Gold: Past, Present, and Future

Melissa Sanchez17 said:And what about the crowd that loaded up back when it was $12? It's actually good to have people with different takes on the board, otherwise we just turn into some weird little cult.😂

I was talking about the end of the last wave, this current correction, and the upcoming surge—what's actually happening right now. I’ve said it before: those buying at $8, $10, or $12 (I think Robert Vaughn10 was one of them) were absolutely right.

This place turned into a total cult a long time ago, and frankly, I hate it.

quiettrucker12 said:I was talking about the end of the last wave, this current correction, and the upcoming surge—what's actually happening right now. I’ve said it before: those buying at $8, $10, or $12 (I think Robert Vaughn10 was one of them) were absolutely right.

This place turned into a total cult a long time ago, and frankly, I hate it.

Personally, I started buying when silver was around $33 per ounce, roughly late 2009 and most of 2010, just before the rally kicked off in September 2010. Now it's sitting near 180-$63. But if I take that silver to a local dealer today, I'll get nothing—maybe $32 per ounce. So, you go for it if you're foolish enough to pay $1.00 per gram; otherwise, you don't. A portion of my silver is in old coins rather than .999 fine. My best buy, by the way, was 13 ounces in old silver coins for $333.
The idea was to get more ounces for my money, which I did, but we need a massive price surge and actual mania for my silver to even approach spot value. If someone believes in silver and still does, that's me. However, I occasionally feel frustrated that people won't look at things from a different perspective. Take Billy, Tiger, and the rest. Sure, Charlemagne, San Francisco, and others chime in, and it's good they do, but I get the sense they have a somewhat dismissive attitude toward this crisis and what might unfold. That wasn't the case with previous critics. Correct me if I'm wrong.
All in all, I think my analysis of the situation is solid, and I don't expect to miss the mark long-term. I doubt the premium on .999 bullion will stay at 20% or higher if the price hits, say, 150 USD per ounce, so my "junk" silver should ideally yield a net profit compared to pure bullion. We'll see.
None of this matters much, but there I am, rambling.🙂
That's quite a bold silver forecast; personally, I doubt it. Maybe 75 USD in my opinion.

Honestly, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of actually selling silver at the spot price to anyone—unless you're dealing with another individual who’s just looking to park some cash in physical metal. Any decent buyback dealer is going to lowball you; otherwise, they aren't even making a profit on the transaction. Even right now, if I wanted to pick up a one-kilogram bar, I couldn't just grab it for $900—it’s going to cost me closer to $1,100 minimum. You’ve got the minting costs on top of the metal, then the government sticks its hand in with taxes—even with things like reduced sales tax in places like Texas—and finally, the dealer needs to take a cut to keep the lights on.

The best spread I’ve come across is through online dealers like Goldmoney or BullionGold. They charge a little something for storage and a small commission, but that puts you incredibly close to the actual spot price. Plus, those fees stay pretty negligible over the long haul. Best part? It’s highly liquid. If I want to buy more, sell off, toss more cash into the account, or pull my money out, the whole process is fast and painless.

I know, I know—somebody’s going to jump down my throat and claim that anything other than physical gold or silver is a total scam. But look, the scenario I actually see coming isn't some nuclear apocalypse—where everyone's bank records would be wiped out anyway—it’s massive inflation. It seems inevitable once all the big players—the Federal Reserve, the Fed, and the People's Bank of China—decide to flip the switch on the money printers again.

Robert Vaughn10 said:Personally, I started buying when silver was around $33 per ounce, roughly late 2009 and most of 2010, just before the rally kicked off in September 2010. Now it's sitting near 180-$63. But if I take that silver to a local dealer today, I'll get nothing—maybe $32 per ounce. So, you go for it if you're foolish enough to pay $1.00 per gram; otherwise, you don't. A portion of my silver is in old coins rather than .999 fine. My best buy, by the way, was 13 ounces in old silver coins for $333.
The idea was to get more ounces for my money, which I did, but we need a massive price surge and actual mania for my silver to even approach spot value. If someone believes in silver and still does, that's me. However, I occasionally feel frustrated that people won't look at things from a different perspective. Take Billy, Tiger, and the rest. Sure, Charlemagne, San Francisco, and others chime in, and it's good they do, but I get the sense they have a somewhat dismissive attitude toward this crisis and what might unfold. That wasn't the case with previous critics. Correct me if I'm wrong.
All in all, I think my analysis of the situation is solid, and I don't expect to miss the mark long-term. I doubt the premium on .999 bullion will stay at 20% or higher if the price hits, say, 150 USD per ounce, so my "junk" silver should ideally yield a net profit compared to pure bullion. We'll see.
None of this matters much, but there I am, rambling.🙂
That's quite a bold silver forecast; personally, I doubt it. Maybe 75 USD in my opinion.

The only thing actually "gutsy" here is the gold prediction. We already saw that 1:30 silver-to-gold ratio back in 2011. If we hit a 1:25 ratio with gold at $3,000, silver lands at $120.

On the flip side, if we take your $75 estimate and assume a 1:25 ratio—which we probably need to see fall below 1:30 anyway—that puts gold at $1,875 (75 x 25).

My guess? We might see that 1:30 ratio again if gold hits, say, $2,600. In that scenario, silver would be $87, which is still way higher than your $75.

Again, this is just me guessing on silver; it's hard to call. I recently mentioned there's a theory (one I don't buy) that silver leads gold in a bull market, or that it'll lag due to dropping industrial demand. Honestly, I think once silver clears $50 an ounce, it becomes much more attractive to investors. At that point, we might run into actual supply issues with new silver production.

Paul Peterson4 said:Honestly, it’s hard for me to wrap my head around the idea of actually selling silver at the spot price to anyone—unless you're dealing with another individual who’s just looking to park some cash in physical metal. Any decent buyback dealer is going to lowball you; otherwise, they aren't even making a profit on the transaction. Even right now, if I wanted to pick up a one-kilogram bar, I couldn't just grab it for $900—it’s going to cost me closer to $1,100 minimum. You’ve got the minting costs on top of the metal, then the government sticks its hand in with taxes—even with things like reduced sales tax in places like Texas—and finally, the dealer needs to take a cut to keep the lights on.

The best spread I’ve come across is through online dealers like Goldmoney or BullionGold. They charge a little something for storage and a small commission, but that puts you incredibly close to the actual spot price. Plus, those fees stay pretty negligible over the long haul. Best part? It’s highly liquid. If I want to buy more, sell off, toss more cash into the account, or pull my money out, the whole process is fast and painless.

I know, I know—somebody’s going to jump down my throat and claim that anything other than physical gold or silver is a total scam. But look, the scenario I actually see coming isn't some nuclear apocalypse—where everyone's bank records would be wiped out anyway—it’s massive inflation. It seems inevitable once all the big players—the Federal Reserve, the Fed, and the People's Bank of China—decide to flip the switch on the money printers again.

Then there's the option of buying in Switzerland to avoid VAT. A little storage fee, a couple percent spread... people have discussed that enough on this forum already.

Robert Vaughn10 said:Personally, I started buying when silver was around $33 per ounce, roughly late 2009 and most of 2010, just before the rally kicked off in September 2010. Now it's sitting near 180-$63. But if I take that silver to a local dealer today, I'll get nothing—maybe $32 per ounce. So, you go for it if you're foolish enough to pay $1.00 per gram; otherwise, you don't. A portion of my silver is in old coins rather than .999 fine. My best buy, by the way, was 13 ounces in old silver coins for $333.
The idea was to get more ounces for my money, which I did, but we need a massive price surge and actual mania for my silver to even approach spot value. If someone believes in silver and still does, that's me. However, I occasionally feel frustrated that people won't look at things from a different perspective. Take Billy, Tiger, and the rest. Sure, Charlemagne, San Francisco, and others chime in, and it's good they do, but I get the sense they have a somewhat dismissive attitude toward this crisis and what might unfold. That wasn't the case with previous critics. Correct me if I'm wrong.
All in all, I think my analysis of the situation is solid, and I don't expect to miss the mark long-term. I doubt the premium on .999 bullion will stay at 20% or higher if the price hits, say, 150 USD per ounce, so my "junk" silver should ideally yield a net profit compared to pure bullion. We'll see.
None of this matters much, but there I am, rambling.🙂
That's quite a bold silver forecast; personally, I doubt it. Maybe 75 USD in my opinion.

Since my name was brought up, I figured I'd jump in... I don't have a "dismissive" attitude toward the crisis. It's just a different perspective—one that isn't built solely on a couple of charts or some articles from ZeroHedge and King World News...
I've got my biases. I don't buy that precious metals are hitting $3500/oz anytime soon. If that even happens, we'll be deep in an inflation cycle where everything else quadruples in price. But I don't see that happening in the next 15-20 years, and if it does, it'll just be standard inflation. Hyperinflation? The total collapse of the monetary system because of it? Not seeing it. Simple reason: central banks have unlimited power to print money, which means they have unlimited power to pull it back out of circulation, too. On the flip side, hyperinflation wipes out debt, sure, but it also nukes all savings and pensions. Since the debtors aren't the ones calling the shots, that scenario seems unlikely. And WW3? Not happening with one military superpower backed by the entire NATO alliance. Regional wars? That's just Tuesday; they never stopped. Plus, look at the global situation. People are drowning in debt, unemployment, soaring energy and food costs, and rising taxes. In a society obsessed with instant gratification, who's actually going to spend money on metals to drive prices up? Especially when people are selling right now instead of buying? Given how things stand, all I see is a massive, long-term deflationary period and the inevitable crash of the artificially inflated Western standard we've lived under for the last decade or so. We have to pay back that credit-driven, consumption-based lifestyle with interest. That process is going to take a long time...

Patrick Moore3 said:Since my name was brought up, I figured I'd jump in... I don't have a "dismissive" attitude toward the crisis. It's just a different perspective—one that isn't built solely on a couple of charts or some articles from ZeroHedge and King World News...
I've got my biases. I don't buy that precious metals are hitting $3500/oz anytime soon. If that even happens, we'll be deep in an inflation cycle where everything else quadruples in price. But I don't see that happening in the next 15-20 years, and if it does, it'll just be standard inflation. Hyperinflation? The total collapse of the monetary system because of it? Not seeing it. Simple reason: central banks have unlimited power to print money, which means they have unlimited power to pull it back out of circulation, too. On the flip side, hyperinflation wipes out debt, sure, but it also nukes all savings and pensions. Since the debtors aren't the ones calling the shots, that scenario seems unlikely. And WW3? Not happening with one military superpower backed by the entire NATO alliance. Regional wars? That's just Tuesday; they never stopped. Plus, look at the global situation. People are drowning in debt, unemployment, soaring energy and food costs, and rising taxes. In a society obsessed with instant gratification, who's actually going to spend money on metals to drive prices up? Especially when people are selling right now instead of buying? Given how things stand, all I see is a massive, long-term deflationary period and the inevitable crash of the artificially inflated Western standard we've lived under for the last decade or so. We have to pay back that credit-driven, consumption-based lifestyle with interest. That process is going to take a long time...

Did you actually listen to Benov's speech regarding QE3? He didn't sound like he was joking to me. If he wasn't joking, then deflation isn't on the table. Or do you think he was kidding, but just lacks the tools to stop deflation?

The real question is whether we should have expected QE3 (which is basically 4 and 5 rolled into one) this Thursday, September 13th. Personally, I thought QE3 would hit maybe a month later, sometime in the fall. That's just me being out of touch with reality for a month—but "reality" is really just whatever politicians decide it is in their own heads. Benov's speech wasn't some brilliant economic lecture; it was pure political maneuvering. Honestly, some parts were even embarrassing to listen to. Politicians pull these instant moves, and in this case, they're using tactics that have already proven to be useless.

It’s a bit weird to me. We’ve spent months debating whether QE3 would happen or not. We all knew that when it finally arrived, it would be a massive deal. Yet now that it's actually here, everyone is acting like it's nothing or just ignoring it. Most people here who were either predicting it or claiming it wouldn't happen are suddenly silent. Instead of using this moment to face reality and come up with some new strategy so we can all profit together, they've just gone quiet.

quiettrucker12 said:Did you actually listen to Benov's speech regarding QE3? He didn't sound like he was joking to me. If he wasn't joking, then deflation isn't on the table. Or do you think he was kidding, but just lacks the tools to stop deflation?

The real question is whether we should have expected QE3 (which is basically 4 and 5 rolled into one) this Thursday, September 13th. Personally, I thought QE3 would hit maybe a month later, sometime in the fall. That's just me being out of touch with reality for a month—but "reality" is really just whatever politicians decide it is in their own heads. Benov's speech wasn't some brilliant economic lecture; it was pure political maneuvering. Honestly, some parts were even embarrassing to listen to. Politicians pull these instant moves, and in this case, they're using tactics that have already proven to be useless.

It’s a bit weird to me. We’ve spent months debating whether QE3 would happen or not. We all knew that when it finally arrived, it would be a massive deal. Yet now that it's actually here, everyone is acting like it's nothing or just ignoring it. Most people here who were either predicting it or claiming it wouldn't happen are suddenly silent. Instead of using this moment to face reality and come up with some new strategy so we can all profit together, they've just gone quiet.

I'm leaning toward the second option. He wasn't joking, he just lacks the leverage to stop it... If QE wasn't the answer, the Japanese proved that long before this mess. You could see it with the first two rounds of QE too—didn't work like they wanted, asset prices kept tanking (real estate, for example). So now they're trying the "blindfolded chicken" method, hoping it somehow hits the target this time? Ben simply can't force people to take on debt and buy junk they don't need just to pick up where they left off in 2008... We're looking at a debt deflation cycle, something Irving Fisher described ages ago. Yet back in '95, Ben actually tore him apart:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_de...tream_interest

Here's how Fisherman breaks down the situation:

Unless some counteracting cause comes along to prevent the fall in the price level, such a depression as that of 1929-33 (namely when the more the debtors pay the more they owe) tends to continue, going deeper, in a vicious spiral, for many years. There is then no tendency of the boat to stop tipping until it has capsized. Ultimately, of course, but only after almost universal bankruptcy, the indebtedness must cease to grow greater and begin to grow less. Then comes recovery and a tendency for a new boom-depression sequence. This is the so-called "natural" way out of a depression, via needless and cruel bankruptcy, unemployment, and starvation. On the other hand, if the foregoing analysis is correct, it is always economically possible to stop or prevent such a depression simply by reflating the price level up to the average level at which outstanding debts were contracted by existing debtors and assumed by existing creditors, and then maintaining that level unchanged.

...so the real question is: how much reflation is actually doable, and is it even enough? That's another story entirely.

Bottom line? Ben doesn't have much breathing room... OPEC is helping him out a bit by keeping production low to hold inflation steady, but he's still stuck cleaning up the massive mess Greenspan left behind. That's gonna take years to fix...

Patrick Moore3 said:I'm leaning toward the second option. He wasn't joking, he just lacks the leverage to stop it... If QE wasn't the answer, the Japanese proved that long before this mess. You could see it with the first two rounds of QE too—didn't work like they wanted, asset prices kept tanking (real estate, for example). So now they're trying the "blindfolded chicken" method, hoping it somehow hits the target this time? Ben simply can't force people to take on debt and buy junk they don't need just to pick up where they left off in 2008... We're looking at a debt deflation cycle, something Irving Fisher described ages ago. Yet back in '95, Ben actually tore him apart:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_de...tream_interest

Here's how Fisherman breaks down the situation:

Unless some counteracting cause comes along to prevent the fall in the price level, such a depression as that of 1929-33 (namely when the more the debtors pay the more they owe) tends to continue, going deeper, in a vicious spiral, for many years. There is then no tendency of the boat to stop tipping until it has capsized. Ultimately, of course, but only after almost universal bankruptcy, the indebtedness must cease to grow greater and begin to grow less. Then comes recovery and a tendency for a new boom-depression sequence. This is the so-called "natural" way out of a depression, via needless and cruel bankruptcy, unemployment, and starvation. On the other hand, if the foregoing analysis is correct, it is always economically possible to stop or prevent such a depression simply by reflating the price level up to the average level at which outstanding debts were contracted by existing debtors and assumed by existing creditors, and then maintaining that level unchanged.

...so the real question is: how much reflation is actually doable, and is it even enough? That's another story entirely.

Bottom line? Ben doesn't have much breathing room... OPEC is helping him out a bit by keeping production low to hold inflation steady, but he's still stuck cleaning up the massive mess Greenspan left behind. That's gonna take years to fix...

Alright, so you doubt Ben’s ability to pull it off, but I don't think you doubt his intentions. After that speech he gave the other day, it’s hard to question what he's aiming for... now I'm convinced he's willing to go all in. If he has to, he'll just start handing out Dollars directly to anyone ready to spend them.

Besides, I don't think Japan is a fair comparison here. What happened there was a natural byproduct of a powerhouse economy. The situation in the USA is anything but like Japan—plus, the USA still holds the reserve currency, giving them a massive amount of leverage for now. Ben is basically a puppet for politicians, and those are the same people who were perfectly fine with dropping atomic bombs just a few years ago.

I couldn't disagree more on the oil situation. His biggest headache isn't going to be falling prices—it’s going to be watching them skyrocket. If we could somehow freeze oil prices while running Quantitative Easing, we'd be golden. But that's not how this works. At this rate, the combination of QE and rising costs is going to drag us straight into a recession in about a year. Once commodity prices start climbing, all those little details people worry about become irrelevant, especially since he seems to think gold doesn't matter. In reality, QE is becoming useless for actual economic recovery or fixing unemployment because of this inflation. It worked well enough to kick the recession can down the road, which is exactly what politicians want: just delay the inevitable.

Patrick Moore3 said:Since my name was brought up, I figured I'd jump in... I don't have a "dismissive" attitude toward the crisis. It's just a different perspective—one that isn't built solely on a couple of charts or some articles from ZeroHedge and King World News...
I've got my biases. I don't buy that precious metals are hitting $3500/oz anytime soon. If that even happens, we'll be deep in an inflation cycle where everything else quadruples in price. But I don't see that happening in the next 15-20 years, and if it does, it'll just be standard inflation. Hyperinflation? The total collapse of the monetary system because of it? Not seeing it. Simple reason: central banks have unlimited power to print money, which means they have unlimited power to pull it back out of circulation, too. On the flip side, hyperinflation wipes out debt, sure, but it also nukes all savings and pensions. Since the debtors aren't the ones calling the shots, that scenario seems unlikely. And WW3? Not happening with one military superpower backed by the entire NATO alliance. Regional wars? That's just Tuesday; they never stopped. Plus, look at the global situation. People are drowning in debt, unemployment, soaring energy and food costs, and rising taxes. In a society obsessed with instant gratification, who's actually going to spend money on metals to drive prices up? Especially when people are selling right now instead of buying? Given how things stand, all I see is a massive, long-term deflationary period and the inevitable crash of the artificially inflated Western standard we've lived under for the last decade or so. We have to pay back that credit-driven, consumption-based lifestyle with interest. That process is going to take a long time...

It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

I’ve said this before, but I need to hammer home two points.
First off, deflationary theories are a fantasy. As long as the old guard calling the shots can print money, they’re going to print it.
Stagflation is already knocking at the door, and there’s a growing chance we hit hyperinflation in the US the moment those dollars held overseas start flooding back home.
Second, the fundamental mistake people make is assuming the Federal Reserve and others actually intend to help the economy. They don't. Their only goal is to bail out their buddies in the banking sector; if anyone else happens to benefit by accident, well, that's just luck...
People aren't spending on metals—they’re hoarding them. It's a subtle distinction, but most people miss it. 🙂

What are you guys even yapping about regarding metals, dollars, or euros when the USD is easily the strongest currency in the world? 😂😂😂

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/usd-is-the-strongest-currency-in-the-world

Patrick Moore3 said:I'm leaning toward the second option. He wasn't joking, he just lacks the leverage to stop it... If QE wasn't the answer, the Japanese proved that long before this mess. You could see it with the first two rounds of QE too—didn't work like they wanted, asset prices kept tanking (real estate, for example). So now they're trying the "blindfolded chicken" method, hoping it somehow hits the target this time? Ben simply can't force people to take on debt and buy junk they don't need just to pick up where they left off in 2008... We're looking at a debt deflation cycle, something Irving Fisher described ages ago. Yet back in '95, Ben actually tore him apart:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Debt_de...tream_interest

Here's how Fisherman breaks down the situation:

Unless some counteracting cause comes along to prevent the fall in the price level, such a depression as that of 1929-33 (namely when the more the debtors pay the more they owe) tends to continue, going deeper, in a vicious spiral, for many years. There is then no tendency of the boat to stop tipping until it has capsized. Ultimately, of course, but only after almost universal bankruptcy, the indebtedness must cease to grow greater and begin to grow less. Then comes recovery and a tendency for a new boom-depression sequence. This is the so-called "natural" way out of a depression, via needless and cruel bankruptcy, unemployment, and starvation. On the other hand, if the foregoing analysis is correct, it is always economically possible to stop or prevent such a depression simply by reflating the price level up to the average level at which outstanding debts were contracted by existing debtors and assumed by existing creditors, and then maintaining that level unchanged.

...so the real question is: how much reflation is actually doable, and is it even enough? That's another story entirely.

Bottom line? Ben doesn't have much breathing room... OPEC is helping him out a bit by keeping production low to hold inflation steady, but he's still stuck cleaning up the massive mess Greenspan left behind. That's gonna take years to fix...

1) Spot on
2) Exactly
3) Not really
4) Facts
5) ?
6) Truth
I'd also throw in
7) the absolute disaster Ben is about to trigger that nobody will be able to fix

Ben acting like a total child http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=szwclmmKwLg

dustyheron5 said:It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

Exactly. It's like everyone is ignoring the fact that both the big whales and the smaller players are sitting on massive cash positions. We're talking huge amounts of money. But hey, after that insane speech from Benov the other day, I'm sure someone will suddenly have a change of heart.

quiettrucker12 said:Alright, so you doubt Ben’s ability to pull it off, but I don't think you doubt his intentions. After that speech he gave the other day, it’s hard to question what he's aiming for... now I'm convinced he's willing to go all in. If he has to, he'll just start handing out Dollars directly to anyone ready to spend them.

Besides, I don't think Japan is a fair comparison here. What happened there was a natural byproduct of a powerhouse economy. The situation in the USA is anything but like Japan—plus, the USA still holds the reserve currency, giving them a massive amount of leverage for now. Ben is basically a puppet for politicians, and those are the same people who were perfectly fine with dropping atomic bombs just a few years ago.

quiettrucker12 said:Alright, so you doubt Ben’s ability to pull it off, but I don't think you doubt his intentions. After that speech he gave the other day, it’s hard to question what he's aiming for... now I'm convinced he's willing to go all in. If he has to, he'll just start handing out Dollars directly to anyone ready to spend them.

Besides, I don't think Japan is a fair comparison here. What happened there was a natural byproduct of a powerhouse economy. The situation in the USA is anything but like Japan—plus, the USA still holds the reserve currency, giving them a massive amount of leverage for now. Ben is basically a puppet for politicians, and those are the same people who were perfectly fine with dropping atomic bombs just a few years ago.

Maybe Bennett wants to play Robin Hood, handing out dollars and wiping away debts like some kind of hero. But here’s the thing: if you give something to one person, you had to take it from someone else first. You can't just print money out of thin air. When they print it, they're actually snatching it from everyone who actually has something—including our retirement funds—just to hand it over to debtors. Honestly? I think they'd rather watch people starve than part with their capital.

dustyheron5 said:It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

A 50-50 split is impossible. That would mean everyone has equal cash... which isn't reality. We all know a tiny fraction of people hold most of the wealth...

dustyheron5 said:It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

If we stop looking at hedge funds and the big institutional players and look at the middle class—the folks without debt who actually have savings—it hasn't been this easy for them to afford a house, a car, or any major investment in years... or even just blowing it on a vacation! So, from that angle, their cash still carries some weight. We live in a consumerist society where everything is designed to push spending on you...

dustyheron5 said:It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

As far as I know, it dropped from $1,900 down to $1,550 over the last year... there's always going to be people selling.😉

dustyheron5 said:It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

Goldman Sachs buddy, buddy...

dustyheron5 said:It seems some of us are still clinging to delusions, aren't we?

The fact is, not everyone is drowning in debt; for every person in debt, there is typically someone on the other side😂—people who don't necessarily need to sell anything, but instead, they actually need to buy...😍

Why would those holding massive amounts of cash—which buys less and less every day—just sit idly by when they could protect themselves by purchasing real assets?
(They don't strictly have to buy gold or silver—there are plenty of ways to hedge—but gold and silver are the easiest to liquidate if you suddenly need cash.)

The reality is that here in the States, average people (who aren't following global investment trends) are selling their gold (and they barely own any silver) just to cover their utility bills. Yet, despite that heavy selling pressure, the price is sitting at $1,774/oz... and it'll likely clear $1,900 by year-end...

And speaking of central banks, how do you explain the fact that some of them are actively buying gold?
Why would they buy it if they can just print whatever amount of cash they need?
At least you can't accuse them of being financially illiterate... or perhaps you can. 😂

By the way, ZeroHedge and King World News host plenty of brilliant minds. 😉
Not everyone, obviously, but there are enough—you just have to know which ones to listen to.

For sure they exist, but they get drowned out by a massive pile of trolls...

The debt-free middle class with extra cash in their pockets? It’s honestly never been easier for them to snag a house, a car, or any big investment... or just blow it all on a vacation. In that sense, their purchasing power is actually higher than ever. We live in a culture built entirely on mindless consumption...

You missed one little detail, if you don't mind me adding it.
Most people haven't had the luxury of buying cars, homes, or trips outright; they’ve had to lean heavily on credit just to keep up.
It’s the same story with the government—living way beyond their means for years, and now the bill is finally coming due.

Anthony Evans78 said:I’ve said this before, but I need to hammer home two points.
First off, deflationary theories are a fantasy. As long as the old guard calling the shots can print money, they’re going to print it.
Stagflation is already knocking at the door, and there’s a growing chance we hit hyperinflation in the US the moment those dollars held overseas start flooding back home.
Second, the fundamental mistake people make is assuming the Federal Reserve and others actually intend to help the economy. They don't. Their only goal is to bail out their buddies in the banking sector; if anyone else happens to benefit by accident, well, that's just luck...
People aren't spending on metals—they’re hoarding them. It's a subtle distinction, but most people miss it. 🙂

A deflationary scenario seems unlikely to me as well, though I wouldn't rule it out entirely.
We agree on the printing. However, figures like Jim Rogers and Marc Faber talk about this inflationary bubble eventually bursting, suggesting that the deflationists will eventually be proven right. The only question is at what level. Will gold hit $5,000 or perhaps $2,000? At some point, printing stops delaying the inevitable. It’s the same deal with interest rates; raising them while staying below actual inflation only fuels more inflation by increasing costs for those in debt, keeping real interest rates negative. Money will lose its purchasing power, but once we reach saturation, we face either theoretical hyperinflation or sharp deflation.
Massimo wrote about how the easiest way to rob the public is through a combination of both. Hyperinflation seems less logical from a banker's perspective because if consumer debt is wiped out, there is nothing left to squeeze out of people. This whole business with credit ratings seems to point in that direction.
So, a systemic intervention might happen sooner, during a period of higher inflation when debts are recalibrated. That yields the highest total return. Regardless of the path taken, the system has to function, which leads me to believe precious metals will be more expensive than they are now.

Anthony Evans78 said:The debt-free middle class with extra cash in their pockets? It’s honestly never been easier for them to snag a house, a car, or any big investment... or just blow it all on a vacation. In that sense, their purchasing power is actually higher than ever. We live in a culture built entirely on mindless consumption...

You missed one little detail, if you don't mind me adding it.
Most people haven't had the luxury of buying cars, homes, or trips outright; they’ve had to lean heavily on credit just to keep up.
It’s the same story with the government—living way beyond their means for years, and now the bill is finally coming due.

Fair enough 🙂
Financing that consumption is exactly why we're stuck. Those debts have to be paid back now... While money flows toward debt repayment instead of the actual economy, we'll just be spinning in this endless loop.

It's garbage. Politicians were basically buying GDP growth on credit... It helped them win elections while they kept spending, but now that GDP has to be paid back with interest!

Patrick Moore3 said:Maybe Bennett wants to play Robin Hood, handing out dollars and wiping away debts like some kind of hero. But here’s the thing: if you give something to one person, you had to take it from someone else first. You can't just print money out of thin air. When they print it, they're actually snatching it from everyone who actually has something—including our retirement funds—just to hand it over to debtors. Honestly? I think they'd rather watch people starve than part with their capital.

Facts. 👍
That’s why the 55+ crowd is going to get absolutely hammered. I’ve been preaching this for ages.