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Is the Health Care Bill a Distraction From What’s Next? March 24, 2010

Posted by Jeff Nabers in : Hyperinflation, Money, Self Directed IRA Solo 401k , 11comments

Everyone is talking about health care. “How could the politicians do this with a strong majority of American in opposition?”

This video provides some insight into the never-ending string of government takeovers, and seeing the whole picture is alarming. One lesson from all of this is that complaining doesn’t work. Neither does disapproving. What does work is being prepared to defeat government takeover attempts.

Discussed in the video is what I believe is one of the most fundamental characteristics for a free society. Enjoy!

The Hidden Meaning Behind the State of the Union Address January 29, 2010

Posted by Jeff Nabers in : Hyperinflation , 4comments

I just started watching the State of the Union address on Youtube and was immediately sickened.

I guess I should tell you that I’ve been physically ill since last weekend, but Obama’s speech isn’t helping. It was way too reminiscent of the scenes in the book (or movie) 1984 where the public is forced to participate in mass hate and love demonstrations for their enemies and leaders.

The Painter Announces He Will Install the Plumbing

The first thing that blows my mind about what was spoken on the topic of economics is the absolute retardation of reason. Nobody in the government knows anything about economics. Time and time again, they make predictions and statements that turn out to be completely wrong. These people (Congress, the President, and other bureaucrats) are not economists (and they only acknowledge the economists who support the philosophy of never-ending increases in government spending and power).

They are not the bringers of solutions. If our problems went away, then they’d lose their jobs because we’d have no need for them. They are problem-creators. They are hired to fail.

We are expected to celebrate an announcement that the stimulus worked? Hey didn’t the last President announce (more…)

Will Taxes Increase? January 11, 2010

Posted by Jeff Nabers in : Hyperinflation, Money, Uncategorized , 1 comment so far

taxes

I was just listening to a recording of a conference call this morning where a financial planner began his presentation with this premise:

Taxes will be increasing in the future

I haven’t listened to the rest of it because I had to pause it and write this post. I’m sure when I go back this guy will paint a whole picture based on the assumption of taxes increasing in the future.

Really?

Maximum Taxes

Well, first, let’s admit to ourselves that there is a very real, hard maximum taxation point. That’s 100%. A taxpayer cannot pay more in taxes than he has. Beyond that is impossible.

Second, let’s admit that there is effectively a maximum taxation point that is well below 100% of what a taxpayer has. Taxes going beyond this point is improbable. Let me explain…

Whether you may realize this or not, you probably pay 60%, 70% or more of every dollar that has ever been “yours” in taxes. Income taxes, property taxes, sin taxes (on booze), gas taxes, sales taxes, excise taxes, franchise taxes, death taxes, etc. Some of these taxes show up on paper that you can see, and some of these taxes are never declared to you at the point at which you pay them.

Where the Line is Drawn

So with the majority of the money that was ever yours already going to these direct taxes, how much more taxation can you take? Imagine a scenario where we go from systematically losing 70% of our money to losing 90% of our money.

Do you think hundreds of thousands (more…)

The Most Important Financial Question You Must Ask June 19, 2009

Posted by Jeff Nabers in : Money , add a comment

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What is inflation?

I believe this is the most important financial question a person can ask. I am constantly on a trek to better understand money and wealth. Here is some of what I’ve learned thus far:

Per its original meaning:

I have a 1920 Webster’s dictionary that says inflation is a rise in the money supply. I have a 2006 Webster’s dictionary that says inflation is a rise in consumer prices. From this point forward, I will use “inflation” for its original definition (an increase in the money supply) and I will use “price inflation” to refer to a general increase in  prices.

How did this “Newspeak” happen?

Inflation is harmful because it leads to a rise in prices. When everyone’s expenses are rising faster than their incomes as a result of the actions of the government and banking system, it is like a tax on the American people.

With the harm being a rise in prices, the focus on the topic of “inflation” shifted from the cause (inflation) to the effect (rising prices). And so, over a period of decades, everyone (news media included) shifted into speaking about inflation as a rise in prices.

Why don’t inflation and price increases correlate directly anymore?

You can take simple economic examples and draw a direct correlation from increasing the money supply to a rise in prices not complemented by a rise in incomes. These are usually fictional stories of a group of people being stranded on an island and creating their own economy. They will illustrate with great clarity that increasing the money supply takes from the regular person and gives to the banker or his friends (such as the government).

Now apply those concepts to our current economy and you will be so confused, it will be easy to surrender to saying, “Gosh this stuff is for super-geeks to figure out and I’ll just go with whatever is reported to me.” Of course, we’ve learned that following the crowd and getting your information from normal reporting sources is a sure way to (more…)