gold backed dollars. At that time, the world system decided to join the U.S. and use a fiat monetary system of plain paper. This unaccountable system of finance benefits only the central banks of the world. Governments can borrow, the central banksof the world. Governments can borrow, the central banks can print and charge interest on higher and higher governmental debts. Dr. Carroll Quigley wrote in Tragedy and Hope, When a currency is off the gold standard, fluctuation of exchange [which is then created], can go on indefinitely. The unbalance of international payments is worked out by a shift in exchange rates. The bottom line is the dollar has dropped in value since 1971 by over 70%. Why? Our government deficits escalated to over $11T at this time. Furthermore, in a paper monetary system, usury becomes the order of the day. For Americans, we have seen directly what usury is. In 1980, our government passed the Monetary De-Regulation Act in which they removed ceilings and floors on interest banks had to pay and charge on savings. Bankers can now pay the “going” rate of interest rather than a minimum amount. As an example, on savings accounts banks are paying ¾ of 1% while charging up to 9% on auto loans and 8.25% on second mortgages, besides 18-35% on credit cards. Is this fair? No. Time to stop it. The bottom line is that Wall Street and our central bank made a huge mistake by raising interest rates at the same time when energy was going up. What they now know is that the power of the consumer is gone-or is it? They are not able to put gas in their SUVs and they are not buying new ones. Furthermore, they cannot afford a new home which has doubled in price as a result of 45 year low interest rates. In other words, there is very high inventory of SUVs by all the auto dealers and the home builders. However this is GOOD NEWS BECAUSE IT IS THE CONSUMER WHO HAS SPOKEN. We have the power to bring the system which they created down. Let’s use their system to stop them. It is very simple: STOP BUYING AND STOP CHARGING!!! We have not been using our power properly. Instead, we have agreed to their terms and their system. The Consumer is over extended. While we may not be up to our eyeballs in debt, it is time to get out of their system. We can use their system to make demands to change their hold on us. They need you and me to constantly buy, to determine that we need to look like the magazine pictures of what is acceptable on any given day, they need you and me to prop up their monstrous capitalistic system by buying newer and bigger so they can earn more interest. They need you and me to march to their tune. IT IS TIME TO STOP AND TELL THEM TO MARCH TO OUR TUNE. All this without a bullet being fired.
You know what they tell co-dependents. Get healed and then your marriage will change. We can change this evil, feudalistic system by not buying and not charging, emergencies excluded. This is what needs to be done:
1.
Get financially well. If you have debt, stop buying until you pay OFF your current debts. If you need something new, start visiting the consignment shops. There are different level of consignment shops from Goodwill/Salvation Army to high-ended clothing shops.
2.
When you have finished paying off your credit cards, learn to live within your means. We have all been guilty of believing the beautiful advertisements that tell us we too can be beautiful with a new house, new car, new furniture, new kitchen, new shoes, new dress, new tools, etc. Joy comes from within.
3.
For things you need, start going to flea markets, neighborhood garage sales, antique stores, and auctions. Read the “For sale” ads. The idea is NOT TO BUY IN THE DEPARTMENT STORES, but from one another. Create an alternative to their system.
4.
When you send your credit card payment, write a note saying you can’t afford 18% to 35% and for that reason you are going to close your account. Tell MasterCard and Visa that you are not going to pay 18% any more. Keep one open for emergencies.
5.
For Christmas, a retailer’s biggest opportunity to get people to buy, make your Christmas presents this year, next year, and the year after.
6.
Start going to your county council meetings and vote down new spending appropriations. The answer is NO to further economic projects that will increase our debt. Tell them NO to usurious interest rates. NO to new bond projects that will increase our burden of debt for many years to come. Vote out the high spenders who advocate “economic growth.”
7.
Write to your Congressman/Local MPs/Senators and tell them to repeal the 1980 Monetary De-Regulation Act and return interest rates on credit cards to fair rates instead of Mafia level interest rates and while you are at it, tell them to repeal the Federal Reserve Act.
8.
Tell your neighbors spread the word. STOP BUYING AND STOP CHARGING. Let’s break their dysfunctional system
By Joan M. Veon
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