Mike Folkerth - King of Simple

Western Colorado’s own Humorist / Economist

Gold, Greed, and The Bitter End:

Good Morning Middle America, your King of Simple News is on the air.

We are living in historic times, ugly history, but history all the same. One of my readers asked me to simplify what is happening with our monetary and banking systems to Mikeronomics.

In the words of the King of Simple, Wall Street (including banks) had legal gambling debts that were considered too large to cover. Our leadership said, “No problem, we’ll tax the public to pay your debts and you can get back to what you do best; gambling with other peoples money.”

I have written for years that Wall Street is nothing more than Las Vegas on steroids. I see the Wall Street gang as the world’s largest parasites, undermining our lives while we sleep. The Orkin Man doesn’t have a chemical that would even stun them.

They drain the life blood out of American companies to a point of sending them into bankruptcy or moving them off shore. Once all the damage was done here in the U.S., they have moved their money and investments to such places are Communist China, Korea, Brazil and India, stating that we must compete in a global world. Hogwash (that is an economic term).

Most writers have never taken a course in Mikeronomics, and therefore simply report the technical manner in which the thievery is committed. We must remember that what is destroying the U.S. is legal and sanctioned by our government, who is here to help. Shall we take a stroll down history lane and see what sort of help government has been in the past?

Around 1970, the U.S. reached the end of a balanced economy, in other words, the monetary system and matter-energy systems no longer balanced. At that point, our economy should have been called for what it was; a mathematically impossible pyramid scheme. But rather than disrupt the wealthy, a new scheme was hatched that would serve as a charade of balance. I call it the Exponential-Debt-Capitalism scam.

Before I describe what happened, I need to make an important point. The matter-energy system (all that is real and tangible) must balance with the monetary system (the man-made creation of money). This was the case prior to 1970 as can be seen here, http://mikefolkerth.com/2008/09/04/growth-debt-and-demise/

While it is absolutely imperative that these two systems balance, the growth of the matter-energy system is constrained by a finite-physical barrier, the monetary system, being man made, is not. To make matters worse, the monetary system grows exponentially or geometrically, due to the power of compounding interest. These facts make the two most important underpinnings of our economic system incompatible. A condition that cannot long exist; and it didn’t.

This balance of our two most important systems is a well known requirement. A requirement that has been acknowledged nearly since time began. To keep the man made monetary system from running amuck, it was kept in check by requiring a physical element be provided prior to the printing of currency, that of silver and gold. In this way, a semblance of balance was thus possible. Gold from the finite system was required to match that of the human population and the extraction of natural resources which is infinite. Good plan.

Around 1970, that balance was no longer possible. The necessity of creating an exponential growing supply of money to match that of compounding interest was no longer achievable when constrained by the waning supply (and cost) of the physical check and balance of gold….unless that is, the rules could be changed. Bad plan coming up.

In 1971, America went off the gold standard forever. Now that the pesky constraint of a physical check and balance for the dollar was removed, money could be printed in ever increasing quantities and resource depletion and population growth were a non-issue; temporarily. The wisdom of centuries was thrown out the door in lieu of greed, power, false wealth and trying to fool Mother Nature. We would soon learn that Mother Nature is one mean Mother.

The massive amounts of paper money that could be produced by simply “monetizing debt” opened the door for some of the most elaborate forms of gambling ever perpetrated on the American people (it was your money in the game). Clever inventions such as “fractionalized banking, credit default swaps, derivative trading, short selling and a hundred other legalized scams brought forth the gamblers, fraudsters and profiteers to shear the willing flock on a daily basis.

But these gamblers and fraudsters are not the shell game hustlers of the dingy city street corner; these shysters are America’s most elite and shall not be chastised as they have the full backing of the best government that money can buy. Don’t believe me? Look at who is paying the gambling debts.

However, physics trump human rule makers every time and in the most severe manner. The new system of debt accumulation (rather than balance), lasted a mere 38 years.

During those 38 years of our ill conceived imbalance with nature, the following has occurred: Our funded National Debt has increased from 371 Billion to the current need for a ceiling of $11.3 Trillion, an increase of 3045% (National Debt increase for the 20 previous years was 69%). The U.S. went from the world’s largest creditor to the world’s largest debtor. Oil production in the U.S. decreased by 40% and consumption increased by 40%. The total amount of dollars in circulation has risen from approximately $500 Billion to more than $10 Trillion. And backed by what? Taxes.

To this point, I have been speaking about the funded National Debt. I have not included the unfunded debt or the private debt. America’s unfunded debt (promises made for government retirements, Social Security, Medicare etc.), run the number up to $75.1 Trillion.

And then there is the private debt of some $42 Trillion which rounds up America’s total debt to $117.1 Trillion. This is equal to $386,091 for every child in the U.S. After all, that is who we expect to pay for our exploits against balance is it not?

The U.S. has reached what I refer to as the “maximum debt level.” The monetary system of debt has become greater than all matter-energy collateral on earth from a balanced perspective. The imbalance has become so great, that just one week ago, our entire monetary system nearly collapsed…and should have. And will!

 
Comments
1.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 8:48 am, Billyb said:

An extreme simplification of a very complex problem. Understandable enough, however that people can see what is real and what is not now. A simple understanding of 8th grade math and economics 101 in this case is all that is required to understand the complex mess we are wrapped up in. Great post Mike.

Yesterday’s interview (60 minutes) of the two November candidates (neither are presidential in any manner), should have hinted at where we are headed real soon. Both candidates are under the assumption that the current problems were created by President Bush and congress over the past 7 1/2 years (they were not created by them, only aided by them). Both candidates listed numerous symptoms (with no mention of core problems). Both candidates believe we can spend more money and grow ourselves out of this mess we have accumulated. At this point, even if we could, and we can’t; where do they plan to acquire the monies they intend to spend? Neither have even the slightest idea what caused our economic situation today. And either one of them, when elected, will accelerate us to a total economic collapse in the very near future. We cannot avoid it at this juncture, due to our nation’s mind set.

The insane panic maneuvers our government is making now, need to stop immediately and a total restructuring needs to begin. This however will not happen, due to the lack of understanding by our government and the majority of its citizens, of very basic economics and math. Like you say, Mike, Mother Nature will handle it; it would have been much more pleasant if we would have done something while we still had options left, however.

There is very little satisfaction in understanding the reality of our situation, when you realize that very few are interested in real fixes. I guess that is what frustrated me most about how America responded to Dr. Paul’s presidential campaign. That kook, could have prevented the coming collapse, if his congressional peers and American citizens would have backed him over the past 10-15 years. But, with our present mentality, it would make no difference if Dr. Paul were to be elected, becasue he would have no support from the very people who desparately need his leadership at this time. -bb

2.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 9:30 am, Mike Folkerth said:

Billy b,

Terrific follow up on my article. Great job in depicting the non-attributes of our soon to be leaders.

The people that are providing the answers, don’t understand the question!

What does the bank tell you when you ask for a loan, you are flat broke, and all of your assets are 100% collateralized? “Don’t let the door hit you in the butt.” come to mind.

The U.S. is now the customer and the bank is China.

3.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 9:44 am, WmA said:

Hi Mike..

Nothing to add.. Great post.. I agree completely..

Brought to us by the best government money can buy..

BTW.. China can’t afford u.s… The world can’t.. WmA…

4.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 11:34 am, mickster said:

Michael -

No sugar coating allowed! Actually…you did a great job of explained how der schiezer hit der fan.

Mickster

5.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 1:38 pm, Mayberry said:

Excellent post Mike. My ass hurts……..

6.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 3:28 pm, thejaybird said:

I heard a phrase recently, describing our current situation, that has stuck with me: “private profit, socialized risk”.

As someone pointed out, it’s Robin Hood in reverse.

At best, our financial system is an affront to basic morality.

7.
On September 22nd, 2008 at 5:03 pm, Mike Folkerth said:

Mayberry,

Welcome to the site and the conversation.

Jaybird,
Yep, none of the profits are coming back, only the losses.

Local banks have done a good job over the years of serving our basic banking needs and allowing our society to function. I don’t want to lump them in with the mega-bank and Wall Street criminality.

I remain at a local bank where they all call me Mike rather than “Next.” Hopefully we will see the large banks shrink and smaller banks who serve the community needs rather than the CEO and shareholders.

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  1. Survivalist News » Mike Folkerth - King of Simple: Gold, Greed, and The Bitter End on September 22nd, 2008 at 9:57 am
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