Freedom
I've done a bit of traveling, and I'll take my stand here. This was how I thought it through in 1973, and it still is valid today. We are still the freest country. We are still the richest country, with the wealthiest middle class. The rule of law is still a very strong tradition here -- a government of laws, not men. That's why "they" are ofter us. We've gotten out of control -- a bit too much freedom -- too hard to control -- recent examples: Alex Jones, Glenn Beck. These are just average guys, like me, who got mad and started doing something about it. Agree or disagree with their politics. Doesn't matter. Only one of them supports me. I still support them because they are free.
From the Statue of Liberty:
“Give me your tired, your poor,
Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free,
The wretched refuse of your teeming shore.
Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me,
I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”
This is why people still want to come here. It might not be as free as you remember it, but we still have a lot of freedom and we need to appreciate that.
Bell, California, July 2010
When the pain really starts to come next year through taxation if nothing else, that large and still relatively wealthy middle class is going to be getting really mad and start searching for answers. You saw Bell, California's citizens at near riot this week over obscene pay packages for small-time city officials. They got mad. They took to the streets. They took care of business -- the freedom business. That's coming to every town in this nation. Right now, the anger level is being held just below critical mass with a combination of stimulus, continued unemployment support, and continued promises of economic recovery right around the corner. They are just trying to get through the Fall election.
They call the U.S. the fat and happy sleeping giant. Freedom also means the freedom to eat too much, but I think we'll fix that as well in the future. So we are going to have to shed a few pounds and boy is that going to make us unhappy, but shedding government pounds will more than compensate. Watch out moneymasters!
I am convinced monetary reform will come because there is no alternative. This is nothing less than the Alex Jones Prison Planet struggle of this millennia. It's either perpetual servitude or monetary reform, your choice.
Gold Is Not the Answer
The reason I constructed "The Secret of Oz" the way I did, was I see at least one major stumbling block that can derail our freedom -- gold. It's the wrong answer. It's the answer that was planted to divert us from the right answer. I mean why do we have to base money on anything? The vast majority of the world thinks happily that money comes from the government and is more or less issued for the benefit of all citizens. Of course, it is not! We are in this weird situation where we have to rent our money. Basing our money an a rare commodity -- gold -- when there isn't enough gold to go round and so we immediately have to go to gold notes (receipts), and then the banks will be loaning new gold receipts into existence, and then someone in government will be assigned the unenviable task of assuring us that the banks are not lending out more gold receipts than there is gold. It's just nonsense and not a solution.
This entire struggle is just our big thousand-year-long lesson in self governance. If we want to be free, we have to take back the money power. Pure and simple. That's the hub of our freedom. If we give it away through currency-backing schemes, we'll end up in the same place. It's simple; money has to be issued the way most of us think it is -- without debt -- by the government for everyone's benefit equally. If politicians are too crooked to not spend too much of this new money, then we can fix that. At least they wouldn't be borrowing it to spend it. We still have an electoral process. Look at Bell, California. They stormed the citadel of power and fixed it in a single week.
That's why I stress the history of gold money. In economics, anyone can come up with a theory and everyone's is a little different. But nothing proves like history and nothing proves like success.
What to Do
Now, to your main question; what can I do to protect my family. Job #1: keep your job. Pay no attention to the promises emanating from behind the political curtain, unemployment will continue to edge up. Why? Simple, 40% of the money supply has been destroyed. In the U.S., that is 10 times the amount of money the politicians have tried to artificially pump back into the economy with borrowed money. That borrowing is going to soon come home to roost in way higher taxes, conveniently kicking in AFTER the next election, and even more after the election in 2012. This will kick up the unemployment spiral even more.
Wealth is a totally relative thing. If you have more than your neighbors, you are wealthy. If you can keep a job, no matter what sort of job, you are going to be better off no matter how bad this gets -- and I certainly can't predict how bad it will get because there are just too many variables.
I own no gold. I would if I had the money, I suppose, but it is such a static investment -- pays no interest -- just sits. I do own a few pieces of silver, but I'm not sure if even that is worthwhile. I invest 95% of my income back into my work.
Growing food is always good, but it's not really an option for 75% of the population. A couple of tomatoes aren't going to cut it in a downturn that is that severe. No, we have to head this off before it comes to that. Especially when there is a perfectly easy fix -- monetary reform -- that can be implemented very, very swiftly.
My best -- and somewhat self-serving advice is to put all available energy into monetary reform efforts. Support the state bank concept to your state legislatures. You will find them more receptive than ever before if you pitch it primarily as a return to state sovereignty issue and a budget crisis relief issue.
That's my best.
P.S. Please don't call me Mr. Still. It implies I'm more than I am. I am really not the answer man. The folks I grew up with think this is some huge joke, that Bill is the answer man. I'm just an ill-equipped guy -- a reporter from a small town -- who fell into this. Anyone over the age of 16, please call me Bill.
