To my friends and family, and anyone who is willing to take a moment to read:
This is not a political letter. It is not addressing ideology, nor what you intend to do Nov. 6th. This is much more personal, and I’m sharing it because you are important to me.
The Congressional Budget Office is now on the record projecting the coming economic cliff. You have read my notes over the past 3 years (maybe…?) talking to you about the coming “cliff.” Now you hear it even in the mainstream media, albeit they are still rather muted. I believe that is in large part due to the present campaign season, and they will get on board with the imminent nature of the coming “cliff” after the elections have passed.
Please, Please, look around you and see how you can prepare. If some miraculous event occurs to delay or prevent the crisis that is coming, then you will just have a little extra set aside, and you can use it up. But, if there is no unworldly intervention (such as Martians landing on earth and fixing everything…), then a little preparation could make all the difference in the world for you and your immediate family. Prepare for two weeks of no resources available. If you can prepare for a month, or more, so much the better. But at least two weeks.
1) Do you have enough cash in your physical possession (not in the bank) to get you through a week to two weeks, if you cannot access the ATM?
2) Do you have enough water to see you through a week or two weeks? For drinking, primarily, but also for cooking, washing, and for your dogs or cats, other pets?
- It would be great if you could have 15 gallons per person, per day. But you can make do with 2 gallons per person, per day. Don’t forget to include your pets in your calculations.
3) Do you have extra food on hand? Enough for 3 meals a day for each member of your immediate family, for a week or two weeks. Unrefrigerated (just in case).
- Dry rice and beans are good to have on hand. They are cheap, easy to store. Make sure you have water…
- Some dry seasonings and such to make the food flavorful.
- Macaroni and cheese is fairly cheap, and easy to store. Make sure you have water…
- Canned vegetables.
- Canned meat—tuna, chicken, beef. You can find them on the store shelves near the canned tuna.
- Pet food for your pets for at least a week, or two weeks.
4) Gasoline? If you cant get gasoline for 3-14 days, do you have any available to help you?
- You can store it in your lawn mower, gas cans, any vehicles on your property that aren’t running, etc.
5) Your prescription medications. Don’t wait ‘til the last day to refill them.
6) And, just in case: perhaps you can keep some items on hand others would be willing to trade for: you could trade away liquor, cigarettes, coffee, tea.
If you think you are prepared, check the preparation. Check again. You need cash. Cash on hand. Food, Water.
The CBO, and reputable economists all over the world are stating with conviction that “The world has never seen what’s coming.” This is not going to be a regional event. It is going to happen everywhere. There will be no other nation to come and help us, and we will not be able to send help to others. I know how freaked out my grandparents were/are, even 80 years after the Depression. This is supposed to be worse. If you are lucky enough to still have your grandparents (and they lived during the Depression), ask them what might be helpful to have on-hand?
Have you noticed: China has so many ghost cities, and empty malls. Entire cities of them, built for no one to inhabit. Why? Why did they build them? The huge building spree there wasn’t being driven by an economic engine. This was their communist government keeping the people “busy” with jobs, so they wouldn’t riot. Now they are slowing down, and the Chinese are finding themselves without work, and what are they doing? China is coming apart at the seams: Rioting. China is actively trying to keep them focused on an outside enemy, to direct their anger, so they don’t take down their own government, and we may yet see China go to war with Japan, in this effort.
Years from now history will look back on the next month or two as the time period when the final nails were put in the coffin.
What has happened to your salary this last 4 years? If you have been able to keep your job, the likelihood is you have your wages frozen. Is your employer offering raises? Even cost of living raises?
Just to simplify, I will limit this to just a few examples: Ground beef, bacon, and Ice Cream now cost 20% more than they did 3 ½ years ago. For the average family of four, that adds up to approximately $884 more per year under this president’s tenure, for just these 3 items. Of course, much, much more has gone up in groceries, but for the purpose of this letter, I will limit to these three.
If you fill your car tank of gas, it will cost you about $80. When our president took office, that would have cost you $35. That is $1000 dollars extra per year, for someone who drives a typical distance every day. Much, much more, if you commute.
The average household income is down $4500 (per year) dollars since Obama took office. That is $4500 LESS income with which to pay for added gasoline and groceries costs in their home. This president has cost the average family, in inflation, $6184 per year, on just these four items.
The number of unemployed Americans has gone up substantially since our president took office. The unemployment rate has remained above 8% throughout Obama’s presidency (U3 calculations). The only thing that has reduced it to even as low as 8.1% is that they no longer include the long-time unemployed it that figure. But, they are still out there, unemployed, and now not even counted by the administration. The Long Term Unemployed has gone up 87% in just the past 3 years.
Middle class income has dropped, as stated above. Gasoline has gone up 107% in the past 3 ½ years.
Health insurance costs have gone UP 23%, in the past 3 years. College tuition has gone up 25% in the past 3 years.
The number of Americans now in poverty has gone up by nearly 7 million in the past 3 years.
Food Stamp recipients have increased 47% during the past 3 years.
The Federal Debt has increased by 51% during in the past 3 ½ years.
U.S. Global competitiveness has been dropped every year for the past 3 years. 3 years ago the U.S. was in 1st place, globally. Now, the U.S. has dropped to 7th place. And is still dropping. This is very bad for our economic forecast.
Prominent economists are on the record stating that the global economy is heading quickly into what will be a global collapse of the financial system. Central banks have added $10Trillion dollars to their countries balance sheet and total public and private debt now greatly exceed the prior peak hit in late 2007. This is unsustainable.
And, here is the point of this information:
If everyone is in the same boat, no one can be rescued. It is important to prepare. Make yourself ready to be able to help your family, and others.
Keep in mind: there are folks with means who have been preparing, and they do not have your best-interests in mind. They are looking out for their own self-interests. Don’t let the world have the same outcome as the fictional “Potterville” in that famous holiday movie (It’s a Wonderful Life). If we, as Americans, are in the same boat as the rest of the world, who is going to go to aid of others? Who will feed the rest of the world? We are on the verge of losing what makes us so exceptional in the world. We must do all we can to protect and preserve. Prepare, and be a help to others. Do not trade away “your inheritance for a bowl of porridge.” Please prepare.
Think like a German Jew in the 1930’s, or like your grandparents from the great depression. This is not going to be like the great depression, it will be much worse, but we will make it through. But prepare.
Look at what happened to Zimbabwe during their big inflation
Look at what happened to Germany during the Weimar inflation
You can google it.
Now, expand that picture to the whole world at the same time.
Again, this letter is not a political letter. Regardless of your ideology or political preference, think of your family, and make some preparation.
NienieNotes 