If you could foresee the one event that would change your life forever, wouldn’t you want to know what that event would be so that you could take advantage of that knowledge to properly prepare? If the forecast for America’s future was as dire as one firm predicts, wouldn’t you want to know what they had to say about that future?
When navigating unfamiliar territory, most people try to research the subject, observe people who are knowledgeable (and try to learn from their example), and then put all that information together so that they can make a decision.
It’s called intelligence gathering, and is very simple actually. In fact, you do it all the time.
If you hear on the radio that gas is going up, you probably give a cursory thought to filling up your car before the gas station down the road changes the prices at the pump. If you read an ad from your local grocery store and notice a two-for-one sale, you use that information to put together a grocery list so that you can take advantage of the savings.
Likewise, in the world of finances, you not only pay attention to those who seem to realize steady returns on their money, but you pay attention to financial and economic indicators that would portend disturbing trends and shaky futures. Suppose there was someone out there that had predicted the trouble brewing with Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae? Suppose those same people told you about the impending bankruptcies of General Motors and General Growth Properties (the largest mall owners in America)? Wouldn’t you want to learn about their insights and knowledge to better guide you in future decisions?
What are some of the indicators out there that this firm uses to suggest a financial collapse is about to happen?
1) Bailouts have consequences—The United States government has assumed trillions in additional financial obligations and commitments through its bailout of Wall Street, the banks, insurance giants, and the assumption of massive amounts of debt from the auto industry. If every American citizen were taxed at 100% of their income, the United States government could not pay off its debt obligations.
2) Other nations are beginning to push for a different world reserve currency—Gulf Arab states, China, Japan, Russia and France have met to plan an end for basing the price of oil on the United States dollar. Instead, they are proposing the use of a hodge-podge of currencies as well as a new world currency as the basis for oil prices.
3) The United States is the world’s largest debtor nation—We owe more money to more people than any other nation has ever owed in the history of the world. We have financed that debt with short-term loans, and now they are coming due. Soon we won’t be able to even afford the interest on those loans. Moody’s has recently stated that it might have to downgrade the United States’ financial rating.
The United States deficit sits at nearly 14 trillion dollars and has risen from a ratio of 57.4 percent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) in 2001, to 65.6 percent in 2007, and now sits at a staggering 94 percent ratio for the third quarter of 2010.
The GDP is one of the primary means used to gauge the health of an economic system. It represents the total value of all goods and services produced within a specific time frame. Using the GDP ratio shows us that the United States is nearly upside-down in its debt obligations, and is in fact, nearing the point of having a “negative equity” in its economic system.
A bank would refuse to loan money to a business run in the same manner that the United States government operates the people’s Treasury.
4) Unemployment rate – We have not seen the unemployment rate drop below the official estimates of 9% since April of 2009. Of course, this figure is misleading. Because the unemployment rate only tracks those actively seeking employment, it doesn’t take into account those who have fallen off the unemployment rolls or who have just quit looking for work. The real numbers are actually closer to 18%, or one out of six American workers.
At the beginning of 2007, there were just over 1 million Americans that had been unemployed for six months or longer. Today, three years later, that figure has risen to over 6 million. Since 2000, we have lost 10% of our middle class jobs, when the figure stood at approximately 72 million jobs available. Today, we have about 65 million middle class jobs.
The United States’ employment figures in manufacturing are comparable to what they were in 1940. Considering that our population has grown from 132 million in 1940 to over 300 million by 2010, those statistics are sobering. We now have 19.5 percent unemployed or underemployed blue-collar workers, up from 7.2 percent in the year 2000.
5) Our industry and manufacturing capabilities have been decimated – We’ve had NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement) and CAFTA (Central America Free Trade Agreement) and now we’re looking at pacts with China and Korea. We are bleeding our job markets dry, drip by drip, with each trade agreement signed. This travesty isn’t confined to either political party. Both parties are on the free-trade bandwagon that is bringing devastating consequences to our economy.
Back in 1998, the United States had 25% of the world’s high-tech export market and China’s share was only about 10%. Ten years later, we have lost nearly half that amount (down to 15%) while China’s share has soared to over 20% of the market. The total U.S. trade deficit with China is predicted to hit around 270 billion dollars for 2010.
Our government makes it harder and harder for businesses to create jobs. Massive government regulations in our country make it nearly impossible to build new factories. Costs in regulations and taxes make us the second highest country in the world to do business in. Once Japan lowers costs to operate a business in that country, we will be the MOST expensive country to operate a business in across the entire globe. How is that an incentive for entrepreneurs to start a business?
6) Housing, a prime economic indicator, is faltering – The United States Census Bureau estimates there are 6.3 million vacant homes that are either for sale or rent across the United States. Our housing prices have declined for three straight months in a row. In Merced, California alone, housing prices have dropped by 63 percent in the last four years.
At the end of the third quarter of 2010, 22.5 percent of all residential mortgages were showing negative equity. At the same time, mortgage basis points (measured in units of 1/100th of a percent) have risen by eleven points, making it more difficult for Americans to afford their homes.
How do you determine what are viable and logical choices to make in a world of such uncertainty? Where does one go to get reliable financial intelligence so that a logical and reasonable decision can be made regarding one’s financial investments and future? Bill Heid, CEO of Solutions From Science and president of Off the Grid News depends on the newsletter produced by Stansberry & Associates as one of his resources for up-to-the minute financial news, information about economic indicators, and future predictions made from reliable observation to help guide him in his investment and off-grid preparations.
“I have been receiving the Stanberry’s Investment Advisory for several years now,” Bill Heid states. “I feel that this newsletter is one of the most important assets I have in my ‘financial intelligence gathering.’ Not only that, it predicts future trends that are important to any person trying to get off-grid. For example, in their October 2010 edition, they presented some strong evidence for the possibility of a power grid failure within the next 36 months. Other newsletters have talked about rising food prices and precious metals markets. This sort of information is invaluable for anyone serious about preparing for the future.”
And now Porter Stansberry has released an informative video that will not only go in depth about these indicators and how they affect you, but will also tell you some of the financial moves you can make to protect your assets and even profit during this time of financial uncertainty. Pretty soon the price of ordinary commodities such as milk, bread, and gasoline are going to soar once the discounting of the dollar begins. Banks will continue to close their doors and the government is talking even now about stepping in to take control of your 401ks. Watching this video on America’s future is imperative if you want to know how to best prepare for that future.
Don’t be misled into thinking that nothing can happen to the American financial system because of our status in the world. That status sits precariously on the edge of a cliff and is just waiting to fall over. Click here to view this absolutely must-see presentation from Porter Stansberry and take advantage of their insights to take control of your future.