(Schiff)—The Federal Reserve operates under a dual mandate from Congress — to achieve maximum employment and stable prices. In a recent podcast, Peter Schiff explained why the Fed won’t achieve either.
The FOMC held its November meeting last week. As expected, the Fed left interest rates unchanged. Peter said you can almost always count on the central bank to do what is expected.
The Fed never wants to confound expectations. They never want to surprise the markets. So, if the markets expect no rate hike, well, they deliver no rate hike, and that’s what happened.”
During his prepared remarks, Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell acknowledged the “economic hardship” caused by price inflation. But Peter said he doesn’t seem to grasp the full picture.
Since inflation is caused by the government, and caused by the Federal Reserve, it’s the government and the Fed that are creating that hardship. It’s not like it’s just happening out of left field.”
It’s an intentional policy. The government has decided that it will pay for its borrowing and spending through an inflation tax.
Now, had they used another form of taxation, had the Biden administration, and the Trump administration for that matter, had they raised taxes enough to pay for all of these government programs, that would have created hardship too. Families would be struggling under the burden of crushing taxation. So because the government decided to tax them through inflation as opposed to through the income tax or the payroll tax, the hardship that is being created is because of government. It’s not just something that’s happening by happenstance.”
Powell also reiterated that the goal is “price stability.” Nobody ever bothers to ask, “Why?” What’s so good about price stability?
What about lower prices? Because price stability, the way a normal person would define it, is prices stay the same. Well, I’m a consumer. I’d rather have prices go down than prices remain the same. So, what if prices went down 1% a year, or 2% a year? Why is that so bad? Why does the Fed have to replace that with stability?”
Peter said we don’t really need “price stability.”
It’s really a BS goal.”
And we don’t even actually have a goal of price stability. The goal is for prices to go up 2%.
There’s nothing stable about that other than the rate of increase.”
After the Fed meeting, Powell admitted the central bank isn’t anywhere near that goal and that this is a long process.
He’s underestimating. Waiting for inflation to go to 2% is going to be like waiting for Godot. It’s never going to happen.”
During the Q&A, Powell emphasized that we have a “very strong” economy. Just two days later, we got a very weak jobs report. (Peter talked about this earlier in the podcast.)
How is the economy so strong if the labor market is that weak? … I don’t know what Powell is looking at. I think he’s just reading a script that the Biden administration handed him because he’s just reiterating their talking points to talk up the economy so Biden can get credit for it.”
The question is how will Powell respond when the labor market continues to deteriorate? That would imply the Fed should stop hiking. But as Peter pointed out, one of the reasons the labor market is weakening is because price inflation is strengthening. How can he focus on a weakening labor market and ignore strengthening inflation?
Meanwhile, Powell continued to insist that we need to see a slowdown in economic growth and some “dampening” in the labor market in order to “fully restore price stability.” In other words, he wants to see more people lose their jobs. That’s because he thinks people are spending because they are doing well, that spending is creating more jobs, and also pushing wages higher. Peter said people are spending more because prices are going up.
They’re spending because the money supply has gone up. They’ve got more money to spend, and they’re spending because they’re still able to access credit. They’re taking that borrowed money and spending it. This is not how you grow an economy. This is how you destroy an economy. This is not a virtuous dynamic that he is describing. It is a vicious one that is going to end in ruin. Because you don’t grow an economy by people spending money.”
You grow an economy by not spending money and saving. That provides seed corn for capital investment. That increases productivity creating more output.
You produce your way to prosperity. You save your way, and then invest and produce your way into prosperity. We’re not doing that. We’re trying to put the cart before the horse.”
Peter reiterated that we don’t have a strong economy. We have an inflationary economy.
It’s inflation that is driving everything. Powell just doesn’t realize that. He’s looking at the ‘strong’ economy, and he’s thinking everything is good. He’s looking at inflation. He just doesn’t understand that.”
Peter said he doesn’t think there are any more rabbits the central bankers can pull out of their hats or any road left where they can kick the can. The economy is about to implode and inflation is alive and well. That means the Fed can chuck both its mandates right out the window.
Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
