The definition of real insanity is sticking your finger in the same light socket over and over again, yet expecting a different result. This is what we do with each and every crisis. There is some investigation and political pronouncements, yet NOBODY ever asks has ANYONE ever tried this before and did it work? As […]

QUESTION: Some analysts “expect that the u.s. treasury will keep interest rates low for many years. they quote japan`s so-called “lost decade” as a precendant and appear to expect that such artificial supression will in fact work ( obviously against what you consider “market forces”). which poses the question: does japan`s “lost decade” conform to the ECM […]

Only in France is something so Socialistic-Draconian even possible. The French solution to rising unemployment, they have on Tuesday passed a law making it illegal for any company to close its doors as long as it is remotely profitable. I suppose this prohibits you from retiring and you must live forever while you’re at it. […]

QUESTION: Hello Martin: Thanks for the posts – you on fire 🙂 Question– if the emerging markets collapse and the bond markets collapse,  wouldn’t we have much less wealth world-wide?? If we have less wealth, isn’t that one of the things that helped drive the dark ages in Europe ?? So even if money is moving around isn’t […]

There remains a huge battle going on inside the Republican Party. The House Republicans are struggling between the Boehner camp that asks “why can’t we just all get along – its business as usual – can’t you get it”. Boehner threw off anyone who supported Ron Paul from any financial committee. He could care less […]

It looks like we are headed to a shut down. The House will pass a Continuing Resolution for the debt ceiling, but they will include no funding for Obamacare. Not only do the Republican constituents demand they get rid of Obamacare, but as of January 1st, Congress is forced itself to go under this system. […]

QUESTION:  Dear Mr. Armstrong- You seem to hint that Bernanke didn’t want rates to go up especially when there is a ceiling impasse. Yet, he talked about taper/untaper and torchured the market for 3 months to prepare investors for a smooth QE-reduction. Most investors I know were expecting a small taper that could have still been interpreted as […]

We cannot escape the fact that people have lost their faith in government. The latest polls show the approval rating of the US Congress has fallen to 11%. When the USA started bombing Libya, even support for Muammar Muhammad al-Gaddafi was at 85% and at its lowest point it was 15%. Today,  57% of voters not affiliated with either […]

California small business owners and investors are facing $120 million in back taxes after a 20-year-old tax exemption was struck down by an appeals court last year. That’s right. Government always wins. They make a mistake, and you still pay. We would be better off with the Mafia in charge – at least you can […]

Germany’s parliamentary elections  will be held on 22 September 2013 to determine the 598 (or more, if overhangs are produced) members of the 18th Bundestag, the main federal legislative house of Germany. The elections may by no means bring the expected calm and stability to Europe. Indeed, the elections may well usher in a period of […]