The EXEGETIST: A Library Of Independent Political Thought. By: Jack H. Dawsey

Sir, Can You Spare a Dollar?

Earlier this year I read or heard where Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said the U.S. dollar was “a worthless piece of paper.”  In his accusation, he asks world leaders to replace it.    The Iranian President is not alone in is belief.  Other nations such as China, India, and Russia are beginning to make similar demands.  When Ahmadinejad made his comments, certain congressional leaders scoffed.  Some, (mostly war-mongers), even suggested that President Obama open up a 3^rd theater of war.

But how times have changed!  Today, Ahmadinejad’s comment has merit.  Some of the world’s most powerful leaders are rumored to be meeting to develop a plan to abandon the dollar.    Apparently, they want to move to a mixed currency, such as the Yuan and/or the Euro, and/or the Dollar as a combination. 

The dollar has become so weak that many are abandoning it, choosing gold instead.  The rise of gold investment are something normally seen in periods of world war.  But in my opinion people are buying gold, not from fear of world war, but because they see it as a safe hedge against inflation. The situation has become so serious that gold-theorist’s have developed the “09” gold rush fever, otherwise known as the 09’ers.

The rise in the value of gold may propose a serious problem for the U.S. dollar.  As investors sell-off their dollars, and foreign borrowers pay off their debts, the global market will find itself holding excess dollars.  As a result, the dollar could become the least wanted currency in the world. 

The Federal Reserve, (which by the way is not an agency of the U.S. Government, it’s a private-owned corporation), will doubtless create more paper.  Given the irresponsible spending habits of democrats and republicans in Congress, the dollar will plummet further.   America’s national debt and the glut of dollars won’t be backed by anything of intrinsic value.  And China, our biggest foreign customer may cease to accept our dollars, instead, could likely demand hard Assets like our national parks, or our national forests, or other hard Assets.   How prophetic Ahmadinejad’s words, if we reach a point where every dollar the Federal Reserve creates becomes, “worthless.”  

Not to be facetious, but Sampson County mothers may find themselves pushing a wheel-barrow full of dollar bills to their local supermarket to purchase a gallon of milk.  That’s not meant to be funny.  The German people did that in the 1920’s.       

What else does this mean to you, personally?  It means “back-door” inflation.  Inflation is the most hideous form of taxation.  It guarantees real pain, striking a hard blow to the retirement community.  Whenever there is a glut of money supply, wholesale prices increase at the store.  That; together, creates a lower standard of living for all of us.

One cannot help but wonder if the dollar’s demise is on purpose.  It’s not China or Russia, or Pakistan or Iran that has made our dollar weak.  It’s our government.  The endorsement in government policies by republican and democrat alike has caused the dollar to decline.   I contend that they, knowing beforehand the negative impact of their overspending policies, pressed ahead and put you in jeopardy of personal bankruptcy. 

Far-out conspirators, and premillennial enthusiasts, and some right-wing political operatives believe the dollar’s downfall, (and subsequently America’s downfall), is the fulfilling of bible prophecy, i.e., the coming One World Order.  While I don’t subscribe to that theory, I suspect the dollar is being devalued for global marketing purposes, i.e. competition with other world economies.  One thing I’m reasonably sure of and that is this:  your democrat and republican leaders in Congress will not share your pain and suffering as you visit your local supermarket. 

Can Obama Raise The Dead?

By: Jack Dawsey

Can President Obama raise the dead?  (I speak metaphorically).

I suppose the attempt to raise the dead, (and scam the living), was first tried among religious hucksters dating back to the 19^th century.  Apparently, their method of operation was adopted by the 21^st century political world.  Let me explain. 

The right-wing of American politics did succeed, in part, in raising the dead.  Their policies raised the rich and powerful to a new standard: the “super-rich.”  By every measurable economic standard, the policies of the Republican Party worked for @1% of the American people.  More recently, the left-wing of American politics is trying to raise the dead.  And much like their predecessor, they’re using the blood of the American people for a transfusion.

When the previous administration exited the White House on January 20, their policies had drained the life’s blood of America’s 401-K retirement plans, and ravaged Wall Street and other financial institutions with phony credit default swaps, and other scandals.  They enriched their mega corporations and their super banks with YOUR money.  They provided no-bid contracts to foreign entities, using YOUR money.  And as if that was not enough, they destroyed the confidence that world leaders once held with respect to the value of the dollar, YOUR money.  Are we to expect “day’s je-vu” with the Obama Administration?    

Will Rogers, America’s beloved cowboy humorist-columnist during the 1930’s Great Depression era said, “All I know is just what I read in the paper…”   Lately, I’ve been reading the following.  Why is America the world’s largest debtor nation?   How come America is flooded with foreign goods that other nations produce?   Why is America’s infrastructure falling apart?  Why are American consumers and small business going bankrupt every week in record numbers?  Why do many Asian immigrants (and others) come here and quickly receive government loans, and establish a self-supporting business while America’s poor are unable to break out of their poverty cycle?   And finally, why can’t those that represent us in Washington, (and local governments too for that matter), get their act together to serve us?

I don’t claim to be an expert.  I’m just a middle-class American who pays taxes.  But it seems our government (state, local, and federal) is dead, or our representatives have selective memory and forgot “We, the people…” that elected them to office.   

Isn’t it about time to give the following consideration in the next election cycle?  (a) Don’t fall into the same ole political clap-trap of switching from one political party to another, thinking the party “out of power” is more efficient, and more righteous, and moral than the party “in power.”   (b) Don’t fall for that same political scam of believing that democrat or republican philosophy is the answer to our current dilemma, and that they will make things better.  (c) Don’t fall into that same ole political rut of hiring *consulting experts and lobbyists to solve government problems.  Or (d), don’t be deceived with the economic lie that greed is good, and that unfettered, uncontrolled, and unbridled capitalism is a panacea to prosperity.

Given the current deck-of-cards that is dealt us, (or as they say in golf “play the ball where it lies…”), we ought to consider thinking out of the box, and try something different. 

 *By the way, the trouble with hiring so call experts is that they fly into our community on private jets, proclaim their expertise and make a study.  They write a report telling our elected leaders what must be done, then fly out of town, with taxpayer’s check in hand, and they assume no responsibility for their recommendations.  Have you noticed that county governments in North Carolina are notoriously overloaded with outside consulting firms, and paying large sums for their “reports and studies” only to lay them on the county manager’s desk to collect dust?  

In summary, are there any “lessons-learned” for us from the political escapades happening across the fruited plains of America?  Or, are we witnessing what is tantamount to a 19^th century evangelist-huckster at work, using us as his paid audience?