First....
Dutch Cabinet Cuts Spending In 2011; More To Come
In cuts in healthcare, immigrants, and government workers, austerity is in the works for the Netherlands. In attempt to improve the position for the long term, austerity plans may reduce the country's deficit to 4% of economic output next year. In addition, with politicans deadlocked, Dutch labor unions have agreed to raise the retirement age from 65-66. Looks like someone is making corrective actions before it is too late.
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Gold Resumes Uptrend Following FOMC Statement
It appears that we can count on Helecopter Benji Bernanke to make things worse. Upon the Federal Open Market Committee's statement that it would employ its policy tools as necessary yesterday, gold hitting a record high and silver, went vertically up and the dollar index just collapsed and is now below 80 at time of this report. Gold could get through $1300 pretty quickly, especially if the dollar weakens further on additional quantative easing.
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Silver and Gold Lead the Commodity Breakout
Precious metals prices are being fueled by fears of a crashing dollar, which slumped to a 5-week low against the euro last week... Other commodities, like agricultural and base metals are making very strong gains as well. Corn, for example, went above $5 for the first time in years.
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The Governmental Money-Vacuum
The average American Works 231 Days To Support Government With Taxes. This accounts for 63.41 percent of the national income. But now get this, just two short years ago, it was 34 days earlier. Big government needs to go on a Richard Simmons diet fast. "Let's get physical!"
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U.S. Household Net Worth Drops
U.S. household wealth fell by $1.5 trillion in the second quarter of 2010. Household net worth fell to $53.5 trillion, well below the $64.2 trillion it had reached at the end of 2007. Declines in the value of financial assets -- especially in stocks and mutual funds -- accounted for much of the decline in second-quarter net worth.
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Are State pension Plan Fixes Breaking Retirement Promises?
Lawmakers have consistently overpromised and underdelivered when it comes to retirement plans for state and local government workers. Less than half of state retirement systems had enough assets to pay even 80 percent of the benefits they’ve already promised! In Minnesota, the state is telling retirees that there is no contract here, expressed or implied. Meaning, the state will attempt to change how pensions work for those, not only putting money into the system, but those already in retirement.
Finally,
Please prepare now for the forthcoming economic, and subsequent social, unrest that will hit the US.
Good Day