By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

It was another 400 point loss on the Dow today.  Manufacturing is contracting according to the latest reports, and Europe is in very big trouble with sovereign debt (especially with Spain and Italy).  If the Euro falls apart, then the dollar will be the big near term beneficiary.  So, the buck could actually strengthen for a short while because it would be the prettiest ugly girl in the currency room.   If stocks (especially the banks) keep getting pounded and the economy keeps sinking, then the fed will be forced to act or let the economy and the market fall off a cliff. (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

The decision by the Fed, last week, to keep a key interest rate at near zero percent for 2 years is historic because the Fed has never done this before.  This action will have profound negative effect on the U.S. dollar and its buying power.  It also signals that even the Fed thinks the economy is not going to get better for at least 2 years.  This action will affect every American and telegraphs a policy of inflation by the government. (more…)

Even though silver and gold are both up around 25% for the year, silver has been lagging gold’s recent spike.  Plenty of folks have been asking what’s going on.  In the big picture, what is happening is fiat money is in the process of dying.  Can governments save the fiat system with austerity?  I don’t think so because there is simply too much debt in the world.  What I do know is the rich are turning to physical assets for protection from calamity and inflation.  Silver is used for storing wealth and industrial production.  It is only a matter of time before silver catches up with gold, and most experts say it will go up in price on a percentage basis much more than gold. (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

Watching the Sunday talk shows and looking at the reporting from this weekend’s Republican  straw poll, you would not think that Congressman Ron Paul even participated in the event.  Paul came in a very close second to Representative Michele Bachmann in a field of Presidential Candidates.  Bachmann received 4,823 votes; Paul received 4,671 votes, which represents a margin of just 152 votes. (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The stock market had a wild ride this week.  It was more like a bucking bronco than a way to save and invest your hard earned money.  The market seems to have turned into a violent casino, only the Wall Street sharks and short sellers will come out on top.  Riots in the UK are so out of control that the British government is thinking about spraying rioters with purple dye to identify them later. (more…)

A while back, I made a prediction that something bad was going to happen before the end of 2011.  I think the recent stock market plunge qualifies as “something bad.”  Where have all the trillions of dollars gone from the stock market?  I think Wall Street is up to its old tricks and harvested the public’s hard earned 401-k money—again.  The stock market has been an awful place for the “buy and hold” investor to park his money for the past 11 years.  The little guy has been fleeced time and again by the short selling sharks. (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

You have to respect the power of the Federal Reserve when just a statement can turn the entire stock market around in a day.  Yesterday, the Fed admitted the economy was not good and in a statement said, “. . .downside risks to the economic outlook have increased.”  Because the economy is tanking, the Fed promised to keep a key interest rate at near 0% for “. . . at least through mid-2013.” (more…)

The U.S. debt downgrade is really more than a tiny one notch cut in the credit worthiness of the U.S.  One talking head on television said yesterday that there was never any question that the U.S. would repay its debt because the country can print money.  The talking head is correct but does not take into consideration the future buying power of the repayment dollars. Printing money at the rate the Fed has been doing devalues the currency and, in effect, allows the government to default with dollars with reduced buying power.  This is precisely why Bill Gross, head of the world’s biggest bond fund, PIMCO, said recently that people who invest in Treasuries will “get cooked.” (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

“Brace for Impact.”  I have thought about this economic collapse title for months.  I held onto it and figured I would know when the right time was to put it out there.  Today is the day.  Watching mainstream media (MSM) this weekend, you would think a one notch downgrade to America’s debt doesn’t really matter.  For example, former CNBC anchor Erin Burnett said Friday night on CNN the downgrade was “already priced into the market.”  The panel spoke as if the first U.S. debt downgrade in history was no big deal.  To that I say, positively absurd! (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The big drop in the Dow is the result of a global solvency crisis.  The U.S. is spending money by the trillions,  and Europe is headed for a crash touched off by Italian debt.  The economy is stalling.  The Federal Reserve, no doubt, is  contemplating another round of money printing to bail everybody out—again!   Even gold and silver sold off.  Is the Bull market in precious metals over?  It’s all covered by Greg Hunter in the “Weekly News Wrap-Up” on USAWatchdog.com. (more…)

Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

Today’s 500 plus point sell-off is pretty self-explanatory against a world-wide rout in stocks.  The world is deeply in debt, and there is no quick fix.  Europe and America are slowing down and taking the rest of the world with them.  Italy is also having major trouble handling its debt, right along with the other PIIGS (Portugal, Italy, Ireland, Greece and Spain).   Italy is the 8^th largest economy in the world.  You thought Greece was a problem?  Wait until Italy cries bailout or default.  (more…)

Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

I appreciate what the Tea Party and folks like Congressman Paul Ryan are trying to do.  Mr. Ryan, who is the House Budget Committee Chairman, said when the debt deal passed, “This is a down payment on the problem and it’s a good step in the right direction.”  Ryan went on to make what is probably the most important point, “And it is a huge cultural change to this institution.”  Amen to that Mr. Congressman, but this debt reduction bill is like trying to bail water out of a battleship with a thimble. (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

Today, the President signed into law a $2.4 trillion debt ceiling increase contained in a so-called deficit reduction bill.  This was done under the threat of defaulting on the debt of America, if a deal was not reached by August 2nd.  The deadline was completely bogus because the government had ample funds coming in every month to service Treasury debt.  (more…)

By Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com 

Everybody is thinking the debt ceiling deal is a done deal.  To that I say, not so fast.  First of all, this is a deal everybody hates including the President.  That doesn’t mean he won’t sign the legislation when it comes across his desk—he will.  The leaders in Congress have agreed to a plan, but the trick is going to be getting it through the House and Senate. (more…)

Greg Hunter’s USAWatchdog.com

The debt ceiling impasse is a monster story and, once again, it tops our Weekly News Wrap-Up (WNW) on USAWatchdog.com.  I have been saying for more than a week Congress is going to miss the August 2nd deadline for getting a deal done to avoid default.  Yesterday did not change my mind.  The two parties are as far apart as ever.  The U.S. will not default on Treasury debt, but many bills are not going to be paid.  (more…)