd Great Depression and the Collapse of Civilization

A stark description of the coming economic collapse:

To many, the solution will be a "strong man" to right what has gone wrong. That strong man will be the anti-Christ and will set in motion what has been foretold in our bible. Also see. 

Four Minutes Worth Watching/Listening To Regarding our Economy

While the video is not the most exciting to watch - its a still picture - what the person is saying is worth listening to. There are so many triggers that can collapse this economy. He is pointing out one of them. We are living in a house of cards. What is your "house" built on?

Make sure your foundation is on The Rock, Jesus Christ who is the same yesterday, today, and forevermore. 

Free Trade, Donald Trump, and Stupid Politicians

Love him or hate him, Donald Trump tells it like it is. Our politicians are selling us out. He says its because of incompetence and stupidity. Maybe so, but it is more than this. It is because of pure greed. Those politicians and leaders of big business make more money by dealing with China. They have no motivation to keep factories and jobs in the United States. They only care about how much their bonuses and salaries will be. Now there is nothing wrong with profit and big salaries, but there is something wrong, perhaps even a bit treasonous, about putting these before your country. 

What can we do? Stop buying products from our enemies when there is an alternative and question the motives of our politicians who spout out the virtues of "free trade". 

Good video. Give it a look.

United States to Implement Training Program for Workers in Manufacturing

White House, industry expand programs to educate, train workers - The Hill's On The Money: "Government and industry will step up their efforts to train and educate workers for the manufacturing sector, President Obama said on Wednesday.

An expansion of the Skills for America’s Future program will give high school and college students a clearly defined set of skills and courses they'll need to get a job in the industry, provide new mentoring programs and scholarships for those interested in engineering, along with a new jobs website, the president said during a trip to Northern Virginia Community College in Alexandria.

Its great that we are training folks to manufacture goods. However, how will we be able to manufacture goods if nothing is being manufactured here? The myth of "free trade" just meant that foreign manufacturing could get into the US for "free". Republicans have promised that if we only show the world how free trade works, they would reciprocate and open up their markets. Well, it hasn't happened and its not going to.

The horse is just about out of the barn at this point. We could have used tariffs to protect the good jobs that we had. If we tried that now, the manufacturers would just go somewhere else since the US market does not dominate like it once did. But hey, there is no time like the present to start trying something. Guess we could train our people for non-existent jobs or maybe we could start playing hardball with countries like China and those companies inside and outside of the United States that do business with our enemy.  

Debt and Deficit Greatest National Security Threat - Rep Giffords

Gabrielle Giffords, the Democrat Congresswoman from Arizona, was correct in her last televised interview with Fox news when she described the national debt as our greatest national security threat. Historically, nations fail when they cannot maintain an adequate defense. A world power will fall when their economy falls. Others will take their place. Now is the time to act to reduce our debt. We must purchase more domestic products while buying much less from our enemies in the Middle East and China.

It is great that she is doing better. Pray for her complete recovery. We need more democrats like her.

QE2 and Industrial Smoothing - Part 2

Fed Chairman Bernanke Is Boxed into No-Win Corner—What Will He Say Tomorrow? | Coin Update News: "In recent weeks, I have seen multiple reports that the Federal Reserve has been purchasing as much at 85% of all long-term US Treasury debt issues. The reason that this percentage is so high is that other buyers are shying away from purchasing US dollar-denominated debt. Potential buyers are steering clear of the US dollar because, adjusted for the effects of inflation, the value of the US dollar is now at its lowest level since 1973, the year when the US government began to allow the value of the dollar to float. Further, the value of the US dollar is still falling."

The first time the United States government started borrowing from itself, it was discussed here. Does it make sense that if others around the world are souring on the idea of giving us their money for our debt, that we continue to take money from one pocket and put it into another? This is the last breath of an economy that has little other choice. The only choices offered are difficult and it would take more courage for the politicians than they actually have. Drastic cutbacks and some degree of tax increases are necessary. Neither of these are easy. There are only difficult choices ahead. If left alone, the nature of economics will one day take hold and it will not be pleasant. 

United States Default on Debt and its Consequences

United States Default - The Associated Press: "The government now borrows about 42 cents of every dollar it spends. Imagine that one day soon, the borrowing slams up against the current debt limit ceiling of $14.3 trillion and Congress fails to raise it. The damage would ripple across the entire economy, eventually affecting nearly every American, and rocking global markets in the process."

The article above is an excellent summary of the current state of affairs regarding the national debt of United States and the debt ceiling debate. If you have not read anything regarding this, now is the time. It may be a bit boring, but it has the potential to effect most everyone's life not only in the United States, but around the world. You may have read recently where the credit outlook for the US has changed to negative by the rating agency, Standard and Poor's. If the US defaults, the Great Depression will look like a picnic in comparison. There will indeed be a New World Order with China likely the supreme power if they can even stand. This is worth your time to review. 

The long term solution is not to continue to raise the debt ceiling. As you can see from above, 42 cents on every dollar spent is obtained by issuing more debt. The United States needs to dramatically reduce its spending and raise some taxes at the same time. Democrats do not like reduced spending and Republicans do not like higher taxes, but there are not many other choices. The only other alternative is to print more money causing massive inflation for the amount that would be necessary. There is one other alternative: Default. 

United States Credit Rating Outlook Negative While China Urged to Divest

Here are two articles that appear on the same day that should send shivers up your spine. First, the outlook on the credit worthiness of the United States is being more and more diminished. Soon, we will see the actual US rating lowered. This will send shock waves around the world since the United States has been seen as a stable and sure investment for decades. When this fantasy is finally seen as what it is, investors will shed US bonds and notes making it more difficult and expensive to fund the activities we have not been able to afford for over thirty years. 

Equally concerning is the loud drumbeat coming from our enemy, China. They have been implying for some time that they would prefer to see a different currency be the world's standard other than the dollar. Now they are indicating they may need to divest some of their loans to the United States. Smart move on their part since investments in the US are becoming less safe, but it is bad news to the West. We need to wake up and stop sending our money to our enemies in the Far East and Middle East. The USSR fell from within. The United States is not immune to the same thing while getting assistance to that end from those who want our money on one hand, but would like to see our destruction on the other.

Stocks fall as U.S. credit rating outlook lowered to 'negative' by Standard & Poor's [Updated] | Money & Company | Los Angeles Times: "The credit rating agency Standard & Poor's lowered the outlook on the United States' credit to 'negative,' sending leading stock indexes down in early trading.

The report released Monday morning says that the United States has a large debt and deficit compared with other highly rated nations, and unlike with those other nations 'the path to addressing [the debt and deficit] is not clear to us.'

China Must Cut Foreign-Exchange Reserves, PBOC’s Zhou Says - Bloomberg: "“Foreign-exchange reserves have exceeded the reasonable levels that we actually need,” Zhou said. “The rapid increase in reserves may have led to excessive liquidity and has exerted significant sterilization pressure. If the government doesn’t strike the right balance with its policies, the build-up could cause big risks,” he said, without elaborating...

Lending Spree

The nation’s currency holdings jumped by the second-biggest amount on record in the January to March period, even as the nation reported its first quarterly trade deficit in seven years. Economists attributed much of the increase to capital inflows betting on appreciation of the yuan.

10 Questions that Will Solve Our Trade Deficit, National Debt, and Economy

The following are 10 questions that will solve the $14,000,000,000,000 national debt, our almost $500,000,000,000 annual trade deficit, and our economy in general:

1. Where was your car built?
2. Where were the clothes you have on made?
3. Where was your home television set made?
4. Where was your watch that you have on made?
5. Where was your computer made?
6. Where was your cell phone made?
7. From what country did the gasoline that you put in your car come?
8. Where were your eye glasses made?
9. How about household appliances like your refrigerator or toaster?
10.  Pick a canned or jarred food product. Where was it made?

Don't just laugh this off. Look! Look on the labels of your clothes, your food, your, electronics. Where was it made? Go to the store and look around. See where the products you buy are made and start making different choices.

We need to make things. We cannot continue to voluntarily allow foreign countries to pillage our goods to their benefit and our detriment.  It is unsustainable and just plain foolish.

There are ten questions above. What percent is made in the United States? Remember that anything under 60% is a failing grade.

Lastly, where were you made? Then how about supporting your country and your fellow countrymen. 

Longing for the Fiscally Conservative Days of "Tax and Spend"

It is a wacky world when the "tax and spend" days were actually more fiscally sound than these "borrow and spend" days. At least when you tax you actually have the money. Building up more and more debt, principally owed to foreign governments who hate us, only enslaves us currently and ruins the future of those that come after us. This is not debt that our children will pay. No future generation will have the fortitude to spend less than they make to pay back the enormous bills we are incurring. What will happen is the economy will collapse and there will be massive defaults. If only we had leaders that would lead.

Raise the debt ceiling? No. We should lower the debt ceiling and pay back the debt that we owe. The United States will no longer be able to maintain its preeminence in the world if this is not rectified soon.

New US Budget to Save $1 Trillion Over Next Decade

$1 Trillion Question: Who Will Buy President Obama's Budget - ABC News: "President Obama is poised to release his budget plan for next year, but don't expect it to make many Americans happy -- even though the White House tells ABC News that it will cut the deficit more than $1 trillion over the next decade.

Really? Do we even remember last year's budget? Has the budget from a previous year EVER guided the spending in the next? To foist such folly on the American public is ridiculous. Too bad most every President does it.

China-US Trade deficit hits record - Good Job America!

Great job everyone! We have set another record!

AFP: US trade gap widens as China deficit hits record: "WASHINGTON — The US trade deficit grew in December as imports rose at the fastest pace since June, while the politically sensitive gap with China hit a record for the year, official data showed Friday.

The total cumulative deficit with China since we have been accumulating deficits beginning in 1985 is now a mere $2,377,694,800,000. That is over $2.3 trillion of our money that has been shipped overseas to our enemy. Has one country militarily pillaged another country to such a degree in the history of the world? And we do this to ourselves willingly.

DONALD TRUMP is the only one that seems to understand the situation. He has spoken out about this before. Listen to him! He's right. A video of him talking to Piers Morgan is shown below:

Is Enimem the Best Representative of Detroit?

The concept in this video about Detroit it great. You just have to look here for another of Chrysler's videos to see that. However, is Enimem the best spokesman that Detroit could come up with? The guy is certainly talented and his personal story compelling, but his music is filled with filth. The same commercial could have been produced with a much better person to represent the City and the manufacturing comeback of the US.



http://tinyurl.com/26ayptu

Social Security fund will be Zero by 2037. But it will already be in the Red for 2011.

The Associated Press: Social Security fund will be drained by 2037 However, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is reporting that the government will take in $45,000,000,000 (that's $45B) less than it is going to pay out for 2011. That sounds pretty drained already. So not only is there no real Social Security fund with money sitting in it waiting for us to make our withdrawals, the current workers paying into the system cannot even pay for the current pensioners. Something needs to be done now, but the older folks vote more than the younger folks. It will likely take something catastrophic to make any substantive changes to the system.