Happy Friday! Did you survive your July Fourth? Your Lack of Independence Day? Or maybe it should be called the Too Much Dependence Day, nanny state and all. Ah, the good ole USSA. It’ll be something for us all to watch it crumble from afar at Galt’s Gulch Chile.
Want to join in the discourse? Send your questions, comments, queries, and concerns to tdv@dollarvigilante.com, comment on a post, or get on the forums.
On to the feedback…
HAS THERE EVER BEEN A CONSISTENT POLITICIAN?
Dear TDV,
Yes, the vast majority of politicians are consistent. They consistently betray the public trust for personal benefit. They consistently lie about the motive for their actions. They consistently lie about the result of their actions. They consistently advocate political solutions, even as they see how destructive it is for the population. They consistently take credit for everything positive even though they fought against it, and deny responsibility for negative consequences of their creation. They consistently blame others for their failures. e.g., they blame lack of regulation and legal power for the failure of their monetary policy/theory, i.e., they claim their failure to control the most controlled aspect of our economy is proof they should control more of it. And their logic goes unquestioned. They consistently expand their power at the expense of freedom.
But the politicians are not the main problem with our political system. The American people, as well as all other nationalities, consistently complain and criticize their governments but never question the concept of being governed, i.e., ruled. They witness total destruction, as in Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan, and still do not question their part when they gave away their power to an elite and became dependent. They point to their rulers and shout "They did it!", but do not think about how they make government possible. They let government commit immoral acts and judge them moral, because government. did it. They exempt government. from morality. And then rationalize their abject default of responsibility as being "practical" and "necessary for the common good".
They would not claim a moral code is unnecessary in their personal life, but the public realm is exempt from morality, meaning politicians and bureaucrats are not accountable for their public actions. People do not claim the right to be the sole judge of their own actions, deciding their guilt or innocence. But they do let government. get away with judging itself.
When two belief systems collide, as the faith in government. was tested against the faith in democracy in the "Bank Bailout", democracy lost. Ninety-nine percent were against the bailout, but the politicians ignored that and rewarded criminal/incompetent activity. I thought: "This is good, now even the blindest government. supporter will rebel. Maybe they will begin to question their faith in government." No rebellion. No question of faith.
And the economy got worse. None of the promised benefits of the bailout happened. No rebellion. No questioning.
In the USSR they had practically no capitalism for 74 years. That didn't work. They tried a little capitalism, i.e., less civic/economic control, and things got better. Did they learn anything? Did they learn any basic economic lessons? Any lessons about self governing? Are they slowly becoming freer? I doubt it. They are putting up with a fascist dictator.
China opened up to a little private ownership in the eighties. It worked wonders. The government. starting clamping down. It is hurting their economy. Is a fundamental questioning of the faith in government. happening? I doubt it.
The USSA is a welfare/warfare police state. Is the concept of government. being questioned? (Not counting Laissez Faire Daily, Daily Bell, The Dollar Vigilante, and others on the 'net.)
Exploitation, poverty, injustice, war, genocide and barbarism are products of government. And government. cannot exist without mass support. When will the masses realize they are committing their lives, their fortunes, and their future to a social system that has never worked? When will they wake up and question government. slavery? When will they replace servitude with self governance?
Don D.
Jeff’s Response:
Hi Don,
Your comment was eloquent and well stated so I won't sully it by commenting too much on it. I will say, however, that much like World War Z portrayed, the USSA is done. It's over. And it just doesn't matter anymore. I am currently writing in from Galt's Gulch in Chile and not many people here care about the state. I spend a lot of my other time, in between travels, in Mexico and NO ONE I have ever met sees the state as being anything but despicable and a pox on all our houses. I could name nearly a hundred other countries I've been to where that is also the general perception of the state.
This is what I've been writing about for years. Just get out. It's like trying to tell people in the Soviet Union in 1982 to stop talking about how bad it is and just leave and not have them listen. A bit frustrating. But every day here at TDV and, thanks to the internet, countless other locations, people are slowly waking up. Those who don't wake up will feel like Brad Pitt in WWZ soon… but they won't be nearly as handsome nor have an insane, titless wife. I suppose, however, on that last part, its a good thing.
CONTINUE BUYING PRECIOUS METALS?
Hello again Jeff,
I have written in once before, and really appreciate your comments and advice on Feedback Fridays. I always try to read them when I can because I feel like other people may be asking questions, or thinking about things that I may not have already considered.
Anyways, I have bought a lot of silver since it moved above $14 an ounce, and have planned on continuing to put the majority of my savings into precious metals for the long haul. I was actually very pleased to see the recent drop in the price of mining stocks and precious metals because it has given me another chance to purchase a lot of silver and gold at what I consider to be a discounted price in the long term.
However, I have questioned whether our not I should continue to buy precious metals in the near future based on some of the points I have heard TDV writers and yourself make. I guess what I am saying is, why should I continue to buy precious metals if I'm not going to be able to take them out of the country, or will be heavily penalized for doing so?
Part of me believes that I should be focusing my attention and finances on traveling, and getting out of the US for a while, instead of staying here and stockpiling silver.
So, which do you think is more important for someone who already owns a significant amount of precious metals? Getting out, or buying more? Or both?
Thanks for all that you do,
Matthew G.
Jeff’s Response:
Hi Matthew,
Your average slave prognosticator would say, "I can't offer financial advice because I am not registered by the government". However, you know our style here. I damn well will offer you advice despite all threats by the mafia…. ahem, government.
To answer your question, I think both are very important. If you have assets, get the majority or all into hard assets that Ben Bernanke can't counterfeit. And, get a significant amount outside of your home country so Barack O'Bomber can't extort or steal them from you.
But, depending on your situation, I highly advise just getting out. I mentioned World War Z above and I really believe that in the next few years the entire USSA will feel like that movie. People are really underestimating how bad it will get there. And, due to my travels, I know that it will be better almost anywhere else. Will it be easy uprooting? Will it be easy making a life for yourself somewhere else? No. Nothing worth doing is easy. But will it be the best decision and full of wonderful new directions in your life? Almost, unquestionably, 100%.
GALT’S GULCH PROPERTY TITLES
Hi TDV,
I read and enjoy reading your comments. I've also looked into your anarchist's point of view. Others have expressed doubts about several things but none have mentioned the fact that property ownership is proven by some kind of paper issued by some government authority. Indeed a government central database of some kind maintains records of ownership .
In an anarchist society how could ownership be proven and protected? If I choose to buy a property in Galt's Gulch, I presume I'd be given some sort of title in return for my money. How would this work under anarchism ?
Thanks,
Victor
Jeff’s Response:
Hi Victor,
Funny you should ask. I've just spent the entire day in Santiago, Chile in a lawyers office looking at every conceivable option. We've been on the line with lawyers in New Zealand, company formation experts in Bahamas and other jurisdictions looking at the exact perfect way to set-up "title" in the freest, most non-governmental way.
We think we have come up with a few incredibly innovative solutions. We may even make our title system torrent-based and completely free market.
We've still got a few things to look into but we should have a truly innovative solution to this in the coming days and weeks that will happily surprise anyone interested in non-violent ways of showing property ownership. Stay tuned!
MEXICO AND THE DOLLAR COLLAPSE
Hey Jeff,
How do you look at Mexico after a dollar collapse?
Iva M.
Jeff's Reponse:
Hola Iva,
The Mexican peso collapsed in the 90s so I really think a US dollar collapse will not be of a major shock to the majority of Mexicans… except those who still believe that the US dollar is a haven from the peso. They'll get what is coming to them.
Otherwise, Mexico will definitely feel the effects of the dollar collapse. However, most of the rest of the world is already moving on from a dollar-based system… including their economies. I think it will be much more comfortable in Mexico than in the USSA when the collapse comes.
The only bad thing I can think of to say about Mexico during this event is that it is a bit too close to ground zero, the USSA, for my liking. However, where I spend a lot of time, in very, very deep southwestern Mexico, your average person is not very affected by the USSA. There is little to no Amerikan tourists (which I consider to be a positive under any scenario!), the area is full of abundance in food whether it be organic local farms or the Pacific Ocean where most of the food I eat is usually brought from a man with a fishing pole or a snorkel… or just the fact that it is always warm and the beer is cheap.
In fact, there is a good chance that the region called Mexico improves after a dollar collapse. Because the biggest problems in Mexico today are caused by the US government and its gun running and war on people… sorry, plants. What do they call it again? Oh yeah, drugs… and once that all collapses Mexico will most likely return to paradise. Although, it will not be a super easy transition no matter where you are in the world. But I'll take my chances in Mexico or at Galt's Gulch Chile over Chicago, Boston or New York anytime.
