'Deep Discontent' so what do you want?

[mossdog]

The country has spoken.

 

The results are being interpreted as 'deep discontent'

 

Well I think they got that right. So what do you want? What's the big picture you'd like to see us working towards.

 

Can you put together a wish list of what you'd like to see happening. This isn't to argue about the practicalities and how it can be done, that can come later.

 

I'll start:

 

I'd like to see the gap between rich and poor closing

 

 

A return to 'free' post 18 education and training.

.................does this sound familiar in our country?

....College is a con

 

Bill Bonner

Baltimore, Maryland

 

There are 4,495 colleges and universities in the US. By our count, they reckoned there were at least 4,495 commencement speakers more suitable than your editor. Not one asked us to give the main graduation address. That was probably a good decision on their part. Nevertheless, we prepared an address that we would have delivered had we been asked:

 

To the Class of ’14: Congratulations chumps!

 

You and your families have paid tens of thousands... or hundreds of thousands... of dollars so that you can take your places in a modern economy. What were you thinking?

 

Have you ever heard of the Cantillon Effect? I didn’t think so. You’ve been too busy trying to keep up with the expenses of a college education.

 

Have you bothered to think about what a government really is and what it really does? No? I guess I shouldn’t expect it. You’ve been too busy being indoctrinated in your politics and government classes.

 

How about “intertemporal discoordination?” Well, I hadn’t heard about it either until yesterday. Now, I realise it’s an essential ingredient in today’s financial omelette... and it’s going to make you very sick.

 

Give me five minutes. I want to give you an education. Or at least begin the process of undoing the harm caused by four years in an institution of higher learning.

 

Many of you are already in debt. The banks lend you money so you can pass it along to the education industry. Where did the banks get the money to lend in the first place? And how come it’s so expensive to go to college that you have to borrow heavily to afford it?

 

Hey, didn’t they teach you anything in college? Allow me to enlighten you on how your economy works. You’ll see that you’re being taken for a patsy... a chump... and a sucker.

 

First, why is it so expensive to go to college? Well, it’s a long story. But the short version is that the economy has been rigged up by collusion between industry and government. Everybody who isn’t a saint or a mental defective wants more status, more money and more power. The easiest way to get these things is to rig the economy in your favour. Who can rig the economy and get away with it? The government, of course. Who can get the government to do what it wants? The oligarchs who control it... with their lobbyists... their campaign contributions and their voting blocs.

 

Just this week, there was an article in the Financial Times. It told us that the amount of “dark money” going into election campaigns is soaring. “Dark money” is what they call the cash that goes, not to the candidates directly, but to interest groups that do their own advertising and politicking. A total of less than $100 million in 2008, it rose over $300 million in 2012 and seems to be headed to over $500 million in this next election cycle.

 

Donors all have an axe to grind. And almost everyone is aimed at your neck.

 

In the economy prior to the early ‘80s, Americans made things and sold them to the rest of the world. You didn’t need a college degree to make things. And you didn’t have to make campaign contributions. You just had to learn... and work hard... and sell things at a profit. Then, you could earn a decent living and live a decent life.

 

But then, the economy changed. The feds replaced money with credit. In ’68, they took gold out of the domestic monetary system. In ’71, they stopped honouring commitments to settle foreign accounts in gold. Gold was limited. It limited the amount of money and credit in the economy. But this new money was almost unlimited. It made it easier and cheaper to buy things made by other people than it was to make them ourselves. Since 1980, the US spent nearly $10 trillion more overseas than it received from overseas sales.

 

Gradually, making things in the US became less and less profitable. So, if you wanted to earn a good salary you had to go somewhere else. Finance, administration, accounting, law, education, or health care. The good jobs in these industries required college. That’s why you���re here.

 

But wait, there’s more to the story. Unlimited credit also made it easier to support zombies... and parasites. Government connived with industry to create quasi-monopolies... cartels... subsidies... guarantees and price supports. And the feds could add bureaucracy... controls... rules... and regulations.

 

For example, the education industry added few teachers, but lots of ‘educators’ and policy coordinators. The health care industry added relatively few doctors – but a boatload of paper-pushing insurance workers and ambulance–chasing tort lawyers. Drive down any highway and you’ll see billboards for lawyers who offer to sue someone for you. They could also buy more votes from what I call the ‘poligarchs’... basically poor people who need to be bought off to maintain social peace and the illusion of fairness.

 

These zombies – I call them zombies because they don’t produce anything worthwhile, they just suck the blood out of the other parts of the economy – reduce output and add costs. But now, with their cheap credit, Americans – including the government itself – could borrow to support this overhead.

[Coutts]

I think I love you. Are you female?

 

sums up the lack of drive that so many people have - "If you want to do it you will find a way. If you don't you will find an excuse"

 

Sadly for us both, I am a very straight male. I say us both due to your brutal honestly which I highly admire. It's not easy to voice the truth. You have hit another home run with your comment.

[Cyclone]

That is exactly what I'm talking about. Such a low level of expectation. That the only way someone can buy an expensive car or house is via credit or mortgage. This is the type of rubbish parents are filling their kids heads with.

 

NEWSFLASH, it's possible to buy a brand new car without saving and without the need to use credit. Oh yes, and many people have done it without being dishonest, inheritance or witchcraft. :roll eyes:

 

As for the car of the teacher, it should be one in keeping with that of someone who has achieved success. First rule of learning anything, learn from someone who's already achieved what you desire. Quite logical.

 

You're just being overly materialistic and attempting to judge several things based on a car, wealth, success and value as a person. None of which can be judged so simply.

 

Out of interest, do you own property, and did you buy it with a mortgage?

[Coutts]

You're just being overly materialistic and attempting to judge several things based on a car, wealth, success and value as a person. None of which can be judged so simply.

 

Out of interest, do you own property, and did you buy it with a mortgage?

 

I live int a bedsit ont manor.

 

What do you mean I'm being overly materialistic and attempting to judge things? I don't understand.

[Stan Tamudo]

I think I love you. Are you female?

 

But seriously, you're absolutely right here. Another of my favourite sayings sums up the lack of drive that so many people have - "If you want to do it you will find a way. If you don't you will find an excuse"

 

You sound like one of those self help gurus that flog folk snake oil.

[Cyclone]

This is the sort of thing the poor to middle classes are passing on to their children. It must stop. It's used as an excuse. STOP making excuses or at least don't let your children hear this nonsense. If you currently "HAVE NOT", that's your CHOICE!

 

Anyone who whinges like this, my first question to them is always,

 

What have you done in the last 12 months to better your financial position, whether education, business or investment? The answer is always, nothing, because I don't have time due to work blah blah blah. If they had £1 for every excuse they make they'd be rich.

 

Investment With all the money they have (clue, they're poor, you said so).

 

---------- Post added 23-05-2014 at 16:08 ----------

 

I live int a bedsit ont manor.

 

It's probably, ironically, true.

[Coutts]

You sound like one of those self help gurus that flog folk snake oil.

 

Or someone who doesn't make excuses and takes charge of his own life perhaps.

[chalga]

Sadly for us both, I am a very straight male. I say us both due to your brutal honestly which I highly admire. It's not easy to voice the truth. You have hit another home run with your comment.

 

It's a pity Farage can't bring himself to speak it either,instead he blames immigrants.

[Coutts]

 

It's probably, ironically, true.

 

If I did, I would hold myself accountable for being there. Unfortunately we live in a blaming culture. It's everyone else's fault. I want our kids to have a fighting chance of greatness, not bring brainwashed into believing they have little option but to just scrape through life.

 

Get with the program Cyclone, I believe the children are our future, teach them well and let them lead the way!

 

---------- Post added 23-05-2014 at 16:21 ----------

 

Investment With all the money they have

 

The most famous excuse of all. "I've got no money".

 

If you watch this thread for long enough you'll see more excuses no doubt. This needs to stop and at school level is where the rot needs to be cut out.

[Oh Carol]

.................does this sound familiar in our country?

....College is a con

 

Bill Bonner

Baltimore, Maryland

 

There are 4,495 colleges and universities in the US. By our count, they reckoned there were at least 4,495 commencement speakers more suitable than your editor. Not one asked us to give the main graduation address. That was probably a good decision on their part. Nevertheless, we prepared an address that we would have delivered had we been asked:

 

To the Class of ’14: Congratulations chumps!

 

You and your families have paid tens of thousands... or hundreds of thousands... of dollars so that you can take your places in a modern economy. What were you thinking?

 

Have you ever heard of the Cantillon Effect? I didn’t think so. You’ve been too busy trying to keep up with the expenses of a college education.

 

Have you bothered to think about what a government really is and what it really does? No? I guess I shouldn’t expect it. You’ve been too busy being indoctrinated in your politics and government classes.

 

How about “intertemporal discoordination?” Well, I hadn’t heard about it either until yesterday. Now, I realise it’s an essential ingredient in today’s financial omelette... and it’s going to make you very sick.

 

Give me five minutes. I want to give you an education. Or at least begin the process of undoing the harm caused by four years in an institution of higher learning.

 

Many of you are already in debt. The banks lend you money so you can pass it along to the education industry. Where did the banks get the money to lend in the first place? And how come it’s so expensive to go to college that you have to borrow heavily to afford it?

 

Hey, didn’t they teach you anything in college? Allow me to enlighten you on how your economy works. You’ll see that you’re being taken for a patsy... a chump... and a sucker.

 

First, why is it so expensive to go to college? Well, it’s a long story. But the short version is that the economy has been rigged up by collusion between industry and government. Everybody who isn’t a saint or a mental defective wants more status, more money and more power. The easiest way to get these things is to rig the economy in your favour. Who can rig the economy and get away with it? The government, of course. Who can get the government to do what it wants? The oligarchs who control it... with their lobbyists... their campaign contributions and their voting blocs.

 

Just this week, there was an article in the Financial Times. It told us that the amount of “dark money” going into election campaigns is soaring. “Dark money” is what they call the cash that goes, not to the candidates directly, but to interest groups that do their own advertising and politicking. A total of less than $100 million in 2008, it rose over $300 million in 2012 and seems to be headed to over $500 million in this next election cycle.

 

Donors all have an axe to grind. And almost everyone is aimed at your neck.

 

In the economy prior to the early ‘80s, Americans made things and sold them to the rest of the world. You didn’t need a college degree to make things. And you didn’t have to make campaign contributions. You just had to learn... and work hard... and sell things at a profit. Then, you could earn a decent living and live a decent life.

 

But then, the economy changed. The feds replaced money with credit. In ’68, they took gold out of the domestic monetary system. In ’71, they stopped honouring commitments to settle foreign accounts in gold. Gold was limited. It limited the amount of money and credit in the economy. But this new money was almost unlimited. It made it easier and cheaper to buy things made by other people than it was to make them ourselves. Since 1980, the US spent nearly $10 trillion more overseas than it received from overseas sales.

 

Gradually, making things in the US became less and less profitable. So, if you wanted to earn a good salary you had to go somewhere else. Finance, administration, accounting, law, education, or health care. The good jobs in these industries required college. That’s why you���re here.

 

But wait, there’s more to the story. Unlimited credit also made it easier to support zombies... and parasites. Government connived with industry to create quasi-monopolies... cartels... subsidies... guarantees and price supports. And the feds could add bureaucracy... controls... rules... and regulations.

 

For example, the education industry added few teachers, but lots of ‘educators’ and policy coordinators. The health care industry added relatively few doctors – but a boatload of paper-pushing insurance workers and ambulance–chasing tort lawyers. Drive down any highway and you’ll see billboards for lawyers who offer to sue someone for you. They could also buy more votes from what I call the ‘poligarchs’... basically poor people who need to be bought off to maintain social peace and the illusion of fairness.

 

These zombies – I call them zombies because they don’t produce anything worthwhile, they just suck the blood out of the other parts of the economy – reduce output and add costs. But now, with their cheap credit, Americans – including the government itself – could borrow to support this overhead.

He's taken the words right out of my mouth,well most anyway.