Weekly News Wrap-Up 12.21.12
By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com
Don’t expect a debt deal Christmas present. It ain’t going to happen. This is a political football. It is also about putting blame on the other party and getting a deal that hurts the other party’s base the worst. Solving this debt crisis problem will involve real pain and sacrifice if we ever want to balance the budget. Even the so-called Erskine-Bowles plan only meant a total of $4 trillion to the budget over the next decade. That plan slowed the growth of government, forget about actually cutting it. What Congress and the President should be doing is a full court press on the economy. Instead, the Fed is propping up the banks and the government to the tune of $85 billion a month. And there is not a single word about that enormous pink elephant in the room. The economy is headed into a tailspin, and inflation is going to crush the middle class.
The President is demanding a gun plan. Not much is really talked about in terms of people who have successfully protected themselves or families with a firearm. Just last week in Oregon, a shooter was stopped by an armed citizen with a concealed carry permit. The President and Congress have already gutted the 4th Amendment and “Due Process” with “Indefinite Detention” contained in the NDAA. Now, they are going after the Second Amendment (The Right to Bear Arms). The economy is headed for a real crash. This will create inflation and poverty all at the same time as the Fed keeps printing money to bail out the big banks, which are technically insolvent. You want to see some real violence, then watch what happens when the currency is inflated away. Stopping law abiding citizens from protecting themselves is not the answer. Next on the list are probably Freedom of Speech and the First Amendment.
If the government really wants to crack down on something, why not jail some bankers for fraud and crime? HSBC was fined nearly $2 billion for money laundering for drug cartels and terrorists. What about criminal prosecutions? UBS was fined $1.5 billion in the LIBOR interest rate rigging fraud. London Inter-Bank Offered Rate is used in up to $800 trillion in transactions globally. JP Morgan Chase and other banks recently paid fines for fraudulent mortgage-backed securities. So, alleged money launders and fraudsters only get a small fine? Do the powers that be want to disarm the public just in time for the next financial calamity?
Finally, today is the first day of winter 12/21/12. It is also the end of the Mayan calendar, which is NOT the end of the world, just the end of a 5,000 and 26,000 year cycle. That doesn’t mean bad stuff will not happen. The most predictable calamity is a financial crash because nothing has been fixed since the 2008 meltdown. The banks are too big to fail and the bankers are too well connected to jail. Nothing will get better under this backdrop.
Join Greg Hunter as he analyzes these stories and more in the Weekly News Wrap-Up.
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About the Author
Greg Hunter
Greg is the producer and creator of USAWatchdog.com. The site’s slogan is “analyzing the news to give you a clear picture of what’s really going on.” The site will keep an eye on the government, your financial interests and cut through the media spin. USAWatchdog.com is neither Democrat nor Republican, Liberal or Conservative. Before creating and producing the site, Greg spent nearly 9 years as a network and investigative correspondent. He worked for ABC News and Good Morning America for nearly 6 years. Most recently, Greg worked for CNN for shows such as Paula Zahn Now, American Morning and various CNN business shows.
Great report Greg! We need politicians who respect the constitution. Bush gave us the Patriot Act while Obama gave us the NDAA. Also, when a crazed shooter kills innocent children the government wants to take away the constitutional rights of law abiding Americans. But, when the government kills 176 innocent children with drones, they call it collateral damage. Take away our 2nd amendment rights and the rest will quickly follow.
Thank you Rev.!! I support the ENTIRE U.S. Constitution!
Greg
Hello Greg
The other day I wandered over the border into Washington State to do a little shopping. I Thought that I would do a little poll on what the folks of the fine state of Washington were thinking about the impending fiscal cliff. Maybe my approach was a little unorthodox but here was my question.
I told them that as visitors from out of town we wanted to do some sight seeing and had heard about the fiscal cliffs. 8 out of 10 were either not sure of where they were or they would be very happy to ask someone who knew. One person said that “fiscal” didn’t sound right could I have meant Physical Cliffs. Another told me that they just opened and indoor cliff climbing area and that I would probably enjoy that experience much better since it was indoor and out of the elements. Yes there were two out of twenty that actually knew that I was joking.
The lesson: We need you Greg and your guests to continue to inform and admonish. An yes, all the pot banging of those with political leanings are just deafening a lethargic public who actually would love to think on other things besides debt and making a daily living.
Thank you Don for the story and the kind words!!
Greg
Don Johnson: I call this fiscal cliff a physical cliff also mainly because for the first time we will physically experience the damage of over printing, and banker fraud. Keeping my sainity is the hardest thing. stress on the mind, will, and emotion is sure to take its toll on the human body.
Hi Greg,
You know something I didn’t realize the Mayans could identify numbers this big or a fiscal cliff on or about December 21, 2012. I guess they were smarter than I realized.
It seems that the much touted “fiscal cliff” is still looming on the horizon. Republicans can’t even agree on “Plan B.” Does this appear just to be another dog and pony show to anyone else?
With the real financial crisis staring everyone in the face; how much significance can any American place on an imaginary dollar pitfall? I’m not even sure how far below zero, on any scale, the figures being talked about would fall. With a scale on the high side of $200 trillion and a low side negative $200 trillion…where does the fiscal cliff occur?
It does make press headlines.
It does keep certain people in fear.
It does show how dumbed down America has become.
It does re-focus the real issue of the looting of America.
It does make congress appear as if they are concerned.
It does look really stupid when THE FED IS PRINTING UNLIMITED DOLLARS.
Wait a minute:
Does Speaker Boehner work for Rothschild or Rockefeller?
Does President Obama work for Rockefeller or Rothschild?
….or maybe it’s the other way around, hard to determine????
Clean your guns and get ‘em ready!
Have a great weekend Greg!
Thank you Chuck. Merry Christmas to you and yours!
Greg
Greg: when all is said and done and the fiscal cliff dog and pony propaganda show is over, the result will be as planned all along. It will be a triple whammy of austerity, more regulations and higher taxes. There will be more hardships for the poor and elderly, a further decimation of the middle class, and the bankers and their puppet congressional critters will be arguing how to distribute the assets that will ultimately be available for pennies on the dollar. What is amazing to me is that Obama’s base still hasn’t figured out that he’s a died in the wool fascist. His strings are pulled by our elites; together they will destroy not only the progressive legacy of FDR and Johnson’s Great Society, but the free market capitalism mantra of the right as well.
Thank you Doug and Andy.
Greg
Greg, another great week. Thank you. I’ve turned you on to a number of appreciative individuals. This fiscal cliff is truly a joke. The idiot politician solution is like teaspoons to the ocean. No doubt something will give, and give big. Merry Chistmas to you and yours and God bless.
Doug
Hi Greg,
You are right on. Keep up the good work.
I served in the Marine Corps for 20 years. My parent came during the era – “land of opportunity”. They turned out quite well and it was one way, I thought, to pay back. The military kept me too busy to really know the truth behind our missions. You are trained to do and not ask questions. I’m retired and awake now. I see today, that the “land of opportunity” has turned into the “land of greed and corruptions”. The worse part is that many American are still sleeping and refuse to wake up. They live in this dream land believing in politician and government promises of getting something for nothing. Washington is nothing more than a show and nothing of real important that will enrich people lives get done. Day by day only more and more policies that rob us of liberty get passed. I forward your reports to my friends and love ones hoping they too will wake up and soon to prepare for what is to come.
A lot of “funny math” are coming out of Washington along with false data and market manipulation. Crooks are every where but only small fish get fried and big fishes have discount coupon to buy their way out.
I see guns more necessary today than ever. It is a way for law abiding citizens to protect themselves from the bad guys – that includes the out of control government.
My hat off to the Mayans, their 5000 years calendar may only be few months off.
Thank you Fred, Charles and Ugly. Merry Christmas to one and all!!!
Greg
Merry Christmas Greg. Thanks for your service to so many. Be safe. God bless you.
We are done. Best to get ready. It won’t be a Brave New World.
Thanks Greg so much for what you do! With all thats going on in America today I can’t help but remember Charelton Hesston in front of the NRA convention a few short years back holding up his minuteman rifle ” When They Pry My Dead Cold Hands “!!! Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Thank you Rod for your comment and support! Merry Christmas!
Greg
Greg, the fiscal cliff will be can kicked with photos ops all around, it just a dog & pony show anyway to keep the public from seeing the large pink elephant in the room (the FED & the devaluation of the dollar – OUR MONEY!) The right to bear arms is slipping away one shooting spree at a time, even the Republicats are on board to destroy the right to bear arms. Frankly, the Republicats have lost their way on every conservative issue in play in our times. How dare the Republicats not talk about the PRINTING TO INFINITY during the election. They simply have lost touch with their base. No wonder they are a party in decline. If you don’t stand up you can’t be counted. Have a great X-mas Greg.
Greg,
Thanks again for cutting through the clutter and sounding the alarm bells for this society! Boy are we asleep and in trouble. Well, may you enjoy the Holiday season…
Thank you Tbird. Merry Christmas to you and yours.
Greg
Merry Christmas Greg
Great wrap up. My wife 2 our 2 (16 & 20) children and myself were privileged to march with Occupy (Fort Worth & Dallas) when it was big around a year and a half ago. If there is one thing the corrupt ones hate it’s a leaderless no demands movement who come together to point out daily “we know what you did, are doing and plan to continue doing. We walked and talked with Republicans, Democrats, Independents and people without labels to Banks and other big financial institutions to tell their Board Members they are being watched. I was a Ronald Reagan Republican until I realized any label makes the corrupt ones job much easier. Divide and conquer is still very effective world wide. Anywhere for profit trumps for the common good financial pyramids rise and crash systematically with the corrupt ones making out like fat rats from both the rise and fall. Before 2001 I think the corrupt ones needed a base of middle and upper middle class to maintain their power. Now that they hold most of the money, resources, technology, media and military/police the upper middle and middle class can be stripped of good wages. benefits and old age securities we paid into.
Greg reading your site I am reminded of one of my favorite quotes:” As long as corrupt people find it necessary to murder ,lie, cheat and steal, I find it necessary to point it out”.
Again Merry Christmas and whatever you do, do with a smile. Smiles are one of the most effective tools we have.
Thank you Jim H for your comment and courage!!
Aloha Greg,
Merry Christmas everyone. Enjoy each and every day, it’s a train wreck in slow motion and no stopping the wheels on the bus from going round and round.
Big Mahalo Greg for staying on point to the issues that really matter, your doing a great job!
Troy
Here’s a thought. Imagine you are rich – and you take your $1billion cash to the bank and say, hey, please swap this paper for that pile of gold overthere. Now, the bank cannot refuse your dolalrs right, as it is currency. But what might be going thrrough the bank manager’s head? Think about it. The banks can print all the paper they want but they can’t print gold. If they wantered another billion they could just print it, or, borrow it from the FED. So, here you are, wanting to swap your $1billion in paper for his pile of gold. And the banker has to give it to you because your paper is called currency and his gold has a price. In his head – he must be going nuts. So, if you are rich with a billion, or poor with a couple of thousand, (or poorer with your $33), go get your gold (or silver) before someone else does becuase the banker only has a limited amount – and your paper is now – thanks to the FED, available in unlimited quantity. RMJA
As always, great work! Merry Christmas to you and yours. Thank you for all the hard work that you put into this, Greg.
Thank you Dan R. and Merry Christmas to you too.
Greg
Ed Tinsley, from Helena, Montana, a hunter, politician, and veteran wrote this about guns. He meets my definition of courage.
I spent Saturday morning, less than a day after the horrific murders of 27 innocent people, goose hunting with my son. It was his first goose hunting trip and I was hoping it would be special for him. As I sat in the blind, I thought a lot about the events of the previous day.
I have hunted most of my lifetime… I got my first deer when I was 13. I also served four years in the United States Army and was trained to use an AR-15, essentially the same type and caliber of gun that was used to commit the murders in Newtown.
As I sat in that blind, I thought about the fact the government regulates the amount of shells I can have in my shotgun (3) when hunting waterfowl. I thought about how it can regulate the vehicle I drive. And the number of beers I can have in a micro-brewery in Montana. And whether or not I can talk on the phone while driving a 4,000 pound vehicle on public streets.
The reason why we have government is simple – to protect the health, safety and welfare of our citizens. Period.
We as a nation now have to stand up and demand that our national leaders take up the question of assault weapons, and they are weapons, meant to kill people, not game animals. And we also need to take up the question of large capacity magazines, designed to hold and deliver maximum amounts of bullets, to kill people, not game animals.
This conversation will no doubt raise the hackles of those who believe that there should never be any regulations of any sort regarding guns or ammunition. Let them tell that to the parents of those twenty 6 & 7 year old kids in Newton.
Will regulating assault weapons or multiple round clips prevent further murders? Unfortunately not. But taking the ability away from people to shoot hundreds of rounds into rooms full of innocent people will seriously reduce the numbers of people who can be killed when a madman decides to do that in the future.
There are those who will say that the 2nd Amendment should be sacrosanct and that it is their right to own assault weapons and large capacity magazines. To that I say bullshit. Go join the military and serve your country. Or move to Yemen or Somalia, where you will never have to worry about “onerous” gun regulations.
I have also served as an elected official, and sadly, in the past allowed myself to be bullied by those in the NRA and other radical gun owner rights groups, afraid that if I didn’t follow their dictates, I would expose myself to ridicule, and worse yet, have to face their wrath in the next election. But no more.
I don’t know if I will ever stand for elected office again or if this position will negatively affect any possible future employment, but I will not bow down to their fear mongering or pressure tactics ever again. If they want to come after me as a citizen or as a candidate, professionally or personally, so be it. I am a proud gun owner who does not fear having to abide by regulations that will protect our society.
If that principal and those brave teachers who died standing up against a madman with an assault rifle and faced certain death in order to protect little children, then I can stand up and say what I think needs to be said as a citizen.
Greg, If you find that the above post might be upsetting to some of your readers, I’d prefer that you not post it. He reflects my sentiments, but in this time of high emotions around this issue, it might upset people too much. So I’ll leave the call to you. Thanks and happy christmas. ON